Author Topic: DC rainmaker first look at Hammerhead Karoo GPS unit  (Read 37632 times)

Re: DC rainmaker first look at Hammerhead Karoo GPS unit
« Reply #50 on: 25 January, 2018, 07:57:27 pm »
...nobody has actually managed to make a bike specific device that actually navigates reliably day in day out (perhaps Etrex excepted, although that still has its 'quirks').
I think a lot of the problem isn't the devices, but the road data. There's the traditional car satnav maps (Navteq & TeleAtlas, now owned by Garmin & TomTom), OpenStreetMap, and Google, and that's about it. None of them are properly reliable for bicycle-specific navigation, so there are always going to be routing glitches.

I've never had a problem with my Edge 1000 as regards planning a route on the unit, and the mapping software is the version that was released with the unit)

where I do sometimes find problems is when I plan a route on RideWithGps ..... sometimes, when getting to a 4 way intersection, it does not tell which way to turn, until after you guess which way to turn .... so I would guess that the problem is with the RideWithGps software (I use the free version)

and saying that, every route that I have copied from the Cambridge Cycle Club (on RideWithGps), has been flawless .... (maybe the paid version is better?)

I've got the paid for premium RWGPS and thought it was the ideal solution, until it stopped downloading all the map tiles off line, or rather it appeared to download them then when you were about to start your ride, or were part way through, and were staring at a blank screen. I'm now on OSMand and using a bike computer for speed, distance, cadence etc.

Re: DC rainmaker first look at Hammerhead Karoo GPS unit
« Reply #51 on: 25 January, 2018, 09:39:17 pm »

and saying that, every route that I have copied from the Cambridge Cycle Club (on RideWithGps), has been flawless .... (maybe the paid version is better?)

Not IME, although it is only occasionally that I've noticed the fault and as I ride with a Garmin Oregon on view and paid for RidewithGPS chattering away in my back pocket it wasn't a problem. The reason for the two is that if I was going to have only one, it would be the Garmin, but RidewithGPS is streets ahead (oops) for route planning. Oh yeah, and that chatter amuses me sometimes, like when it told me to ride on the LU-P500 (Lugo provincial road, 500) - "Turn onto Loopy 500" Most times the fault seems associated with not realising there is a change in road, for whatever reason.

jiberjaber

  • ... Fancy Pants \o/ ...
  • ACME S&M^2
Re: DC rainmaker first look at Hammerhead Karoo GPS unit
« Reply #52 on: 28 January, 2018, 06:02:36 pm »
I saw this posted on FB today, might be of interest to anyone still with an iron in the fire.

Quote
Aaron M. Roy Here is some feedback after testing my Karoo out the past two weeks...
Pros:
-Hardware GUI is super easy to use and your off, riding and recording in seconds.
-Strava sync has been flawless so far
-Unit fell of while riding today and is completely fine minus some dings and dents.
-New software updates seem to be out every week.

Cons:
-No strava live segments (to my knowledge)
-still multiple bugs to iron out (I.e on recent ride I left karoo on pause while in coffee shop and ride ended with no way to resume)
-web GUI is more difficult to use then map my ride or other segment/route creators.

Overall I like the device, excited to see further software improvements on Karoo and web portal in next few months!
Regards,

Joergen

StuAff

  • Folding not boring
Re: DC rainmaker first look at Hammerhead Karoo GPS unit
« Reply #53 on: 29 January, 2018, 03:15:35 pm »
Thanks Jason. Holding fire till more reviews start coming in....

jiberjaber

  • ... Fancy Pants \o/ ...
  • ACME S&M^2
Re: DC rainmaker first look at Hammerhead Karoo GPS unit
« Reply #54 on: 02 February, 2018, 04:20:49 pm »
DCR has posted a new video.  Changing pages seems a bit tricky to me, (prefer using my Garmin remote) and you can't keep cycling through pages and of course no beep. Still happy with my decision.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUVwwlIyZcg&t=4s
Regards,

Joergen

Re: DC rainmaker first look at Hammerhead Karoo GPS unit
« Reply #55 on: 02 February, 2018, 04:59:15 pm »
DCR has posted a new video.  Changing pages seems a bit tricky to me, (prefer using my Garmin remote) and you can't keep cycling through pages and of course no beep. Still happy with my decision.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUVwwlIyZcg&t=4s

The 'no sound' is a plain bonkers decision that I think will cost them dear. I note DCR's conclusion that this is 12-18 months off being 'prime time', by which time of course the competition will have moved that much further on. Also note that it is still not shipping ... happy I cancelled mine.

StuAff

  • Folding not boring
Re: DC rainmaker first look at Hammerhead Karoo GPS unit
« Reply #56 on: 04 February, 2018, 06:32:26 pm »
Cancelled my order- Ray Maker's opinions were pretty conclusive for me. I'll certainly be keeping an eye on reviews and feedback once Karoos finally start shipping, and I'm still hoping Hammerhead get it right. Garmin need someone to give them a good kicking....

Re: DC rainmaker first look at Hammerhead Karoo GPS unit
« Reply #57 on: 08 February, 2018, 06:23:26 pm »
It’s shipping now!! Here we go!

Re: DC rainmaker first look at Hammerhead Karoo GPS unit
« Reply #58 on: 08 February, 2018, 06:36:04 pm »
It’s shipping now!! Here we go!

Ummm, perhaps not quite - USA only, shipping within the next couple of days, Europe at least two weeks until they ship (and no indication of where from or how long it will take) and that in itself pending some European certification ... and so it goes on. And all of this only for those who placed orders many, many months ago. If you've ordered within the last 6 months ...

Re: DC rainmaker first look at Hammerhead Karoo GPS unit
« Reply #59 on: 08 February, 2018, 06:37:14 pm »
Still better than a fart in bed! This is a major step forward from not being able to ship at all!

Re: DC rainmaker first look at Hammerhead Karoo GPS unit
« Reply #60 on: 08 February, 2018, 06:40:45 pm »
Still better than a fart in bed! This is a major step forward from not being able to ship at all!

I'll take the fart - delivered on demand and on time, probably more satisfying and free as well. I note the 'early offer' is still up - they said this was only until it began shipping.

Re: DC rainmaker first look at Hammerhead Karoo GPS unit
« Reply #61 on: 08 February, 2018, 06:59:02 pm »
Still better than a fart in bed! This is a major step forward from not being able to ship at all!

I'll take the fart - delivered on demand and on time, probably more satisfying and free as well. I note the 'early offer' is still up - they said this was only until it began shipping.

They have a lot of goodwill to make up and a lot of people cancelled so they can keep the offer on for those cancelled units maybe. It’s sure gonna get more interesting from now on.

Re: DC rainmaker first look at Hammerhead Karoo GPS unit
« Reply #62 on: 23 February, 2018, 11:52:33 pm »
Gonna be a long time before it is a garmin beater by the looks of it. Lots of feedback on facebook and it's extremely basic. Best come back in a year and see if it is still around!

Re: DC rainmaker first look at Hammerhead Karoo GPS unit
« Reply #63 on: 12 May, 2018, 11:59:43 pm »
My karoo arrived this week and I have done 1  ride of 30km on it. part on route with TBT directions and the the last 10k off course.  Started flawlessly and worked fine with stages power meter and garmin HR band.  When I deliberately went off course it corrected itself and tried to get me back on track.  One instance during this when it got totally stuffed but then about 2 minutes later reset its routing and then flawlessly took me back onto a track.  After the amount of negativity on the FB  sites I am very impressed.  They have a small problem with the locking tabs but nothing which cannot be sorted.

Re: DC rainmaker first look at Hammerhead Karoo GPS unit
« Reply #64 on: 16 May, 2018, 05:10:22 pm »
My karoo arrived this week and I have done 1  ride of 30km on it. part on route with TBT directions and the the last 10k off course.  Started flawlessly and worked fine with stages power meter and garmin HR band.  When I deliberately went off course it corrected itself and tried to get me back on track.  One instance during this when it got totally stuffed but then about 2 minutes later reset its routing and then flawlessly took me back onto a track.  After the amount of negativity on the FB  sites I am very impressed.  They have a small problem with the locking tabs but nothing which cannot be sorted.

That's good news as its getting an absolute hammering (pun intended) on facebook to the point I have basically dismissed the product.

Re: DC rainmaker first look at Hammerhead Karoo GPS unit
« Reply #65 on: 17 May, 2018, 11:38:28 am »
facebook is interesting though as there are more people giving it a reasonable review now.  Lots of people are saying that there are 1000 members of the Facebook group and therefore all these complaints mean that the device is awful.  However we do not know how many devices have been sold so we do not know what proportion of people are having problems.  I certainly do not think that this is a finished product but then for how many years have we been all saying that the Garmins are not finished products?

Have they over promised and under delivered?  Yes they have but that is the nature of all of these devices and whilst this apparently was not a kickstart a project, it was certainly a brand-new device on what was at that stage a new platform for a device of this nature.

I can understand the desire for every device of this nature to be attached with a quarter turn mount but the reality is that the torsional stress due to the increased width and weight of this device on a quarter turn mount will have added extra stress to the mounting tabs and therefore I think my greatest disappointment at this stage is that they have not changed the mounting support.  I think the tabs are acceptable but I think the karoo needs a larger area of support than it presently has.

I am certainly keeping mine.  The screen is beautiful and I suspect it will take another 6 – 9 months to be finally a garmin beater but I do not see why it would not be in the end.

frankly frankie

  • I kid you not
    • Fuchsiaphile
Re: DC rainmaker first look at Hammerhead Karoo GPS unit
« Reply #66 on: 17 May, 2018, 05:13:48 pm »
facebook is interesting though as there are more people giving it a reasonable review now.  Lots of people are saying that there are 1000 members of the Facebook group and therefore all these complaints mean that the device is awful.  However we do not know how many devices have been sold so we do not know what proportion of people are having problems.  I certainly do not think that this is a finished product but then for how many years have we been all saying that the Garmins are not finished products?

Same applies doesn't it.  We do not know what proportion of Garmin users have problems either.  It's probably not "all".
when you're dead you're done, so let the good times roll

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: DC rainmaker first look at Hammerhead Karoo GPS unit
« Reply #67 on: 17 May, 2018, 05:50:02 pm »
Same applies doesn't it.  We do not know what proportion of Garmin users have problems either.  It's probably not "all".

There's also the difficulty of differentiating the "doesn't work" problems from "hard to use" and "mismatched expectations".  While you do get the occasional random crash, most of the issues with Garmins these days come in the latter categories.  They've made the software infuriating for a small subset of users who want to do certain things (and probably improved it for others) but they have got better at things that actually break, like rubber bands, handlebar brackets and battery contacts.

Phil W

Re: DC rainmaker first look at Hammerhead Karoo GPS unit
« Reply #68 on: 17 May, 2018, 06:50:09 pm »
Saw a Karoo on a local CTC ride last week. Did like the size and resolution of the screen. Shame you are stuck with the maps they provide, rather than being able to load your own. Has anyone used it on a 400km audax and up yet?

Re: DC rainmaker first look at Hammerhead Karoo GPS unit
« Reply #69 on: 21 May, 2018, 11:16:51 am »
What really struck me is the amount of people that rely on TBT which doesn't work ( never worked on my Garmin products and i have it turned off on wahoo). Surely you'd know your way round local routes and even with "audax" lengths, you'd be doing some research and know where you want to be going.

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: DC rainmaker first look at Hammerhead Karoo GPS unit
« Reply #70 on: 21 May, 2018, 02:20:40 pm »
I find TBT on Garmin is useful, but only as a convenience for beeping at junctions and making the screen more readable, when used with a lovingly hand-crafted (in Basecamp, using the map that's on the unit - anything else is too prone to randomness) Route. For anything audax-like, I'd use it in combination with a visible Track and the odd annotated waypoint so you can strategically ignore it when it loses the plot.

Ie. It's not a complete waste of time, but it does rely on you having done your homework, at which point its usefulness is greatly depreciated.

It's okay for helping you find the railway station when things go wrong, though.  That's closer to what that sort of thing is designed to be used for.

I was reasonably impressed by the Edge Touring's "plot me a ride of distance n" feature.  Again, a different animal from following some pre-determined route, which auto-routing is always going to be in conflict with.

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: DC rainmaker first look at Hammerhead Karoo GPS unit
« Reply #71 on: 21 May, 2018, 03:21:21 pm »
What is TBT?
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Feanor

  • It's mostly downhill from here.
Re: DC rainmaker first look at Hammerhead Karoo GPS unit
« Reply #72 on: 21 May, 2018, 03:27:26 pm »
What is TBT?

Turn-By-Turn directions.

Where on the approach to a junction, it beeps, zooms the map in to the junction, draws a white arrow on top of the purple line, and gives an instruction.

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: DC rainmaker first look at Hammerhead Karoo GPS unit
« Reply #73 on: 21 May, 2018, 03:44:00 pm »
Ah! Thanks, Feanor.

I just make do with the breadcrumb trail on my Edge 510 but find that more than adequate for following a route - especially now I've learnt how to add waypoints. You occasionally have to use a bit of guesswork at complicated junctions but it's soon clear if you've gone off piste.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

SoreTween

  • Most of me survived the Pennine Bridleway.
Re: DC rainmaker first look at Hammerhead Karoo GPS unit
« Reply #74 on: 26 May, 2018, 09:05:11 am »
[off topic] Edge 510 should do TBT, my very elderly 500 does*. Try making a route on cycle.travel, TBT is a checkbox option when you download the .tcx.

*The 500 makes the beep on or just after the junction which is sub-optimal but still of use. It's an issue with the garmin, the file from c.t has the turn marks exactly the distance you ask for before the junction. No matter what distance before you ask for the garmin ignores it and beeps on or just after the turn. I don't understand how as it has no knowledge of the road layout.  Even an 'exit 2' effective straight on at a roundabout gets moved to the exit, c.t allows you to set the marker 30-100m before and I've tested the full range. I guess the demon inside mine reading the notes has to amuse itself somehow  :-\
[/off topic]
2023 targets: Survive. Maybe.
There is only one infinite resource in this universe; human stupidity.