Map Zoom! (What determines the initial zoom level)

Why don't you use the Voice Activate instead of pressing the + - button. That is what I do if I want a zoom.

Yes, you just do it

Voice Activation: SAY THE WORDS...zoom in, zoom in, zoom in, etc. (even if you need to do it 10 times).

I love to use the Voice Activation feature on my 855, including "zoom in" and "zoom out." I do confess to frequently pressing the plus and minus screen "buttons," but usually if I need just one or two presses. Hah!...Sometimes that will just goof you up...read below.

The big disadvantage of screen presses while driving (besides being inherently unsafe), is that frequently just a slight "mis-press" results in the Nuvi changing to an "Overview" mode (where the screen can be scrolled)...and leading the user into successive finger presses to return to the "driving screen." Aargh! Thus, a driver can intend to press the screen "just once," but end up with multiple presses to "get the screen just right," and this can be VERY unsafe (been there and done that, stupid self!).

Intended Soapbox Lesson: Learn to Use Voice Commands as Much As Possible, For Your Own Safety.

I'm one of the lucky 855 owners who has never suffered from its well known glitch, where the 855 freezes up...and has to be reset. So, I still love my 855, with all of its nifty features, to the exclusion of buying any newer model.

I recently completed a 3,000 mile trip, and continued to enjoy activating Voice Command to find the closest "McDonalds" on the fly. I was also very smug with myself when I cancelled an existing route (heading to an interim Via Point at McDonalds), and searched POI's for "Nearest Grocery"..."Along Route," found a suitable choice ahead (Albertsons, with a deli) and returned to "Map View"...all via Voice Command. I was able to perform this mundate feat at 60 mph, but with no cars around me at the time: It took perhaps a total of 2-3 minutes.

Of course, let me be honest here: It's also unsafe to move your eyes back and forth to the Nuvi, using Voice Commands, and concentrating on the above semi-complicated search of screen choices...all at highway speeds. It has taken practice and familiarity to become comfortable with the Nuvi menus (with just a few of the most used Voice Commands). When I was a newby with the Nuvi, it WAS semi-dangerous, but I have gotten to the point that I can perform multi-steps when traffic around me is sparse. This is still be a bit risky, but I feel that I can concentrate sufficiently on driving if there is no traffic immediately in front or around me.

I recall that when I first started with the 855, that I practiced speakingo t it while in my living room easy chair, right down to manipulating it through complicated searches. I also compiled my own list of Voice Commands (which are much more complete than offered in the poor Garmin online manual).

However, there is NO WAY I would ever try to manipulate the Nuvi BY HAND through a complicated maneuver, like the above POI search/set a new Via Point. That would be terribly dangerous! [Other drivers might be lucky enough to have a good "co-pilot" aboard, to hand press the Nuvi...but I find that it takes me about the same level of distraction to watch the Nuvi screen as she manipulates it.]

Oooh, I still love my Nuvi 855.

The nuvi 8x5 has the ability to disable autozoom. Have you tried disabling it and seeing if you get the same behavior?

Tools>Settings>Map...set Autozoom to disabled

I realize that I can adjust the zoom every time I look at the overhead view map by either pressing Zoom In (+) fifteen times (!) or saying "Zoom In" 15 times as a voice command (assuming there is no background noise in the car each time).

But what sets the initial zoom level? Previously, the initial zoom level upon displaying the overhead map view was at a level where you could view your neighborhood. Now it shows about 1/3 of the USA. How did this change? How can I set the default back?

Having autozoom turned on or off in the Settings has no effect here. (I believe autozoom only affects the regular display). I switch between different views often (useful when you want check what is around you) so this feature is now almost useless in practice.

Darn, I was following this to see if a solution presented itself...apparently not yet.

The 855 has more than its share of issues but this is a new one to me and would certainly annoy me too.

Here are a few more thought (that probably won't work either, but what the heck):

Have you removed and reinstalled your battery to fully power down and restart the 855?

Have you gone to your speedometer page and reset your max speed and trip info?

Have you tried a hard reset?

Is your firmware up to date?

Here's my final thought. I had issues with my 855 due to frequent auto-reboots in use and each reboot would revert my chosen voice to Jill--and if I removed and replaced the battery, I'd return to Jill as well. In preparing for the last map update, I removed the unused foreign language voice and help files, etc. I was very surprised in the weeks after having done this to note that my auto reboots disappeared and a battery removal/replacement maintains my chosen voice. So unless you really need that Afrikaans, French, etc. voices, freeing up space on your nuvi may have unintended benefits.

Good luck.

I'm not sure if this is a real solution or a temporary workaround, but this seems to work:

1. In the Map Settings, change the Map View to North Up.

2. Adjust zoom as necessary. Be sure to stay in the Map View screen (don't press the screen to display the panning map while you do this, changing that setting doesn't count.)

3. Go back and change Map View to 3D View.

4. Voila! When you are viewing the 3d View Map, if you press on it to display the panning map, you will see almost the same zoom setting (not quite as zoomed but much more reasonable) you set in step 2. I hope this lasts!

It would be nice if Garmin would just give us a detailed user manual explaining how all of the features work, rather than a simple getting started booklet.

On my 2xx nuvis setting the zoom levels was simple. They simply remembered them.

None of my 1xxx nuvis remember zoom levels. I haven't figured out the trick yet. No matter how many times I change them, they revert to the factory defaults. It is very frustrating.

Here's the 72-page manual for your nuvi 1450 and 1490:

http://static.garmincdn.com/pumac/nuvi_1100_1200_1300_1400_O...

Based on previous discussions on this topic, you can't make a 1xxx remember a zoom setting. When not navigating with it you have to set the zoom setting every time the nüvi is started, and as long as the nüvi is powered by the adapter or not shut down (battery only) it will retain the zoom setting. When navigating, the 1xxx adjusts the zoom based on your speed and cannot be overridden. The idea is to give you more time to react.

I agree that coming from a 200W the change is an annoyance, but a minor one. But it does highlight Garmin's thoughts that these are navigation devices, not mapping devices.

Thanks!

On my 855, I use 3D view, track up as my standard. It auto zooms as needed and have never had it zoon out to see several states by itself. In fact, I wish it would auto zoom further out in situations where I am not making a turn for 50-100 miles.

My 3790LMT zomms way out for several miles. I like it when it does that. It's nice to know how far out my next turn is or the what city is comming up. It feels like I am flying in an airplane.

Probably a function of its undersized memory.

ZING!

Well, I finally succeeded in setting the zoom on my 1450 and 1390.

Low speed 0.2 mi
High speed 0.8 mi

I don't know how I did it. I just kept setting it, as I did previously with my 2xx, and as of today both remember the settings after powering off.

It would be nice if this feature was explained in the manual.

Ya big tease!

Now that I am used to it have to admit I like it

Sorry I must of double clicked

I use voice command all the time but never thought about using it for zooming. Guess I will trying it out on our Christmas trip.

I really like telling Veronica to Mute.