What chipset is in recent eTrex Legend Cx non-H units?

I read that some of these units were shipped with the Mediatek chipset in
them in mid 2008 on this page, paragraph 4.

http://www.gpsfaqs.org/faqs/garmin/xseries/glegendcx/firmware.html

Does anyone know what "Bravo Version 2" means on my diagnostics screen?
Displayed by holding down [ENTER] while powering on. That "Bravo"
information is right below the firmware version 3.40 number. Could that be
telling me it's using the Mediatek chip instead of the SirfStar chip in it?
I get no second-version displayed on my firmware information screen when
viewed from the System menu, as described on that page above.

The reason I ask is that whenever I use it in a car while playing navigator
as passenger it has no problems locking on full-strength to the satellites
even though I'm holding it in my hand. I can even place it in a cup-holder
down by the floor of a car well away from the view of any windows and it
still tracks just fine. Then the other week I was at a friend's place with
it and turned it on. It tracked me walking around anywhere in his house
showing a 6-8 ft accuracy rating. But it won't work at all indoors at my
own house, probably due to the heavy wood construction and thick insulation
in the ceiling. So I wonder why it works so well in all cars and in other's
houses. Could it have that newer high-sensitivity chipset in it?

From all the posts I've read from others these units shouldn't work this
well inside houses and cars unless right by a window. Now I'm curious.

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I have the eTrex Cx with latesy software 3.40 and this unit has never
had a chip set in it. That link you provided should be for the HCx
models which do have the chipset in them. If you clik on menu on the
setup- system page for software version you will see Software Version
3.40 if you have latest version on yours and unit ID number listed
below it.The only thing added to the Cx models was the extra memory
micro SD cards. Here is the link below for the specs on eTrex Legend
Cx?
https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=3D327#specsTab
Jerry

Freezing-rains and bored-Sunday verbosity ensues ...



wrote:



I guess that's why it doesn't pick up any satellites when it's turned off.
It finally makes sense.
:)

A GPS device can't work unless it has a GPS receiver chipset in it. It
sounds like you have something else that might be missing a chipset.


But that link is not for the HCx. Although I do agree that the firmware FAQ
page at that site for the HCx and Cx models appear to be identical.


Yes, I know that already. Otherwise I wouldn't have been able to describe
the difference between that screen and the diagnostic-screen with the
"Bravo Version 2" information on it.


I'm not talking about the difference between the C and Cx models. I'm
asking if there were any chipset changes made during the production runs of
only the Legend Cx models during the last 2 years, in that model alone.
That FAQ alludes to this being the case.

If so, this is something that would account for my Legend Cx (not HCx)
being able to acquire and track indoors in houses with a 6-8 ft. accuracy
rating, as well as working inside of cars even when the unit is nearly on
the floor of the car. This is the kind of thing which I read that only the
H(igh sensitivity) models should be able to do.

I'm starting to suspect that maybe there's really no difference at all
between the two types, regular vs. high-sensitivity models. That it's just
the buyers' perception that the H and non-H models are all that different.
Perhaps people were testing their devices in places that would only perform
to how well they wanted and expected them to perform. They paid more for
the "new and improved" H model so it should work better. They were then
dead-set to prove the extra expense to themselves.

Example: I can't use this Cx model inside my own home. Just as I expected
would happen from all the reports I had read online. No disappointment
there. But my house has a heavy double-plywood layer baffled ceiling with
18" of cellulose insulation for a harsh northern climate, with dense
particle-board for all the walls (so I never have to worry about finding a
stud when having to hang something on any wall). But in all other's homes
not built nor insulated like my home, my GPS receiver works just fine--as
if I'm standing in an open field while inside their house. So is my GPS
unit magically changing from a Cx model in my home to an HCx model in all
other's homes?

Perhaps the "H" was only tagged on the model names as just a marketing-ploy
placebo, and it worked.

If so then I'll thank them. Because I was able to buy this Legend Cx model
brand-new last summer from a reputable dealer, boxed with the articulated
suction-cup mount, 12v adapter, and City Navigator DVD for only $109 with
free shipping. That's almost like buying the map DVD and getting a free
high-sensitivity GPS device with it. This being the result of HCx labeled
models driving down the prices of those with only the Cx label on them. Yet
I find no real-world performance difference between the two models when
judging by the reports of the HCx models online compared to my own Cx
model.

In fact this Cx model might actually be much more accurate than all HCx
models according to my own observations in comparison to online HCx
reports. This Cx acquires 12 satellites rapidly (both WAAS ones almost
always) and is often reporting only a 6-8 ft. margin of error within about
3-4 minutes of turning it on. When traveling down a narrow country road on
foot or in car and back again on the same road it always clearly tracks two
different parallel routes for the whole length of the travel. I also only
have to slowly move about 2 to 4 steps in any direction to get the compass
heading to snap into the right orientation. After reading all the reports
of how misleading (and annoying due the constant recalibrating needed) that
the magnetic compasses and barometers in these devices can be, I'm glad now
that I found those features completely unnecessary in my own GPS receiver.
If I've got a broken leg and can't move a few steps to find my compass
bearing what good would a magnetic-compass bearing do? I wouldn't be able
to travel that direction anyway.

For my first GPS device I am quite in awe over how well this thing works.
When using it I sometimes feel like some 6th-century (c.e.) native who is
confronted with the powerful magic of the strange people who arrived in
their giant canoes and carrying their sorcerer's tools. :)


Thanks, but you've been most unhelpful. Though you did give me cause for
having fun typing this much on this dreary and boring day.

wrote:



Well, to answer my own questions, I did a little more googling (that's a
verb now, right?), and ran across a few threads where people have talked
about what chipsets are in their Venture HCx and Legend HCx models.

Some have the mysteriously named "Bravo 2" chipset in them. Same as in my
discount priced Legend Cx model. (Last summer for $109 w/ mount, plus 12v
adapter and CitNav NT DVD.)

http://forums.groundspeak.com/GC/lofiversion/index.php?t221591.html
http://forums.groundspeak.com/GC/lofiversion/index.php?t201978.html

Interesting comments on that 2nd page, confirming what I found, higher
accuracy. [quote Kyle_freemason] "Here is something interesting. One has
the mediatek chip the other has a bravo 2. The unit with the bravo 2 has no
drift issues that I have ever experienced. The unit with the mediatek will
stray from the trails that I walk when I have had it on for quite some
time. "

A report that the Summit HC also having Bravo 2.

This also answers some suspicions I have of this unit appearing to be much
more accurate than all the newer H*x performance-anecdotes online. It seems
to have the accuracy of all the earlier Cx models, but the sensitivity of
the HCx models. Could be it was manufactured during one of those
development "sweet spots" where everything happened to come together just
right, where it couldn't have been made better with the given technology at
the time. Then someone went in and "fixed it". :-) Been there done that
myself. A self-inflicted victim of "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." Or it
could have been some bean-counter's suggestion, of how to save a few
pennies with each unit. Whatever the case, I'm now considering this one a
real keeper. Worth more than all the latest models out there. Another
testament to "newer is not always better" in today's electronics. I lucked
out in looking for an inexpensive GPS at just the right time during the
last decade's GPS development.

So there you have it folks. If you are looking for an inexpensive model
with the high-sensitivity chipset in it and higher accuracy than the latest
H models on the shelves, buy the last of whatever Cx models are out there.
Chances are good they have the higher-sensitivity chipsets in them but just
weren't rebadged and repackaged yet for the higher "H-marketed" price,
before they went with a lower-accuracy but same high-sensitivity MediaTek
chip.

Anyway, that seems to be my findings. And pretty much explains all the
discrepancies (to the good) that I've observed with this model compared to
all other's stories I've read online.

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/forums.groundspeak.com/GC/lofiversion/index.php?t201978.html
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Well Charles you had me wondering about my eTrec Vista HCx and my
eTrex Legend Cx so I compared the two units inside the house. Both
units say Bravo 2 on the information screen. So I set them side by
side in a room I always had weak signal on the eTrex Legend Cx. The
vista HCx received 7 good satelite bars with 3 of them raised high up
on the scale with a 14 ft. accuracy showing on the HCx while my Cx
model only had 3 weak bars and kept losing signal. I had them laying
flat side by side about an inch apart and also switched the units
around making no difference in the signal bars. Now I went to a room
where I had fairly good reception on the Cx model. 4 average bars on
it with a 40ft. accuracy showing while the HCx still had 7 bars with 3
others trying to show also with a 9 ft. accuracy showing. So if you
think yours is special get a HCx model and set them side by side and
the HCx model will show you how much stronger it is.
Jerry