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Cheap Garmin Nuvi 600 @ Halfords.

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  • 05-11-2009 1:00pm
    #1
    mrmac
    Registered Users Posts: 2,967 ✭✭✭


    If anyone is looking for a cheap Garmin Sat Nav, this may be for you.

    I picked up a, discontinued, Nuvi 600, brand new, in Halford (Letterkenny) for €63.00. Charged it up, hooked it up to the net, and got my free update to the 2010-20 UK & Irl maps. Can't really complain!

    The 600 only has enough internal memory for the UK & IRL regional maps, but it has an SD card slot for further maps. Has MP3 & Jpeg viewer, but no bluethooth or FM transmitter. It is the older widescreen model, with the pop-up antenna, giving a great reception.

    Only downside, the power supply uses the older Garmin plug, instead of the mini usb plug used now, but this is not really a problem, just thought I'd mention it.

    The Letterkenny branch had another 2 in stock, and there may be more around the country.


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    #2
    candoken
    Registered Users Posts: 10 ✭candoken


    That's a good price - I've had a 660 (with the fm radio and bluetooth - which I don't use) for a few years and they are rock solid devices.

    I have seen a few sites which show the later 760 model side by side with the 660 and the 660 appears to get better satellite reception because of the pop out antenna).


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    #3
    polyfusion
    Closed Accounts Posts: 679 ✭✭✭polyfusion


    Many thanks for the info, good price alright.
    mrmac wrote: »
    Only downside, the power supply uses the older Garmin plug, instead of the mini usb plug used now, but this is not really a problem, just thought I'd mention it.

    Is it safe to assume that any GPS device with a mini USB socket can be charged/run from any mini USB car adaptor plug? Are the expected voltages on the pins always the same?


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    #4
    mrmac
    Registered Users Posts: 2,967 ✭✭✭mrmac


    Sorry for not spotting this earlier!

    Yes, any car charger, with a mini usb plug, will charge any GPS with a mini usb socket.
    The car charger should drop the voltage from 12v to the standard usb 5v.

    However, (ah nuts!), on older Garmin models, that used a specific Garmin type plug/socket, you have another issue. These units do have a mini usb port, which is used to connect to a pc, and can charge the unit while connected to a pc, but the unit goes into "communication mode", and cannot be used as a sat nav! So if you try to use a mini usb car charger, it will charge the sat nav, but you won't be able to use it at the same time :(

    I believe this has something to do with the grounding of a certain pin in the Garmin mini usb port, blah, blah, blah, blah zzzzzzzzzzzzz! Feel free to google it :)

    I know that this affects the nuvi 300 and the 600 range, but I think all the newer models, 200, 700, 800, 1200, 1300 and 1400 range all use the mini usb port to power them as well. In fact, any model without a pop-up antenna, should be fine.

    Again, can't help you with TomTom.


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