Your Garmin help, please

Oh, I should mention that the refurb unit came with the older 3.40 firmware on it so I might update that too.

Post code search cannot work on osm as due to it being a license able item with a cost the database is not included in OSM

Not quite...
http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/WikiProject_UK_Postcodes
http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Free_The_Postcode

Thanks for the advice, I've ordered a Touring Plus.

Is there anything I should know tips & tricks wise or is it all pretty straight forward?

Can you zoom on the edge 500, whilst riding a course? Internets seem to suggest this fixes the disappearing route problem but I can see no way to zoom.

Yeah you can. You need to push the top left, then you can use the right hand ones to zoom in/out.

ah great, that'll be handy. Auto-zoom is a pain.

Thought this looked pretty cool...

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/guee/g-mount-4-led-cnc-light-garmin-mount-ec116533

Ooh, new Forerunner 225 that measures HR at the wrist. No more HR straps (although I guess this rules out some of the Running Dynamics measurements, debatable whether they were useful anyway).

Be great if it would gather HR stuff whilst swimming and then I'd be looking for the, eventual, 925xt for slvlss.

Does its battery last more than 24hr yet?

Forerunner 225 Battery life: Up to 4 weeks in watch mode; up to 10 hours in training mode

Forerunner 220: "Up to 6 weeks in watch mode; up to 10 hours in training mode "

Probably slight improvements to battery between the 220 and 225 to make up for the optical HR measuring magic.

As for 24 hours:-

920XT: "Up to 24 hours in normal GPS mode; up to 40 hours in UltraTrac mode"

I presume 'training mode' is the useful bit that I would want.

I've ended up placing an order for a new 810 and I shall return the old one to amazon for a full refund once the new unit arrives.

After doing a full factory reset and checking auto power down was disabled, the device actually crashed more than before. I had it crash twice on the commute to work when just recording - not even navigating.

As far as I'm concerned the unit is a dud, and as good as I'm sure garmin customer service is, I don't much want to mess around sending off a brand new unit and getting a refurbished back etc.

Fingers crossed the new one just works out of the box!

My refurb has been working fine since the reset. I've updated the firmware too to see if that made it die. No dice so far. I took it out on Sunday for ~300k with some navigation and some just ticking numbers over. My PT ran out of juice after 4 hours though but the Garmin was solid. So, the gremlins might have left me.

From now on I'm definitely only using Garmin maps though - the postcode/location search is enough to justify the cost to me.

Which maps package did you get Hippy?

I got City Navigator Europe for the 810 because PBP but I've got away with City Nav British Isles or UK (I can't remember which) for the 800 and another, older version of Europe I think on the etrex. Bit annoying I couldn't just upgrade the old one or something but that's how these fuckers role.

This: https://buy.garmin.com/en-GB/GB/maps/on-the-road-maps/city-navigator-nt/city-navigator-europe-nt/prod6299.html

My 800 has this one: https://buy.garmin.com/en-GB/GB/maps/on-the-road-maps/city-navigator-nt/city-navigator-europe-nt-u-k-ireland/prod8424.html (and always seemed to work pretty well)

Why does Garmin Express try to Install even though I already have it installed every time I open it?

Because "Garmin", that's why.

Is there anyway to update garmin official maps on microsd? (willing to pay)

I thought you just plug it in and Garmin software (Basecamp or whatever) does it?

http://support.garmin.com/support/searchSupport/case.faces?caseId=%7B9d0c96c0-4495-11e2-e8a7-000000000000%7D

?

Also, might be relevant:
http://static.garmincdn.com/pumac/Updating_Maps.pdf

I'm about to sell my 800 to a mate and 'upgrade' to an 810 so I can upload via my smartphone (no computer/laptop at home anymore so necessity on the most part). It would appear that I could pay £200 for one new, or £280 for a 1000 which from what I can tell is a bigger, shinier version with worse battery life. I take there are no compelling reasons to go for the 1000, given I'm pretty content with the 800?

The 810 has a few minor niceties over the 800 but they're basically the same thing (I don't use that bluetooth stuff which was the main upgrade). The 1000 I've not used but if you're happy with the 800, assuming you get an 810 that works you should be pretty happy with it.

My 810 worked fine until I read about random crashes yesterday.

Then, last night, it crashed on the way home.

In Morden, FFS.

I was luck y to have not contracted some weird disease.

You've been to Mordor, you HAVE contracted some weird disease. It's too late for you.

@TW - Did you give up on your 910xt in the end?