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eTrex Legend (serial) vs. eTrex Legend Cx (USB & discontinued)


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My wife and I are looking to acquire a GPSr for hiking and for geocaching. I hope the following isn't overwhelming.

 

From my research, the Garmin eTrex Legend seems to be a great starter GPSr. For the price ($125-$150 with some accessories), it seems to have a lot of good features. In addition to that, there are a lot of positive reviews on this guy. However, I have a problem. It uses serial rather than USB (which seems odd to me these days).

 

Question: Has anyone ever used an adapter for this GPSr that will allow them to use USB? My laptop doesn't use serial. If so:


  • Were there any problems or limitations?
  • How much extra did this solution cost?

The other device I am looking at is similar: Garmin eTrex Legend Cx. The difference is that the item is discontinued, but I can get it for about the same price and some change. The pro is that this is a USB device, but the con is that this device doesn't seem to have as many user opinions.

 

Question: Does anyone have any valuable input distinguishing between these two devices? I wonder is I should get the former with the adapter or simply get the latter.

 

Question: Can you see a problem in buying a discontinued device?

 

Additional Information

The devices above are linked to the Garmin website. Here are some differences between them in order of priority:

  • PC interface: Legend: serial --- Legend Cx: PC interface: USB
  • Battery life: Legend: 18 hours (2 AA) --- Legend Cx: 32 hours (2 AA)
  • Built-in memory: Legend: 8 MB --- Legend Cx: None
  • Accepts data cards: Legend: No --- Legend Cx:64 MB microSD card (included)
  • Screen: Legend: 4 level gray LCD ---- Legend Cx: 256 level color TFT
  • Waypoints/fav./loc.: Legend: 1000 --- Legend Cx: 500
  • Routes: Legend: 20 --- Legend Cx: 50
  • Track log: Legend: 10,000 points, 10 saved tracks--- Legend Cx: 10,000 points, 20 saved tracks (?)
  • Turn by turn routing: Legend: no --- Legend Cx: yes
  • Custom points of interest: Legend: No --- Legend Cx: yes (?)
  • Geocaching mode: Legend: np --- Legend Cx: yes (?)

Any additional thoughts on the above info would be VERY appreciated.

(?) means I can use some input on the value of this...

 

Thank you SOOOO much guys. I really want to get into this, but I don't have the means to buy whatever I want. I think these two choices are fairly decent. What say you?

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bakura82,

 

Welcome to Geocaching.

 

-->Question: Has anyone ever used an adapter for this GPSr that will allow them to use USB? My laptop doesn't use serial. If so:

 

-->Were there any problems or limitations?

The one I bought for other than GPSr use seems to work with any RS232 device that I've plugged into it, so far. (GPS 'hockey puck', Digital Voltmeter, serial printer, etc.)

Buy it from a reputable 'PC shop' in your area, make sure they'll swap it if does not work right. As long as the Driver software installs correctly, shouldn't have too many problems. Be sure to use the right COM settings to match the device, and use 'serial' modes to talk to it even though it is an USB device.

 

-->How much extra did this solution cost?

Usually around $20.00 to $35.00. I would not go much, if any higher.

 

-->Question: Does anyone have any valuable input distinguishing between these two devices? I wonder is I should get the former with the adapter or simply get the latter.

 

Maybe...

If the price difference is really negligable I'd go with the Legend Cx. Color Screen. The Cx has 8x the memory with the included SD card. Buy a $20.00 2GIG Micro SD memory card, when you want to really 'load up' and add TOPO, Street Maps, or POI's.

 

-->Question: Can you see a problem in buying a discontinued device?

No not really, I had a Legend C which is also discontinued, it only had the internal memory. I'd still be using it if I hadn't lost it.

 

-->Any additional thoughts

I use POI's to load Benchmarks, Archived caaches, My Found Caches, and some favorite coordinate locations, and Sitll have the 1000 waypoints the Legend HCx has available.

 

Good luck on your selection, both are good units, The Cx is newer technology than the plain Legend even if it is discontinued.

 

You don't mention any of the "H" models, I'd at least consider the higher sensitivity receivers as high or even higher than some of the other features you're looking at now. Unless you are going to caching in the great wide open.

 

GoPhast

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I would suggest you visit the Garmin site and look at their comparison page for the new Garmin 'H' units. Those have the High Sensitivity receivers. I believe there is an 'H' model in your price range that connects with USB.

 

If you don't get one of the newer 'H' models, I would definitely get the Legend Cx and not the much older, monochrome Legend. I still have my Vista C, a discontinued model, and it works great. I have both the auto-routing City Navigator maps and Topo maps installed on it. I upgraded to the Vista HCx for the 1000 waypoint option and the 'x' (expandable memory) option.

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I would not get an eTrex Legend at that price. It was a good unit it its day but its day was about 6 years ago.

 

You can get an eTrex Venture HC for around $140. It gives you a high sensitivity receiver, USB connection, and color display. The Legend has none of these. It also has 24 megs of map memory compared to the Legend's very meager 8 megs. Better yet get the Legend HCX for a bit more money and get expandable map memory, turn by turn routing and virtually unlimited waypoints.

 

To answer your original question, the Legend CX wins hands down vs. the old Legend. I don't even know why they bother making that unit anymore.

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I would not get an eTrex Legend at that price. It was a good unit it its day but its day was about 6 years ago.

 

You can get an eTrex Venture HC for around $140. It gives you a high sensitivity receiver, USB connection, and color display. The Legend has none of these. It also has 24 megs of map memory compared to the Legend's very meager 8 megs. Better yet get the Legend HCX for a bit more money and get expandable map memory, turn by turn routing and virtually unlimited waypoints.

 

To answer your original question, the Legend CX wins hands down vs. the old Legend. I don't even know why they bother making that unit anymore.

I agree and I own an old Legend. I just use it for backup or if someone needs to borrow my GPS.
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Thank you everyone for your replies. I appreciate it.

 

Today was a struggle for me. I went to Circuit City, Sports Authority, Walmart, Military Surplus, and Radio Shack -- not one of the stores had an active unit I could test of any brand (with the exception of Automobile GPSr). Circuit City sold the Legend, but I wasn't able to test it. Radio Shack had a Serial to USB adapter, but that was $30 and with more research, I can probably just pump that into a better model that has USB as some folks suggest above.

 

Why haven't I looked into the HCx?

Well, I like to buy things where they are cheapest whether that is in teh store or online. However, I like to go to the store to test it before I buy it. Right now, the units mentioned above where the only ones within budget that were supposedly at the store...

 

I am considering buying from Amazon, but since I can't test the unit, I worry about it just not working out for me and the need to return it. I have never been big ticket online purchases.

 

Where can I test one of these units out!?

 

Agh. Boy today was annoying.

 

Anyway, more tips appreciated. I have to get going.

 

:laughing:

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Do you have an REI store in your area? Those stores carry the Vista HCx, the GPS Map60CSx, and the new Garmin Colorado.

 

They also have a great return policy . . . although their prices are higher than any online prices from Amazon.com, OffRoute.com, or TheNerds.net.

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Do you have an REI store in your area? Those stores carry the Vista HCx, the GPS Map60CSx, and the new Garmin Colorado.

 

They also have a great return policy . . . although their prices are higher than any online prices from Amazon.com, OffRoute.com, or TheNerds.net.

What is their return policy? Garmin already has a one year warranty. Also Garmins seldom have issues, so I think you are just putting money in REI's pockets if your GPS never has an issue (~99% of them don't ever have an issue). Edited by TrailGators
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