Lag-free at last!

[+the hermit crabs]

(followup to the Vista HCx / CN NT 2008 lag issue described in this thread.)

 

Today I installed the non-NT City Navigator North America 2008 maps on my Vista HCx, and the lag problem that I had experienced with the NT version is gone!

 

The "Recent finds" window now comes up immediately after I select it, even when the recent-finds list is populated with waypoints from the City Nav database.

 

Another lag which I had observed but hadn't mentioned before (but others had reported seeing) is also fixed now: with the NT maps, when I would pan over the map and settle the cursor on a waypoint icon or on a street location, it would take several seconds before it would identify the waypoint or list the street address. With the non-NT maps, it is back to behaving properly, showing me that information almost instantaneously.

 

With the NT maps, I had also had a lag problem with the display of the "Upcoming turn" map when auto-routing. I haven’t tried driving with the non-NT maps yet, but given these good results so far, I’m very optimistic that that lag will also be corrected.

[+fratermus]

Today I installed the non-NT City Navigator North America 2008 maps on my Vista HCx, and the lag

...

With the NT maps, I had also had a lag problem with the display of the "Upcoming turn" map when auto-routing. I haven’t tried driving with the non-NT maps yet, but given these good results so far, I’m very optimistic that that lag will also be corrected.

 

Interesting. If this is attributable directly to nt v. non-nt it would be the first evidence I've seen that NT compression incurs significant overhead.

 

Watching this thread with interest.

[LegendHCx]

(followup to the Vista HCx / CN NT 2008 lag issue described in this thread.)

 

Today I installed the non-NT City Navigator North America 2008 maps on my Vista HCx, and the lag problem that I had experienced with the NT version is gone!

 

The "Recent finds" window now comes up immediately after I select it, even when the recent-finds list is populated with waypoints from the City Nav database.

 

Another lag which I had observed but hadn't mentioned before (but others had reported seeing) is also fixed now: with the NT maps, when I would pan over the map and settle the cursor on a waypoint icon or on a street location, it would take several seconds before it would identify the waypoint or list the street address. With the non-NT maps, it is back to behaving properly, showing me that information almost instantaneously.

 

With the NT maps, I had also had a lag problem with the display of the "Upcoming turn" map when auto-routing. I haven’t tried driving with the non-NT maps yet, but given these good results so far, I’m very optimistic that that lag will also be corrected.

Sure thing. I reported a while ago this NT map ‘feature’. Occurs on eTrex HCx units.

I kind of tend to think that NT maps are just regular NON-NT maps but compressed (similar to ZIP, RAR, etc. exe files). So when unit tries to access maps it has to uncompress it on the fly. The more powerful CPU GPSr has the less lag you will experience. eTrex being the smallest probably has the slowest CPU. Haven’t heard anything from 60xxx owners.

[+Prime Suspect]

(followup to the Vista HCx / CN NT 2008 lag issue described in this thread.)

 

Today I installed the non-NT City Navigator North America 2008 maps on my Vista HCx, and the lag problem that I had experienced with the NT version is gone!

 

The "Recent finds" window now comes up immediately after I select it, even when the recent-finds list is populated with waypoints from the City Nav database.

Interesting, but I doubt it's related. The system would have no reason to even access the map data to bring up the Recent Finds list. If you can remove the memory card, and it still shows the Recent Finds list, that would prove my point.

[+the hermit crabs]

(followup to the Vista HCx / CN NT 2008 lag issue described in this thread.)

 

Today I installed the non-NT City Navigator North America 2008 maps on my Vista HCx, and the lag problem that I had experienced with the NT version is gone!

 

The "Recent finds" window now comes up immediately after I select it, even when the recent-finds list is populated with waypoints from the City Nav database.

Interesting, but I doubt it's related. The system would have no reason to even access the map data to bring up the Recent Finds list. If you can remove the memory card, and it still shows the Recent Finds list, that would prove my point.

But if you read the original thread that I linked to above, it proves mine.

 

I did quite a lot of testing over a period of a few weeks: with the SD card in and out, with a different brand and size of SD card, with combinations of Topo maps and/or City Nav NT maps installed or not installed, with all combinations of Topo and CN NT maps hidden or not hidden, and with the "Recent finds" list populated with a mix of user-generated waypoints and/or CN NT database waypoints.

 

Trust me, it was 100% repeatable on my Vista HCx: if even one single segment of CN NT maps was installed, and if any of the waypoints in "Recent finds" was from City Nav, then there was a definite, measurable lag in bringing up the "Recent finds" menu.

 

If no CN NT maps were installed, or if none of the 50 recent finds were waypoints from City Nav, then the lag vanished.

Edited February 12, 2008 by the hermit crabs

[+the hermit crabs]

With the NT maps, I had also had a lag problem with the display of the "Upcoming turn" map when auto-routing. I haven’t tried driving with the non-NT maps yet, but given these good results so far, I’m very optimistic that that lag will also be corrected.

We took it out for a test-drive this afternoon, and the "Upcoming turn"map no longer has the lag either.

[+the hermit crabs]

Sure thing. I reported a while ago this NT map ‘feature’. Occurs on eTrex HCx units.

I kind of tend to think that NT maps are just regular NON-NT maps but compressed (similar to ZIP, RAR, etc. exe files). So when unit tries to access maps it has to uncompress it on the fly. The more powerful CPU GPSr has the less lag you will experience. eTrex being the smallest probably has the slowest CPU. Haven’t heard anything from 60xxx owners.

Yep, it was a relief to me when you reported that you had had the same experience with your HCx. It was good to know that it wasn't just me; it gave me more confidence to deal with tech support, and ask that they let me exchange the NT maps for non-NT ones, since that solution had worked for you.

[+Idahogreggory]

I switched over tonight too from NT to non-NT and what little I played with it I noticed that it did improve the speed of the screens and the pointer. I'll do more testing but it does appear to be faster responding. I also noticed that the map segments were smaller and required more memory with the non-NT version. With the NT version I could load all of the contiguous 48 states and Topo 2008 west of the Dakotas, Oklahoma, and Texas. However, with the non-NT I could only load the non-NT and Topo 2008 west of the Dakotas, Oklahoma, and Texas in approximately the same number of segments and memory 1.2 Gb. Good Find Hermit!

[TeamEcuador]

Is there anyone NOT having this problem with a Legend or Vista HCx, with firmware version 2.6?

 

Or is it best to avoid the NT maps with these units?

[+coggins]

Is there anyone NOT having this problem with a Legend or Vista HCx, with firmware version 2.6?

 

Or is it best to avoid the NT maps with these units?

I have never had this problem and I have 2.6/2.6

Edited June 23, 2008 by coggins

[+Idahogreggory]

I have since upgraded to CN2009 and haven't had an issue with NT. Don't know why I did with CN2008, now I am wondering if it was my SD possibly.

[+SparkyInCali]

I can confirm that the speed issue exists on the 60csx as well.I had the non nt City Navigator 2008 maps for a long time then decided to try the Nt maps for the space savings.There was a lot of difference in the overall responsiveness of the maps the biggest area of concern for me was the panning over a waypoint on the map and having it take a really long time to show the information.Once I reloaded the non NT maps the issue was fixed.I have not seemed to notice the issue on my Colorado but I assume that is because it was designed to use the NT maps from the start.

 

CrazyOn2Wheels