Garmin 276c comparison to Streetpilot III & 2610

The last time I  updated this review was July 2007, I am revisiting it to announce that effective yesterday the 376c was officially discontinued by Garmin . . . after more than 4 years in distribution, I STILL consider this series to be the benchmark by which navigators should be compared, it is just that good.  The 276c, 378 & 478 remain current.

While I no longer run this model, partially because my brother borrowed one of mine for his boat (he has the sonar accessory which works very well indeed) and when it was stolen from his car he took the second one I owned - at the time I was evaluating other models and I admit to being too lazy (and cheap) to invest in a third unit from the series.  But it is STILL my favorite of all those I have owned.

As of this morning (January 1, 2009 - Happy New Year) there is no definitive word on the nature of the replacement.  I hope Garmin can do justice to the market space with the next generation - certainly the Nuvi and Zumo did not even come close.

You will be able to buy this model either new or NOH (factory refurbished) for quite some time to come - I still strongly recommend it.

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Having owned the 276c for more than 2 years in a market where products are introduced and replaced almost every week it seems, I am more than pleased that my original conclusions were correct and that this 'timeless' model is still very current in terms of its features, capabilities and availability.

Since writing the original review there have been product developments and service issues. I've written summaries of my experiences. And, while I hold Garmin in my good graces at this time, I believe that they are worth the reading and are important to understanding the totality of my experience with and the review of this device. The latest of these updates was written August 20, 2006.

You'll find them appended to the end of this review.


Why do I need a navigator?

In June 2003 I would have asked the same question. That was before I found myself on my motorcycle in upstate New Hampshire at the end of a 2 lane road, out of sight of civilisation with my bike running on reserve.

I had maps with me. But there's something about maps that makes them useless if you don't know where you are . . . and even if you do, most maps don't have databases of where gas stations, restaurants, banks and so on are located.

So I resolved, then and there that if I ever got out of that situation I would remedy it with technology. I did my research and I determined that at the time the StreetPilot-III (SP3 in short) was the state of the art.

Your needs may not be quite so different.

Do you travel to unfamiliar locales? Having a device that tells you how to get from the hotel to the meeting venue is a great asset - even better that it can tell you how much time it takes to get there! It can also tell you where to find a french restaurant and provide a phone number as well as the address.

So I had a Garmin SP3, and had just upgraded to the 276c when I wrote the original review - and while I have used many different units since then, this document covers the 276c with brief touches on the SP3, 2610 and upcoming Quest models from Garmin. I still use my unit in my car and on my touring motorcycle. I don't claim the review to be impartial.


What is GPS?

The acronym 'GPS' stands for Global Positioning System. It is a system that allows an appropriately equipped device to 'know' where on (or above) the globe it is located in three dimensions (including altitude) based on the propagation delay from each of the satellites that are 'in view' of the GPS receiver at any instant in time. It generally only works outdoors, in relatively open areas.

In the 1970's the US military started launching what was to become a constellation of 28 satellites that circumnavigate the globe. However their network is not the only one. The Russians have a system called GLONAS - but it isn't fully complete. The Europeans are busily preparing to launch their own network, called Galileo - a complete waste of public funds, but it isn't MY money, so who am I to argue? I guess they have lots of extra money over there.

The GPS system can be very accurate. Military receivers can have better than centimeter accuracy, allowing the U.S. to send precision guided devices to targets and know that they will reach the intended destination. However for the most part, civilian receivers are limited in accuracy to about 3 meters (about 10 feet), which is more than accurate for most of us. To further complicate matters, there is a feature that the Army can enable and adjust called 'SA' - Selective Availability. SA controls the overall accuracy of GPS as a service. Non-military users will see a degraded level of accuracy - that accuracy is adjustable and varies based on the whim of some Army colonel or other person in the military complex.

To offset the issues of SA 'correction' signals can be locally applied to a receiver. Generally this will consist of a separate 'reference' GPS receiver, located at a known location near to the operating area that will transmit DGPS correction signals (the 'D' stands for Differential) over a radio channel and a second radio receiver in the user's system will decode and apply the correction to a local GPS receiver there, resulting in a reduction of the error generated by SA.

These days SA is turned off, making the system pretty darned accurate - more than accurate enough to allow units to be used without the DGPS signals.

Over the U.S., there is a system called WAAS (Wide Area Augmentation System). Satellite signals carry the correction information so that one need not have a second radio nor be close to the correction station.

How useful this is in an era where SA is turned off is not clear to me - and in the event that SA is turned back on, they'll probably shut off the WAAS signals, which brings WAAS's utility into question.

In order to work properly, the GPS receiver in your phone, car or handheld device must know where each satellite is at every point in time and can then translate the signals being received from those that are in range into a latitude, longitude and elevation value. From this, application software can extrapolate and cross-reference the data into street names and addresses and heading and speed.

This information is known as the 'almanac'. It is constantly being sent by all of the satellites to any GPS receivers in range. When a receiver is first started up it searches for satellites. Then it starts to load the Almanac data. When that is acquired the unit can start generating position reports, so long as there are at least 3 satellites in view from which to triangulate the unit's location.

Developments in recent years has reduced the size of a GPS receiver into a tiny module comprising a few integrated circuits and the OEM price of that module hovers at around US$35 at this time. This is a long way from the original commercial receivers that were housed in luggable boxes and cost $50,000 and more.

The latest receivers can decode up to 16 satellites at one time (though you can never be in view of more than 12, which always makes me wonder about that number) - and the accuracy of the location is improved somewhat as the number of satellites being tracked increases.


What is a navigation system?

A portable navigation system is a pretty complex device. It needs to know where the device is located. It also has to know about the streets (what they're called, where they are, what type of street and so on) and the rules for navigating them (where you can turn, what direction the streets are, whether traffic is even allowed on a street (it might be a pedestrian mall, for example).

Beyond all this it needs to be able interface with the user - to accept data, to display it - and be able to calculate routes, determine timings, direction, speed and so on.

A few companies now specialise in manufacturing these systems - all of them purchase the mapping information, so there is little benefit in terms of map quality of one over another. In addition, most navigation units provide 'Points Of Interest' (POI) data. This generally consists of lists of various types of business and services, along with locations, phone numbers and related information.

The user can look for restaurants, for example, often narrowing the list by choosing a style of food and a limit of the search radius.

Navigation adds one more factor to the mix. The street navigation information can be used to plan routes between points. Routes always have a start and an end point. Optionally, waypoints (locations) along the way can be specified if necessary to allow an automatic route between points with a stop at Aunt Betty's along the way.

Waypoints can be previously stored or may be generated on the fly by entering an address into the unit or by pointing to a spot on the map using a cursor. Once marked, waypoints can be stored, named and used in routes or as destinations.

Routing is where a system is made or broken. Systems generally allow the user to specify preferences as to road type - for example one might want to avoid toll roads or dirt roads - and the navigation unit will plan routes keeping this in mind.

As one travels along the route, the GPS unit will issue driving instructions. Higher end units will have speech abilities and will announce upcoming turns and such. Should you miss a turn, the system will let you know and may automatically plan a correction and guide the user back on course - this feature can usually be disabled if the user wishes to handle his own backtracking.

Many navigation units will maintain 'track data'. After a trip this information can be extracted to a computer and used for analysis - each point of track data generally includes date, time and heading at various steps along the way. These points can be linked into a track (which is why they call this feature a track log) - they can be analysed - they can be displayed on a map or for any of many other purposes.

Some units allow the track data to be recalled and used as the basis for a route - so that the user can either retrace his steps in reverse (like the famous bread crumbs that Hansel & Gretel tried to use when they were taken through the woods). Or they can be used to locate and plan a route to allow one to travel back through a particularly desirable stretch of road.

The user's computer can store and organise tracks, waypoints and routes. The user's computer also generates trip logs and other functions through the application software that the manufacturer of the unit provides.


Garmin

One of the better known of the navigation unit manufacturers is Garmin International. U.S. headquarters is located in Kansas City. They have been providing navigation units for a number of years and their line includes a very comprehensive selection of devices for Marine, portable and automotive use - including a number of 'crossover' devices that serve more than one market segment.

I have personally owned two models of Garmin's navigation units - and I've played extensively with a third. These are all current models and all use the same underlying application software and have similar (but different) user interfaces. A quick comparison:

Garmin StreetPilot III Deluxe
- 3.4"W x 1.8"H (8.6 x 4.5 cm) (305 x 160 pixels), high-contrast, 16-color LCD with backlighting
- Pushbutton operation
- 12 Channel receiver (no WAAS)
- Internal non-rechargeable batteries
- Garmin's proprietary memory chip - 256 megs max
- 2000 trackpoint memory

Garmin 2610
- 3.3"W x 1.7"H (8.4 x 4.4 cm) 305 x 160 pixels bright, automotive-grade 8-bit, 256 color LCD w/automatic dimming backlight and touch screen; compatible with polarized sunglasses
- Touchscreen operation with infrared remote control
- 12 Channel receiver (with WAAS)
- No battery operation available
- Compactflash memory (up to 2 Gigabytes available today)
- 2000 trackpoint memory
- Faster processor

Garmin 276c
- 3.8-inch diagonal, 480 x 320 pixel, 256-color TFT screen with adjustable LED backlight
- Pushbutton operation
- 12 Channel receiver (with WAAS)
- Internal rechargeable LiOn batteries
- Garmin's proprietary memory chip - 512 megs max
- 10,000 trackpoint memory
- Faster processor
- Dual mode (Marine/Automotive)

All of these units are water resistant and meet IPX7 standards - They will sustain total immersion in water up to 1 meter deep for 30 minutes without damage - so if the caps are in place and the doors are closed you don't need to worry about getting rain on the unit.


StreetPilot III (SP3)

From the perspective of specifications and it's operation, the Streetpilot-III is certainly capable, but it has a somewhat slower processor that impacts slightly on screen redraws and on the time it takes to calculate a route.

Having said that, it is certainly fast enough. I have never managed to 'outdrive' the unit. And the high contrast display is MUCH more readable than the pastel-on-pastel color combinations used in the other two units.

Application software is the same as that of the other two units - the buttons are very intuitively organised and their function is very clear. I purchased my Streetpilot III after the 2610 was released and I personally stand by my decision to purchase it over the more expensive 2610.

Two factors in the SP3's favor are that it has a 'standard' detachable antenna and can be used with batteries, albeit for only limited (5 hours max) periods of time.


2610

The 2610 was introduced last year to a lot of fanfare. It is quite small - because it has no push buttons or batteries. It is not the lightest unit on the list, the 276c has that honor and the Streetpilot is a bit heavier with batteries installed.

The faster processor in the 2610 makes screen updates noticeably faster. But the color pallet is not configurable and the unit has some readability issues because of the limited contrast between the base colors and the text. Screen resolution and size is about the same as the SP3.

I personally do not like the idea of a touchscreen on a motorcycle, especially in the rain - and given that it is the most expensive of the three units on this list I did not consider it to be my first choice - though the small size of the unit is attractive. One advantage of the 2610 display is that it has a matte finish, which doesn't show fingerprints and reduces reflected glare as compared with the other two units which have high gloss coated display protectors.

The unit has an internal antenna - an external one can be used, but the connector on the unit is non-standard - both of the other units have external antennas and they use BNC industry standard connectors for their connections.


276c

In late April of 2004 Garmin released the 276c as the successor to their 176c marine unit. Based on the same form factors as it's predecessor, the unit is dual-mode and can be switched from marine to automotive modes, which changes the suite of options and the display colors.

A pushbutton-controlled unit, the 276c buttons are organised differently from the SP3 which does result in a learning curve - and in some confusion if the user has both models. Certainly this is something that is easily overcome with use.

I personally have no need for the marine modes in the unit, but from what I can tell this unit is amazing - it has two serial ports (in addition to the USB port used to load and extract data from the unit). It supports connection to external devices (such as being the display device for Garmin's sonar modules and fish finders) and has alarm outputs in addition to the speech output. Dragging anchor and other alarms are standard in marine mode.

Where the 276c shines is it's display. Unlike the SP3 and 2610, the backlighting in the 276c is NOT a fluorescent tube, but rather uses white LEDs - it will not yellow over time.

Slightly larger than the other two units, the display has more than three times the number of pixels, which results in a much more refined display - mind you, they use the same pastel-on-pastel color scheme that they have on the 2610 - so it's really not all that readable to my old eyes IMHO (since changed somewhat).

And this unit is the lightest of the group - WITH the batteries installed! The unit charges the batteries when it is plugged into a power source, so you might want to consider wiring it to a switched power source on your vehicle to avoid coming out and finding the vehicle's battery dead if you are prone to letting it sit for a couple of weeks between uses.

I have suggested to Garmin that they supply a 'space saver' battery box - an empty battery that can be snapped into the battery section so that the unit's power draw would be eliminated with it is off. You can't just remove the battery for outdoor use because there are gaskets that are compromised when the battery is out.

Unlike the 2610, this display is very readable in direct sunlight - in fact in the daytime the backlight can be switched completely off without noticing any change in display color, brightness or contrast.

In addition, the relatively huge 10,000 point tracklog allows one to store about 1,000 miles of fairly twisty riding/driving, compared with a fifth that much for the other two models.

The negatives -in terms of hardware:

1. It propagates the proprietary Garmin memory chip. I can appreciate that the Bluechart marine data is available in this format and that in reality few really NEED more than 512 megs, but they could have used the CF card like the 2610 does. But it isn't fatal, because few people really need more than this in a single chip.
2. The mounting system uses recesses on the top and bottom of the unit that match up with tabs on the mounting bracket to stabilise the box in the vertical plane. The mount seems to be made of harder plastic than the unit and on my device, the case is being ground away by the mounting bracket. I've drawn Garmin's attention to this matter and am awaiting an answer.

Software:

1. It appears to me that the receiver loses satellite synchronisation too easily - on several occasions the unit has beeped it's 'lost satellite signal' yet shows that 4 satellites are being received with reasonably strong signals. An SP3 sitting next to the 296c does not lose contact. A bug? A defect? I don't know and neither does Garmin tech support. (since corrected via software update)
2. The 2610 apparently offers a gradient-based road preference system - so you can select a degree of negativism or positivism on the unit for each road style. The 276c uses simple check boxes As does the Streetpilot III) so it will avoid toll roads or not - which leads me to suspect that one could be going pretty far out of their way, depending on the situation. (since upgraded via software update)

In general, all of the Garmin navigators suffer from minor issues with the underlying database and navigation routines. Users will sometimes be presented with routes that make no sense - a drive up a street for 6 blocks, then a u-turn and travel back along 6 blocks followed by a left turn - heck that translates into a simple right turn in the first place. Not fatal, and it is discernable when looking at the screen, but one needs to be aware of it.

Price-wise, the least expensive of the units discussed in this document is the Streetpilot-III. At $489 (at this time for a Newly OverHauled version - which is as good as a brand new unit) delivered, complete with North American maps (which include major Canadian cities), 128 megs of memory and a car kit it represents the pricing 'sweet spot' in the product line.

However it is also the oldest unit in the group - and is likely to be discontinued in the near future (this is written July 15, 2004). It won't stop working, but there is a certain 'je ne sais quoi' about buying an obsolete product.

The most expensive, in terms of base cost is the 2610 - I suppose that the touchscreen and remote are the reasons. It comes with 128 megs of memory and the usual complement of software. It's nice, but very 'ho hum'. It looks like a rectangular potato in silhouette. The other day the MSN home page used the SP3 as their cover shot for an article about 'soon to be standard' high tech devices in cars. They could have used the 2610, but didn't because the SP3 has more visual appeal.

And the possible 'just right' unit is the 276c. Priced comparably (within about $30) to that of a new (NOT overhauled) SP3, it seems like the best buy. But don't let that fool you.

The SP3 comes complete. The 276c requires that you purchase accessories to use it properly in a vehicle, though it does come with an excellent gymbal mount and a direct wire-in power cord which are perfect for use in motorcycle installations.

Missing:

- lighter plug cord (the cord has the speaker in it and charges the batteries - $50),
- mount (add $35 for the plastic and $40 for the beanbag),
- memory (another $100 for the 128 meg),
- navigation software ($135 for the recommended City Select package).

That makes $335 in required accessories. All of these accessories AND a permanent mount base are available in a car kit that can be had for a savings of about $100 when compared with the individual parts.

If you have an SP3 or 2610 or other Garmin product that has mapping - City Navigator or City Select - note that you are entitled to unlock the software for a second receiver. Both packages work just fine on either unit and according to Garmin, there is no difference whatsoever in the underlying base maps.

Note that with the release of City Select version 6 Puerto Rico and all of Canada are included in the basic package, so no separate Canadian mapping package is required as it was prior to this release.

In the end, there are things about the 276c that I don't like:

- The issue with the case being lightly damaged by the mounting bracket
- Issues relating to loss of satellite signal when the unit claims there's adequate signal (since fixed in software)
- The inability to choose or adjust the color pallet
- Lack of elevation data in the tracklog - and that's an important one for riders and bikers. (since changed)
- Inability to switch the unit completely off without unplugging it
- Automotive kit is only available with 128 megs of memory - there should be a 256 meg and a 512 meg version too. I would have paid the extra money it would have cost (apparently also fixed)
- There really ought to be two settings for brightness, one for daytime and one for night (fixed in software)
- When displaying street/traffic information a quarter of the display is whited out (blacked out at night) to reserve space for text, even in the screen overlay mode. The overlay mode at least should not have a text box - that obviates the term 'overlay'.


Summary

In general, do I like it? Absolutely. Could it be improved? Absolutely. Given the choice, would I buy it again? Absolutely.


The Quest

Then again, Garmin is about to release their pint-sized Quest.

This is a fast processor, small-display, battery operated (and it's supplied with a vehicular charger too), speech enabled device with infrared remote control - kind of a munchkin, non-touchscreen version of the 2610 - and it has the 10,000 point tracklog, the lack of which that was the main reason I rejected the 2610. Internal memory is fixed at 115 megs - not bad at all, but there's no possibility for expansion, but it's aimed at travelling salesmen and the like, so the target client ought to have a computer with him to load up local maps during a grand tour of the U.S.

Oh, and it's light, VERY light. 5.5 ounces light. Now if you can actually read the little 2.2" display, Garmin's latest will be a winner.

Content copyright (c)2004, 2005, 2006 by the author

As there have been ongoing developments in both the device and in my relationship with Garmin, the following updates are provided:
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Updates to this review:

November 2, 2004

With the release of version 2.93 firmware for this device, Garmin appears to have addressed every software issue I have raised in this review and in separate online sessions and during phone calls with their support group.

This upgrade is a testament to Garmin's legendary customer support.

There are now separate backlight settings for day and night. The unit now sports 'banded routing preference bars' in addition to the various 'road types to avoid' checkboxes. There is now elevation information in the track data and even a graph of internal unit temperature over time!!

The list of improvements is so extensive that in essence, the only reason to choose the 26xx series over the 276c is to get the touchscreen - a dubious reason at best - to get the somewhat simpler to deal with text entry that the touchscreen allows. That does nothing to offset the simple fact that the display of the 276c is so vastly superior to that of ANY of the other Garmin units that has automotive capability (except perhaps the tri-mode 296 - but that's just a 276c with an added aviation support package) and that the track is 5 times the size of those of the other automotive units they sell.

This is just a GREAT device.
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June 27, 2005

Note that I own a 276c and that it recently required service. As I live in Canada, I dutifully brought the unit to the specified depot and they 'promised' that Garmin would exchange the unit in 2 days' time.

Two days later I was told that they sent the unit to Garmin for repair and that it would take two weeks.

Two weeks later they said it would be sent from Garmin back and that I would have it in the middle of the following week.

On the Thursday of THAT week they told me it would be back in their hands the following Monday (today).

Today they are saying that Germin will be shipping it to them in 2-3 days.

Now GARMIN says that they only opened the repair order a week after I gave the unit to the depot and that the unit was only received two weeks after that (3 weeks in) and that they *may* be able to ship it out this week.

All-in-all I am waiting almost FIVE weeks so far and I MIGHT get my unit back next week. Note that the warranty period will not be extended.

If this was an isolated incident I would have assumed it to be an exception. However LAST year I sent in a Streetpilot-III and they pulled the exact same 'more than a month' to repair thing.

If you buy your unit in Canada, DO NOT send it to the Canadian repair depot. Deal with them factory-direct.

The fact that I bought the unit from a bona fide reseller in Canada implies that I ought to be able to get it serviced in Canada within reasonable delays and without incurring special costs.
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July 16, 2005

After EIGHT weeks I am still without my 276c. After spending literally tens of hours speaking with many pleasant, sympathetic, but ineffectual support people (including two supervisors) I have come to the conclusion that Garmin tech support is comprised of nice, but thoroughly incompetent individuals who make up story lines to suit their mood of the day.

The Canadian depot eventually admitted that they were having no luck getting information from Garmin and asked if I'd do them the favor of phoning and trying to get an update.

Support people with names like Joey, Lacie and Allan all promised to follow up and NO ONE EVER DID.

I was variously told that the unit was;

- Repaired and shipped back on the 14th of June
- On backorder, waiting a replacement unit (for a loose battery wire?)
- Sitting in the warehouse.
- Lost
- One enterprising support person had the temerity to suggest that "seven weeks isn't very long" because I "am in Canada"!!!

Last Thursday I finally had it and contacted Garmin and after Lacie spent an hour trying to locate my RMA, he said he'd call me back. Since I know that that's a secret code that means "you'll never hear from me again" I asked for a supervisor and said I'd not get off the line until I spoke with one.

The person who came on the line was (Garmin standard) pleasant and helpful sounding and apparently sympathetic to the cause - and Eureka,, he claimed he found the shipment - sitting in the "wrong part of the loading dock".

I was promised that the shipment would be sent to the depot overnight - rush and that I'd have the unit the following day.

I asked if they could just ship it to my office and was informed that because the RMA covered a number of units, they could not.

The following day I contacted the depot - no shipment (what else is new?) though they were aware of the situation. AND apparently they did NOT ship the entire shipment, only MY unit!! So just why was it that it couldn't be sent to me?

Need I state that the unit was NOT delivered to the depot overnight and that I am still without my 276c?

Oh - and the depot (Raytech Marine)? I asked if, in return for my heroic efforts to resolve THEIR problems, would they do the the favor of transshipping my unit to my office using a same day courier (costs about $10) so I'd have it - because they aren't open extended hours). The reply? I was being unreasonable - none of this was their fault and if I wanted them to ship it, they'd do so collect - and Marc, the person I was speaking with there, slammed the phone down on me.

Garmin REALLY needs to get their act together.
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September 15, 2005

Finally (10 weeks after it began) I received my replacement unit from Garmin - to unjam the system I wrote a letter to upper management and sent it by fax. It seems to have made the difference. Interesting enough, the unit received was itself new, but the battery and memory chip were my originals. Interesting, to say the least, considering that mine was variously lost, shipped and so on. They had obviously been 'sitting' on it.

Unfortunately, the replacement unit exhibited the same issues as the original - I believed at the start (and reported to the depot) that this was a battery issue. I guess I was right and it says volumes about Garmin's knee-jerk approach to warranty repair.

I called - again - and spoke with one of the same people who was originally involved (keep records, it helps when negotiating) and after he wanted me to restart the process and I reminded him of my situation, they shipped out a brand new retail unit at their expense - THIS one finally works well.
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November 30, 2005

Garmin has released a 512 Meg memory chip for the 276c. Now you ought to be able to fit about half the continent into a single load, bringing the 276c into serious contention with the 'full load' automotive navigators out there. With the increased memory capacity and the enhanced functionality of this marine unit, I prefer this as the prima-facie high end unit for transportable/portable/marine applications.
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August 20, 2006

Garmin is in my good books again, having released significant firmware upgrades over the past year to improve the performance and features of the 276c and making some changes to the color pallet.

My replacement unit (and a second one I bought) are working just fine, thanks for asking.

They have also released the 376c (same as the 276c, but with an XM receiver so you can listen to music through the navigator and also receive weather reports and forecasts on a subscription basis.

There are also the 378c and 478c which have preloaded maps of the entire coverage area in addition to waterways - fresh water systems in the 378 and salt water (coastal) maps in the 478 - in addition to the XM capabilities.