+lindsychris Posted May 14, 2005 Share Posted May 14, 2005 We've finally decided to upgrade from our yellow eTrex after a year and a half. We've narrowed down our search to the Legend C, or the more expensive Map60C. We've read some posts here, and the info at Garmin, but whats the difference in layman's terms...what makes the Map60c $50 better??? Thanks! Quote Link to comment
peter Posted May 14, 2005 Share Posted May 14, 2005 56 MB of memory for downloading maps vs. 24 MB Sliightly larger screen Jack for an external antenna RS232 port in addition to the USB that both models have. The RS232 port supports the NMEA standard making the 60/60c/60cs compatible with other marine electronics and also more compatible with older software and PCs that may not have USB. Helical vs. patch antenna - the 60 models are better if they'll be held closer to vertical, the patch in the LegendC/VistaC are better if the unit is horizontal. Quote Link to comment
+lindsychris Posted May 15, 2005 Author Share Posted May 15, 2005 Jack for an external antenna Helical vs. patch antenna - the 60 models are better if they'll be held closer to vertical, the patch in the LegendC/VistaC are better if the unit is horizontal. Doesn't the 60c come with an external antenna?? The information about the antenna being horizontal/vertical is interesting! Thanks. What about the mapping capability with the two units? I see that they both come with basic software built in, but what does that basic software actually mean??? We're looking for any info/opinions that people have. We'd like to make our decision and order soon! Quote Link to comment
+Miragee Posted May 15, 2005 Share Posted May 15, 2005 The Legend C is very small . . . smaller than my eTrex Vista, but the screen is bright and easy to see. That makes it very nice for handling while you are hiking. Regardless of which one you buy, you will have to purchase the maps such as City Select or the Mapsource "Topos" or "Road and Recreation." You might get a better price on the software on eBay. The units you are talking about come with base maps with only minimal road/highway data. Quote Link to comment
+lindsychris Posted May 15, 2005 Author Share Posted May 15, 2005 Regardless of which one you buy, you will have to purchase the maps such as City Select or the Mapsource "Topos" or "Road and Recreation." You might get a better price on the software on eBay. The units you are talking about come with base maps with only minimal road/highway data. So the software that is included is fairly uses for the autorouting and finding side streets? Quote Link to comment
+Miragee Posted May 15, 2005 Share Posted May 15, 2005 To find side street and get detailed navigation, you need to buy the additional maps. I got my eTrex Vista on eBay with the Mapsource maps in a package deal. Separately, all that stuff would have cost me at least $100.00 more . . . Quote Link to comment
peter Posted May 15, 2005 Share Posted May 15, 2005 Doesn't the 60c come with an external antenna?? The 60c antenna is in the part of the case that sticks up, but it's still built into the unit and therefore an internal antenna. But there's also a jack on the 60c so you can attach the cable from an external antenna such as the Gilsson one that sells for about $20. Although not needed in most situations, it can be very handy at times - mainly because it lets you put the antenna in a place and orientation for the best view of the sky when it would be inconvenient or impossible to put the unit itself there. One case is in a vehicle with a metallic coating on the windshield, another is on long hikes where I find it better to keep my GPS inside a pocket while the external antenna is on top of my head in a little pouch sewed into my cap. you will have to purchase the maps such as City Select or the Mapsource "Topos" or "Road and Recreation." You might get a better price on the software on eBay. Note that of those, the only one that will let the 60c calculate routes or find street addresses is City Select. I'd also be a bit cautious about getting used copies of City Select since that software uses unlock codes to tie it to one or two specific GPS receiver units. Be sure that what you're buying has never been registered for use on someone else's GPS since that would have used up one of those codes. And yes, the basemap on both the 60c and the LegendC is pretty basic, covering only highways and some major streets. It can be used when you're on driving on the freeways between cities, but for navigating within a metro area or in rural areas you need to get the detailed downloadable maps. Quote Link to comment
Neo_Geo Posted May 16, 2005 Share Posted May 16, 2005 what makes the Map60c $50 better??? If the extra $50 means questioning whether or not you'll make next month's rent payment on time or maybe your kid going hungry, then go with the Legend C. Otherwise, any ONE of those additional features is worth the extra $50 to many of us. The extra memory alone is worth it to me. Using the City Select maps, I can just barely load all of the maps for a trip from Washington, DC to New York City. This particular route happens to take a lot of map memory due to the high population density of the area traveled. The Legend C would not be able to load such a trip. Quote Link to comment
gpsexplorer Posted May 17, 2005 Share Posted May 17, 2005 I'm a backpacker and I went with the Legend C for size, weight, and battery life, as well as the cost difference. I've been delighted with my choice. You can't go wrong with either of these units, depending on your specific needs. Quote Link to comment
+lindsychris Posted May 17, 2005 Author Share Posted May 17, 2005 We ordered the 60c. We ended up getting it for $270 before shipping! It should be here tomorrow or wednesday. Quote Link to comment
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