Help With Purchase

[syoungblood]

Hello All,

 

Let me start by saying I am really excited about finding this site. My family and I are avid pop up campers and we first heard about geocaching through the Pop Up Times website (very similar to this one). It really sounds like a great thing to do when we are out camping with the kids.

 

I have begun the painstaking process of researching what is available. I think I have narrowed my choices down to 3 possibilities;

1) Magelllan Meridian Gold (like the sd memory slot, larger screen, and electric compass)

2) Garmin Legend (seems like a good unit all in all, but not sure if 8mb is enough memory)

3) Garmin Vista( like the 24mb, but can't use sd cards. Will I need sd cards with 24mb? Also like the compass)

 

I feel like my brain is about to turn into geographical mush . To me everything looks good, but I don't really know what I need in the first place. It is only because of this site that I have narrowed it down this much. The GPS will mainly be used for geocaching and trip planning for the camping trips. I would greatly appreciate any and all input and guidence from you all. I am so excited about trying this, but I don't want to rush in and buy the wrong unit. Please help

[+RockyRiver]

You can't go wrong with the Meridian Gold. Its by far superior to the other units you

mentioned. I used to own a Gold, but sold it for a Platinum (The Platinum matched the interior of my truck ) You will need Mapsend software and an SD card to install detail maps (You know the small rural streets). With the new firmware Magellan

offers Version 5.12 you can put a 256MB SD card in it and put about 8 or 10 states on average of detailed maps.

For more info go to the Yahoo groups. You may have to sign up to access this.

Just as you signed up for this site.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/magellan_meridian/

Edited December 3, 2003 by rockyriver

[+TEAM 360]

If those are your choices, then go for the Gold, you won't regret it.

 

Actually, you can't go wrong with any of the Meridian series, if you want to save a little money. I like their big screens and the ability to add memory, although I haven't had the need to do anything to my Platinum, the basemap has been more than sufficient.

[syoungblood]

I can get the Meridian Gold for $239.00. The Meridian Platinum for $260.00. The only real difference I can see is the digital compass on the platinum. Do either of you think it is worth the extra $20.00 to go for the Platinum? Thanks for the help

[+EraSeek]

What can one say? Any unit will do you. Of these three I'd pick the Vista. I am a Garmin lover. Never used Magelllan, don't care for their looks, and don't trust their service. 8mb is good, 24 much beter. My personal choice is a larger unit than the Etrex. I like my Map76. The Garmin V is also held in high regard. Much is personal choice. You may want to go with a cheaper unit like the legend, as a starter to learn what you like. It is still a very good GPS. One thing for sure... once you have a mapping unit you will never go back to one that isn't. At least start there.

[+RockyRiver]

If you can get a Platinum for only $20 more, get it. If you decide to sell it they sell faster and hold there value better than any other Magellan on the market.

If there was a $50 or more difference I would sy get the Gold. If you get the Platinum you will love it. If you have a problem with the unit email customer service at Magellan with your problem, don't call them by phone. I can't even think of any problems you can have that you could not get advice here on the fourms faster or better than Magellans customer service. I have had great luck with my Magellans. I own several Garmins and I am disappointed in there small map storage space and that ranges depending on the unit form 8MB to 24MB.

I like a lot of storage, so i'm not having to upload new maps every time I travel.

[+RockyRiver]

And also get you a SD film card reader just like for use in digital cameras.

This is where the Meridian series shines above the rest of units on the Market.

It takes me less than 6 minutes to load 128MB's of detailed maps this way on an SD card.

My Garmin MAP76S takes abiut 45 minutes to load only 24 MB's to its built in memory using the old outdated comport method.

Edited December 3, 2003 by rockyriver

[+CurmudgeonlyGal]

If you decide on the Magellan Meridian line - yes, spend the extra money for the compass on the Platinum. I used a MeriPlat for three weeks or so (about 40 finds) and LOVED the compass in this thing. I have a Garmin 76S now, and loathe the compass in that baby. HateItHateItHateIt after using the MeriPlat compass.

 

Moooooovin' On.

 

I am a confirmed Garmin fan (I have the Map76S and the GPS V... am pondering the new 60C), but of the three units you've listed, I would definitely stick with the Magellan (but spend the extra $20 to get the) Platinum.

 

We started out with a Legend, and found the patch antenna just wasn't working for where we spend most of our time caching, and quickly moved to something with a 'better' antenna (for our purposes). For that reason alone, I'd aim higher than anything in the eTrex line.

 

If you want what I would consider comparable in the Garmin line (due to antenna/features), then look at the GPS V ($320 which includes autorouting maps for the entire USA and Canada, but no electric compass) or the GPSMap76S ($309 - has the e.compass, which may suit you JUST FINE if you don't know what the compass is like on the MeriPlat!)

 

Good luck with your decision. Really, you can't go wrong with any of them - personal preference is a biggie here!

 

-=-

michelle

[+RB_Nielsen]

Not to muddy the waters for you, but I agree on the Garmin advice - the Garmin V just simply rocks when it comes to all around versatility. There is a world beyond geocaching, and for which the Garmin V goes well beyond the rest of the GPS units, and guaranteed it will bring much value added. Its ability to give turn-by-turn directions for anywhere you want to go is unmatched in both capability and usability. Knowing that you are traveling a lot makes me think you may want to explore a bit more these other functions offered by the Garmin V.

[+TEAM 360]

Every time I read about Magellans service in here, they always take care of the customer by not only expeditiously fixing the problem, they include a new case, computer cable and latest software upgrade when they ship the unit back to the customer.

As far as the electronic compass goes, I use that screen from the minute I get out of the car until I find the cache. Just follow the arrow, and the compass does not "jump around", because it is magnetic, and not just reading GPS coords to give a bearing. Love it. If you get the Plat, you will not have to buy another GPS for a very long time as you will be getting everything you will ever need. 16 mb basemap, 3 axis compass (so you don't have to carry it level), ability to add memory, barometer, and vertical profiling.

[Vlad]

first off - meridian gold does NOT have an electronic compass. it has the traditional gps compass - it requires a satellite fix and movement in order to properly display direction...

 

secondly why does everyone try to do everything with a single gps - there is no one gps today that does all things well - although the upcoming 60cs just might be the first to do so.

 

if you are looking for a gps that will help you with travelling then get yourself a unit that is designed for in-car navigation - garmin's gps V, ique or streetpilot would be nice to have's in this area. magellans roadmate series would be another alternative. unless the unit is prompting you audibly for turns (either by voice or with beeps) the unit is not designed for in-car use and is a hazard to your safety and mine. garmin's products are superior in this regard as they can generate routes either across detailed maps or even in conjunction with the basemap. the magellan products will only autoroute on the directroute software and depending on where you wish to travel on this planet (most of canada) you may find that this is a very limiting factor. also there have been many comments about the incessant (irritating) beeping of the magellan turn by turn feature. the roadmate will be better than the meridian solution in all regards but is much more expensive also.

 

for geocaching any gps will do the job but one with an electronic compass would be a nice to have. quad helix antennas seem to be preferred but i have found that patch antennas perform nearly as well. i would not rule out the etrex vista - it is an amazing piece of technology that does more than almost any other gps on the market today.

 

as to memory and your requirements it would be nice to know exactly how far you travel when "camping". if you're driving a state or two then a minimal amount of memory just might be fine. if you're not so interested in city detail but mostly on interstates etc then the built-in basemaps on the units might be all you need. if you want to know where the nearest gas station or atm is then detailed maps would be important.

 

color screens are not necessary but really, really nice to have. they make it possible to very quickly understand the information being presented on the gps and especially so when it comes to the map screen. look for all manufacturers to be heavy into color screens starting now...

 

units i would recommend (in no particular order - buy from someone that has a 15 day return policy or something similar and try them out):

 

etrex vista

sportrak color

gps v

meridian platinum

gpsmap76s

 

in a perfect world you'd have a streetpilot 2610 w/2GB card (so you could have all of the usa and canada loaded at all times) and also a gps60cs - both units providing color, large memory and turn by turn navigation both in car and portable...

 

you might want to also take a look at the various map products available from garmin and magellan and pick your manufacturer that way - if the maps aren't available for your gps it's a "no joy" situation.