Garmin GPS - Etrex Vista C clip failure and s/w requests

Author

Etrex Vista C clip failure and s/w requests

Mathias Koerber

2006-03-21, 2:48 am

[ Original to Garmin Tech support, CC: to asgg]

I have had my etrex Vista C for about half a year now,
and would like to make some suggestions for improvement.

I have communicated these before, but would like to list
then again in one email to be considered for inclusion
in a future software update:

These are in the order of importance I attach to them:

Hardware:

The clip for the bicycle-mount is very fragile. I broke this one
too (after the one on my old Legend also broke). The break happens
at the end of the clipping 'tongue', so that it does not clip in anymore.
(I have tried contacting support via the web-form on this, but
has 0 reply on this, after a week :-(. How do I get a new clip?)

Software:

1. Please add a 'keylock' mode so that the keys (esp the rocker key)
does not inadvertently get pressed when carrying the Vista C in my pocket..

2. Unlike my old Legend, the Vista C has no firmware support for
Lithium batteries. Why? Please add that in the next firmware. The
Energizer e2 batteries are very nice, but should be supported, so the
Vista does not misrepresent/-interpret the actual charge remaining.

3. I really liked to 1000 waypoint limit on the Legend. Can an option
be added to allow for more waypoints ?

4. The data fields take up a lot of map real-estate. It would be nice
to have an option of a smaller font and to e.g. show 3 fields in a row.
IMHO, the field names can be smaller and better abbreviated too, plus,
there is some wasted space on either side of each field..

I noticed that the Vista C shows the name of the data fields
unnecessarily above the actual value, while there usually is
free space on the left of the field for a vertical title, which
would save much vertical real-estate (which is the main issue on the
Vista C):

~ +---------------+----------------+
~ | Speed | Time of Day |
~ | XXXXXXXXX k | XX XX XX XX |
~ | XXXXXXXXX m | XX XX XX XX |
~ | XXXXXXXXX | XX XX XX XX |
~ +--------------+----------------+

could become:
~ +---------------+----------------+
~ |S XXXXXXXXX k |T XX XX XX XX |
~ |p XXXXXXXXX m |i XX XX XX XX |
~ |d XXXXXXXXX |m XX XX XX XX |
~ +---------------+----------------+

or similar, saving about 20% of space per row
of data fields.

5. There is no way to show only the GPS elevation. The barometric
altimeter does not work in pressurized conveyances, so it would be
nice to have either an option to turn the barometric altimeter off, or
to at least have a separate GPS elevation data field, and to select
which to use for altitude calculations/recording

6. the 'total Asc/Desc' data fields are not available on the map display.

Could you make all data fields selectable on all screens? I would
like to not have to switch to the elevation display to see that data.

I also note that some fields are only available with the long 3rd
data field. That is annoying. If that data could also be displayed
(in shortened format) in a small data field, the need to display
the 3rd field just for that may go away..

7. Please add a 'Date' Data Field to be shown in the Map view and the
Trip Calculator screen. (There is a Time field, but no way to
display the date, which would be nice for geocaching/confluence
visit proof..)

8. I would love to have simple backlight 'toggle' rather than the 3-step
off/on/full

9. Projecting waypoints

In the projecting waypoints function, the bearing is always 000 deg.
It would be much more helpful if it offered the current/last bearing
one was walking (or even constantly updated it from the internal
compass/GPS until one pressed 'Enter' on that field), which would
allow one to 'sight' the waypoint one wants to project.
(I know this is available by sight-and-go, but still defaulting
the last bearing in the projecting waypoint screen would help)

10. the night-mode has badly visible labels. Better contrast
for them would help (esp on the maps and the highway screen)

regards
Mathias

Kev

2006-03-23, 5:48 pm

Mathias Koerber wrote:
> [ Original to Garmin Tech support, CC: to asgg]
>
> I have had my etrex Vista C for about half a year now,
> and would like to make some suggestions for improvement.
>
>
> I have communicated these before, but would like to list
> then again in one email to be considered for inclusion
> in a future software update:
>
> These are in the order of importance I attach to them:
>
> Hardware:
>
> The clip for the bicycle-mount is very fragile. I broke this one
> too (after the one on my old Legend also broke). The break happens
> at the end of the clipping 'tongue', so that it does not clip in
> anymore. (I have tried contacting support via the web-form on this,
> but
> has 0 reply on this, after a week :-(. How do I get a new clip?)
>

you just ahve to be careful with the clip - as youve found out that its
fragile.

>
> Software:
>
>
> 1. Please add a 'keylock' mode so that the keys (esp the rocker key)
> does not inadvertently get pressed when carrying the Vista C in my
> pocket..

Excellent idea!

>
>
> 2. Unlike my old Legend, the Vista C has no firmware support for
> Lithium batteries. Why? Please add that in the next firmware. The
> Energizer e2 batteries are very nice, but should be supported, so the
> Vista does not misrepresent/-interpret the actual charge remaining.
>
>
> 3. I really liked to 1000 waypoint limit on the Legend. Can an option
> be added to allow for more waypoints ?
>
>
> 4. The data fields take up a lot of map real-estate. It would be nice
> to have an option of a smaller font and to e.g. show 3 fields in a
> row. IMHO, the field names can be smaller and better abbreviated too,
> plus, there is some wasted space on either side of each field..
>
> I noticed that the Vista C shows the name of the data fields
> unnecessarily above the actual value, while there usually is
> free space on the left of the field for a vertical title, which
> would save much vertical real-estate (which is the main issue on the
> Vista C):
>
> ~ +---------------+----------------+
> ~ | Speed | Time of Day |
> ~ | XXXXXXXXX k | XX XX XX XX |
> ~ | XXXXXXXXX m | XX XX XX XX |
> ~ | XXXXXXXXX | XX XX XX XX |
> ~ +--------------+----------------+
>
> could become:
> ~ +---------------+----------------+
> ~ |S XXXXXXXXX k |T XX XX XX XX |
> ~ |p XXXXXXXXX m |i XX XX XX XX |
> ~ |d XXXXXXXXX |m XX XX XX XX |
> ~ +---------------+----------------+
>
> or similar, saving about 20% of space per row
> of data fields.
>
> 5. There is no way to show only the GPS elevation. The barometric
> altimeter does not work in pressurized conveyances, so it would be
> nice to have either an option to turn the barometric altimeter off, or
> to at least have a separate GPS elevation data field, and to select
> which to use for altitude calculations/recording
>
>
> 6. the 'total Asc/Desc' data fields are not available on the map
> display.
>
> Could you make all data fields selectable on all screens? I would
> like to not have to switch to the elevation display to see that data.
>
> I also note that some fields are only available with the long 3rd
> data field. That is annoying. If that data could also be displayed
> (in shortened format) in a small data field, the need to display
> the 3rd field just for that may go away..
>
>
> 7. Please add a 'Date' Data Field to be shown in the Map view and the
> Trip Calculator screen. (There is a Time field, but no way to
> display the date, which would be nice for geocaching/confluence
> visit proof..)
>
>
> 8. I would love to have simple backlight 'toggle' rather than the
> 3-step off/on/full
>

Its a variable controlled switch using the rocker key - try it.

>
> 9. Projecting waypoints
>
> In the projecting waypoints function, the bearing is always 000 deg.
> It would be much more helpful if it offered the current/last bearing
> one was walking (or even constantly updated it from the internal
> compass/GPS until one pressed 'Enter' on that field), which would
> allow one to 'sight' the waypoint one wants to project.
> (I know this is available by sight-and-go, but still defaulting
> the last bearing in the projecting waypoint screen would help)
>
>
> 10. the night-mode has badly visible labels. Better contrast
> for them would help (esp on the maps and the highway screen)
>
>

Kev

Mathias Koerber

2006-04-09, 2:48 am

Mathias Koerber said the following on 21/3/2006 12:29:

> The clip for the bicycle-mount is very fragile. I broke this one
> too (after the one on my old Legend also broke). The break happens
> at the end of the clipping 'tongue', so that it does not clip in anymore.
> (I have tried contacting support via the web-form on this, but
> has 0 reply on this, after a week :-(. How do I get a new clip?)

By now I have sent 3 attempts to contact customer service on this via
their webpage 'http://www.garmin.com/contactUs/techSupport.jsp'.

Quote: "We value your business and will attempt to answer your e-mail as
quickly as possible."

which is a joke. No replies, ever.

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