Garmin 478 users/owners thread

[spidennis]

Originally Posted by spidennis

this is the thread for the info to order and change out the clock/memory backup coin battery:
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=364208
I just got it ordered and will update after I get the unit back together again.

Well dang it, I replaced the battery and it's still a "no go". oh frakk, now what? send it off to Garmin?

I did get two of those batteries so I'll try out the second one before shipping it off ....

and I found this about not acquiring satellites on the garmin website

[spidennis]

Originally Posted by spidennis

Well dang it, I replaced the battery and it's still a "no go". oh frakk, now what? send it off to Garmin?

I did get two of those batteries so I'll try out the second one before shipping it off ....

and I found this about not acquiring satellites on the garmin website

I called Garmin and they said to try this reset:

shut the device off
press and hold the page button,
also press and hold the pwr on button.
Hold them both until the warning screen comes on,
then release both buttons.
Put the device in the clear sky and wait 15 minutes.

Sometimes the acquiring satellite software becomes corrupt
and this reset will fix it.

so I'm waiting ..........
btw, I did not see this instruction on their website.

edit: waited an hour ...... still nothing ....
I'll re install the original coin battery , do the reset and see what happens.

otherwise, it's off to garmin for their $170 flat rate fee to fix it.
then of course there's shipping costs .....

Update:
I called garmin again and they gave me the "Master Reset" button push .....
hold down page/mode button,
press and hold pwr on button and the page/mode button.
a screen will come on asking if you want to wipe out the memory.
(note: you will lose all your waypoints and tracks, save them first!)

Ta-Da!!! It's now working!
And it even found the satellites while inside my house!
Date and Time are also back to normal as well.
....... and I saved 170 bucks to boot!

[Boon Booni]

Originally Posted by spidennis

Well dang it, I replaced the battery and it's still a "no go". oh frakk, now what? send it off to Garmin?

I did get two of those batteries so I'll try out the second one before shipping it off ....

and I found this about not acquiring satellites on the garmin website

A dead battery on the circuit board is cause of long acquisition times. It should still acquire the satellites even with a dead battery.

[Lurch II]

I'll answer my own question now that I have the bike out of the snow banks. Did the upgrade and my GXM30 and XM radio, weather radar all work fine, just like they did last year. Whew!

Originally Posted by Lurch II

I'd be real interested if anyone else has had this same experience. I'm in no position to test out my 478 and GXM 30 what with three feet of new snow but I did upgrade my 478 to the latest firmware when Garmin sent around an email telling me there was an update available. Didn't really bother to read all about it, just that there were some recommended update. I will be pissed if in the process I've lost access to my XM antenna. Anyone???

[spidennis]

https://buy.garmin.com/support/manua...o=010-00543-00

need the 478 User's Manual? here's the link:

[Lobby]

Thanks!

But what we need is an updated 478. No, not the Zumo units, but real GPS's, like the 478 was.

[spidennis]

Originally Posted by Lobby

Thanks!

But what we need is an updated 478. No, not the Zumo units, but real GPS's, like the 478 was.

When I was talking to the garmin tech I mentioned this, and he knows and hears what we are all saying, but he's only a tech, not the top brass ....

btw, it is soooooo nice to have my 478 operational again!

now I'm gonna go add the texas topos to my data card which already has some ny topos in it. Now where are those directions again?

[spidennis]

Just a note that the latest software update is v4.40.

Garmin FAQs:
https://buy.garmin.com/support/searc...e=GPSMAP%20478

[mac inger]

Hey guys,.i just got a 276c and i have a couple of questions so any comments appreciated:

.The battery doesn't hold charge anymore so i am planning to get one of the 20 dollar ebay ones.

.Planning to update the little 3 dollar battery for faster signal acquisition.

.Planning on getting the Ram mount. Trying to keep cost down for my summer trip and it looks like people don't mind it.

.It does not come with CityNavigator (i checked in map info and i have smth different...will post here soon as i get home, don't have the info here at work). I thought these do come with CityNav ??

.It does not have a card. Was thinking of getting the 512,...But! I am planning a long trip around the US this summer (a couple of months,..hit all four corners). Seems to me like that card is not big enough for what i need for this trip ....? I know the 276/478 are great off road GPSes, but i might not be doing so much offroading this time around. Would i be better served with a 550 or a 60csx that will have much more memory? If you say stick with the 276c (would like to) how would you make it work for a long trip like this ? (would love to have all NA in there so i can plan as i go)

.Any other thoughts on connecting it ? Or straight to fused line to the battery ?

Any and all ideas please.

cheers

[crazybrit]

Originally Posted by mac inger

.The battery doesn't hold charge anymore so i am planning to get one of the 20 dollar ebay ones.

Might want to read some threads, there is a rejuvination fix. Might want to try that. No clue if the $20 are any good.

.It does not come with CityNavigator (i checked in map info and i have smth different...will post here soon as i get home, don't have the info here at work). I thought these do come with CityNav ??

No citynav for 276. You have to buy card and DVD.

.It does not have a card. Was thinking of getting the 512,...But! I am planning a long trip around the US this summer (a couple of months,..hit all four corners). Seems to me like that card is not big enough for what i need for this trip ....? I know the 276/478 are great off road GPSes, but i might not be doing so much offroading this time around.

Segment limit (900) is the issue for the larger cards. There are tools to merge multiple map segments into one so you can use all of the 512mb data card. May not be an issue for CityNav. It probably will be for Topo and the 512mb card. Also, 512mb card last time I looked was ~$90 at gpscity, cheaper than the 256, so it's kinda moot point.

Would i be better served with a 550 or a 60csx that will have much more memory? If you say stick with the 276c (would like to) how would you make it work for a long trip like this ? (would love to have all NA in there so i can plan as i go)

There are several threads on 276 vs 60cs, which is better. This thread is for owners of the 478. Above would be better asked on one of those existing threads

[mac inger]

I was under the impression this thread encompasses 478/378/276..

.Read on the rejuvenation trick. Im not sure what power source to use for it so i decided to go with the "knock off" battery. I use such cheap duplicates on my dslrs all the time and they work great. For 20 bucks i figured is worth a try.

. No citynav for 276. You have to buy card and DVD.
Thanks for that. I didn't know. Ill buy it.

.Segment limit (900) is the issue for the larger cards.
Didnt know that either. Will look into it.

.276 vs 60cs, which is better. This thread is for

Not really asking which one is better,..rather: "if you were to be planning such a trip would you be using a 276/378/478 and if so, how ?"

[crazybrit]

Originally Posted by mac inger

I was under the impression this thread encompasses 478/378/276..

Correct, not sure what you are trying to say.

[/I]Not really asking which one is better,..rather: "if you were to be planning such a trip would you be using a 276/378/478 and if so, how ?"

Oh sorry, guess I misunderstood "Would i be better served with a 550 or a 60csx that will have much more memory?"

CityNav is built-in on the 478. It's unclear to me how this impacts the 900 segment limit (if you add a card, do the maps on the card have a reduced segment limit as a result). I asked earlier on this but no answer. Guess I'll have to see if I can determine via experimentation.

http://freegeographytools.com/2008/b...h-us-topo-maps http://forums.groundspeak.com/GC/ind...owtopic=170615 are links to beating the segment limit on the 60cs, which has a limit, just much higher than the 276c. I've not tried the combinemaps tool to see if they work on the 276c.

[spidennis]

Originally Posted by mac inger

I was under the impression this thread encompasses 478/378/276..

yeah, I titled the thread for 478 devices, but the 378/276 are pretty similar and most of the guys here are pretty experienced with all of them one way or the other. We are still all learning about the 478 in various ways as problems creep up and that's why I started this thread, to keep all the 478 info together in one place for quick reference when needed. Also lots of users subscribe to this thread, so when they're not out riding (busy) chime in from time to time. The weather's getting nice so I gather they are out getting lost!

[mac inger]

[QUOTE=crazybrit;15708037]Correct, not sure what you are trying to say.

I guess it was my reply to what i thought was your short tempered elitist comment. Smth along the lines of "you dont have a 478 get outta here". Guess i misread apologies

Either way any more opinions on the viability of the 276 for a long trip such as this would be very welcome. Something like: If i were to do this, this is what id do... kind of thing. Thanks for chiming in crazybirt and dennis

[crazybrit]

Originally Posted by mac inger

Guess i misread apologies

Yep you did. No worries though