250W Very Slow to Lock On Satellites Sat May 03, 2008 1:47 pm
My 250 W has the latest software updates but is still very slow locking on to satellites. I have done all the suggestions listed on the board but nothing has changed. If I don't hold the units backside faced to the sky for 2 or 3 minutes it can take 5 -7 minutes plus of driving to lock on. The unit has the Sirf chip, will there ever be a fix for the 250W like was provided for some of the other nuvi series?
Thanks
Dan
That is what I try to do, hold the GPS up with the antenna faced skyward untill it is ready to navigate. It is a pain to have to wait several minutes for the unit to lock on. Dan
OK, I'll try that I thought the antenna was in the back of the unit. Holding the back skyward (not really upside down) has resulted in the quickest sat acquisition. Any word on Sirf chip fixes on the 250W? Thanks Dan
Quick little tip when holding the device. Don't grasp it by the top as it decreases the signal as it's needing to pass thru your hand as well. Hold by the bottom or right side only.
Joined: 27 Dec 2007 Posts: 237 Location: Phoenix, AZ
Sun May 04, 2008 2:35 pm
My roommate has a 250W and we've seen it take upwards of 10 minutes to acquire before... SIRF chipset. It's definitely annoying sometimes and I really wish they'd put Instant Fix out for it like they did for the 7 series. We've found that turning it off and then back on again can speed it up when it does this, as if it gets stuck somehow.
The Nuvi 200W I took back also had the same problem. The Nuvi 360 I bought instead has not had this problem. I usually acquire satellites before I put my car into reverse. The internal antenna is most likely the problem.
Joined: 25 Jan 2008 Posts: 244 Location: West Coast, US
Thu May 08, 2008 12:18 am
Earlier version of 200/250 does use Sirf, that I have test on, now most of them are on Bravo. ( I have comparison test review between 200Sirf/200Bravo)
All W version are 200W / 250W still using SirfIII (never had the chance to test 260W yet)
Earlier version of 260 using Bravo, but now MTK ( fastest, and most accurate chip I have tested on 2xx series - cold start is always less than 100 seconds and warm start is almost certain immediately)
Although 2xx series' Antenna place on back of the device (vertical placement), it does NOT really help if you point back of GPS to the sky to gain faster Satallite signal.
2xxW version does have slow Cold start, even with the newest firmware comparing to other model. (generally ranging from 2+ min)
However, some claimed master-reset after firmware upgrade does help. (perhaps you can try that. But make sure you back up your POI)
We have ordered a new 250W directly from Garmin w/ 2009 map that we going to test on next week. I will have it compare it side by side w/ Nuvi 260 MTK.
Joined: 25 Jan 2008 Posts: 244 Location: West Coast, US
Sun May 18, 2008 6:52 am
beoba wrote:
How recently did the 260's start using the MTK chipset? Did this change also apply to the 260W?
I'm checking how likely it is that I'd be getting the better chipset if I were to buy a 260 or 260W in, say, a week or two.
Currently only model using MTK in the U.S. is 260. (it start w/ Bravo, serial number 17T02xxxx or newer start using MTK ) I remember a member from Europe claim he has a MTK Nuvi 200.
2xx W- version all using SirfIII. ( I happened to check the most recent 260W in our company testing lab. )
I have a TomTom 510 with Sirf-III and don't have sat acquisition problem.
And yes, Gator - I can move my car right away, and the GPS still get instant fix (I never hook up my TomTom to download QuickFix).
Don't blame it on Sirf, blame it on Garmin programmers.
Your 510 is a good unit for you. In my experience both the TT's I've used and the 760 boot in roughly the same time, whether moving or not. Moving adds a few seconds to the TTF, seldom takes more than 1 minute.
"We have ordered a new 250W directly from Garmin w/ 2009 map that we going to test on next week. I will have it compare it side by side w/ Nuvi 260 MTK."
Did you ever perform this test? What were the results?
Thanks
Dan
My 250W has the MediaTek MT3318 chip.
However, it locks fast and secure, and even finds the sattelites in an underground garage, through the steel reinforced roof.
So far so good, very sensitive and reliable; I cannot say the same about the mapping software with the wired routes it calculates.
My 250W has the MediaTek MT3318 chip.
However, it locks fast and secure, and even finds the sattelites in an underground garage, through the steel reinforced roof.
So far so good, very sensitive and reliable; I cannot say the same about the mapping software with the wired routes it calculates.
Well, Uncle Ben sympathizes with you! I had the similar routing issues on my 260, hence the reason why I returned it. Heck, my old clunker 200 worked better, go figure! But some folks are quite happy with it, so this issue may very well tie in with map inaccuracies. I believe that the routing engine used in the 260 and the 255W is the same ... Tim, do you know?
Well I got tired of waiting for the 250W to acquire satellites and started to complain to Garmin. They asked me to return it, hopefully it will come back with the MediaTek MT3318 chip. I will let you know.
Thanks
Dan
Virtually all of the wide screen 2xx nuvis seem to have the Sirf chip. The standard screens have either Bravo or MTK. My 260 has the MTK and I have no connection issues at all with it. It performs as well as the best I've ever read about in any of these forums. You'd have to kill me to take it away.
I'm hoping Garmin has a firmware upgrade in the works to fix this problem. I have a 260W and it definitely takes longer than my TomTom 920T to lock in. Normally my TT will have locked in as soon as i get 25ft out of my garage. The Garmin will still be acquiring after i've driven 2-3 blocks down, very disappointing. Now i'm about to fly cross-country with the 260W and i'm afraid how long i'll be sitting at the airport rental car pickup waiting for it to lock on.
I'm hoping Garmin has a firmware upgrade in the works to fix this problem. I have a 260W and it definitely takes longer than my TomTom 920T to lock in. Normally my TT will have locked in as soon as i get 25ft out of my garage. The Garmin will still be acquiring after i've driven 2-3 blocks down, very disappointing. Now i'm about to fly cross-country with the 260W and i'm afraid how long i'll be sitting at the airport rental car pickup waiting for it to lock on.
With my regular 260, it took Less than 2 minutes to get a good lock after I flew from Denver CO to Ft. Myers FL in May. I'm definitely a fan of the MTK chip.
Joined: 13 Mar 2008 Posts: 263 Location: Winter Springs, FL
Sun Jul 13, 2008 2:42 am
BTW, I have a 760 with the Sirf chip and it never takes more than 20 seconds to get a lock (in my garage of a two story house). I know folks have had acquistion issues on both 2xx and 7xx devices, but I don't believe it's as black-and-white as one chip works and one doesn't.
BTW, I have a 760 with the Sirf chip and it never takes more than 20 seconds to get a lock (in my garage of a two story house). I know folks have had acquistion issues on both 2xx and 7xx devices, but I don't believe it's as black-and-white as one chip works and one doesn't.
Do you have the Insta-fix update on your 760? That isn't yet available for the 2xxW models, and that seems to make all the difference.
The MTK doesn't seem to need that to do a good job. Maybe the base software takes care of it... I don't really know. I just know that there are very few satellite acquisition problems with the 260 models.
Joined: 13 Mar 2008 Posts: 263 Location: Winter Springs, FL
Sun Jul 13, 2008 12:23 pm
rapriebe wrote:
Do you have the Insta-fix update on your 760? That isn't yet available for the 2xxW models, and that seems to make all the difference.
I have the latest firmware on the 760, and it has InstaFixII. You're saying that the 2xxW models with Sirf don't have this feature? Interesting. I think that feature came out 3-4 months ago on the 760.
I have been waiting but apparently Garmin is not concerned with the satisfaction of owners of the low end GPS. I had originally bought the 250W because it had the Sirf chip that was supposed to be so good!! Dan
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