Your IP has been blocked. Please perform the action below to regain access.
75.126.130.60-
Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
-
Greatly satisfied.
This is my first GPS unit so I don't have much to which to compare it. However, it served me well in the United Kingdom, Italy and in northern California. I am not the most technically gifted person, so it took a couple of readings of the manual and some hands-on experience to become comfortable. I found that downloading maps onto the SD card was the best, and perhaps only, way to have a sufficient number of maps available. Also, I mistakenly expected it to work more like my navigation unit in my car. My mistake. I am still happy with it though and don't regret the expense. It definitely made travelling in Italy easier than previous European trips.
Rating: -
Travelmate - Meridian Color GPS
I am Turkish and live in Belgium but have to do a lot travelling to Europe and US. I use a Meridian Color GPS with 512Mb SD card where I store US and European maps together. It works fine and did not have any problem. I have two issues with this device:
1- Loading of the maps takes more time than I have anticipated. (A map of 48Mb that covers most of Belgium takes 3hrs to load on a 512MB with full options selected) I use a card writer for this but maybe it is due to my slow laptop computer. But still to long. You should prepare the maps beforehand, not at the last minute.
2- Reception is becoming very low especially when driving through narrow streets with apartments and buildings on both sides. GPs Device gives late response and shows your location with bigger error margin. (You can buy an external antenna but I never tried. If somebody knows whether this improves the reception significantly pls let us know)
Rating: 
-
Magellan Support Stinks
Lost my Color Merridian overboard and had to replace the GPS. When I recieved the new GPS I called Magellan to get a new unlock code so I could load the charts on my replacement GPS. I was informed I would have to purchase a new bluenav CD since they only issue one unlock code with no exceptions. Well my exception is I will never buy another Magellan product Hardware / Software. As for the replacement Color Merridian it is being returned today. In the future I will purchase Garmin.
Rating: 
-
What a great device
The Magellan Meridian Color is my first GPS receiver, so I can't compare it with others. But it is an amazing piece of equipment. It is extremely versatile, well made, fun and useful. With the latest firmware upgrade, v5.34, and the excellent optional MapSend DirectRoute mapping computer software (made by NavTech) this is both a great handheld hiking GPS and an in-car, turn-by-turn, street/address routing device.
Although the internal memory is only 16 MB, enough for the adequate base maps that are pre-installed, the capability to use SD memory cards for uploading detaled street or topo maps from the computer greatly expands the usefulness. I am using a 256 MB memory card in my Meridian Color, on which I currently have uploaded detailed street maps for most of California, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico and Texas from the DirectRoute software. These have to be limited to no more than 64 MB regions that can be selected on the GPS through the "card utilities - change map" menu, and are available in the GPS at all times. If I want more maps than fit on one card, I can buy another card and swap them as needed.
The color screen is very good and can be seen well in a car from the drivers seat position when the unit is held in the optional dashboard suction-cup mounting bracket. Unless the sun is right on it, it is bright enough to be seen in the middle of a sunny day, and can be dimmed at night. The zoom function allows you to quickly zoom out to see your current position in reference to the whole world, or zoom in in reference to as close as a 100 ft scale of detailed street or topo maps.
The only negative comment I have is that the output connection from the GPS to a computer is a serial port type, rather than USB. Most newer laptops don't even have serial ports anymore. However, this is remedied by using a serial/USB converter (about $20). The uploading of detailed maps is much faster anyway when done directly to the SD memory card using an SD memory reader/writer (also about $20), which makes it mostly unnecessary to connect the GPS directly to the computer.
The GPS receiver goes through 2 AA batteries in about 6 hours of use with screen continuously at full brightness. I bought an AA battery recharger with 6 batteries for about $20 which works great and takes away the cost of replacing batteries.
The Meridian Color can quickly convert among all major coordinate systems, and has multiple screens to show you such things as your current coordinates, elevation, speed, heading, and needed bearing toward a chosen destination ("waypoint"). It can store up to 500 waypoints and 20 routes. For hiking purposes it can track your movement and then allow you to use a "backtrack" function to see and re-trace your path back to where you started.
Rating: -
Warning: Product does NOT meet specifications
When I first got the unit, I loved it. It appeared accurate, though it took a long time to acquire satellites at times. In fact, many times my Delorme Earthmate would acquire within 15 seconds, and the Meridian would take several minutes (while moving in a car sitting on the dash). The ability to use SD/MMC cards and load maps onto the unit was great for general usage. I used Magellan GPS for everything, from hiking, kayaking, driving, to boating.
HOWEVER, the specs say that the unit is IPX7 compliant, which means accidental submersion underwater for up to 30 minutes in 1 meter of water. I was in a kayak, got hit by a wave with the Meridian in my pocket, and was in less than 1 meter of water for less than 15 seconds, and water made it's way into the unit.
I sent Magellan/Thales navigation an email and gave them a call but was not given much help, even though I own multiple Magellan products (including the GPS companion, etc...). They noted that I could have it serviced for $150, which is what an new unit cost (this was not the platinum edition, but it is the same form factor and same case). All customer service would tell me is that sometimes water may enter through the keypad area. Well, if water enters through the keypad area, how can they advertise that it is IPX7 compliant?
I may be an isolated incident. However, with the customer service I received, I don't think I would ever buy another Magellan product, and will probably get rid of the rest of my Magellan products. I think the product design, features, usability, and intuitiveness is great, just the product does not perform up to expectations or promise. I would also consider customer service as well.
see more
Remember when those two satellites collided the other day? Seems that they'll be the space junk gift that keeps on giving, as their 800-km debris orbiting field could hamper all future space launches.