Issues with GPSMAP 66s

Discussion related to the Garmin GPSMAP 66s/st GPSr
Art
Posts: 83
Joined: Sat Nov 10, 2018 9:14 am

Re: Issues with GPSMAP 66s

Unread post by Art »

How do you know an update is days away? Do you have some inside info?
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GPSrChive
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Joined: Fri Jan 20, 2017 11:29 pm

Re: Issues with GPSMAP 66s

Unread post by GPSrChive »

A little birdie visited me and chirped in my ear...

...or did I just look deep into my crystal ball?

Perhaps I woke in the middle of the night having a vision...

...or I found a message in a bottle?

Gosh, I'm just not too sure...

8^)
CheminerWill
Posts: 140
Joined: Wed Dec 19, 2018 4:42 am

Re: Issues with GPSMAP 66s

Unread post by CheminerWill »

On an interesting related note, using the steps requested on this site, I did submit two reports of issues I have been experiencing. I actually received email response back from Garmin on one of the emails. They suggested a reset of the device and if that did not work to contact them for a replacement. I responded that I would wait for the next release of firmware/software to see if bug fixes included in that solved the issues. The Garmin techs responding via email at least do not seem to be aware of a process where users submit reports and Garmin addresses issues in the next firmware release. But Garmin is a big company and maybe it is just a case of the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing. The tech I communicated with gave no indication that my reports had gone any further than someone reading and just suggesting a reset and exchange of device.

If there is a soon to be released update to firmware/software, then we shall see. Some companies list all specific changes and fixes each time they update software and update regularly. I have not been able to find though that Garmin does that so we may not know exactly what changes might be in the first firmware update. According to the firmware page here the last and original firmware date is August and latest software is October. Not really great for a new product.
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GPSrChive
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Re: Issues with GPSMAP 66s

Unread post by GPSrChive »

If you read the firmware release information for the Oregon 6x0, 7x0 and Montana pages, you will see that Garmin does publish some information for each updates, but sometimes they do not reveal everything that has been changed from one firmware to the next. When the next firmware release is published, hopefully everyone here with these units will start testing for the bugs they experienced and report their findings in the forum post for that firmware version.

New firmwares usually fix some issues, skip some, and create new ones....

This is all part of the enjoyment of being a Garmin GPSr owner.
Art
Posts: 83
Joined: Sat Nov 10, 2018 9:14 am

Re: Issues with GPSMAP 66s

Unread post by Art »

I somehow overlooked some of your previous reply there on page one.

Warranty is a year in Australia too. It’s been about nine weeks I’ve had it, and I’m exactly as forgiving and flexible with
warranty period as the manufacturer is, which is not at all, as evidenced quite recently on their Facebook page with regard
to people's fitness watches that have broken shortly after the warranty expired.

The real question is: Why would someone not take it back if it can’t perform it’s expected function out of the box?
For me, the answer was that I though I’d held onto it for too long, but have found out in my country, that’s not the case:
https://www.moneysmart.gov.au/media/347 ... rights.pdf

It says you can return for refund (not repair or replacement) if the unit can’t perform an expected function.
For me, it crashes when moving about the map here in the house, and will be easy to demonstrate.
It could only be worse if it had to maintain a track log as well, while using it on a proper hike.

At least in Australia, anyone having an issue with a 66, who also has another backup device, has no reason not to take
it back that I can see, so long as they are guaranteed a refund (rather than repair or replacement).
There’s nothing to suggest the next firmware will fix a particular problem, even if a new version is supposedly coming soon.
So as far as I can tell, it would make perfect sense to return it, and perhaps buy a brand new one with full 12 month warranty
when or if other people start reporting that at least the most critical of bugs are taken care of.
All of the risk might as well be palmed off to the manufacturer rather than the customer.
Even if a new firmware that fixes everything comes out the next day, it only takes a drive to the retailer to get a new one.

That is now my plan.
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