eTrex Legend H and eTrex Vista H - any opinions?

Well, Garmin has released two new members for the budget end of their
mapping units - the eTrex Legend H and the eTrex Vista H. How will
they match up in the market? Heck, I don't know, they've only been on
the Garmin website for a couple of weeks, now!

They will eventually replace the ageing (and problem-prone) eTrex
Legend and eTrex Vista. Here are some new features these units
introduce over their predecesors:

Both units, over the original eTrex Legend and eTrex Vista, sport a
high-sensitivity antenna, an updated user interface, GPS games, a
variable-brightness display backlight (over the single-brightness
backlight), and a USB interface (over the RS-232 (serial) interface).

Legend H features (over original Legend features):

-$150, making it take the title as Garmins lowest-cost unit with
mapping capability. (Which the eTrex Legend used to hold, at $160.)
-No real cosmetic differences
-24 MB of memory (Over 8 MB)

Vista H features (over original Vista features)

-$200 (over $214 for the original Vista)
-New gold color (over the silver color of the original)

Considering how popular the eTrex Legend and Vista were over their 7-
year lifespan, I think the eTrex Legend H and Vista H will do just as
well, especially sporting these new features. Also considering that
with all of these new features, they are *cheaper* than their
predecesors, it is clear that Garmin is trying to phase out the Legend
and Vista. (Who wouldn't pay less for more, anyway?)

There is one dilemma, though: did Garmin get their act in gear and fix
the problem-prone joystick and display that the eTrex, eTrex H, eTrex
Camo, Summit, Venture, Legend, and Vista are known for?

So, what do you guys think of these two new members of the eTrex
family? Has anyone actually got their hands on one of these new units
yet? I'm just a guy who's curious!

-Trent

I have an eTrex Vista HCx, and it's incredible. It can make a good chicken
salad if you let it. Unfortunately, the user's manual stinks and you have
to learn a lot on your own.

My HCx locked up on me a couple of times and I had to send it back for
replacement for a new unit. Note: if it screws up once or twice, don't
trust it, ever. So I'm waiting on my replacement now....

Another thing: how weird is it that when you buy a "new" unit, it already
needs a firmware upgrade!!? Those upgrades are sort of risky, but you gotta
do them.

Finally, I found my eTrex to be exceptionally accurate, as far as GPS
location and tracking. It follows Google Earth quite well.

Anyway, go for it. Good luck.

EW

cken
ave

I know what you mean. Luckily, I had used an eTrex Legend for 10
months, and it didn't take much for me to learn every aspect of my
eTrex Venture HC. (Once you've learned one eTrex, you've learned them
all!)


Yeah, the Vista HCx is famous for doing that. I wish you better luck
with your replacement unit!

ady
gotta

You may buy the unit "new", but it may have been on the shelf for
months. You are right on the "risky" part - I just got my eTrex
Venture HC going again after a failed firmware upgrade knocked it out.
You don't necessarily need to have the latest firmware version,
though.


Thanks, but I have no intention of buying one of these units - as far
as i'm concerned, my eTrex Venture HC is the most perfect GPS I could
want!

(The eTrex Legend H and eTrex Vista H are VERY different from the
eTrex HC and eTrex HCx units, just in case you didn't know.)

eTrex Legend H:
https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=3D145&pID=3D30120

eTrex Vista H:
https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=3D145&pID=3D30122

-Trent