Update for Nuvi 6XX , Version 4.10 to 4.20

Just updated my 650 - took less than a minute

I always get a little nervous about firmware updates. When you live on the cutting edge there is a tendency to bleed a lot.

Is 4.20 working OK for those who have updated?

I also noticed they have a couple more voices added.
Thanks for the heads up.

Hi fde1,

I tried updating from 4.10 to 4.20 (with the Mac WebUpdater) and after it apparently downloads 100% of the update, it tells me there's a problem communicating with the Garmin update server. It advises me to try again (which I do) and bada-bing bada-boom the same thing happens.

I'll try again later this morning and if unsuccessful, i'll give Garmin Support a call.

Regards,

Tailspin

P.S. Thanks for the heads-up on the update...

Nuvi 670

Does anybody have the link to the update file for the 650? I'm behind a firewall that prevents me from using webupdate.

Not sure, but I think you have to use the webupdater program itself. I saw no link at Garmin to do it any other way, and I really looked.

I updated using webupdater, went smoothly, no problems as of yet!

I found this link, but it may not work on a 650.

nuvi 610 4.20 Update

Every firmware can be downloaded and installed. The webupdater isn't completely necessary. Just an easy avenue to downloading and updating the unit.

Go to Garmin.com > On the Road > Automotive > Select your unit > Click on Updates and Downloads under the Quick links (upper right hand corner) and then download the firmware that you need.

I tried that but the site doesn't show updates for the 650 or the 680 so I assume they haven't put the link out there yet.

That's waht it said when I tried the Web to update. Said there was nothing. But the webupdater did download and install SOMETHING. I haven't used it since the update, so I can't confirm if it works differently or even at all.

I couldn't get the update to take (a problem communicating with the Garmin update server), so I called Garmin Tech Support and after trying everything under the sun, the tech rep. (Kevin) sent me a .zip file containing the update.

(I'm using Mac OS 10.5 Leopard, but I can't say that's why it didn't work. The WebUpdater downloaded the update and that's where the process stopped, because I immediately got a dialog box telling me there was a problem communicating with the Garmin update server, It advised me to try again).

After unzipping the file, I placed it in the Garmin Folder on my Nuvi 670, unmounted the drive and removed the USB connector. When the unit re-started it loaded the update.

The Garmin tech's are going to look into the problem, but in the meantime I now have my Nuvi 670 updated to v4.20.

All's well that ends well...(Thanks Kevin)

Regards,

tailspin

Nuvi 670

I'll be checking the traffic icon update on the drive home tonight ( with my GTM20 antenna ).

Thanks for the heads-up.

dd ( nuvi 650 )

Thanks for the heads-up. I found the 660 link for 4.20. It is dated Oct 31. I hope to get it loaded when my wife let's me get my hands on the Nuvi. :)

http://www8.garmin.com/support/collection.jsp?product=010-00...

Took about 3 min. No problems. Appreciate the heads up on the update.

The clock on my nvvi 650 always starts at 18:00 every time I power up the unit ever since the upgrade to 4.20

I'll see if some sort of Restore or reset can fix this.

Arrgh.
dd

Just checked mine, it comes up with the right time, AM/PM format

My 660 is also putting up the correct time.

Just updated my 670 today. Thanks for the heads-up Frank! No problems. Time is OK. And the map drawing does seem to be noticeably faster. I used the Garmin updater.

After I took the GPSr outside and it locked onto the satellites, the clock updated itself.
I'm still going to check the traffic icon update on the way home.

Things that make you go hmmmm.
dd

I wonder what's up with the clock issue for some of you? After the update, mine seems to be OK. Accurate time before the sats come on-line and stays that way once they do.

I had the same problem as Tailspin. The Garmin support person I spoke to said right away that the Mac WebUpdater 2.0.1 is beta software and does not work. I told her about self-installing the firmware but she claimed she had no access to the file and could not send it to me.

It looks like I am SOL until the WebUpdater is updated itself.

Now if they can increase the voluum on the talking. When the radio is on in my truck, I can't hear the directions.

After my nuvi660 upgrade, unplugged data cable & couldn't acquire satellites while still indoors. At my indoor computer station, sats usually have nearly full bars (pre-version 4.20). Cycled on/off, moved around while indoors, still can't acquire (660 asked if I was indoors, told it no, wanted it keep searching). Went outside, acquired fine. Turned off, went back inside, no bars. Called Garmin, while on hold, sats acquired fine while indoors. Had it on all day, still good sats. If anyone else sees this, please post a message. Looks like they implemented a minor update, but, you never really know. Looked around Garmin site to see if older version 4.10 still available, they took it off. I'm going to keep prior firmware just in case have problems with newer version.

Hi Oditius,

You didn't say what model GPSr you have...

If your unit has the ability...you can change the audio settings, so that the sound goes through your FM Transmitter, instead of the GPSr speaker?

That way you can turn up the sound as much as you'd like. If your unit is .mp3 capable, it even pauses the music, while the unit is speaking the directions, through your FM radio.

HTH (hope that helps)

Regards,

tailspin

Nuvi 670

I have the volume turned to 100% the mp3 player is loud, no problem there, but the voice directions is like having it on 40%. The FM transmitter is like all other FM transmitters I have tried, doesn't work worth a darn. Sounds like I am listening to an old record. I know it is probably the OEM radio in my truck, but it is the only one I have. I have tried different stations, but with expanding stations in the windy city there isn't too many left.

If it is a TTS voice then you can use a hex editor
http://www.chmaas.handshake.de/delphi/freeware/xvi32/xvi32.h...
is a good one, and click search-find, then type in "voice_volume"(without the quotes), You will see the words "voice_volumeXX/voice_volume"(again without the quotes. The XX is the percent of max volume, change it by 3-5 points and try it, If you go too high it will distort.These are some of the base values
Deutsch_steffi default is 80
Deutsch_Yannick " "80 "
English American_Jack 65
Jill 65
English Australian_Karen 85
" " Lee 85
English British_Daniel 80
" " -Emily 75
Espanol_Javier 70
" _Paulina 85
French canadian_Felix 80
" " _Julie 80
If you increase them by 5 or so at a time, you should be able to find an amount that suits you (without too much distortion)

I found this upgrade link at gpsinformation.com with 2 links referenced for the 610 and 660. http://www.gpsinformation.org/allory/new.htm

My 680 file was labeled regional, whatever that is.
I noticed a faster draw time immediately. I use the MOST setting for the maps. The car image jumped as I drove, now little jumps.

There is a nice comment on the performance boost here: http://www.gpspassion.com/forumsen/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=98938&...
It was a link from gpspassion.com.
Enjoy.

Thanks for the heads up

But I could not find it. Nothing by that name anywhere.

Instead of the ubiquitous :01 every time, the yellow "sign" icon in the lower right corner of the map screen showed different values depending on what traffic was found on a given route.
The icon on one route showed :50, needless to say I took the detour option on that one.

dd

I found a solution for Mac owners. It can be found on thread How to Get and Install nuvi 6XX v4.20 firmware with a Mac

Want to avoid messing w/system files? get into www.radioshack.com and do a search for 40-1441; works like a charm on my 660.

Been looking for something like that. Even went into RS and asked them. The GIRL (?!) told me they didn't have anything like that and steered me to some Hi-Fi speakers.

Looks great, but I just want the voice to sound as loud as the mp3. I have similar speakers for my desktop at work. I think I would need another mount in the car to mount the speakers. Oh well, I could have sworn it was louder BEFORE the upgrade.

Good morning, everyone,

Thanks, Frank, for the heads up. I just updated my 660.

Miki

Just did the update using Webupdater and everything went fine. No problems with satellite reception or incorrect time. Just playing around in simulator mode, the map draw speed is MUCH faster. I'd say it's twice as fast as before. Looks to update twice a second now as compared to the once a second update from the older firmware. Finally, an update feature I can actually notice and enjoy!

After the update on my Nuvi 680, my sound volume seems to have diminished somewhat too. Its not your imagination, its a fact.

I just read over at gpspassion.com that some people have had their zoom scale disappear when viewing the north up map. I guess I'm lucky that everything loaded fine the first time, didn't lose any functionality, didn't experience any changes in volume and the map refresh speed increase actually WORKS! Happy camper here. :)

Yes, I just checked and my zoom scale is gone too.

Strange. Don't know why my 660 should be any different. Other people with 660s have had the same problem. I checked mine thoroughly and the zoom is there in sim mode and normal gps mode with and without a destination/route selected. I suppose, for me, it would be no big deal if it went away since I never really use it anyway. I'd just like to know why some units of the exact same model behave differently.

Just thought about something. With the faster screen refreshes, I wonder if this will reduce battery life. Seems like it would due to more processor "crunching".

I disagree.... probably better battery life. It is probably not doing more processing in a shorter time, but probably more efficiently/intelligently redrawing which should give you less processor "crunching".

Yeah, I guess you could look at it that way. We'll probably never know... I know I'm not patient enough to burn down a battery with each firmware. Besides, for me, it's fairly irrelevant since I mainly use it hooked up in the car or to the computer.

I would tend to think other influences besides a firmware version would have a big difference in battery life. Just off the top of my head running the mp3 player certainly drains the battery. Also scaling back the brightness makes huge difference in battery life. Others have claimed turning off WAAS improves battery life significantly.

Totally agreed... and don't forget to set the backlight timeout to 1 minute!

Guess I forgot to explicitly state "all other things being equal"...

After 200 miles of traffic driving, I can say that with this 4.2 update the maps load faster, the satellites give me full resolution faster, and I know it is not possible, but the sound seems better too. How can this be. Who cares!
Oh, and the traffic icons. Much better. Much more accurate. I am seeing accuracy I did not know was possible.
Good job Garmin!

I am ready for the next update Santa!!

I just updated my 660 to 4.20, and noticed the scale was gone. I like it there and noticed it was gone immediately. I called Garmin about it, and got a very helpful support person. He asked around and found out this is a known issue. He said the scale should be added back in the next software update. He didn’t have an exact date for this update, but said it should be relatively soon.

By the way, the scale seems to be gone in “view map” mode only. If you touch the map and scroll, the scale comes back. The scale is there is you press “browse map” from the “Where to” menu. The scale is also there in the map settings -> map detail screen.

Are you talking about the scale in the 3D mode? Yours sounds normal. There was never a scale in that mode on my 660. It's only on the top down 2D view map on mine when you touch the screen in 3D mode. The scale never showed in track or north up views either. I've been through several firmware updates and am running the latest 4.2 and nothing has changed from the beginning.