1260 New Satnav

@John W - I received my Zumo XT on Friday and i'm slowly getting my head around the difference from my Zumo 595. What I've noted so far:

• The screen is a lot brighter and the clarity (resolution) is also much better. Reading the 595 screen in bright sunlight was a problem, so much so that I sometimes had to lift my sun visor.
• The touch screen is a lot more sensitive and navigation through the menus is faster. This was sometimes a problem on the 595 when using gloves.
• It's now possible to use pinch type gestures to zoom in out, as well as swipe for scrolling. About time.
• The screen layout is slightly different, the fixed text (speed and time) appears to slightly larger as is the vehicle arrow. The Trip Data display (r/h side) also appears to have larger text and takes up a bit more screen real estate.
• It's now possible to reorder the options for Where To and Apps menus. There are couple of new options; Fuel Prices (lists local petrol stations with a price, I assume it's for petrol) and Tripadvisor (hotels, resturants etc.). These must use the Garmin Drive app to get information from somewhere (?).
• The Garmin Drive app links to the Zumo to provide weather and traffic info (like the Garmin Smartphone app used by the 595) together with being able to transfer routes and tracks between devices. It's also possible to search for a destination in the Drive app which can then be transferred to the Zumo. The Garmin Explore app looks like it might be better for route planning but I've not looked at it yet. From what I've read, Garmin Explore has a long way to go before it's going to be really useful.
• When listing routes Trip Planner app it still doesn't do it in alphanumeric order, shame.
• The Where To menu no longer includes an option for a Trip (route), instead you have to use the App / Trip Planner / Saved Trips menus to selected a route. This seems like a backward step to me, why remove the shortcut?
• The Tracks menu is the same however the higher screen resolution makes it a lot easier to view tracks and routes when looking for calculation problems.
• There is no support for the Gamin tyre pressure monitor or Garmin camera, as on the 595. Not a problem for me but could be a deal breaker for others.
• The WiFi connection direct from the Sat Nav for map and software updates seems to work fine however the Sat Nav would need an external power source as the battery could run out before the update as map updates can still hours.
• The USB connector is the original Mini (trapezoidal) type. Not sure why, may the USB mini connector was considered a bit fragile but why not the new USB C type connector?
• The motorcycle mount is now made of part parts; a physical mount (different from previous 660 and 595 mounts) and a cable for power only. The cable has to be assembled into the physical mount (using a tiny screw). The power cable includes a small power converter block for 12V input, unfortunately the cable is very long so you have to lose it somewhere. The cover for the motorcycle mount is for the power connector pins only and is a bit poor compared with the larger and more robust covers used on the 660 and 595 motorcycle mounts.
• I've not looked in any depth at the Topographic and BirdsEye map layer options. The Topographic map seems to include more tracks/footpaths, streams but no contours. The BirdeEye maps have to be downloaded as required for the areas or interest. These might be more useful if using the XT off road.
• I've successfully loaded some Points of Interest files
• I haven't yet worked out the support for Cyclops safety cameras. Garmin Express states that the subscription is not yet available for the XT. When Garmin Express checked for map and software updates it did find a Cyclops update which I loaded. The camera database appears to have loaded but I've not yet managed to display camera location icons on the map or get proximity warnings at the top of the display.

That's all I've come across so far, so apart from the Cyclops safety camera problem, I'm a happy bunny

Edit: I forgot to mention that the XT is a lot lighter than the 595 which helps reduce the "bounce" in a high level mount on bumpy roads.

Update: I've got the Cyclops safety cameras to work correctly on the Zumo XT. When using Garmin Express updates to the Cyclops database are installed and it appears that you get a free trail subscription for 30 days. I assume that after this expires it should be possible to purchase a subscription. The warning for cameras is better on the XT as it's below the route info at the top of the display rather than within it.

Also the warnings for Bends, Schools, Animal Crossings etc. can be disabled by type and is displayed in a small warning sign symbol beside the speed limit display - rather than text in the top routing bar on the 595.

 

Useful to know. When I am allowed to ride/drive again, I am going to get one. Is Basecamp available stand-alone? I could start learning it know but I don't want to shell-out on a Garmin util I can use it in anger.

 

I believe you can download and use Basecamp but you won't get the detailed maps until you connect up a Sat Nav to Garmin Express and download them to your PC for use in Basecamp.

Basecamp takes a bit of getting used to but is very powerful for preparing and managing a large number of routes (trips) and waypoints (favourites). It's well worth looking at the resources available on the internet. I use MyRoute app for initial route planning as the free version supports Michelin maps which I like to use as these maps more clearly show different types of road and highlight "scenic" routes (green highlight to one side) which tend to be good biking roads.

 

Mine arrived yesterday, pleased so far though there are a few things that I'm finding a bit puzzling, maybe others who have a Zumo XT know a work around.

Pluses:

• Great bright screen, easier to read than my 590, with my slightly buggered eyesight it's a distinct improvement
  
• Touch screen is very responsive and nice big buttons, not needing the positive jab that the 590 does
  
• Revised UI that seems pretty logical, plenty of similarities to my old Garmin
• WiFi, now only need to plug into the PC to get Garmin Express to download mapping to local for Basecamp
• Route calculation and map drawing is an improvement
• Built in weather, rain radar, traffic etc is also handy and a slightly better implementation than on my 590. Traffic is included where I needed a sub for it on my 590, not sure how good it is and if it covers just the UK or is Europe-wide?
• Garmin Drive app, seems to work OK and can be used to load routes from my phone, fairly basic functionality, just the ability to connect your phone and Garmin XT for data (weather/traffic etc), calls and route loading. Not sure about Garmin Explore app, that seems more for off-road route planning

Questionable:

• Moving routes from PC to XT requires, as far as I can tell, an ANT adapter. I have a workaround to this though it does involve a step via my phone.
• Every time you power on the XT you need to agree to Garmin's ELA and then also the usual ass covering warning about you potentially dying if you attempt to use this device whilst riding
• It's lighter/not as solid as the 590, probably an advantage on my Ducati mount above the clocks. The screen isn't recessed and it doesn't look as user serviceable as the previous models for things like screen replacement
• Quite why they've used a mini USB connector, I would expect micro USB if not USB-c in 2020
• Thankfully there is a means to intelligently add routing nodes to a loaded route using a representation on the map, you can also delete existing points. This is great and something desperately missing on the 590. The downside is that it won't let you zoom in as close as the other map views making accurate node placement difficult, especially in towns. Seems like a nonsensical thing to me, can't understand why they did it that way. Seems to snap to the nearest road but in one case that I tried this morning it took me off a side road and onto a nearby motorway...

All in all a big leap on from the 590 which itself was a pretty decent sat nav.

I use MyRouteApp Gold which does cost £24/year. The Gold version uses various mapping providers and routing algorithms. This includes HERE which are the mapping/routing providers for Garmin. It's been a good alternative to Basecamp for the past year for me, my sub just renewed last month. Runs via web browser interface on my PC and also on my mobile as an Android app. Routes are shared across these in the cloud so routes planned in one are available on the other. My phone app can save routes locally as GPX files and clicking these starts Garmin Drive and asks if I want to load to my GPS. MyRouteApp app is capable of route planning, marginally fiddly but workable. The routes it creates are point to point straight lines as is any Garmin route not from the exact same mapping version, a quick switch between fastest and shorted route and back sorts that out, or just start riding and it does it in the first 50 yards or so, well it did on my 590. Another minor issue with MyRouteApp routes is that there are start and end points and all points in between are shaping nodes, this has worked well for me but unlike Basecamp you can't add intermediate must visit way-points. You can do this within the Garmin Trip Planner on the device, timings and stopovers don't seem possible but that's really no great headship.

Happy so far but no real world use yet, just tinkering on my desk. Will mount to the bike at the weekend.

 

Basecamp download here. You can then download OpenStreetMap mapping that works very well with Garmins to date, assuming it will with the XT but as that comes with lifetime mapping there's little point.

From the above link for OpenStreetMap you can get the files to put on your SD card and also an installer that puts it on your PC and makes it accessible in Basecamp. Just select the tiles that you need, to practice just choose an area you like or know and give it a whirl. Exactly the same, in terms of, route planning and use as the Garmin mapping, it just looks a little different. In fact it's significantly more detailed that the Garmin mapping. A great free alternative for those with earlier Garmins that don't have a mapping subscription.

You can always delete the mapping from within Apps and Features on your PC once you have the XT and have loaded the Garmin mapping. Or they can happily coexist alongside each other, just select the one you want to use.

Basecamp isn't particularly intuitive but stick with it as it's a useful program to have in your route plotting arsenal.

 

Peter - all you do is load my routes and then tell me how much sooner you will arrive than me!

 

Another tip:

Like the earlier Garmin Link app you can share a location in Google maps and send it to your Garmin. However, with Garmin Link it just sent it to a buried location in my 590's 'find' menu. Using Garmin Drive it gives the option to 'go' from my phone's screen within the Drive app. As soon as I do that the GPS sets up a route to that location. Well done Garmin, that's a distinct improvement

 

Thx

 

Thanks for the item number. How does this effect the sensitivity of the touch screen if at all?

 

It still doesn't stop you getting lost though, even if you MIGHT get lost quicker........

 

Can you fit an extra micro SD card as well like the 590?
(I found this helpful for using in the car when we were in Australia and USA as bought the country maps on ebay and I could pre-program routes before I left)

UPDATE - Just looked on the Garmin website and you can...
https://www8.garmin.com/manuals/web...UID-5ACC9F14-E654-4CEB-98E9-4DABAADC56D4.html

https://www8.garmin.com/manuals/web...UID-7FF30E4E-3C5A-4AB2-9B56-FCA856B66D8F.html

 

Yes you can though the SD card isn't in a pop in slot like the 590/595. It's more of a slide and hinge out cage as on some older mobiles. Seems a bit delicate for repeated use though once in it can stay. As the USB is an old mini USB I imagine that file transfer isn't that fast for transferring big mapping data or lots of MP3s.

For America I've used OpenStreetMap mapping data rather than buying Garmin mapping, worked very well.

 

I have the maps already (cheap S/H on eBay) so it was just in case I decided to switch devices.

 

Answering my own question here having done some research... Looks like once you've travelled some distance with the unit this persistent nag goes away.

https://support.garmin.com/en-GB/?faq=sU6dHSy7yB9b5oqfHAXDp6

 

Has anyone bought a 2nd mount / lead ?
Just wondering what deals you got on them.