The XT is still shite, though, as long as we're clear about that
There’s a whole thread devoted to it and Garmin in general.
XT woes
- Thread starter Wapping
- Start date
There’s a whole thread devoted to it and Garmin in general.
Thanks Richard. The point about starting and finishing with circular routes is relevant and I’ll look at that. The rest? When a relatively simple device like the Beeline can work without issue and without needing a degree in Sat Nav Operation, I just don’t get why Garmin is so unreliable. From both our devices failing to open the correctly transferred route, which was showing perfectly on Garmin Preview, to it working perfectly well is just ridiculous. Not to mention that on the way back my unit decided to freeze on start up twice and then for some inexplicable reason, decided to go from Landscape to Portrait mode and wouldn’t change back …… whilst in a straight line on the M6. And don’t get me started on Basecamp.
Yes you might well be able to put in huge amounts of time to find work arounds for their failings, but for me, they’re simply not fit for purpose and hence it’s been relegated to a back up. Both MyRouteApp and Beeline knock Garmin into a cocked hat, but both have the Achilles heel of needing a phone signal (yes I know you can download maps and run them offline etc, but to work correctly they need a signal)
TT Boltmaker? Not bad, but Landlord any day, though it’s not as good as it was in my yuff and where I grew up within a few miles of the Brewery. Enjoy
Yes you might well be able to put in huge amounts of time to find work arounds for their failings, but for me, they’re simply not fit for purpose and hence it’s been relegated to a back up. Both MyRouteApp and Beeline knock Garmin into a cocked hat, but both have the Achilles heel of needing a phone signal (yes I know you can download maps and run them offline etc, but to work correctly they need a signal)
TT Boltmaker? Not bad, but Landlord any day, though it’s not as good as it was in my yuff and where I grew up within a few miles of the Brewery. Enjoy
I fon’t
Whilst I’m sure the ‘you’ wasn’t directed at ‘me’, I haven’t needed any workarounds to make my XT work.
I can’t explain why you and JB had a problem together and then, the next day, your XT’s worked properly. I can only go by my success in opening and effectively ‘running’ the route JB kindly sent me.
I was always a big fan of BaseCamp (and before that, MapSource) only stopping when it became very flakey on a Mac and / or the XT had a problem talking to Mac’s too. Now I just use MyRoute to create, store and share all my routes, which is very good. That said, I have bought a cheap laptop, so I might go back to BaseCamp (or use it in parallel with MyRoute) we’ll see.
As ever, use and do what works for you. JB can now sell his XT.
Whilst I’m sure the ‘you’ wasn’t directed at ‘me’, I haven’t needed any workarounds to make my XT work.
I can’t explain why you and JB had a problem together and then, the next day, your XT’s worked properly. I can only go by my success in opening and effectively ‘running’ the route JB kindly sent me.
I was always a big fan of BaseCamp (and before that, MapSource) only stopping when it became very flakey on a Mac and / or the XT had a problem talking to Mac’s too. Now I just use MyRoute to create, store and share all my routes, which is very good. That said, I have bought a cheap laptop, so I might go back to BaseCamp (or use it in parallel with MyRoute) we’ll see.
As ever, use and do what works for you. JB can now sell his XT.
Last edited:
Whilst I’m sure the ‘you’ wasn’t directed at ‘me’, I haven’t needed any workarounds to make my XT work.
I can’t explain why you and JB had a problem together and then, the next day, your XT’s worked properly. I can only go by my success in opening and effectively ‘running’ the route JB kindly sent me.
I was always a big fan of BaseCamp (and before that, MapSource) only stopping when it became very flakey on a Mac and / or the XT had a problem talking to Mac’s too. Now I just use MyRoute to create, store and share all my routes, which is very good. That said, I have bought a cheap laptop, so I might go back to BaseCamp (or use it in parallel with MyRoute) we’ll.
As ever, use and do what works for you. JB can now sell his XT.
I am a GPS simpleton
I tend to use a Michelin map to get the gist of where I want to go and/or make a few notes
On the trip I used to the XT to go to a specific place or address and just let it do it’s thing (avoidance of motorways sometimes)
I don’t plan specific routes (never have really)
However when I use the 2610 in the same manner, the algorithm seems to plan a more ‘motorcycle interesting’ route….off the bat
Just my thoughts
I was happy to follow Ikkje and we did some great routes with Beeline and beauty was it was very simple to change a route in the fly, via his iPhone
Impressive the Beeline is
Last edited by a moderator:
From the StreetPilot 3 to the XT2 I've been a fan of Garmin. But, they have introduced faulty routing algorithms, and a degree of complexity that forces the user to produce work arounds so that the XT2 and to a lesser extent the XT produces a logical route like the 595 and GPSRS before it. These though don't always work.
I have returned back to a 595 from the XT2.
I have returned back to a 595 from the XT2.
All very interesting, thank you @Wapping.
When I have A (Home waypoint) to B (Destination) with lots of shaping points and a sprinkle of via points I never have a problem. But a circular route created in Basecamp from A (Home waypoint) to B (Home waypoint) then adding a via point in between and shaping points the route looks perfect imported to the Nav. Pressing ‘GO’ and selecting the ‘Next Destination point’ I’d expect it to follow ‘the route’. It doesn’t, I think the Nav is getting confused thinking, well you’re near your destination ‘home’ and wanting to go there.
When I have A (Home waypoint) to B (Destination) with lots of shaping points and a sprinkle of via points I never have a problem. But a circular route created in Basecamp from A (Home waypoint) to B (Home waypoint) then adding a via point in between and shaping points the route looks perfect imported to the Nav. Pressing ‘GO’ and selecting the ‘Next Destination point’ I’d expect it to follow ‘the route’. It doesn’t, I think the Nav is getting confused thinking, well you’re near your destination ‘home’ and wanting to go there.
I always have the finish point close to my house, usually the local petrol station, then any problems caused by circular routes aren't going to happen. Works for me, might not for you.
I managed to ride this nearly 200 mile route, without a problem yesterday. 200 miles plus the 35 miles from my house in E1 to Chelmsford and the 35 or so miles back, gives about 270 so a pretty good day out.
The route, I created in BaseCamp or maybe MapSouce originally, then moved over to MyRoute. It’s one I use to run in motorcycles in two days, 270 miles on Saturday, 270 miles on Sunday; job done.
If the route has a fault, it’s that it doesn’t follow MyRoute’s best practice of having a shaping point every three miles.
I ran the route on three different devices simultaneously: An XT, a decent phone running MyRoute’s Navigation app (displayed on the phone’s screen) and the Beeline app, running in the background on the same phone, but displayed on the Beeline II device:
It’s not the most complex route I’ve got but it has a cross-over point, which can confuse some devices.
I don’t live in Chelmsford or at the end point, so asking all three to take me to the start point to run normally from there onwards and to take me home from the end is another test in itself.
I had all three devices talking to me, via my two-channel BlueTooth in-ear monitors. That wasn’t perfect. But, that wasn’t the devices’ fault per-se. It is just a quirk and limitation of the two-channel system.
The route, the journeys to the start point and the journey back to home ran perfectly on each device. I did though have to help the little Beeline II along, as it has no ‘Take me to the start point’ function. The perfect running included a diversion in Great Dunmow on the outward leg and on the return, as they’d closed a road for some festive event or other. During the ride, I stopped all three devices completely (turned them off) just to see how each performed on restart. All three coped really well. I am sure that had the route been in Yorkshire, deepest Spain or California, it would have worked just as well there, too.
If the story has a moral, it’s learn how the devices work. It makes life so much easier.
The route, I created in BaseCamp or maybe MapSouce originally, then moved over to MyRoute. It’s one I use to run in motorcycles in two days, 270 miles on Saturday, 270 miles on Sunday; job done.
If the route has a fault, it’s that it doesn’t follow MyRoute’s best practice of having a shaping point every three miles.
I ran the route on three different devices simultaneously: An XT, a decent phone running MyRoute’s Navigation app (displayed on the phone’s screen) and the Beeline app, running in the background on the same phone, but displayed on the Beeline II device:
It’s not the most complex route I’ve got but it has a cross-over point, which can confuse some devices.
I don’t live in Chelmsford or at the end point, so asking all three to take me to the start point to run normally from there onwards and to take me home from the end is another test in itself.
I had all three devices talking to me, via my two-channel BlueTooth in-ear monitors. That wasn’t perfect. But, that wasn’t the devices’ fault per-se. It is just a quirk and limitation of the two-channel system.
The route, the journeys to the start point and the journey back to home ran perfectly on each device. I did though have to help the little Beeline II along, as it has no ‘Take me to the start point’ function. The perfect running included a diversion in Great Dunmow on the outward leg and on the return, as they’d closed a road for some festive event or other. During the ride, I stopped all three devices completely (turned them off) just to see how each performed on restart. All three coped really well. I am sure that had the route been in Yorkshire, deepest Spain or California, it would have worked just as well there, too.
If the story has a moral, it’s learn how the devices work. It makes life so much easier.
