Drivesmart LMT51 Firmware upgrade

Wed, 07/25/2018 - 6:16pm

kurzemnieks

15 years

I was checking my Garmin for my upcoming trip I left the computer to do another chore. When I returned it was upgrading the firmware. Had I been there I would have definitely said no. So I took the trip.
First it had changed the screen from the one on the 1490 where it is split screen with the map on the left side and driving info on the right. It was full screen with small letters on the bottom. Unless I have the unit in front of the dash info I have to look close to see it. Almost like texting.
I have gone through the whole menu and can not find a way to go back to split screen. I think Garmin should have grownups who have actually traveled many times program the units or have actual travelers test it.

Mon, 07/30/2018 - 9:40am

CraigW

16 years

Upon further review

In reading the various replies in this thread, the initial confusion in the term split screen was resolved very quickly and did not affect the latter offers of help.

Part of the initial issue, at least for me, was my presuming that the DriveSmart 51 worked as expected until a firmware update was performed, so several replies assumed this and directed suggestions to firmware bugs, need for a hard reset, along with the now correct suggestions to look to the owners manual for advice on adding data fields.

I'm not sure why it took as long as it did to resolve the issue and return the desired data fields to the DriveSmart's display but like the suggestion of pausing for a couple brews. cool

There also was a short-term issue from users offering help that made an incorrect assumption of map-tap results due to our not being familiar with a device's response when data fields are present but this did not affect the resolution of the original problem of missing data fields.

As I mentioned in one reply, a problem that exists for folks offering suggestions to issues with a Garmin device, is that there are now so many models of Garmin devices in use, many with slightly different features and operating instructions so that we at times base our suggestions on our experience with our devices and the results and fix of the OP's issue may be slightly different. This remains an issue for replies that we all need to remember.

Another issue I see cropping up fairly often is that a long-time Garmin GPS user has just updated from an ancient model of nuvi or even an earlier device and replaced it with one of the newest models. The bigger the gap from old to new device, the more likely that there will be a steeper learning curve to use the newer device and the possibility that there will be an initial dislike of the new device until it's learned how to work through the device menus to reach the needed settings. Certainly Garmin adds to this issue as do most manufacturers of new electronic devices in that owners manuals are not included with the original purchase requiring a search on the web to obtain anything more complete than the tiny Quick Start sheet supplied in the purchase.

The persistence of both the original author and repliers lead to a successful conclusion and that's what really counts. Oftentimes the original author in a thread doesn't stick with the thread for a solution and fails to report success so that everyone reading the thread live or after the fact will never know how things worked out.

Mon, 07/30/2018 - 10:13am