GPS - Lowrance Baja vs Garmin 276c (1 Viewer)

[alia176]

I was curious:

-On the touch screen models, - how easy are they to use while off roading - naming track logs, setting way points, track back, routes, etc. I'm used to using a laptop so I don't have a point of reference

-Can you name the way points with long descriptions rather than abbreviated words? Again, I'm used to an old Garmin III+ and it only allowed six characters.

 

[spressomon]

I was curious:

-On the touch screen models, - how easy are they to use while off roading - naming track logs, setting way points, track back, routes, etc. I'm used to using a laptop so I don't have a point of reference

-Can you name the way points with long descriptions rather than abbreviated words? Again, I'm used to an old Garmin III+ and it only allowed six characters.

Good question...I don't own one yet.

 

[e9999]

what's the general feeling about Lowrance as a brand?

seems like the market is so totally dominated by Garmin and Magellan that it's not funny.... what about aftermarket stuff, compatible software and all that for Lowrance?

 

[esh]

Wow what a price!

Why not get a cheap slave GPS and go with a touchscreen gobook? Bet you could hack it to move the keyboard/brain part of it stowed out of the way. I noticed itronix makes a rugged touch tablet now as well but $$$. Looking at the models and kind of prices you guys are talking about you could go with a mini tablet PC (used) and get a lot more software flexibility than a proprietary setup from a GPS manufacturer. RAM makes a staggering variety of mounts and shoot if you're almost there anyways, why not a platform you can load any software you want onto?

Just looking at the issue from another perspective...

(I run a Garmin GPS III+ hooked to an EZ-30 800x600 res tablet PC.. transmeta crusoe 800mhz processor, 512MB RAM, flash slots, 30GB drive, blah blah.. low interference RAM mount, running Natl Geo TOPO! State Series and MS Streets and Trips for both urban and boonies navigation)

 

[spressomon]

Wow what a price!

Why not get a cheap slave GPS and go with a touchscreen gobook? Bet you could hack it to move the keyboard/brain part of it stowed out of the way. I noticed itronix makes a rugged touch tablet now as well but $$$. Looking at the models and kind of prices you guys are talking about you could go with a mini tablet PC (used) and get a lot more software flexibility than a proprietary setup from a GPS manufacturer. RAM makes a staggering variety of mounts and shoot if you're almost there anyways, why not a platform you can load any software you want onto?

Just looking at the issue from another perspective...

(I run a Garmin GPS III+ hooked to an EZ-30 800x600 res tablet PC.. transmeta crusoe 800mhz processor, 512MB RAM, flash slots, 30GB drive, blah blah.. low interference RAM mount, running Natl Geo TOPO! State Series and MS Streets and Trips for both urban and boonies navigation)

Agreed!! That is the main reason I have not pulled trigger on a more featured GPS: They don't do all that much and the manufacturers tie your hands with what you can and can't run (topo maps anyway). I have a Motion tablet but the boot up time is too long; too bulky unless you have a co-pilot to manage it while you drive; etc. I have tried the PDA thing...but once again wasn't totally happy with that either since it is not full blown Windows OS (although Romer seems to like his new one).

Coming from the PC world it is shocking to see how far behind the tech curve Garmin and the other GPS companies really are...not to mention the price per feature comparison.

 

[spressomon]

This is the response from Garmin regarding a couple more questions I asked about the 660:

"The only functionality you will lose with the TOPO is the text-to-speech capability, and of course, the auto-routing for streets. As far as we know, the National Geographic and DeLorme maps are not compatible with the Nuvi. As far as the Topo maps that we offer, we do offer a 24k topo and a 100k topo. I've included a link below to those maps on our website. The Nuvi does not support tracks or trails/routes."

 

[dieselbigot]

Jesus...this gets more confusing by the minute for a technomoron like me. I did a bunch more research today and called the folks at Lowrance. The only thing that was holding me back from this unit (Baja) over the 276c was the lack of available RAM mount. Well I've seen a few RAM's today that I think will work with the Lowrance Gimbel mount so I'm thinking of making my own "custom" RAM. That way I can still have a suction/windshield mount to move from rig to rig and go with the Lowrance. Just seems to me that this unit was made for off-road travel and to take a beating....and I love that 5" screen and the overall simplicity of it. I'm 90% there....but keep up the debate, this is good to get differnt perspectives

 

[spressomon]

Jesus...this gets more confusing by the minute for a technomoron like me. I did a bunch more research today and called the folks at Lowrance. The only thing that was holding me back from this unit (Baja) over the 276c was the lack of available RAM mount. Well I've seen a few RAM's today that I think will work with the Lowrance Gimbel mount so I'm thinking of making my own "custom" RAM. That way I can still have a suction/windshield mount to move from rig to rig and go with the Lowrance. Just seems to me that this unit was made for off-road travel and to take a beating....and I love that 5" screen and the overall simplicity of it. I'm 90% there....but keep up the debate, this is good to get differnt perspectives

It IS confusing. Garmin makes so many different models but not one with ALL the features! Seems it would be easier to reduce the number of models/SKU's by offering all or most of the features on a given model. Case in point: The 660. It sounded like the ONE...but without the ability to configure for routes/trips and the fact there is no track-back...and then the $750 tag...geez!

 

[alia176]

The more I read this, the more I like my laptop setup! It's got a nice size screen, ability to run many Topo (Topo USA, TopoQuad, TOPO! and USGS) and Street software using more user friendly input devices (mouse/keyboard). This solution is not for everybody obviously but it has worked great for me for the last seven years.

I'm not sure it's a fair comparison between a PC based navigation system vs one of these GPS jobber. The computing power and storage capacity of the PCs will always exceed that of the GPS units. I can see why it's hard to find one unit that incorporates many of the popular features that are being brought up here.

With that said, I have yet to use a PC based Street mapping software that is as robust as the Neverlost Magellan software that I use in Hertz rental cars. Hopefully Microsoft or Delorme will catch up soon! I don't have any experience using any other voice prompted car navigation GPS units.

Cheers,

Ali

 

[Timoss]

Geez, what you miss in a day or two! I'll respond to a few of the issues that have come up that I'm a bit familiar with:

Nuvi: Yes, it's POSSIBLE for the Nuvi to run Garmin's topo maps, but the unit is not optimized for this and the result looks crappy. I would at least tell you to try it before you buy it if that feature is important. However, even with topo capability in theory, it's not an ideal choice for offroad: it has no track-back, as has been mentioned, but also only one waypoint allowed per route--yes, that's no typo, only ONE waypoint. It is a great car unit for street nav--I believe the best one currently available--but that is really all it should be used for.

Lowrance: They make quality gear (and at a very good price). The Baja or the iWay 500c (or better, the 600, which I think is due out this month) are worth looking at. The 500 (or 600) is the best on-road/off-road combo unit I've seen. That is, it does both functions very well, while most only do one well (if they do more than one at all). It has full-function touchscreen street nav with complete detailed street maps of the entire U.S. But it also comes with 24k topo of the entire U.S. preloaded. (To top it off, if you have a boat, it also comes with blue water charts for oceans and lakes for the whole U.S. preloaded.) It's very customizable (I think you can store 1,000 waypoints), has all the trackback features, easy to use, waterproof, shock resistant, and has a nice big 5" screen (and an MP3 player, if that's a desire). It is bulky, though, and it does not have an internal battery.

Garmin Topo maps: Someone quoted a Garmin tech as saying they have both 24k and 100k topo maps available. More specifically, though, they only have 24k available for select state parks. The rest of the U.S. is 100k only.

Mounts: I have not tested a mount yet that did not work well enough to keep the nav system it came with securely attached to the windshield while bouncing offroad if mounted as instructed. I wouldn't worry about this too much in your decision-making process.

Touchscreens: How easy they are to use depends on the company. Garmin and Lowrance's touchscreens are generally great--easy to use on the fly without mistypes, etc. I find Magellan's harder to use than those two.

Timoss
88 fj62 TLCA

 

[e9999]

Geez, what you miss in a day or two! I'll respond to a few of the issues that have come up that I'm a bit familiar with:

Nuvi: Yes, it's POSSIBLE for the Nuvi to run Garmin's topo maps, but the unit is not optimized for this and the result looks crappy. I would at least tell you to try it before you buy it if that feature is important. However, even with topo capability in theory, it's not an ideal choice for offroad: it has no track-back, as has been mentioned, but also only one waypoint allowed per route--yes, that's no typo, only ONE waypoint. It is a great car unit for street nav--I believe the best one currently available--but that is really all it should be used for.

Lowrance: They make quality gear (and at a very good price). The Baja or the iWay 500c (or better, the 600, which I think is due out this month) are worth looking at. The 500 (or 600) is the best on-road/off-road combo unit I've seen. That is, it does both functions very well, while most only do one well (if they do more than one at all). It has full-function touchscreen street nav with complete detailed street maps of the entire U.S. But it also comes with 24k topo of the entire U.S. preloaded. (To top it off, if you have a boat, it also comes with blue water charts for oceans and lakes for the whole U.S. preloaded.) It's very customizable (I think you can store 1,000 waypoints), has all the trackback features, easy to use, waterproof, shock resistant, and has a nice big 5" screen (and an MP3 player, if that's a desire). It is bulky, though, and it does not have an internal battery.

Garmin Topo maps: Someone quoted a Garmin tech as saying they have both 24k and 100k topo maps available. More specifically, though, they only have 24k available for select state parks. The rest of the U.S. is 100k only.

Mounts: I have not tested a mount yet that did not work well enough to keep the nav system it came with securely attached to the windshield while bouncing offroad if mounted as instructed. I wouldn't worry about this too much in your decision-making process.

Touchscreens: How easy they are to use depends on the company. Garmin and Lowrance's touchscreens are generally great--easy to use on the fly without mistypes, etc. I find Magellan's harder to use than those two.

Timoss
88 fj62 TLCA

how does this Lowrance have all that stuff preloaded? that would be many GBs I would think. Hard drive?

 

[dieselbigot]

how does this Lowrance have all that stuff preloaded? that would be many GBs I would think. Hard drive?

The iway 500 has a 20GB hard drive and the 600 has a 30 GB

 

[dieselbigot]

Geez, what you miss in a day or two! I'll respond to a few of the issues that have come up that I'm a bit familiar with:

Nuvi: Yes, it's POSSIBLE for the Nuvi to run Garmin's topo maps, but the unit is not optimized for this and the result looks crappy. I would at least tell you to try it before you buy it if that feature is important. However, even with topo capability in theory, it's not an ideal choice for offroad: it has no track-back, as has been mentioned, but also only one waypoint allowed per route--yes, that's no typo, only ONE waypoint. It is a great car unit for street nav--I believe the best one currently available--but that is really all it should be used for.

Lowrance: They make quality gear (and at a very good price). The Baja or the iWay 500c (or better, the 600, which I think is due out this month) are worth looking at. The 500 (or 600) is the best on-road/off-road combo unit I've seen. That is, it does both functions very well, while most only do one well (if they do more than one at all). It has full-function touchscreen street nav with complete detailed street maps of the entire U.S. But it also comes with 24k topo of the entire U.S. preloaded. (To top it off, if you have a boat, it also comes with blue water charts for oceans and lakes for the whole U.S. preloaded.) It's very customizable (I think you can store 1,000 waypoints), has all the trackback features, easy to use, waterproof, shock resistant, and has a nice big 5" screen (and an MP3 player, if that's a desire). It is bulky, though, and it does not have an internal battery.

Garmin Topo maps: Someone quoted a Garmin tech as saying they have both 24k and 100k topo maps available. More specifically, though, they only have 24k available for select state parks. The rest of the U.S. is 100k only.

Mounts: I have not tested a mount yet that did not work well enough to keep the nav system it came with securely attached to the windshield while bouncing offroad if mounted as instructed. I wouldn't worry about this too much in your decision-making process.

Touchscreens: How easy they are to use depends on the company. Garmin and Lowrance's touchscreens are generally great--easy to use on the fly without mistypes, etc. I find Magellan's harder to use than those two.

Timoss
88 fj62 TLCA

TM,

this is all excellent info...thank you. I've decided to go with the Lowrance...I stopped by a local dealer yesterday and looked at the iway 500...nice unit but the touch screen seemed kinda finiky...was that just becasue it was show model and prolly had 4 million kids with gummybear hands fawking with it? I had to basically pound on the screen to get it to work. Do you know if the Baja has a touch-screen? (can't find anything in the specs that says it does...or is that what TFT display means?):

GlobalMap® Baja 480C FEATURES

Display <<
5.0" (12.7cm) diagonal 256 color TFT display
High-detail 480V x 480H resolution
Advanced cold cathode backlit screen and keypad
Superb readability in direct sunlight
GPS/WAAS/Mapping <<
Precision 12-parallel channel GPS+WAAS LGC-2000 Baja receiver
All-new, built-in, exclusive Lowrance background map with enhanced detail and nav aids
One MMC/SD digital media memory card slot with waterproof door
Compatible with optional MapCreate™ USA Topo Accessory Pack to create higher-detail topo mapping
Compatible with optional Lowrance FreedomMaps™ maps
1,000 waypoints/1,000 event markers/100 routes
100 savable plot trails/10,000 points per trail
42 different graphic icons to mark your favorite spots
40 map zoom ranges, 0.02–4,000 miles

Plus <<
Back-up memory saves customized settings
Ruggedized, shock-resistant case
Protective cover
Sealed and waterproof
Full one-year manufacturers warranty

 

[esh]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...MEWA:IT&viewitem=&item=140052720156&rd=1&rd=1

 

[dieselbigot]

The more I read this, the more I like my laptop setup!
Ali

Ali,

I had given much thought to setting up a laptop after seeing Mudrak's set-up a few years ago...it's very slick for sure. I would have no problems worrying about durability on normal crawling trails (like Rubicon, Dusy, whatever)...but what about when you hit a 20 mile stretch of deeply rutted washboard in a place like Death Valley? The vibration on those roads is mind-numbing....How is a laptop going to fare on that kind of terrain? (assuming you want to have it on)

 

[desertdude]

Yep - had his running in DV you should ask him

 

[Timoss]

TM,

this is all excellent info...thank you. I've decided to go with the Lowrance...I stopped by a local dealer yesterday and looked at the iway 500...nice unit but the touch screen seemed kinda finiky...was that just becasue it was show model and prolly had 4 million kids with gummybear hands fawking with it? I had to basically pound on the screen to get it to work. Do you know if the Baja has a touch-screen? (can't find anything in the specs that says it does...or is that what TFT display means?):

GlobalMap® Baja 480C FEATURES

Display <<
5.0" (12.7cm) diagonal 256 color TFT display
High-detail 480V x 480H resolution
Advanced cold cathode backlit screen and keypad
Superb readability in direct sunlight
GPS/WAAS/Mapping <<
Precision 12-parallel channel GPS+WAAS LGC-2000 Baja receiver
All-new, built-in, exclusive Lowrance background map with enhanced detail and nav aids
One MMC/SD digital media memory card slot with waterproof door
Compatible with optional MapCreate™ USA Topo Accessory Pack to create higher-detail topo mapping
Compatible with optional Lowrance FreedomMaps™ maps
1,000 waypoints/1,000 event markers/100 routes
100 savable plot trails/10,000 points per trail
42 different graphic icons to mark your favorite spots
40 map zoom ranges, 0.02–4,000 miles

Plus <<
Back-up memory saves customized settings
Ruggedized, shock-resistant case
Protective cover
Sealed and waterproof
Full one-year manufacturers warranty

The 500 has a "screen calibration" feature: If the touchscreen is not responding accurately, run the feature and it re-calibrates by asking you to touch a series of X marks placed on the screen. I would go back and try that and see if you like it any better. As I've mentioned, I've found their touchscreens to be very easy and accurate myself.

And no, the Baja does not have a touchscreen (TFT is just the type of screen: thin film transistor). But it has much more offroad capability than the 500/600. For instance, the topo software can be edited, stored, uploaded and downloaded between your PC and the Baja (whereas the 500/600 topo maps can't be edited). But yeah, without a touchscreen, it can't easily be used while driving--not that I'm advocating such a thing! Press HERE to accept responsiblity for your own life...

Timoss
88 fj62 TLCA

 

[Snook]

but what about when you hit a 20 mile stretch of deeply rutted washboard in a place like Death Valley? The vibration on those roads is mind-numbing....How is a laptop going to fare on that kind of terrain? (assuming you want to have it on)

Gary's Panasonic PowerBook is perfect for offroad and he drove over his laptop with FJ45 by accident, no dent or nick! But costly.

At my first DV05, my HP laptop was jumping all over even with rubber bands on my custom laptop holder and my laptop crashed several times.

So for DV06, I put strip of velvos between the laptop holder and the laptop, boy what a huge diffirence!

Pro:
- My laptop's screen is matte and is 15"3" wide!
- Run any GPS software
- Use USB Garmin GPS 18, mounted on my snorkel
- Use Google Earth, based on 2 Giga of cache of high details photos of Death Valley. I can see a medium size boulder from space before I see it in person.

For third party to connect Google Earth with USB GPS device
- http://mboffin.com/EarthBridge/ (free)

I think only David Usem and Alvaro saw it in running mode on my truck.

-Next year, there will be a row of trucks on my screen with thier nickname on portable laptop, each of it with thier own MPH.
See this link:
- http://sites.onlinenw.com/goops/goops.php

Garmin and Lawerence will not offer these kinds of features for few more years and yet once it comes out, it will be very costy $$$.....

Last thing is this:
- http://mboffin.com/earthstumbler/
It automaticly put WiFi informations on Google Earth!

Keep one thing in mind, all software above is free.

Cheers,
Jay

 

[concretejungle]

You guys seem to really know these things.

So help me out. For a budget of around $300, what would you get?

 

[esh]

A used GPS V and a cheap itronix gobook laptop both from Ebay.

BTW my crappy advieu/EZ-30 tablet (sold under about 4 names), http://www.ocworkbench.com/2004/ecs/ez30/ez30-1.htm...

holds up fine on long washboard roads. The battery pack is a horrible connection to the body, but I have the whole thing securely velcro-stripped to a piece of plexi epoxied to a RAM mount. I have dropped the thing probably a dozen times from the velcro slipping off the ends of the mount but it hasn't gone down for the count.

and of course the final caveat- "it depends on what you want to use it for"

for topo software, OziExplorer and data sets of your choice (free). Ozi has the ability to integrate sat photos projected onto a virtual surface and has great night mode capabilities.