eTrex screen fade-out
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eTrex screen fade-out

 
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Wildlifewriter
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Joined: 04 Aug 2005
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Location: Norn Iron

PostPosted: Sun Nov 27, 2005 11:29 am    Post subject: eTrex screen fade-out Reply with quote

I've seen this (or something like it) referred to on other forums, but it's the first time I've actually seen it...

The other morning, I was using my eTrex Vista in the back garden (the way you do) when suddenly the screen went blank.

"Gadzooks!" I cried, "Ye batteries doth be flat!" - and went inside to change them.

The display reappeared before the fresh batteries were installed, but I swapped them anyway. Back outside, and after a couple of minutes it happened again - a gradual fading of the screen display, over about two seconds. The unit is less than a year old, and so still (just) under warranty and this problem has never occurred before.

I took the eTrex indoors and left it powered up on the desk for a couple of hours. The fault did not happen again.

Now, the only relevant thing about this is that it was pretty darn cold outside when this happened. Has anyone else seen this, or heard of eTrex displays being affected by low temperatures?

-Wlw.
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Naefearjustbeer
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Joined: 20 Sep 2005
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PostPosted: Sun Nov 27, 2005 5:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes I found the etrex screen to get sluggish in cold weather, never went completely blank though. I had a neoprene case for it and that improved matters. Keep it in an insude pocket and the neoprene keeps it warm when you take it out to use it.
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Jacobite
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Joined: 02 Sep 2005
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Location: Longformacus, Scotland.

PostPosted: Sun Nov 27, 2005 5:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I get a similar problem with my cycle computer, but it only happens in really cold weather.
I think most LCD screens react in this manner, under sub-zero conditions.

I'm going to leave my Venture on the balcony for an hour, and see how it reacts.
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Jacobite
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Joined: 02 Sep 2005
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Location: Longformacus, Scotland.

PostPosted: Sun Nov 27, 2005 7:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

After leaving my Venture on the balcony for an hour (air temp +2 cent)
The unit turns on fine, but reacts really slow when navigating through the menus and screens. There was no screen fade, but it took 6 mins to get a lock on 3 sats, (however, this could be down to my position).

I'll wait for a colder night and see if I get a different reaction.
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Wildlifewriter
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Joined: 04 Aug 2005
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Location: Norn Iron

PostPosted: Sun Nov 27, 2005 9:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for that, guys.

I agree that LCD modules can get rather lethargic in cold conditions, but this looked a bit worse than that.

I left mine out on top of the wheelie bin for an hour, but nothing happened. It's a bit strange, but I think the unit will have to back to Garmin before the warranty runs out.

-Wlw.
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Billy Twigger
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Joined: 30 Aug 2005
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Location: N55 51.686 W5 05.647

PostPosted: Tue Nov 29, 2005 11:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wildlifewriter wrote:


I left mine out on top of the wheelie bin for an hour, but nothing happened.

-Wlw.


Was it wheelie-bin day?
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Naefearjustbeer
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Joined: 20 Sep 2005
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 30, 2005 12:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

did you watch the screen for an hour? Shocked
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Wildlifewriter
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Joined: 04 Aug 2005
Posts: 948
Location: Norn Iron

PostPosted: Wed Nov 30, 2005 12:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Billy Twigger wrote:
Was it wheelie-bin day?

Wheelie-bin-day is Wednesday in these parts, as any fule kno.

Interesting thing is: Yesterday I did Wuthered's excellent new cache Poverty-GCR82X, on a day when it was colder at the summit than a witch's tit - cold enough, in fact, to freeze a bottle of water in my rucksack - and the eTrex Vista performed faultlessly all day.

Curiouser and curiouser...

-Wlw.
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