The Official Garmin 62, 64 and 78 Thread

If anyone's looking for a good mount for the 62 series, the RAM version is out now.

It's been available for a week or two, depending on if you're in Canada or the US, and mine showed up in the mail today.

Here are a few pics of it.



This will be much more secure when I mount the 62 on my motorcycle. The stock mount system is pretty good, but I think this one will be safer.

Not bad for $9 (not counting the RAM ball and mounting arm)

Here's what I paid at GPSCity.ca

Ordered Item Shipped Price Subtotal
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1ea RAM Mount Garmin GPSMAP 62 62S 62ST Mount Cradle RAM-HOL-GA41U 1ea $9.95ea $9.95
1ea RAM Mount Diamond Plate with 1 inch Ball RAM-B-238U 1ea $5.59ea $5.59
1ea RAM Mount Medium Arm B-Socket RAM-B-201U 1ea $11.95ea $11.95
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Looks good. They could easly redisign the 60 cradle to the same form factor unless they get a cut from Garmin from replacment 60 for those droped on the trail.

Looks much better than the Ram 60 cradle! Ram also lists one for the new 78:

http://www.ram-mount.com/NewProducts/gpsmap78mounts/tabid/2856/Default.aspx

Anyone try it offroad yet?

Bruce

I haven't tried the 62 RAM mount on my motorcycle yet but this occurred to me: the clamp mechanism gets in the way of the Enter and Quit keys.

If you're using gloves, and nobody rides motorcycles without gloves, it's gonna be tough to use those keys. The picture below is not great, but it does show how the roller on the mount is very close to the buttons.



I'd like to go out and try it but the freezing rain on my window is telling me to just put another log on the fire...

New Beta software out for the 62/78 Series:

GPSMAP 62/78 software version 2.92 Beta

http://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=5071

Changes made from version 2.91 to 2.92:

* Fixed issues with WAAAS/EGNOS
* Fixed issue with progress bar displaying properly on power up
* Fixed issue with track navigation not adding waypoints to the Active Route list when they are exactly equal to a track point
* Problems with the software may be reported to 62-78Beta@garmin.com

I updated my 62S to this version and it works well... haven't noticed a huge difference but at least it didn't brick the unit.

Having issues uploading current or archive gpx log track files into Mapsource or Basecamp with my 78s. Same track log gpx files load into Google Earth without problem. I've been using WinGDB3 as a workaround to load gpx and convert to Mapsource. Anyone else having this problem with a 62 or 78?

Just loaded the new beta firmware onto my device but hopes are not high this will fix the problem.

Don't know about all the other software but if you have "Saved" tracks in Mapsource they will download to the 78. BUT the brains at Garmin think they know better and decided that your downloaded tracks shold be turned "Off" and changed ot transparent or some other dumb color.

After Downloading you must open each one and turn it "On" and set back to the color YOU wanted.

See Post 91 above.

Jerry, not the track color bug with downloading tracks, this is the other direction where I'm trying to "upload" or "receive" my track logs from the device to MS or BC. Some times it works some times not. The software basically says "error loading file" and nothing is received. Looking over the XML file looks like the device isn't putting any kind of CR/LF into the file. Perhaps the line length is getting too large for MS to handle. Anyway works fine loading it with WinGDB3.

Sorry, jumped to conclusion of know problem. Although I have downloaded twice at my rides, never tried to upload. If I remember and I get one at my Hi Desert 250 I will try to upload.

Sorry if I missed this in here guys, but I just got a 62s and was wondering how you guys hook it up to your bikes power source. Previously I was using the 4 pin connector in the 60 series.
Are ya'all using the mini USB or that other small round thingy? (BTW what is that other small round connector thingy?)
Of course I don't want to fry my new gps. Is there a USB connector that changes the input voltage to the correct amount or can the unit compensate?

Thanks

Rick

PS to all you 60 users who haven't upgraded yet I think you still have the most powerful unit out there. Side by side my 62 has a bit tougher time getting a signal. Both would be fine for any woods riding I've done in the USA, but here in the thick, thick jungles of Malaysia you can tell the difference.

62's only have the mini-usb interface which is a poor connector to a vibrating platform. Many folks purchased the 78 series for that reason since it still has the more robust 4-pin serial connection for direct power. The power cable has a built-in transformer to handle the input voltage.

I have a couple of accessory 12v to mini-usb plugs that I use for a blackberry and an old navigator. Im assuming these have inbuilt voltage reduction which would be ok with my 62. Agree??
Actually, shouldnt any usb/miniusb leads be ok as long as you dont bypass any of the circuitry?

I agree, as long as the inline DC transformer can step down the voltage to 5vdc. Believe most (if not all) pda, gps and phone devices with mini-usb input are 5vdc. Gilsson mfg has a DC mini-usb cable listed with good spec info.

What kind of mount is anyone using for the 78?

The Ram one seems flaky?

Flaky how? I use one with my 78 and it works fine. I like it better than the old 76 style cradle.

Jim in Sacramento

looks like the GPS just slide in the cradle, at least from the picture on amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/RAM-Mounting-..._1?ie=UTF8&s=automotive&qid=1294436870&sr=8-1

is it secured at the top somehow?

So the 78 has the old style power connector but still needs the voltage stepping down from 12v?

I have an old 60cs at present, home made cable using the pfranc.com connectors. Looking for a new unit as I'm doing the TAT this summer.

The one feature that sells me on an upgrade is the map switching. You can have the CityNav and TOPO maps resident on the 60cs (as long as you build them into one map set) but only one can be active at any time. If you need to turn on autonav, say to bail out fast to paved route, you have to manually uncheck every topo map and manually enable the citynav maps which is a PITA to put it mildly. This sounds like a really nice feature, is there any pics available showing the ui?

I suppose the same map switching feature exists on the Oregon but I'm not interested in touch screen and want decent screen viz. It's going to be bike powered always and mini-usb doesn't sound durable ..... it would appear my choice is the 78 .... unless there is some other option.

Did I miss the specs on #tracks/#points-per-track, not sure how different it is than the 60/76.

if you want a smaller unit (handheld) with the round connector, and newer design then it's the 78

if you don't mind older technology, then the 60csx is still very good.

Otherwise you are in the 478 & Family range. Other units have USB connectors.

the newer units handle more tracks, I don't remember by mind, I think it's like 200 tracks with 10000 points each or something like that.

When you're manually unchecking Topo tiles, try pushing the menu button. It should allow you to turn all of a map on or off with one click.