Garmin 2820 - Best price?

I am about to buy a Garmin 2820. Pricerunner gives the best prices as £675 from rank.com and £693 from blokestuff.com.
Anyone know where I can get one cheaper?

Regards,

Charles

I can beat that , £674.99 at www.caraudiodiscount.com Look after yer pennies n the pounds look after themselves Carriage is £9.99 though so it may not be a bargain !

Guys, unless you plan to use a Bluetooth connection for the audio output, don't forget to budget for a special motorcycle power and audio cable from Garmin to use with the 2820. This is a cable that has 4 bare wires on one end, and on the other end, it has a flat, 8 pin connector that plugs into the back of the GPSR. A foot or so down the cable from the 8 pin connector, there is a bifurcation in the cable that provides a jack to plug a headset into.

The benefit of this cable (besides the fact that it is pliable in cold weather and has a rubber cover on it that is fuel-proof) is that you get audio output from the same two pins on the back of the GPSR that are used to provide audio output to the little speaker on the 12 volt plug that you use when the system is plugged into a car.

Some folks have reported that there is a 'hiss' in the audio output if they plug a headset into the jack on the left hand side of the 2820. This jack is a new addition to the SP 2820 - previous models did not have such a jack. I kind of suspect that this jack on the side of the GPSR is not intended to deliver all the audio outputs (route guidance, beeps, attention tones, speed camera warnings, phone conversations, and music) to a headset - instead, it is intended only to provide music output to an external amplifier.

I think it will be especially critical to get this cable if you plan to integrate the 2820 into a larger audio system (such as an Autocom). The 2820 is a pretty complex device, sound-wise, compared to everything that has gone before it.

Here's the link to the Garmin website, where you will find the description of the special motorcycle power cable: Motorcycle Power / Audio Cable for 2xxx series GPSRs. It costs $35. If you don't already own a Garmin motorcycle mounting bracket, you can save a bit of money if you order the package containing the special motorcycle audio cable and the mounting bracket (which comes with the security key and special bolts for mounting the bracket) - the price for the whole kit is $50, it is listed here: Motorcycle mounting kit (unit bracket, power/audio cable, screws).

There's another conversation going on here in the GSer forum about this same topic (sound output from the 2820 when mounted on a moto), it might be worth having a look at it: Garmin 2820 - first impressions.

Michael

Michael

Can you confirm that this is exactly the same cable as for the 2610? If so I can save myself a few quid as I've been using this cable on my 2610 for almost 2 years.

Regards,

Charles

My cable that I used on my bike to power the 2610 does have a smaller socket lead coming off it, but it is too small to for my Ultimate Ear speaker earplugs jack plug to fit into it. I think the jack plug is three & a half mil but the lead socket is smaller. I'm still none the wiser which lead I need to get to enable me to use my speaker earplugs to listen to mp3 music from the 2820 without having to route it through an Autocom system.

Anyone else have any suggestions?

Link to....

a UK dealer selling the motorcycle mounting kit...Here

Phil Reynolds said:

My cable that I used on my bike to power the 2610 does have a smaller socket lead coming off it, but it is too small to for my Ultimate Ear speaker earplugs jack plug to fit into it. I think the jack plug is three & a half mil but the lead socket is smaller. I'm still none the wiser which lead I need to get to enable me to use my speaker earplugs to listen to mp3 music from the 2820 without having to route it through an Autocom system.

Anyone else have any suggestions?

Click to expand...

Why wouldn't a 2.5mm - 3.5mm adaptor from (for instance) Maplin give you what you need? Is the bike/power cable for the 26XX on your bike capable of supporting the stereo that I presume your 2820 spits out?

judge said:

...Is the bike/power cable for the 26XX on your bike capable of supporting the stereo that I presume your 2820 spits out?

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I 'kinda, sorta' don't think so. To the best of my knowledge, the 2820 delivers mono output only via the pins on the back of the device (which feed either the speaker built into the cigarette lighter connector, or the inline jack on the motorcycle cable), and it feeds stereo music out via the jack in the left side of the GPSR. FYI, the Bluetooth output is also mono.

In other words, the bike cable gives you mono output and is designed to take a mono audio jack only, and the outlet in the side of the GPSR gives you stereo output, and is designed to take a stereo jack only.

The key to understanding it, and comprehending why it is so, is to consider how it would work in a car, if the user connected only the equipment that Garmin provides to it.

Michael

PanEuropean said:

In other words, the bike cable gives you mono output and is designed to take a mono audio jack only, and the outlet in the side of the GPSR gives you stereo output, and is designed to take a stereo jack only.

Michael

Click to expand...

I can confirm this.. the socket on the power cable is a 2.5mm MONO socket...

I haven't checked if any of the other contacts on that power connector (there are quiet a few) have stereo on them... anyone know what they might be for?

Al...

Sugar Ray said:

I am about to buy a Garmin 2820. Pricerunner gives the best prices as £675 from rank.com and £693 from blokestuff.com.
Anyone know where I can get one cheaper?

Regards,

Charles

Click to expand...

Regarding blokesstuff, I was also tempted by their price but their stock levels are unreliable.

If you want a good service and goods delivered on time , try E-Bowl (they delivered mine next day as promised). They may not be the cheapest, but they deliver.

araspitfire said:

I can confirm this.. the socket on the power cable is a 2.5mm MONO socket...
Al...

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It also seems like the "line out" socket on the right hand side of my 2820 is also producing mono output. Other threads seem to indicate that some folk are getting stero out of this - can someone please confirm that they have checked this to be true? or is everyone just assuming that the output is stero?

Also, having read the other threads, I am beginning to think that they amount of hiss or hum that is produced by either the line out or the motorcycle cable audio plugs may be directly related to the speakers / headsets / intercom you are using. I find the motorcycle cable plug produces a very small hiss (not noticable when on the move) while the line out plug produces a hum which is a bit louder and not pleasant.

Lastly, I find that I can't get the music soft enough when using the little earphones that go inside your ear. Have set the MP3 audio to 10% and the master volume to 10% (lowest settings). First thought is to fit some sort of resistor in the line, but does anyone else have a more elegant solution? Have tried setting the audio out option to both "line out" and "headphones".

Dale

Dale said:

can someone please confirm that they have checked this to be true? or is everyone just assuming that the output is stero?

Also, having read the other threads, I am beginning to think that they amount of hiss or hum that is produced by either the line out or the motorcycle cable audio plugs may be directly related to the speakers / headsets / intercom you are using.

Click to expand...

I can confirm positively that the stereo output is indeed sterio.. I made a little test file with very separated channels... they come out of the GPS separated...

I also confirm the annoying hum from a pair of music player headphones when connected to the same plug. I don't think that the GPS is really mean to drive 8 ohm speakers... I never noticed excess noise when using this plug with my Autocom...

Al...

araspitfire said:

I don't think that the GPS is really mean to drive 8 ohm speakers...
Al...

Click to expand...

Al,

This may the a daft question, but if not 8ohm, then what do you suppose it's supposed to drive? do headphones come in other resistances (other then 8 ohm)? Bearing in mind that the audio settings do have a "headphones" setting for that little jack ...

Are you saying that the GPS doesn't have sufficient power to drive the speakers?

Dale (electrics is not my forte! )

Dale said:

Al,

This may the a daft question, but if not 8ohm, then what do you suppose it's supposed to drive? do headphones come in other resistances (other then 8 ohm)? Bearing in mind that the audio settings do have a "headphones" setting for that little jack ...

Are you saying that the GPS doesn't have sufficient power to drive the speakers?

Dale (electrics is not my forte! )

Click to expand...

I'm ok with electronics, but am more fuzzy WRT audio issues... I've encountered buzzy headphones in the past, due to differences between what a device was supposed to drive, and music player headphones... and yes there are speakers that come in a few different flavours... 8 ohm being the most common, but other impedances also used... If the GPS was made to connect to an FM modulator, or other kind of pre-amplifier, then keeping it tuned for headphone speakers would be the lesser priority...

And judging by the issue of it being too loud for isolation ear-buds, (volume is ok through my Sennheiser PX 100's), I'd say it's too powerful...

Because my Autocom doesn't amplify the noise I hear through my headphones, I'd be inclined to say this issue is more likely that, than poor audio quality in general... When I have time, I'll fiddle with it a bit more...

Al...

araspitfire said:

And judging by the issue of it being too loud for isolation ear-buds, (volume is ok through my Sennheiser PX 100's), I'd say it's too powerful...
Al...

Click to expand...

Al,

Thanks for that. Those PX100's are 32 ohm units, so if you dont get a hum & volume is happy using them, then it is more than likely a resistance issue.

I am away for a couple of days but will write to Garmin when I get back and see what they say about it. Will let you know.

Dale

price?

£642 from blokestuff any one seen cheaper from a UK official garmin dealer, or got a s/h one to sell?

Phil Reynolds said:

My cable that I used on my bike to power the 2610 does have a smaller socket lead coming off it, but it is too small to for my Ultimate Ear speaker earplugs jack plug to fit into it. I think the jack plug is three & a half mil but the lead socket is smaller. I'm still none the wiser which lead I need to get to enable me to use my speaker earplugs to listen to mp3 music from the 2820 without having to route it through an Autocom system.

Anyone else have any suggestions?

Click to expand...

...plug it straight into your ipod... 30Gb v 610Mb, superior sound ... a no brainer . The 2820 is absolute rubbish for MP3 playback

mrTickle said:

...The 2820 is absolute rubbish for MP3 playback...

Click to expand...

Tickle:

It depends on where you get the audio signal from. As discussed recently in this thread - Autocom and 2820 and also in this thread Is the Garmin 2820's mp3 player Bluetooth stereo?, you have three different ways you can get MP3 sound out of the 2820:

1) Via the stereo jack on the left side of the GPSR.
2) In mono, via the two pins of the 8 pin main cable connector that supply sound.
3) Via Bluetooth, in mono.

I've plugged the output from the stereo jack (source number 1) into the stereo system of my Volkswagen Phaeton (12 channels, 12 speakers, 270 watts) and it sounds awesome, darn close to CD quality, assuming the bit rate of the MP3 recording is high enough.

The mono output via the two pins of the 8 pin connector is not bad, but it is mono. BTW, those are the same two pins that supply the mono output to the female jack that is integrated into some of the motorcycle cables.

The sound output via Bluetooth isn't the greatest for music, but, the Bluetooth interface was intended to support the cell phone function, not to support the music function (although it will support music).

Michael

Sugar Ray said:

I am about to buy a Garmin 2820. Pricerunner gives the best prices as £675 from rank.com and £693 from blokestuff.com.
Anyone know where I can get one cheaper?

Regards,

Charles

Click to expand...

technicar at 332 Abbeydale Road, Sheffield tel No 0114 255 6775 agreed to sell one to me for £600 after a little haggling. i got mine from Hein Gericke for £549.99 but thats only because they miss quoted when I enquired and i made them stick to thier quote

prices

Gordon Pritchard said:

technicar at 332 Abbeydale Road, Sheffield tel No 0114 255 6775 agreed to sell one to me for £600 after a little haggling. i got mine from Hein Gericke for £549.99 but thats only because they miss quoted when I enquired and i made them stick to thier quote

Click to expand...

thanks gordon, i will give them a try if nothing cheaper turns up