Lowrance 2000c 1.7 update

[Greg Copeland]

I posted this as a reply to another thread but I thought it important
enough to make it a new thread to increase visibility. I've added more
comments and some additional details...plus some ramblings... So this is
not entirely a dupe.

--
Just a heads up. The 1.6 software update (5/26/06) did nothing but crash
my 2000c when trying to use the terrain database. It also caused
random crashes when using various menu items (e.g. enable/disable airmap).
Updating to the newly released 1.7 release (6/23/06) cured the problems
for me! Obviously the 1.6 release has some serious bugs; regardless if you
are experiencing them or not.

I strongly suggest everyone running 1.6 consider an upgrade to the
latest 1.7 release, if you have not already done so. The fact that the
release notes for 1.7 look like the notes from 1.6, to me, suggests it's
nothing but a bug-fix and stability release. Based on this assumption and
the fact it made my 2000c usable agaain, I strongly suggest you upgrade
from 1.6

General Lowrance firmware update page:
http://www.lowrance.com/software/Upgrades/upgrades.asp

The 2000c 1.7 download specific information and release notes page:
http://www.lowrance.com/software/Upgrades/AirMap/AM2000C_170/Default.asp

Windows 2000c 1.7 download:
ftp://download.lowrance.com/AirMap/AM2000C_170/AM2000C_170.exe

OS/X 2000c 1.7 download page:
ftp://download.lowrance.com/AirMap/AM2000C_170/AM2000C_170.command

Linux 2000c 1.7 download page (Thanks Lowrance for making my life
easier!): ftp://download.lowrance.com/AirMap/AM2000C_170/AM2000C_170.bin

Also note there is an update notification service available at the bottom
of the page. If you own a Lowrance product, I highly recommend you sign
up for it. It's a great service. The direct link follows. Lastly, I
have not noticed any new spam from subscribing...your mileage may vary.
http://www.lowrance.com/software/Upgrades/upgrades.asp#sub

Last note here. My 2000c has been rock-solid, stable and I have not
experienced a single reboot or crash until I upgraded from my previous
release to the 1.6 release. I can't recommend this GPS enough. In my
opinion, it's the best bang for the buck in aviation GPS.

Aside from the 1.6 disaster, I only have one minor nit with my 2000c,
which is it does not provide altitude information with its trail data. I
have requested this of Lowrance. They seem approachable on the subjet if
enough interests exists. If this information would be of value to anyone
else, please let them know. I enjoy overlaying the information with Google
Earth. If you don't know what it is...check it out. It's also now
available for Linux. You can download it from
http://earth.google.com/downloads.html.


Greg

[Stephen Farris]

Excellent post. It's very helpful to know when these updates are
available. Having just done the 1.6.0 update, I might not have looked at
the Lowrance site for months -- I did not experience the instability
problems that you described, however.

I would definitely like to have the altitude information with the trails,
and I will also make this request to Lowrance.


AirMap 600c users: update 1.3.0 was released on June 12.

- Steve


Greg Copeland > wrote in
:

> Just a heads up. The 1.6 software update (5/26/06) did nothing but
> crash my 2000c when trying to use the terrain database. It also
> caused random crashes when using various menu items (e.g.
> enable/disable airmap). Updating to the newly released 1.7 release
> (6/23/06) cured the problems for me! Obviously the 1.6 release has
> some serious bugs; regardless if you are experiencing them or not.
>
> I strongly suggest everyone running 1.6 consider an upgrade to the
> latest 1.7 release, if you have not already done so. The fact that
> the release notes for 1.7 look like the notes from 1.6, to me,
> suggests it's nothing but a bug-fix and stability release. Based on
> this assumption and the fact it made my 2000c usable agaain, I
> strongly suggest you upgrade from 1.6


> Also note there is an update notification service available at the
> bottom of the page. If you own a Lowrance product, I highly recommend
> you sign up for it. It's a great service. The direct link follows.
> Lastly, I have not noticed any new spam from subscribing...your
> mileage may vary.
> http://www.lowrance.com/software/Upgrades/upgrades.asp#sub

> Greg

[Thomas Borchert]

Greg,

> I can't recommend this GPS enough. In my
> opinion, it's the best bang for the buck in aviation GPS.

Did you get the terrain update? It adds a whole new dimension to the unit.

>
> Aside from the 1.6 disaster, I only have one minor nit with my 2000c,
> which is it does not provide altitude information with its trail data. I
> have requested this of Lowrance.

I have, too. It's really too bad since projecting flights on Google Earth
makes reliving those flights a wonderful experience.

--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH)

[Greg Copeland]

On Sun, 25 Jun 2006 10:48:57 +0200, Thomas Borchert wrote:

> Greg,
>
>> I can't recommend this GPS enough. In my
>> opinion, it's the best bang for the buck in aviation GPS.
>
> Did you get the terrain update? It adds a whole new dimension to the unit.
>

Terrain update? I have the original terrain data, which I bought on a 1GB
card. You're saying the data has been updated? Where might I obtain the
update? Or did I misundertstand you?

>>
>> Aside from the 1.6 disaster, I only have one minor nit with my 2000c,
>> which is it does not provide altitude information with its trail data. I
>> have requested this of Lowrance.
>
> I have, too. It's really too bad since projecting flights on Google Earth
> makes reliving those flights a wonderful experience.

Ya, when high density memory cards were expensive, I can understand why
they might want to save space by providing only 2-axises worth of data per
sample. But these days even 2GB cards, which they now support, are
reasonably priced. There is no reason why they can't provide the z-data
too. Assuming the design of the software is descent, the required change
for this is probably 30-minutes or less, including compile time...plus
testing. Ya, that's a big assumption on my part, but we're not talking
about stellar changes.

The only other biggy is that they would have an incompatible file format
with the software they provide. They could address that by allowing for
a menu toggle option; providing for backward compatibility. Just the
same, I believe *everyone* that actually uses trail data in an avaition
GPS expects the data to contain three data points (x,y,z) per sample. I
could understand if this was a GPS for use in a car...or a boat...an
earthbound vehicle, but 2d data for a device specifically designed for
vehicles which travel in 3d space...is just completely back-assward.


Cheers,

Greg

[Thomas Borchert]

Greg,

> Or did I misundertstand you?
>

You did, or I misassumed. I thought you had an older unit without the
terrain. Those units can be upgraded to have the terrain.

--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH)

[Greg Copeland]

On Sun, 25 Jun 2006 18:22:10 +0200, Thomas Borchert wrote:

> Greg,
>
>> Or did I misundertstand you?
>>
>
> You did, or I misassumed. I thought you had an older unit without the
> terrain. Those units can be upgraded to have the terrain.

Oh I see. Yes, I bought my unit with the 1GB terrain upgrade. I agree
it's worth the upgrade price.

Speaking of terrain updates...one of the things I've always wondered about
was updates to the terrain database. As the terrain database includes
things like radio towers, tall buildings, water towers, etc... we know new
towers are built all the time. Anyone know how they plan on updating the
database? Do they plan for this to be a subscription service (I hope not)
or simply no updates at all? Anyone know?

Greg

[Thomas Borchert]

Greg,

> Anyone know how they plan on updating the
> database?
>

AFAIK, they do plan upgrades, although not in any way scheduled. Don't
know about cost, if any. Also, the obstrcution database is different
from the terrain database, if I understand it correctly.

--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH)