Garmin display occasionally on the fritz

rmiller

 I have a 305, and have used it quite a lot (several times/week) over the past two years.  A few days ago, it started this thing where the display looks fine, but then suddenly goes wonky.  Portions of the LCD go blank, other portions fire up, and it's usually no longer readable (although a couple times it would show the normal display, but it would 'blink' from side to side a bit).  Sometimes, in an attempt to reset it, I'll turn it off and back on again, but the screen is completely blank when it powers on - assuming it's powering on based on the fact it is beeping.  

Other relevant info:

1) It started doing this after I went through an update of the garmin communicator (although I had done that in the past w/no issues)

2) I recently moved it from a USB hub back to a USB port on the computer because it was frequently failing to successfully download workouts to garmin connect (the webpage would freeze and time out, frustrating the hell out of me)

3) Usually once it goes on the fritz, its easiest to just put it back on the cradle to get it to sort itself out.  However, today that didn't work - I had to do a soft reset (mode + lap button for a few seconds)

I usually keep things until they are dead, and then I find a way to fix them or keep them limping along, until they are D.E.D dead.  So I'd really like to not have to get another HR monitor for a while yet, as this one is only 2 yrs old.  On the other hand, if it keeps acting up on occasion, I don't think I'll trust it when it really counts, like in a race.  I'd hate to get out of T1 only to have it decide to die on me.

So I'm curious whether other people have had any similar experience, and whether the solution was simply to replace it, or whether it was a sign of something else happening (like the battery dying), or whether it's just something that maybe happens for a while and then goes away.

 

 

ezellrh

I've used my 305 for about 4 years and used it daily for the first six months of ownership (back when I claimed to be a runner). The only problem I've had is that my alarm speaker died.

If it was me, I'd burn it and get a 610 or 910 But I'm about to win $550 million in the powerball so I've got money to spare.

Scott Alexander

I've used 305s for years, bought a few of them last time I found them on sale. They have lasted forever! Wouldn't give them unless I had to. For me, the sign it was on its way "out" was the time it took to acquire satellites.

I just replaced my last 305 with a 910, after it took 12 minutes walking unobstructed outside, to find a signal to lock on to.

davelusignan

sounds like a short circuit or loose connection for the display... any chance it got wet inside somehow?

rmiller

@Scott - Thats interesting that it took longer to acquire satellites. There are only two reasons I can think of why it would do that: 1) its satellite info gets out of date (but I kinda have doubts that'd be a concern in this case), and 2) battery getting weak (in which case I'd think that would express itself in other ways).

@Roy - I had my speaker start to go out about a year ago as well, some moisture snuck in through the four tiny holes in the back. I looked into it - pretty common issue. I've since gotten the quick mount kit, and now instead of the back resting on my arm (which gets sweaty), it rests on a platform that is away from my arm. After a couple months, the speaker returned to full volume and hasn't been a problem since.

If it got wet inside, it wasn't during any conditions it's survived before. Only time it gets wet is when it is raining out. I guess we'll see over time how it goes. If it doesn't act up for several weeks, I'll pass it up as a random thing.

rmiller

I just tried downgrading it from the latest version (2.9) to the one before (2.8). Display went totally blank, and while I could hear it doing its beeping of powering on and off, I couldn't see anything. Re-upgraded it back to 2.9 and so far so good. We'll see how it goes.