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238 of 250 persons found the following review helpful.
FANTASTIC
By Dan R. Clement
If you are reading this and the other reviews of the Garmin eTrex Vista HCx then you are doing your homework and marveling if this GPS is as good as all the hype makes it out to be. The short answer is YES! I have an old Garmin 12 Map which has served me well, but was getting a bit long in the tooth. I wanted something a bit smaller, lighter, with color screen and was water tight. The Vista HCx meets all of these needs and so galore more. It is little in size, but with a reasonably huge and bright screen (easily readable in the sun) for it is size.
Every review I read touted the extra sensible antenna and how it picked up and locked onto satellites inside of homes or buildings. Well I may frankly tell you that it does all this and does it quick. How this happens it Garmin magic. I was always told you had to have line of sight to pick up satellites, but not in the case of the Vista HCx, it may get them just regarding anyplace short of being in a bunker.
The menu is intuitive and easy to navigate, so much more that my old Garmin 12 map. The long story short, this little GPS is the one for everyone else to beat. If you are badly giving careful consideration to a GPS buy for hiking or navigating the back country, do not look elsewhere, this is the one to get!
The base maps in the Vista HCx are of course upgradeable through further and added accessaries purchases from Garmin (at significant cost), but worth the money. How Garmin managed to pack so much into so little a package is a mystery to me. Do yourself a favor, stop reading the review and just buy one, you will not be disappointed.
BTW, I purchased mine through Amazon.com and took vantage of the free shipping. It arrived four days in front of when it was scheduled to arrive which was a nice surprise. Amazon has a very good price and I have always been happy with my purchases through them. And no I am not getting salaried to say these nice things with regards to Amazon, I am just a very satisfied customer.
112 of 115 persons found the following review helpful.
Great upgrade
By Alex Roche Cagigos
I purchased it to replace my old Garmin Etrex Vista and I am very happy with it. When comparing it to my older model these are the main differences:
Pros:
* Really high sensitivity. Now it always works inside the car, and it always works when hiking in the forest. You may just drop it into your pocket or backpack.
* Routing capability. Very utile if you have a good map, even if it doesn't give voice commands.
* Color screen rather than B/W makes it much more readable even if screen area is more or less smaller
* When saving Waypoints, now the date and time info is mechanically included.
* Battery lasts at least twice
* Rapid transfer of maps and tracks through USB rather than serial!
* Compatible with the maps and logs that I already have. I transposed all the waypoints and tracks saved in my old Vista to this new model, through Mapsource without problem.
* Compatible with my car, motorbike and bicycle mounts that I already have from my Etrex Vista.
* I may still use the free maps that I applied with my old Vista, from: http://mapcenter.cgpsmapper.com/catalogue.php and from
http://www.malsingmaps.com/
* Automatic date set up (from the satellites?)
* When transferring to the PC, the Active Log is now transposed as a few tracks (I guess one for each time that you have powered up the device) rather than as a long list of tracks
* When saving a track, now you may determine incisively up to which point to save back.
Cons:
* Not compatible with two of my Etrex Vista accessories: Car power adaptor (now the power comes through the USB connector) and Garmin case (now the unit is a little bit wider and shorter)
* No Favorite Waypoints menu. Has been substituted by a Recent Finds Menu?
* User Interface is once in a while mixing up and not easy to find the function that you are looking for.
* WAAS setting and backlight level get to off whenever you power off the unit rather than remembering the setting (firmware bug?)
* Product Manual is very bad. It tells you how to turn things on and off, not why and when you ought to turn something on and off.
* No Micro SD memory included so you can not upload any map unless you buy one.
* For the next product update, could I ask Garmin to add a Voice Recorder function to be capable record a voice note affiliated to each Waypoint?
261 of 284 persons found the following review helpful.
It works outstanding with a Mac but dismal documentation!
By McLean
After being content with my Garmin Vista, I decisive it was time to upgrade to the latest Garmin Vista eTrex HCx. With a new MapSource Topo USA for MAC available, and the capacity to transfer National Parks Topo Version 3 from PC to MAC I thought it would be an idealisti time to "upgrade" to this model. The HCx has a gorgeous color screen, is highly sensitive-acquiring satellites and capable to navigate much more effectively! Response is quick-virtually instantaneous. Ergonomically the toggles are awkward and it is easy to toggle into the faulty place-not a huge deal and I effigy I'll get employed to it. This being said the documentation that comes with the unit is almost useless, covering just the basics. Forget regarding how to set up (at least for a MAC). The cd that comes with it is for PC's only and there is utterly no selective information on what a Mac user needs to do. You think a quick look at the Garmin internetlocation would have these answers. Nope! Nada! The website is a joke-as is client support. I waited 32 minutes to speak to a rep and then was told I would have to be transposed to their Mac Dept. Okay fine. Another 34 minute wait. Thats; okay, I'm more than willing to wait-except the tech I ultimately get is when it comes to as helpful as a cord of wood. No help. I ask questions he doesn't know the answers and doesn't sound like he cares-hardly a Mac enthusiast. In fact I felt like he genuinely dispised my call. From simple things like where's the serial number? (UPDATE: it's behind the batteries) to do I need drivers to download to make this work? (UPDATE: No you don't. In fact, if you're using a Mac, just turn it on and it's up and running-no need for "installation disc")-if you want to transfer maps to your GPS, you must download the "MapInstall" program from Garmin's website). This is a pretty device that does what my old Vista did-except this one, is of course, much faster, and more effective-if I could get a great deal of data on it! If Garmin is going to assert they are moving toward Mac compatibility they must give a little more info to Mac user's on their website (other than press releases on how they are now Mac friendly) or perhaps a few sentences in the manual explaining incisively what Mac users need to get this thing up-and-running; transferring maps, competent to commune with Mapsource software, etc.. I would like to give the HCx five stars, but because of utterly no assistance for Mac users on their internet site or manual-and because of an firstborn bad client service experience I give it two stars and sit here with a $270 GPS-$200 worth of new MapSource Maps (another product-another review) and a gorgeous little machine that has more quickly response and is much more competent than my old Vista-but just as useless on a Mac (REVISED: It works beautifully with my Mac. Perfect!). My a lively interest dissolved after attempting to upload maps or connect to my computer.
REVISED 6/30/08: Okay, finally! I got somebody at Garmin client service (very nice in the Mac Dept.) that could explain what-exactly needs to be done to get this puppy up-and-running: I had already downloaded the Garmin MapIntsall software (which you need to open, then select the device-in this case the HCx); there you will find all your maps (in my case the Topo Natl Parks and Topo USA for Mac). With the GPS plugged into USB port you simple select all the maps you want from one set of maps and then go to the other set and select the ones there). Works like a dream! Now if they would just make this clear someplace (and believe me, it is not CLEAR anywhere). That being said, the experience I had today was much better. While I had to wait another 30 minutes to get client service (who told me the serial number is located inside the battery case on the back) and then another 5 minutes to get to the Mac specialist-all my questions were answered! Both techs were very nice and helpful! Today's experience would be 5 Star service! while I have rated the device 2 stars-I would probably modify to 4 stars. Why the missing star? Initial feeling of annoyance at being hindered or criticized that could have been alleviated if Garmin took the time to stuff galore extra instructions in the box quintessentially for Mac user's and made their website a little more friendly-and informative. The 24k NATL PARKS maps are finelooking on the color screens-as are the TOPO USA 2008 for Mac. The toggles are still awkward and unruly-but I'll get employed to it. So, in a nutshell; You may download multiple maps on to your Garmin Vista Hcx using MapInstall (dowload from their website) to your apps folder. Once downloaded, connect your HCx to USB and select device and have fun selecting your maps. One thing I was not real clear on until today is that "Bobcat" is strictly for looking at maps and transferring wayspoints, etc. It has not one thing to do with uplading maps to your GPS. Use MapInstall to upload maps to the GPS. Today's experience brought my faith back in Garmin client service and technology. Thanks Garmin, for FINALLY getting Mac compatible. I'm going to be a happy camper with this fantasti little GPS!
REVISED 7/6/08: Referring to the most recent "1 Star" Review; Yes, mine locks-up/freezes, too (nothing to do with Mac) unit freezes on the trail-at least once a day. No response from any buttons-unable to do anything until keeping power button for long period-reboot. This is not cool! Will call Garmin Monday and see what's up. Not good to listen they have a new chipset out and this may be the old one. After-all, I just purchased this. Will report back on what Garmin says. This sounds like an evident defect.
REVISED 7/9/08: Emailed Garmin Monday-no response yet (3 days later)-so returned to Amazon for exchange. Amazon is great! No problem. Sent out a new one before I could box up the wrong one-received alternate today! That's client service! Will let every one recognise if the problem persists with alternate unit. Amazon 5 Stars! HCx?..not so sure anymore.
REVISED 7/11/08: Garmin emailed me 4 days later and explained that the new chipset is 3.0. My software version is 2.60. Used "Web-Updater" on my Mac and said I have the latest software. Everything is working beautifully with substitute Amazon sent me. No freezes or difficulties of any kind. Final score: Garmin HCx-4 Stars! Amazon-big 5 Stars!
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