The 2820 screen size is too small in my book

276 vs 2820

Llama said:
Wrt the 276c I will have look at this but unfortunately you cant do a direct comparison on the Garmin site.

Ralph,

I'm no expert, but have been looking at either the 276 or the 2820 for myslelf. I see the main differences as follows:

276 standard mem is a bit small so I would need to get an extra mem card (another expence)

276 has an internal battery, good, but hardly a "portable" unit ie I wouldn't take the thing on a hike - 2820 = no battery. cant decide if this is really an issue or just a paradigm shift required in thinking!

Seems there are better "quick release" brackets available for the 2820. I want to be able to get the thing off and on quiclkly without fiddling with wires & jacks each time. OTOH, brackets for the 276 look more suitable to off-road use.

276 has trackback and other more offroad related fetures. also user interface is more traditional / complicated (as per posts from Michael).
2820 has traffic, weather, etc whick I personally would not use (not available here)

MP3 player sounds really nice - I get bored on long trips - and I suspect that once we get used to bluetooth we will all be wondering how we ever put up with the cables & plugs of the current systems!

the fact that a pillion cant hear the music with the BT system is a negative - perhaps they will change the software to allow this - I very seldom have a pillion so small issue for me.

I dont have an intercom so am starting from scratch ... right now I would like music and voice guidance and I think I can achieve this with the 2820 and a set or ear monitor earplugs. Later when funds allow I can upgrade to BT helmet and then get the full functionality. To get the same functionality from the 276 I need an Ipod and an intercom system (and the brains to make it all work together ;) ).

If anyone has any other thoughts on the differences between these two I would love to hear their opinions.

Dale
 
cookie said:
you are, it doesn't, and i reallly like the 3d view :(
This thread was becoming a jolly good rant.

Stop changing the subject!

hidesbehindsofa.gif


Greg
 
chasr said:
I very much doubt if Pan will respond to this sort of gutter language.

mrTickle, you obviously didn't do your homework before buying your new toy - more fool you. And if the 2610 was so perfect, why did you change?

There's nothing wrong with a good whinge, but you might reflect that Pan is someone who can pass constructive ideas 'up the chain.' You do none of us any favours if your arrogant, offensive & crude remarks cause him to abandon this forum. He would be missed. I wonder how many would miss you?

+1 well put
 
Greg Masters said:
This thread was becoming a jolly good rant.

Stop changing the subject!

hidesbehindsofa.gif


Greg

sorry, can't think what came over me. i usually love to stir it up, i must be mellowing :)
 
chasr said:
I very much doubt if Pan will respond to this sort of gutter language.

mrTickle, you obviously didn't do your homework before buying your new toy - more fool you. And if the 2610 was so perfect, why did you change?

There's nothing wrong with a good whinge, but you might reflect that Pan is someone who can pass constructive ideas 'up the chain.' You do none of us any favours if your arrogant, offensive & crude remarks cause him to abandon this forum. He would be missed. I wonder how many would miss you?

So what you're telling me is it's OK for Pan to be extremely rude to me and that when he makes up a load of rubbish about what I said, I'm then not allowed to answer him in the way I do because it might upset him and you like his posts. You are wrong in saying that he will not respond as he has already has if you care to check - and that's because he was trying to be clever but is in fact completly wrong in his answer. If he doesn't respond from now it's because he's got egg on his face and made a t1t of himself.

We all know this is a load of nonsense but he started it - not me. I ignored him but eventually he managed to get to me. I'm not taking his crap just because you want to read his posts. He started it.

I'm off to the Hog Roast now & if anyone would like to see the 2820 and what I'm going on about, please feel free to have a look.
 
You can easily miss someone..........but there is usually plenty of time to reload. :thumb

Al :D
 
Llama said:
Are the extra Sat Nav related bits worth paying the additional £200-£300 for on a 2720/2820 over the 2610. I've had my quest nicked and I want a replacement. MP3, Bluetooth etc. sound good but I don't want to phone anyone on the move and I already have a 2 Gig MP3 player which I use on the bike. 2610's are available for £250 (used), £360 (refurb/new) whereas 2720's are £590-ish. Is it worth paying the extra, bearing in mind I was pretty happy with my Quest...

I can see that the main differences are the TMC and proximity alerts and some increase in processor speed. All good things I know but are they worth the extra. The TMC & warnings I will have to judge for myself, as for processor speed I was happy with the speed of my quest so I'm guessing the 2610 will be okay.

If I save myself £200 and go for a 2610 will I be stupid or content?

Llama:

I've owned all three series (26, 27, and 28), and each of them have their pros and cons. Here's my own 'highly personal' evaluation of the pros and cons of each series:

26xx (also known as BMW Nav II)
In favour: The last of the pure automotive GPSRs to have an engineering driven user interface, rather than the current 'second generation' user interface. Some folks prefer the higher level of control that this provides. If, for example, you are attracted to the 276 because of the level of control it gives you over the UI, then you would like the 26xx. The first (and last) of the 2xxx series to have dead reckoning capability if you provide it with speedsensor input (2650 only), and the only one with transparent tab overlays.

Against: Coarse pixellation on the display - it's only 305 by 160 pixels. A somewhat slower processor than the 27xx and 28xx series. No support for custom POI (speed camera) alerts. No support for TMC services. It's a darn good GPSR and navigates just as well as the 27xx or 28xx series, but personally, I think that the speed camera alerts and traffic problem alerts are now 'must have' features, not fluff features.

27xx (AKA BMW Nav II+)
In favour: Great display (454 by 240 pixels) thus excellent presentation of the maps, supports Custom POIs and TMC services, has all the maps pre-loaded in internal memory (thus no fooling around with data chips), faster processor than the 26xx. Provides a perspective ("three dimensional") view of the route. Supports 'text to speech' voice prompts, which means you hear the names of the streets spoken, not just 'turn right up ahead' - this is a very nice feature to have.

Neutral: First of the 2xxx series with the 'new' second generation user interface. Some folks like this, some don't, most don't care either way.

Against: No real negatives I can think of. Might not be able to support address lookup by postal code (I'm not sure of this, though). You might get stuck with out of date maps if you buy one secondhand.

28xx (AKA BMW Nav III, without audio player, though)
In favour: All that the 27xx has, plus a MP3 player, and support for control of a mobile phone via Bluetooth, and support for wireless connection to a helmet via Bluetooth. Slightly more sophisticated GPS receiver, although the difference is only appreciated when riding in very marginal reception conditions (e.g. forest cover). Comes with the latest and greatest maps (version 8 cartography), which support lookup by postal code.

For North Americans only: Supports XM radio and delivery of traffic and weather information via the XM satellite (requires you purchase a second antenna and a subscription to the service).

Against: The increased complexity of the electronics arising from the addition of the Bluetooth support, audio player feature, etc. may make the job of fitting it into a larger, integrated system (e.g. moto with an Autocom) more difficult. It certainly can be done - in such a way that it works perfectly - but doing it requires a far higher level of skill and attention to detail than integrating either the 27xx or 28xx. For stand-alone use (without an Autocom or similar), keep in mind that Bluetooth helmets are expensive as heck right now. Also, keep in mind that the Bluetooth and handsfree control of the phone was really designed with car drivers in mind - it's a bit of a PITA to get it all working on a moto because of the helmet issue.

------------------------

Bottom Line: If I had to buy a GPSR for my moto today, and I didn't need or want the phone or MP3 player - I'd buy a 27xx.

If I lived in a country where traffic congestion and speed cameras were not concerns (I think you can probably guess that I am not talking about the UK here - :D ), then I might consider getting a 26xx if money was tight. I'd REALLY keep my eyes open for a used 2650 - that would be the holy grail if I didn't need speed camera and traffic reporting support. I really liked the dead reckoning feature of the 2650 in tunnels, etc., and miss it very much. But... before you let my nostalgia for the DR feature influence your decision, compare the screen pictures below (same exact view shown on 26xx and 28xx), and make your own judgement about which one you would rather be looking at.

Hope this helps.

Michael

26xx series screen display (305 by 160 pixels, I think it is 4 bit colour)


27xx series screen display (454 by 240 pixels, obviously greater colour depth)


28xx series screen display (clearly superior to the other two)
 
Michael

Thank you, Excellently put and just about the best answer I could have asked for.

I was reasonably happy with the display on my quest with was smaller overall and have nav bars by the side so screen size isn't too much of an issue.

It sounds to me as if I have to make a judgement regarding TMC and proximity alerts and if their worth the extra as they all seem to fit the bill as a GPSR.
:mmmm Mmmm. Time to ponder.

I think I'll aim for a 2720 but keep my eye open for a 2610 bargain (I've never heard of a 2650 but if I do I know to consider it).

Cheers
Ralph


PS. Why is it that no matter which airline I fly on all the pilots sound the same. Do you guys all go to speech therapy or is it really a synthesiser talking ;)
 
Hi Ralph:

Just be sure to add up all the costs when you are comparing purchases of different generations of GPSRs, because it is quite easy to become misled if you only compare the cost of the two different generation GPSRs themselves.

Here's what you have to account for to determine total cost of ownership.

1) The GPSR itself.
2) The cost of a larger storage chip, if you are buying an older GPSR (e.g. 2610 or 2650 - I think the 2620 and 2660 have 2 gig chips in them).
3) The cost of a map upgrade, if you are buying a secondhand GPSR.

Also, for moto installation, budget about $50 for the Garmin bracket and moto power cord, and probably about another $50 for the RAM hardware required to mount everything on the moto. This cost will apply to whatever you purchase.

Sometimes, when you add up items 1, 2, and 3 for an older GPSR, the difference between buying it and buying the next newer generation is negligible.

Michael
 
Michael
Thanks for that, its always the little bits that add up.

In the end it will probably be the 2720 because of all the things you say (chips, map upgrades, etc.) unless a real bargain comes along.

As you say mounting costs will be the same for both although I may be able to recoup some back by selling my quest mount.

Ralph
 
Here's a question...

I went for my first bike-ride with my 2820 mounted today... (broken shoulder-blade and all... =)

I didn't tighten down the little screw on the top of the garmin quick-mount, and spent a lot of the ride wondering if it was going to jump out... (and me didnt' put a lanyard on it, plus the power connector comes off very easily...)

How many people here ride around without screwing down the little screw? Ever have it jump out?

Al...
 
My 2610, bought recently on ebay for £265 had V.7 mapsource for all europe on the 2Gb flashdisk, came with all the accessories (cables, mount, bean-mat etc).

I admit, I'm jelous of the better display that the 28** offers, but right now - I think a 2nd-hand 2610 at that sort of price is a good deal.

(the info you have posted on the 28 series does make me wonder if the 2610 should go back on e-bay, though :o )

Cheers

Al :D
 
Blackal said:
My 2610, bought recently on ebay for £265 had V.7 mapsource for all europe on the 2Gb flashdisk, came with all the accessories (cables, mount, bean-mat etc).

I admit, I'm jelous of the better display that the 28** offers, but right now - I think a 2nd-hand 2610 at that sort of price is a good deal.

(the info you have posted on the 28 series does make me wonder if the 2610 should go back on e-bay, though :o )

Cheers

Al :D
Nah, keep it and use it for a season first, you’ll know better what you need next time. The 2610 is just as good as ever it was, plenty of people bought them when they cost well over £1000, so at £265 you got a bargain, enjoy
 
ebbo said:
Nah, keep it and use it for a season first, you’ll know better what you need next time. The 2610 is just as good as ever it was, plenty of people bought them when they cost well over £1000, so at £265 you got a bargain, enjoy

Yeah - you're right, I think.

Haven't tried the transparent tabs yet - must give that a go.

What I don't like, is the lack of tracking memory and the amount of info available as tabs on the screen (unless I haven't seen them all yet).

Al :D
 
Blackal said:
What I don't like, is ... the amount of info available as tabs on the screen (unless I haven't seen them all yet).
Al:

You can extensively customize what information is presented in those tabs, and how it is arranged and presented to you. The process is not intuitive, though, and you need to read and follow the manual instructions carefully to get into the 'advanced' setup menu for the tabs.

Michael
 
Just recd. my 2720 after using the 2610 for over 2 years. My thought on the tabs is...I only used the bottom 2 on the 2610/I now must use either all 4 in thin or top 2 thin and bottom thick which does take up more space. I also have the choice to use none. Sadly, I want something in the middle. I can live without the transparent effect but wonder why I can't customize the amount of tabs.

If I am missing something...please let me know. I think this was passed over by the original poster.

Thank you.
 
chasr said:
What is it about these 276 owners that make them so fanatical? I reckon a 1150GSA owner with a 276 would be my definition of a Luddite :D :D

agreed: reminds me a bit of Mac users. Remember them ? :confused:
 
Marty Hill said:
If I am missing something...please let me know. I think this was passed over by the original poster.

Hi Marty:

You haven't missed anything - your analysis is 100% correct.

My guess (just a guess) is that too many people became totally confused with the 'dockable' tabs that the 26xx series offered. Personally, I liked them too, but, the vast majority of GPSR purchasers are now 'Ma and Pop' types, not tech-enthusiasts. 3 years ago, the market demographic was different - techies bought GPSRs, not Ma and Pop.

Michael
 


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