Yet Another Cycling Forum
General Category => The Knowledge => GPS => Topic started by: BikinOn on 13 May, 2015, 02:55:53 pm
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While I'm an Oregon man myself, it's nice to see Garmin doing a minor update to the eTrex range:
http://www.slashgear.com/garmin-etrex-20x-30x-handheld-gps-bring-high-res-displays-13383276/ (http://www.slashgear.com/garmin-etrex-20x-30x-handheld-gps-bring-high-res-displays-13383276/)
https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/catalog/product/compareResult.ep?compareProduct=518048&compareProduct=518046&compareProduct=87774&compareProduct=87771 (https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/catalog/product/compareResult.ep?compareProduct=518048&compareProduct=518046&compareProduct=87774&compareProduct=87771)
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Is it possible,,,
To buy City Navigator DVD and load it onto Basecamp or Mapsource ... Yes.
Buy a nuMaps Lifetime updates subscription and update City Navigator on the PC ?
Load it onto a mSD card for the eTrex 30x ??
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Good grief Ningishzidda, your not thinking of abandoning your venerable non-Garmin GPS and turning to the dark side are you? :)
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Interesting - it does seem a rather minor upgrade, the only differences are the higher resolution screen, and more memory.
The higher resolution screen is good, should be useful for viewing more of the map. Hopefully they have also improved the screen contrast.
More built in memory is handy, but MicroSD cards are cheap as chips anyway.
I wonder if there's any improvements to the firmware?
I'm hoping for an Etrex with a few more features, as the top Oregon or Montana models have. eg Bluetooth or wifi for connecting to a phone, and the option of charging batteries in the device.
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To be fair, the eTrex is a low end unit, I think Garmin expects you to cough up more money for the fancier features.
At least they did some work on it, so they aren't going to drop all support for a few years and there should be some firmware upgrades, that with any luck will work with the older models.
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I'm happy to pay a bit more for a better Etrex, I just don't want something massive like the Oregon or Montana.
Hopefully the new Etrex will have better support for ANT+ sensors.
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Hopefully the new Etrex will have better support for ANT+ sensors.
Only the old speed/cadence sensor is listed under the accessories so probably no change to ANT+ support (unless they have not yet updated the accessory list). It would be nice if it recorded the speed sensor data and not just the cadence though ::-)
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Apologies for the derail. I've just bought an eTrex 30 and am just getting to grips with it.
If I ride to an Audax and reset the trip data at the start of the event, will I get my total ride for the day/days as one, when I save the current track?
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The Bonk - I'm an Oregon man myself, but I'd expect a new track to start after a reset. Stitching 2 tracks together is easy, just do that with either an editor or Basecamp.
fuaran - I agree with 321up, Garmin's support for non-Garmin Ant+ is pretty poor, I wouldn't expect anything extra in that department. On the bright side I quite like the separate temperature sensor, if the bike isn't too far away you can see how cold it is outside while still in the coffee shop :)
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The announcement mentions support for footpods, which is a slight improvement. And seeing as Garmin now make a bike cadence-only sensor, it would make sense to support that.
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Apologies for the derail. I've just bought an eTrex 30 and am just getting to grips with it.
If I ride to an Audax and reset the trip data at the start of the event, will I get my total ride for the day/days as one, when I save the current track?
It should do, unless you have your device set to archive each day, in which case it will start a new file at midnight for each day.
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Good grief Ningishzidda, your not thinking of abandoning your venerable non-Garmin GPS and turning to the dark side are you? :)
I had a sudden rush of blood. I lay down in a darkened room and I'm OK now.
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To be fair, the eTrex is a low end unit ...
Well, it's a fully capable unit that happens to be tailored to needs that are not particularly blingy.
I'm a bit surprised they haven't introduced a 40 which does all the bluetooth stuff mentioned upthread, in line with the newish 64 which tops the older 60/62 range.
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The announcement mentions support for footpods, which is a slight improvement. And seeing as Garmin now make a bike cadence-only sensor, it would make sense to support that.
Because upgrading the firmware to support the combined cadence and speed sensor they already offered made less sense??
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The announcement mentions support for footpods, which is a slight improvement. And seeing as Garmin now make a bike cadence-only sensor, it would make sense to support that.
Because upgrading the firmware to support the combined cadence and speed sensor they already offered made less sense??
Not sure what you mean? The Etrex 30 has always supported the combined speed/cadence sensor. But it only used the cadence data from the sensor, speed was ignored.
It didn't work at all with speed-only sensors or cadence-only sensors. Yes, support for these could be added with a firmware update, but I don't think this hasn't happened (yet).
As for the Etrex 30x, who knows what it will actually support. Have to wait and see when it is released.
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I’ve investigated.
Garmin eTrex 30x, £210
City Navigator DVD, £75
Lifetime map updates, £75
Now from remembering previous experience of eTrex, Mapsource and Topo GB, I’m still not convinced the eTrex 30x is going to plot a route any better than my old configuration.
The money stays in my account.
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Well there's always OSM, but while they work great with tracks, as I recall you also use on the fly routing, at which OSM sucks. Don't even get me started on what it did to me on the way to last year's Flatlands! :facepalm:
I think the take away is, if you where thinking of getting an eTrex, then you should wait for the improved model. I agree with frankly Frankie, it's a bit surprising garmin didn't add a bells and whistles version to the range as they seem to love adding new models, but I'd guess they're trying to push people to buy larger more expensive units for those features.
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Feature wish list for eTrex...
- better bluetooth support
- ablility to charge NiMH in device (as the 64st does)
- audible off route alarm
- larger screen (without making device bigger)
To prevent being led astray by erroneous routing I display a track on the etrex30 concurrently with following a route. We also use viewranger with an XTE alarm set in case the etrex does not notify a turn in the dark.
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Feature wish list for eTrex...
- Routing algorithm consistent with Basecamp.
Seriously, this would solve all sorts of problems.
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Feature wish list for eTrex...
- Routing algorithm consistent with Basecamp.
Seriously, this would solve all sorts of problems.
Do you mean the routing algorithms used in the Zumo 660 adjusted to 'Scooter' mode?
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I mean that if you plot a series of routepoints on your PC and upload it to your Garmin, that you can expect it to follow the same route between them. It doesn't really matter what the algorithm does, as long as it's the same.
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I generated a GPX route for my event. There were 247 points on it so even very old units could handle it. One point was just after the junction of A422 and B4088 nr Arrow. The next was just after the sharp bend in the road where the road to Wixford is. The next was just after the Xrds at Dunnington by Hiller’s garden centre. All was OK on TyretoTravel and when I loaded the GPX onto my TomTom.
Some riders arrived at the finish complaining their Garmins had directed them up to Ragley Hall, thinking it was public access.
The routesheet said ‘Bear L B4088. Keep to the road. DO NOT go through Ragley Hall.’
I have absolutely no idea how their Garmins got it wrong.
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I'm a bit surprised they haven't introduced a 40 which does all the bluetooth stuff mentioned upthread, in line with the newish 64 which tops the older 60/62 range.
Instead, in a truly underwhelming move, there's the new Etrex 25 and 35 which are small-screen touchscreen models, basically warmed-up versions of the older Dakota.
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Rather disappointing. Nothing wrong with an updated version of the Dakota, but its missing the point that the Etrex is popular because it doesn't have a touch screen.
The display on the touch versions is slightly larger, but isn't any higher resolution. So only the 1/2 the resolution of the 30x. Also much shorter battery life with the touchscreen (16 hours).
Meanwhile the Edge 520 is going the other way, by not having a touchscreen.
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eTrex 30x compared with eTrex Touch 35...
https://buy.garmin.com/en-GB/GB/catalog/product/compareResult.ep?compareProduct=156873&compareProduct=518048 (https://buy.garmin.com/en-GB/GB/catalog/product/compareResult.ep?compareProduct=156873&compareProduct=518048)
I'm not impressed with the eTrex Touch 35.
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eTrex 30x compared with eTrex Touch 35...
https://buy.garmin.com/en-GB/GB/catalog/product/compareResult.ep?compareProduct=156873&compareProduct=518048 (https://buy.garmin.com/en-GB/GB/catalog/product/compareResult.ep?compareProduct=156873&compareProduct=518048)
I'm not impressed with the eTrex Touch 35.
Wow - that looks interesting. Sort of a Edge Touring, but with AA batteries (as it should have had in the first place).
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Garmin Touch 35.
“eTrex Touch works like an in-car sat nav”
“And the maps can be updated at no additional cost.”
At last. They’ve eventually caught up with TomTom Urban rider. Four years late.
Add one to my Birthday present list. ;D :thumbsup:
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They seem to have gone with a traditional TFT, rather than the transmissive/reflective ones used by most of the eTrexes. Presumably that means you need the backlight running at full power to read it in daylight, which would explain the massive reduction in battery life.
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They seem to have gone with a traditional TFT, rather than the transmissive/reflective ones used by most of the eTrexes. Presumably that means you need the backlight running at full power to read it in daylight, which would explain the massive reduction in battery life.
Manufacturer quoted battery life is normally taken with the screen backlight at some fairly minimal level. I see no reason why Garmin should be different, so I'd expect battery life to be even worse in real life.
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Should any owners of no longer functioning HCx models be wanting to update at minimal cost:
Get on to Garmin Support - try to get your HCx 'repaired'
The online system will tell you repair cost of £28 but at the end of various pages (including CC details) won't give you an RMA number, but if you are prepared to hang to the (free) phone line and give the nice man who eventually answers the phone the serial number of your device (sticker inside battery compartment) and ask him for an RMA number to send it in for a repair he'll say yes, just a moment, go away for a while and then come back & say oops they cant do that any more on the old models but would you like a nice shiny new Etrex 20 for that same 'repair' cost of £28.
You still have to send your old HCx in with the RMA number he gives you.
I've just been through this... than as my old Vista HCx is an old and for a long time faithful companion I decided to give it one last chance... and would you believe, it now works !
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IMO a working HCx is preferable to a E20/30. :thumbsup:
That said, our stable of 4x HCx's (1 each plus 2 spares) are getting a bit flakey now and I think next year we'll have to move on to the newer models. One thing we won't ever be doing though is buying an Edge! ;D
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They seem to have gone with a traditional TFT, rather than the transmissive/reflective ones used by most of the eTrexes. Presumably that means you need the backlight running at full power to read it in daylight, which would explain the massive reduction in battery life.
TT Urban rider is touchscreen. Dunno what variety but I need the backlight on about 40% to see anything in daylight. 20% in the nightime country lanes.
Battery life is about 7 1/2 hours with 40% backlight and goes up to over 8 if I ride a 160 without backlight.
The touchsceen works best if I cut my right index fingernail to a point. Only 1/8" mind, not a claw ;D
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That's a point. Presumably this is a resistive touchscreen (like Ningishzidda's TomTom). Capacitive touchscreens tend not to work very well when covered in rain...
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Beware touchscreens.
DO NOT use any stylus that has a higher Mohs scale than the plastic the screen is covered with.
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Anyone have a etrex 35 they've used on long events yet?
I like the LiveTrack idea - but the reduced battery life, and TFT screen make me wonder if the 30x isn't still a more practical unit for long events. Especially with the "fiddle factor" of a touch screen in wet weather too.
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ETrex 20x
Just did a 200 Audax last weekend. Downloaded route etc everything went fine. Easy to follow.
However.......:), with "Proximity alarm" turned on, it didn't beep at incoming turns and the like.
Any ideas? Is it meant to? Have I not clicked a certain setting?
Cheers.
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ETrex 20x
Just did a 200 Audax last weekend. Downloaded route etc everything went fine. Easy to follow.
However.......:), with "Proximity alarm" turned on, it didn't beep at incoming turns and the like.
Any ideas? Is it meant to? Have I not clicked a certain setting?
Cheers.
I haven't used Proximity Alarms - but I think they sound when you get near to a waypoint of a certain type
Turn-by-turn type alarms will only happen if you are following a Route - they won't sound if you are using a Track which you are following manually on-screen. Personally, I don't like using Routes - there's too much potential for it to auto-route you somewhere different, and I think it's limited to around 50 routing points (used to be anyhow). Whereas a track can have many more via points, and what you get on screen is exactly what was in your GPX.
I've been tempted to try proximity alarms to warn me when approaching controls or other places I may want to stop. Might given them a try on my upcoming 300 in fact.
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OK thanks, so it's the route/track story. I'm assuming then that I downloaded a gpx track for the Audax.
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No.....just checked. It was a RidewithGPS route.
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Proximity alarms are useful for reminding of up-coming info controls, but they don't have any more general usefulness. You have to set them up individually. And they may be limited in number too - older Etrexes were limited to just 10 proximity points - I don't know about the 30 or 30x. Bleeps to mark turns are just a general feature of navigating a Route and shouldn't need to be set up in any way - though a lot of people have commented that the feature doesn't seen to work very well in the Etrex 20/30, and certainly not well if at all, when navigating (using Where To) a Track.
Downloaded files for audax - I would always assume it is a Track file unless instructed otherwise. The problem with sites like RWGPS is that you are given options to download either - but all that is is RWGPS doing a crude 'conversion' between the formats - you can easily download in a format which is not what was intended. Many other planners are the same - not only RWGPS.
Some FUD about the use of Routes up-thread - all you have to do is opt not to auto-route and none of the misgivings apply - you don't get led astray and you have 250 points.
To address the subject line - I recently bought a 30x and the display is markedly better than the 30, sharper and crisper and easier on the eye, a very worth-while improvement. In other respects I don't see much difference.