Garmin eTrex Vista HCx Color High-Sensitivity Mapping Handheld GPS by Garmin
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Digital camera reviews of Garmin eTrex Vista HCx Color High-Sensitivity Mapping Handheld GPS
Digital camera Review: Can't reach the support...
Summary: 2 Stars
I called in for a support regarding the Topo map (SD card size difference) but I couldn't get through. Their phone system kept ask me to hold for half an hour! I gave up and going to return the product.Digital camera Review: City Navigator Download & Bicycle Mount
Summary: 4 Stars
I like my HCx and other reviewers have detailed the pros and cons. I don't understand why the HCx can't profile altitude as accurately as the Vista C. I give this a four star because Garmin does such a poor job of documentation.
First, the bike mount. DO NOT buy the Garmin handlebar mount ((Garmin 010-10267-00). It won't work with the HCx. Instead, buy the rail-mount kit (Garmin 010-10496-00 for small handlebar or 010-10496-01 for larger handlebar). If you do a Google search, use rail-mount and not handlebar mount.
I am a GPS novice and this is intended for folks like me. If you bought a preloaded SD card, you can ignore the rest of this. If you have a DVD with City Navigator (v8 in my case) and want to download it to an HCx, this may help. I already had a certified DVD with City Navigator (came with my GPS 18 USB program for laptops) and bought a Vista HCx along with a blank 2 GB micro SD (BTW, SD cards greater than 2 GB won't work with the HCx). Garmin allows you to install City Navigator on two units. I spent several hours on the Web trying to find out how to download City Navigator to the HCx. I finally called Garmin support and, after the obligatory twenty-minute wait, talked with a very helpful person named Chris. Here's what he told me:
First, you have to go through the process of unlocking the map for the GPS unit (I had already done that -go to the Garmin Website follow the instructions). This is the sequence to download City Navigator.
1. Turn on the HCx and connect it to your computer with the cable
included in the kit.
2. In MapSource, make sure that upper left box is set to City Navigator
(not Trip & Waypoint Manager).
3. In the top tool bar, click on Map Scale and zoom out to 1500 miles.
4. In the top tool bar, click on the Map Tool (funny looking icon that
resembles a square).
5. With the mouse, move the icon to the upper left corner of the map.
Hold the left mouse button and move it to the bottom right corner.
This will create a box with the entire map inside. Anywhere is fine as
long as the entire map is within the box.
6. In the top tool bar, click TRANSFER. In the dropdown menu, click
"Send to device". You may have to choose your GPS from a menu. If
you download the entire map, (about 1.5 GB), it will take an hour.
Digital camera Review: Daily user of GPS's!
Summary: 5 Stars
I'm a daily user of GPS's. I'm a truck driver who uses it religiously for navigation. On my days off I geocache, hunt, fish, hike, backpack, etc.
I began many years ago with a Magellan that ate 6 AA batteries every 8 hours or less, and had the satelite reception of a rock... Those were scary days!!! I'd mark my position to start, turn it off to conserve batteries, and hope like mad I could get a signal when I got to where I needed to set a mark. I made sure to have a compass too!!!
Then I upgraded to a Garmin Legend. I was amazed at how advanced it was compared to where I'd been. Then I upgraded to the Venture HC when it came out and Holly Smoke!!! The venture ROCKS!!! I threw the legend in a geocache for someone else to use.
Well folks, I passed the Venture HC to my wife when I upgraded to the Vista HCx as she's a beginner GPSR and it will serve her very well!
I researched ALL the mapping hand-helds and most of the others, and hands down the Vista HCx is by far overall the best possible GPS buy available today. The screen is easy to see, crisp, and very clear. The Use of Garmin products are simple to learn. Battery life is outstanding with the Vista HCx! I could run 2 days with the Venture HC, now I get 3 days (I got the external power cord though, so batteries are just for outside of driving now). I see some say how well it picks up reception, well folks I drive through tunnels with entire mountains on top of me, and OH YA, Venture and Vista doesn't even blink at the challenge! cliff's? tree's? child's play!
Buying maps and microSD cards aren't going to cause anyone to have to re-mortgage the house. Buy one here, and one there (or get a better job), and soon you'll have all you need. Cut the chase and get the preprogrammed microSD cards and you don't have to bother with tansfering the CD versions. Don't overbuy for what you really need, I use mine for work and play. Most people use GPS's for one or two activities and really don't use them but they overbuy maps that never get used.
If your someone who is on limited income, use some enginuity and make yourself a mount for the car. I made one with two suction cups (origionally for hanging pictured), a little bailing wire, a strip on old belt leather, and some velcro I got at walmart in the material section. We've used it for years!!! Works perfectly, and has never dropped a GPS.
Take it from someone who knows and has been through the history of GPS navegation, and has done his research for ya, The Vista HCx is one heck of a buy!!!
Digital camera Review: Desert Hiker
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought this thing because the last hike i took in the desert I thought I was lost. Not this time though. The compass was useful, and I set it to point to my car, and the bread crumb trail feature is terrific. But recognize that there is a nasty learning curve. And you get only the most rudimentary (i.e., useless) map along with it. And its rather large: no fit in your pocket.Digital camera Review: Disappointed
Summary: 1 Stars
I am very disappointed with this purchase. It was supposed to work better than my older model but the only thing that works better is it locks onto the satillites quicker. It was supposed to work better under the trees but seems to work worse.