I bought the Meridian Platinum and the Garmin Vista to do a technical comparison. They are both great units with similar price and features. I also tested the next level down: Meridian Gold and the Garmin Legend with similar results. Here's my take:pIf small size and high resolution are important to you, buy the Garmin.pIf you prefer a larger screen, larger buttons, a floating unit, or something that can be viewed beyond an armslength away, get the Magellan. If you require reading glasses, avoid the Garmin.pHere is a list of specific comments:br- Size: Garmin fits easily in a shirt pocket. Magellan is 114% larger by volume and is better suited for a fanny pack or large coat pocket.br- Weight: Magellan is 51% heavier.br- Display: Magellan display is 66% larger, viewable beyond an arm's length. Garmin not viewable beyond an arm's length.br- Pixels: Garmin has over twice as many pixels.br- Resolution: With the smaller display and higher pixel count, the Garmin screen resolution is about four times greater. br- Both are waterproof. Magellan floats...Garmin doesn't.br- Reception: Magellan had slightly better reception, probably due to larger internal antenna.br- Screen protection: Magellan has a raised frame around display to help prevent scratches, but it also collects lots of dust on the screen as a result.br- Maps/waypoints: Low resolution for the Magellan made small map features difficult to discern. Garmin much easier to read with a large variety of highly detailed map symbols/icons. br- Features: Similar for both, but the Magellan had a few extras I liked: audible alerts for turns, a "windshield" navigation view with waypoints drawn in the "distance", a "speedometer" view with dial, sun and moon location displayed on the compass dial.br- Buttons/knobs: Garmin's buttons are all on the sides and are very small. You won't be able to operate them with gloves. I like the little joystick for the left thumb very much, but folks with clumsy hands will not. Magellan's buttons are large, easy, and labelled.br- Magnetic compass: Garmin must be held flat for this feature. Magellan's compass works in any position. (With motion, separate heading indicator works at any orientation on both units.) br- Battery life and accuracy: About the same for both.br- PC cable/DC car adapter: Garmin slides onto the back. Magellan has an awkward screw-in device.br- Mapping Memory: Garmin has 24 MB ready for upload from mapping software (sold separately). Magellan requires additional memory card for an extra $80-100 to upload their maps (both sold separately). br- Owner's Manual: Garmin provides complete owner's manual. Magellan only provides a quick-start manual. Complete manual is electronic and divided into two files.br- User interface: I found the Garmin software and menus to be slightly more intuitive.pResult: I wanted a small unit for outdoor activities and occasional automobile travel. I like small, high-precision devices with lots of detail. I kept the Garmin.pI also ordered the car dash mount, DC auto adapter, belt carry case, and MapSource MetroGuide USA CD. I have been very pleased with each of them.

.br.brAs should be obvious, knowing exactly where you are is equally as important as knowing exactly where you need to be. As a Sonet Technician, I purchased this unit to help find communications sites in obscure, often desolate areas of the eastern US. In the past, I had to rely upon either someone whom had never actually been there and used a web-based mapping site to issue turn-by-turn directions, or people recalling the location from memory, "I think you turn at so-and-so location, then look for the concrete cow on the left which means you just passed the turn so go back and turn right." Neither is very accurate, so I began using my laptop and tried out a number of mapping programs. I settled on MS's Streets Trips 2000 due to the ease with which I could open a window of saved points, double click on the ones I needed and find them automatically entered as waypoints (a feature inexplicably removed from subsequent releases). Using a mapping program alone worked fairly well, but the flaw is that once I missed a turn -- most often in the dead of night -- I had to determine where I was in order to find my way back to the plotted course. Terribly frustrating and confusing to be looking for Route 773 and be surrounded by routes 377, 737, 337, etc... This is a perfect application of a GPS unit as it can save literally dozens of hours per year of time lost to backtracking.pMy decision to purchase the Magellan brand came of a friend's recommendation of a Map 330 and of distilling fact from diatribe on number of GPS-related BBSs. Instead of exploring the merits (or lack thereof) of one mfgr\model over another, these discussions typically degenerate into little more than flame wars. Anyway... I purchased a Magellan Meridian Platinum at the local CompUSA for considerably more than I'd have paid had I ordered it from Amazon. CompUSA stocked neither the vehicle mounting bracket nor the data/power cable accessories on the day I purchased the unit.pWhen I first powered up the unit, I was indoors and quite disappointed that I got no satellite locks whatsoever. However, it quickly found my location once I stepped outside and had an unobstructed view of the sky. I discovered that the unit works less than perfectly unless held vertically and that even a single finger placed over the antenna section substantially degrades reception. I entered into MS Streets Trips 2002 (ST2K2) the lat-long location data for the 14 sites we needed to visit between Atlanta and Jax, FL. Using the included data cable, I connected the Meridian Platinum to the laptop, then ran the GPS setup. I was on the road in minutes. Finding the sites was a piece of cake for the most part, though it did take a while to get used to the update lag time. ST2K2's Help file explained that the software polls the GPS only every 15 seconds, mathematically accounting for what I found to be an average of nearly 1/3 mile error in position. From then on, I had the driver slow down 1/2 mile before each turn. When we did miss turns thereafter, it was only because ST2K2's maps weren't entirely accurate (particularly around Athens, GA).pI found myself constantly checking the battery power display and wishing I had the data/power cable. Be forwarned that the Meridian Platinum eats batteries for lunch. I burned four per day (two sets) over a four day period, averaging only slightly more than a halflife of what the documentation states; I got no more than about eight hours from a fresh set of high quality alkalines. Certainly the ability to turn off the unit's display would dramatically increase battery life. I found no reference to doing such in the .pdf manual. This is an oversight in my opinion, but undoubtedly can be corrected in a software update from Magellan.pBecause the mounting bracket wasn't available at the time I made my purchase, I had to leave the Meridian on the dashboard. From this arose a number of problems. The GPS was occasionally powered down when bumps in rough backroads caused it to bounce around and depress the power button. Also, it frequently lost satellite locks due in part to such jostling, but more to the fact that it's impossible to have an unobstructed view of the sky inside the cab of a large truck and that it cannot be held vertically without the mounting bracket. Another consequence of being on the dash was that the unit became *extremely* hot when exposed to direct sunlight. So hot, in fact, I became concerned that such tremendous heat might be damaging. While it seems no less the worse for wear, I'd rather it not get that hot in the first place. I believe the simplest solution to these problems is not a mounting bracket, but an external antenna -- the expensive unit can then sit safely tucked out of harm's way. Unfortunately, the Meridian line doesn't provide for the direct connection of an external antenna, and this alone might be reason enough to warrant a return for refund. I find it tremendously annoying that the designers would disallow such an option. pI bought a unit much more capable than I actually need or will ever use, so my advice to those new to GPSs is that you take your time and fully investigate the functions you need, carefully research the functions that several different vendors and their units provide, then, once you've decided on what you want, stop and research a little more. If at all possible, borrow a friend's or rent a number of different models for a few days. I can't knock the Meridian Platinum because it has more features than I'll ever use, and I'm certain backpackers and geocachers will love this thing, but the lack of an external antenna port must be taken into account. This cannot be overstated: if the primary use of your GPS receiver will be inside a vehicle, look for something else.pI award the Magellan Meridian Platinum 4 of 5 stars.pPros: Works well, seems quite rugged, has numerous cool features, and will give owners obvious bragging rights.brCons: Lacks external antenna capability, a bit spendy, and eats batteries like MMs.

It took me a very long time (3 months or so) of comparing just about every Garmin and Magellan units before choosing the Meridian Platinum and I am *extremely* pleased with my final decision.pThe Meridian Platinum is very easy to use (didn't have to read the manual and this is my first GPS). I was up and running with it in about 15 minutes. pI use this GPS for GeoCaching as well as street navigation in the car and it's excellent for both applications. One of the deciding factors for me was that the Magellan units are not as proprietary as the Garmin ones: for instance, using SanDisk memory cards is possible with Magellan but not Garmin. Considering the price that either Magellan or Garmin charge for those bits of silicon, going with the SanDisk option is a no-brainer.pFor street navigation, the MapSend Topo software is a *must have* since the basemap shipping with the Platinum is really weak in details. Even though the MapSend software is a bit outdated, it's still a good buy. pI also purchased a 64Meg SanDisk SD card and a Cruzer SD card reader/writer to avoid using the serial connection for loading maps. Works like a charm! Loading a 32 Meg map only takes a few seconds as opposed to hours over the serial link. pI have not experienced any problems with the MapSend Topo software or GPS lock-ups as reported by a previous reviewer. However, I *did* upgrade the GPS firmware (free download from the Magellan site) before messing with the MapSend Topo software.pWhile the MapSend Topo software is necessary to upload new maps to the GPS, it's not great to plan trips with it. For that purpose, I find DeLorme's TOPO USA 4.0 to be excellent.pBut when it comes to the management of routes built from waypoints, nothing beats the "EasyGPS" software. Even high-end products from DeLorme or Magellan aren't as good just for that purpose.pOverall this is a BIG thumbs up for this unit. The only downside may be how the GPS eats batteries (the electronic compass of the GPS has something to do with it but can be disabled to increase the battery life if needed) and for this reason, NiMH rechargeable batteries are a must.

I have spent about 4 days doing research on GPS units. I had it down to 2 units: Garmin and Magellan. I am new to the GPS market. I primarily wanted a GPS unit for hiking. I always bring a compass and a map with me, but I like exploring places that are not always on the map. I will divide my results into sections which are located below.p1.) ResearchbrI did research on all the Garmin and Magellan models. I went with the Magellan Platinum. The Garmin units have really small screens and the button / joystick configuration wasn't very appealing. I noticed that Garmin came out with a new unit that changed the button layout, and comparable to the Magellan Platinum (Garmin GPSMAP 76S GPS). The Magellan is bigger, but more rugged and more durable than the Garmin models. I am the type of person who wants all the features. To many times I have bought a version that only had some features only to upgrade to the higher one. So this time I figured I would go for the top of the line Platinum.p2.) Arrival of the ProductbrAs soon as I pulled the Magellan Platinum out of the box, I was impressed. It felt good in my hand. I read the Quick Start Manual. It was pretty straight forward. I went outside and started experimenting plotting points. I really wanted to test it out. So I drove around in my car all around town. I looked at all the screens that the unit had to offer (with the car parked). I was impressed with the features I encountered. There was a map view showing your current position. There was a road view which looked like you were driving on a road. There was a speedometer view showing your current speed. There was a compass showing your current direction including the sun's and moon's position. It also showed you your estimated time of arrival to your destination according to your speed. There are many more screens that I haven't even touched upon yet, but I was starting to turn into a GPS junkie. I wanted to test this thing out in the mountains.p3.) Mountain TestbrI went for a hike on a moderately small mountain. I set my waypoint at my truck. I then put the Magellan in my backpack and went exploring. The satellite reception was great even under heavy coverage. I reached the top of the mountain, and I was ready to return to my truck. I grabbed the Magellan. There was two ways the Magellan can direct me back to my truck: 1.) I could have used the backtrack feature 2.) I could have inputted my truck way point. I decided to go with the truck way point. To my amazement, it put me 5 ft away from my truck. I was psyched! p4.) ConclusionbrAfter the first time using the Platinum in the mountains, I knew I made a great purchase. I was looking forward to using this GPS on bigger mountains. I would like to point out a few things to people considering this unit.p-This unit only eats batteries when you use the backlight. I never used the light once on my hike. The screen is big enough that you really don't need it unless you are using it in poor lighting conditions. I would recommend that you bring an extra set of batteries just in case.p-If you are expecting to see very detailed maps in this unit, don't count on it. It does show major highways, water, airports, and train tracks. It doesn't show side streets or anything like that. You probably have to buy more detailed map software from Magellan. I would ask them how old the map software is too.p-The Magellan Platinum comes with a quick start up manual and a supplemental unit. It also comes with the full user's manual, BUT IT IS ON A CD! That is my only complaint about the purchase. The CD manual is over 75 pages, so be prepared to use a laser printer or buy extra ink cartridges for your printer. You won't have a problem if you like reading directions off a computer screen.br-I haven't tried to download anything onto the unit, but I am going to buy the Topographic CD (If it is current)pIn conclusion, I am glad I bought this unit. It has all the basic features I wanted, plus so much more. It is very durable, and it is very easy to handle and use. Appalachian Trail......here I come!

I used to wonder who really needed a GPS, and I still think that they are pretty much still toys, but the newest GPS technology has become harder and harder to resist. I'm outdoor guide and I lead backpacking, snow-shoeing, rock-climbing, and kayaking trips. I never needed a GPS nor did any of my co-workers. But now that I have this Magellan Platinum GPS, I don't know how I ever got on without it.pHere's why. Street and Topographical maps can be purchased for the Magellan unit. Secure digital cards can be added, in effect making it possible to put street maps and topographical data for the ENTIRE US on this one unit. A GPS without maps is much less useful, but with the maps, the Magellan unit is unbelievable. From an outdoorsman standpoint this unit beats maps for several reasons. First, maps are not waterproof and do not float (like this GPS unit does). Second and even more importantly maps don't tell you where you are. This means that I still take maps with me when I go anywhere (as backup) but that I hardly ever use them.pHere's what I have to say about the Magellan Meridian Platinum:br1. It is feature loaded (beyond the other GPS units). It has a fully functioning independent compass which allows you to orient yourself with features, sun/moon location, or simply by heading. The unit also give sunrise/sunset information and gives weather data (barometer and thermometer). These latter functions are merely icing on the cake. The compass is not worth the units price tag by itself, the barometer is merely an indicator of weather changes, and the thermometer is almost always wrong (because the unit will be in your pocket, car, or hand). There are also some features for hunters and fishermen but in my opinion this unit is not likely to help you to find the game--but it's cool nonetheless. All of these features are a nice complement to the Platinum unit which help it to stand out from the rest of the GPS options out there. For its price range no other GPS product compares.p2. The important stuff is all there. The Magellan unit tracks progress, has route setting, monitors altitude change, and provides other vital information. The unit has multiple views and modes which make it easy for a user to find the most useful information for a given situation.p3. The Platinum unit has some wonderful extras. Particularly noteworthy are the multiple levels of backlighting. Backlighting is important because a GPS does no good if you can't read what it says, and the multiple levels of backlighting are important for battery saving. Also, as mentioned before, the Magellan units are sturdy, waterproof and floatable. This is certainly a step up on the competition.p4. Also as mentioned before, the Magellan units are compatible with maps that may be purchased and the Platinum can use a removable digital media card (SD). This is important because without maps most users will find a GPS to be comparatively difficult to use and therefore useless. The topographical maps are a Godsend as are the other maps that are available for the US and Europe. As of my writing Garmin does not have comparable maps.pHere are my concerns with the Magellan Platinum GPS:br1. It is comparatively difficult to program and requires that one get cozy with the manual. This is no problem for those with patience.p2. The Platinum unit is a handheld unit and is designed as such. It is WONDERFUL for outdoor enthusiasts! However the small size of the screen, lack of color (who cares for the most part), etc. make it less practical for car usage. In other words, if you need a car GPS get something big and bright so that you can see it at a glance and thereby avoid accidents. If you need an outdoor GPS to double as a car GPS then go for the Magellan, it beats out the completion.p3. Battery life is an issue. The unit is fairly good about preserving battery power (6-10 hours) however I would recommend keeping an extra set handy especially if you are silly enough to think that GPS means you can through out the Thomas Brothers. pIn summary. The Magellan Platinum GPS is the best outdoor GPS you could buy, and it is very reasonably priced. It is also useful for walking, traveling, sailing, and to some degree driving. If you drive a Mercedes and you have no sense of direction however, don't buy this unit, it will not speak to you like some GPS systems do and it will not solve your problem.pAs an outdoors-person who is normally resistant to technology, this GPS has made me a convert, I hope it does the same for you.

I feel I have to respond to some of the points in a recent review...everyone is entitled to their opinion, but some of what I saw reported I thought inaccurate.pThe Meridian IS waterproof. Although you can see daylight beneath sections of the battery cover when viewed from the side, a rubberized gasket around the battery compartment prevents water from entering the unit. I wouldn't take it scuba diving, but it will survive an accidental dunking just fine.pThe 4.02 firmware upgrade has fixed the accidental power off problem. At your option, you can require a "confirmation" to power off.pI get about 10 hours of use with a set of NiMH batteries. With rechargeables, my battery cost is negligible. I haven't felt the need to buy a power cord (although it would be useful for extensive driving, especially at night with backlight on). If someone is getting only a few hours out of a set, that is not normal functioning. The unit should be returned for repair or exchange. I have plenty of time to download fair-sized map files, although a card reader is much faster and efficient. More important, it allows the use of multiple files, avoiding the overwrite problem.pFrom what I have gathered in online discussions, Magellan's stateside customer support is generally good. Phone support is usually good, emails are spotty in getting responses--if they have an answer, they seem to get back to you quickly and if they don't have an answer, you seem to get ignored. Repair turnarounds often happen within a week, and they frequently throw in some accessories such as a power cable and a case for your trouble. Internationaly customer support appears to be lacking. If you are applying for the rebate, make copies of everything before you send it in (the firm processing the rebates--not Magellan--is flakey).pI upgraded to the Platinum after cutting my teeth on an eTrex Venture. I liked the Venture, but I love the Plat. The SD card is like a little hard drive, permitting the use of multiple sets of waypoints so you only have what you need in active memory rather than the whole shebang. There are better GPS units out there, but they cost a bundle. I think Meridians offer the greatest value in today's GPS market.

I've had my unit since June of 2003. I've taken the unit deep into the woods while hunting and on several road trips. In both cases, it performed superb.
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br /During my pre-hunting season scouting trips, I was able to mark areas of interest in the woods. Three months later, using this GPS, find those same locations with ease. Secondly, I pack-in a climbing tree stand and use the GPS to find my way back to it before sunrise the following morning using this GPS with ease. The temperature and barometric functions help with identifying changing weather conditions where radio reception is spotty at best and keeping noise down is imperative to the hunting experience. I use the sunrise/moonrise function to keep me within legal hunting hours and the game movement calculator is within a few minutes of those published in the local papers. The diffent orientations of the display, heading, north-up, and course are also very helpful while navigating through the woods.
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br /I've also had the opportunity to use the unit on a few road trips between South Texas and Oklahoma. Using cities along the way as waypoints, I always new how far it was to the next town which can be important when determining if you should stop for gas or restroom break or continue to the next town. It also kept me informed as to when my turns were coming up. I had inputed waypoints using latitute and longitude locations I got from Micorosoft's streets and maps for locations outside of the current maps I had previously loaded into the GPS. I couldn't see the minor streets but I definitely knew where I had to go. The speed indicator was also very accurate. I had noticed that the GPS showed me 2-3 MPH slower than on my vehicles speedometer. I had thought this was an error in the GPS until I had passed a few of those roadside radar speed signs. The Radar indicated speed and the GPS were identical.
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br /Overall, I am very satisfied with the Meridian Platinum. If I had to make the decision over again, I would buy this unit again.

This is the first GPS unit I have owned. My purpose for purchasing a handheld GPS was originally to know my location for setting up a telescope. During my research I realized there is significant variety available and I stumbled onto the geocaching websites. (I admit the primary use of this unit is entertainment)pI bought this unit because of the built-in compass, barometer (ability to calculate altitude was important to me b/c we travel in the mountains quite a bit), and the expandable memory. I bought a SanDisk SD 128MB chip for the memory, an SD cardreader (worth the extra money for time savings!),the MapSend Topo software and a 12V adapter. pWithin 30 minutes of opening the box, I had calibrated the compass, initialized the system and was tracking my progress in the backyard and the car. The manual that comes in the box is a little light on instructions for newbies. I downloaded the manual from Magellan's website and printed it out. (104 pages) The full manual was more helpful - especially for using the MapSend software in conjunction with the chip. [A trick - as you upload regions to the chip, keep them under 16MB each and renumber the DETAILxx.IMG file on the chip. The program only saves as DETAIL00.IMG - so you will keep overwriting your file and never get the capacity of your chip working for you. Select the region you want by file name in the Card Utilities, Change Map feature. This may be obvious to most, but it took me a few tries to figure this out and the tech service line is not open on the weekends)pThe comments about the unit consuming batteries are on target - I got about 10 hours on the first set of batteries. So far I am finding the accuracy as advertised, but I haven't gone anywhere I am not familiar with. The reception is very good based on what I was told to expect. I can often recieve signals from three satellites inside my home and in the car (works better w/ sun roof open). My luck on city streets with buildings from 6 - 25 stories is mixed.pAll in all I am very happy with how quickly I was able to learn to use the unit, the variety of features, and the "fun" factor.

I have owned this unit for a couple of years, and I have upgraded the software recently as well (rev 5.4). I would not buy another GPS of this model, and I have doubts about Magellan products in general after my experience with this unit. My reasons are a little different than other reviewers.
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br / On my unit, the electronic compass is unreliable, and has to be recalibrated every week. This is particularly so if it is used around the electromagnetic environment of a vehicle, and whenever batteries are changed. Most importantly, there is no warning that the compass needs to be reset. Therefore you might find yourself walking along a heading that is completely inaccurate, without realizing it.
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br /One of the key issues when using a unit like this is trust, and in particular trust when in the 'nearly lost, semi panic' situation that we all hope to never find ourselves in. My unit falls short often enough that I cannot trust some of the data I am getting.
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br / In an effort to improve reliability I have set the compass orientation to "GPS course", so that when the compass fails, then at least the direction of movement on the map will be reliable. However I find it disconcerting when 'heading' is so dramatically incorrect. Evidently 'heading' is data derived from the internal compass, and the unit is happy to give data that is inconsistent with it's own data from the GPS direction. For example, when walking quickly east, the unit will always accurately show my movement on the map as east, even when the electronic compass has lost calibration. However on the next screen the 'heading' will be labeled as a ridiculous 221 degrees, or some other bizarre number, even when the unit is pointed directly along the eastward line of movement. It seems to me that it should be easy for the unit to be programmed to show a warning to the user that the compass is giving inaccurate data, since the data from the unit is in conflict with itself. If such a warning were reliable, then I would at least know when the unit needs recalibration. Sadly, Magellan seems to have made no effort to accomplish this. Without an internal check of the electronic compass I wouldn't trust this unit to get me out of trouble.
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br / In some ways I should have anticipated this. Clearly, a GPS should not be relied on for simple information as to which way north is. It is much better for pinpointing your exact location, ultimately the most important data that a GPS offers. Therefore if I ever need to buy another GPS I would get one that does not have an internal compass. It would be nice if Magellan were to offer a software upgrade that allowed the user to turn off the internal compass, so that battery use would be lower and data would be more reliable. Spurious data is worse than no data at all.
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I've been using my my MeriPlat on almost a weekly basis for over half a year now. I'm very happy with the purchase! The features I love most are the SD slot and the three-axis magnetic compass...meaning it works while held vertically, horizontally, or on it's side. It also has a superior built-in antenna when compared to Garmin's Etrex series of receivers. I've been out in the woods with friends who had Etrex. They periodically lost signal reception while I stayed locked in. The MeriPlat even works inside the house away from windows! In fact, the only time I have ever lost signal was under heavy tree canopy during a down pour. I highly recommend buying Magellan's Direct Route software...it gives the unit turn by turn routing ability and works great!

Two years ago, after extensive research, I purchased my Magellan Meridian Platinum. I have used it for automobile travel, geocaching, and to just play around with. It is a reliable and extremely accurate GPS. I spent last weekend geocaching (if unfamiliar with the term check out www.geocaching.com)locating 8 caches. The "MeriPlat" got me to within feet of each item. It is easy to use, most screens can be customized, and is very rugged. I have both MapSend Streets Destinations and Topo and have found them to be acceptable for my use. With a SD card you can load several map areas and select them as needed. Documentation accompanying the GPS is lacking but there are several excellent user groups on Yahoo that provide all the information you need to squeeze every bit of functionality out of your MeriPlat. Two years after it was introduced, the Meridian Platinum is still one of the best GPS units available in its price range. You cannot go wrong with this GPS. Good luch and happy geocaching.

The Meridian units are outstanding. The Platinum is the best GPS unit I have seen. It fits your hand, left or right, the buttons are easy to use, a large easy to read screen and the rubber armour makes it easy to handle when wet or wearing gloves. With the electronic compass barometer it has the features that all GPS units needed. The topo map software and download capability is amazing. Using an SD card reader to download map data cuts the download time to less than a minute. brMy only complaint is the user's manual is on a cd, I would have like a printed manual. There is a help option in the unit's software that is very useful in the field though.brIf you are looking for a handheld GPS, this is the one to get.

The Meridian Platinum sucks up battery power quickly. Does not usually last beyond 8 hours, whether using regular batteries or rechargeables. This happens without using the backlight and without a lot of screen changes. Secondly, the Mapsend software is 6 years out of date, 6 YEARS! Requests to Thales for assistance goes unanswered. Have sent 6 emails, received no replies. Their new 3D software uses the same maps, 6 years out of date. I would recommend any manufacturer in the world but these people. TERRIBLE, TERRIBLE PRODUCT, TERRIBLE, TERRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE. THEY DON'T CARE ONCE THEY'VE SOLD THEIR PRODUCT.

I have been using the Meridian Platinum steadily for about two weeks now and love it. It is VERY accurate...for me anyway. While geocaching the GPS said I was 1 foot from the cache. Well...I standing on the cache. I never got that kind of accuracy from my other GPS.pAs for people saying it doesn't work indoors....IT ISN'T SUPPOSED TO! Minimal research into GPS technology (and the vendor's websites) tell you that they are not accurate in buildings.pRemember, the Meridian is a handheld GPS and is not designed to give you directions to a destination while in your car. But for the use the Meridian was designecd for, I can't imagine a more accurate GPS.pTroy

I had a little trouble adapting to the technology and nagivating the various screens, but once I figured out the relationships between the screens an the buttons I found it to be a great machine of great accuracy. This device will get you in and out of just about anywhere but if you're learning curve is as long as mine you may want to carry the manual with you for a few practice tours before making any serious ventures.

After three weeks of use we really like this unit. It's easy to use if you just read the book or use the CD that comes with the unit. One word of warning is needed though. If you buy the Mapsend software for this unit DO NOT load the base map as per directions. If you load the base map it will convert your unit to a Map 330 unit then it becomes brain dead !! You can load topos by accessing the topo program directly. If you need help or have questions check their home page for info. I will now be without my unit for about three weeks while waiting for a new unit. It's a great unit though, too bad I can't play with it now. Also no hassles from Amazon about returning the unit. Thanks Amazon

Although this GPS has great functionality, it goes through batteries quickly. I always carry spares. I highly recommend the cigarette lighter adapter.

I must say I really like the Platinum GPS. I used a friends Marine unit several times, which sold me on Megellan. I used both units (marine my Platinum) side by side while driving. Every display was identical b/w the two units. The Platinum has some features the Marine doesn't. For the extra money, you otta get something. The base data b/w the two are almost if not identical. I didn't look that close. For the Money the Marine is a great unit. I decided to spend a few extra bucks (which I will discuss later)and get the Platinum because of the built in Barometer and electronic compass features. brThe Barometer is accurate, but so what, I don't see the need. The compass works very well except while moving at hiway speeds. If you're a hicker/camper the feature is great but why not save a few Bucks and buy a regular compass and get one of the more accurate Sports Trak Models? brThe Thermometer works, but once again who cares about the temp is inside the car? br...BROver all the Platinum is a great GPS for what it was built for. Think twice about the Barometer and Compass features. If I did it over I would buy either the Sports Trak or the Gold.

On Magellan vs. Garminbr"But both Garmin and Magellan offer good detail when viewing the maps on your PC's screen. Magellan, though, has done a far better job of transferring topographic data for display on its devices. Garmin's software, on the other hand, transfers far less detail, such as contour lines, to your handheld than do the Magellan products."

My Magellan Meridian Platinum has somewhere around 50 to 80 hours of use during elk hunting seasons during the last two yesrs. Seemed to be OK unit when it worked.
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br /I took it out this year (Sept 2006) and it didn't work. Changed multiple sets of batters and nothing. Tech support in India is terrible. You explain what you have done, they seem to listen, then they begin asking questions (in poor US English) that starts with stupid questions and covers what you just told them.
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br /Finally after several calls, I find that Magellan has set a $155 repair fee. I cannot express how mad I am at a company that sells a high end GPS and it fails and they abandon any responsibility. If I ran over by a car, I would expect them to charge me. But sitting in my hunting pack in my basement hardly constitues abuse.
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br /I cannot recommend any aspect of Magellan. PS, after lodging a email request, I never got a response.

Bevor I start out with some technical details let me tell you that this unit is almost bullet proof. I'm using it on a ATV and once I didn't attach it properly on the mouting and it fell off at about 20mls/h. It smashed on the road and slided over the rocks. I thought there goes my $ (now a lot cheaper); but except some dirt that was stuck between the buttons nothing happend. At another time I had a serious crash with the ATV and the whole thing with the GPS on top of the handlebar rolled down the hill. The ATV took some serious damage but the GPS had just a minor scratch on the rubber surface. Other than that - perfectly o.k. brTo put it in one sentence: This is a very reliable unit that will never let you down when you are out in the wilderness. brThe unit is very handy, the buttons nicely placed and also illuminated when the backlite is switched on. But the battery drain is immense when the light is on. My 2 NiMH batteries (1800mha) last 10 hrs w/o the light. There are two options of light, with the brightest option the batteries are done in about 2 hrs. When you have a 12 volt in the place where you operate it, I strongly recommend the 12v power cord. brThe Magellan is mainly build for hikers but I'm also using it on the street and while I'm sailing. For sailing it is quite usefull with the Curse over Ground and Xross Track Error. The only thing I'm missing is the Route-Planner function for navigating on streets. I don't understand why they seperate so strikly between hiker-units and streetfinders. Anyway, inserting waypoints I can create my own best route - it just takes somewhat longer. All the features like vertical profile, distances, legs.. etc. make it a perfect hiking GPS. Expecially the Backrack function is very advanced since it doesn't cut corners like other units do. brThe map that comes factory installed is very rough. Get yourself the MapSend Magellan Topo and you are set to explore the tiniest details all over the States. I also bought the MapSend Street - what a waste of money. Not that it is bad but the Topo has already all the streets and roads, plus you get the topographical details. You don't have information about shorelines and harbours though. To store all the information you need a SD Memory chip. But the Magellan can only take 64 MB. A friend of mine wouldn't believe me and he bought 128MB... it didn't work. 64MB is good for 4-5 whole states but keep in mind - only a max. of 3 regions can be stored at the same time. Very annoying is the fact that you can't simply add or replace a region. Whenever you wanna work on the memory chip everything else on the chip is erased. Expecially since the downloading over the com-port takes a while (32MB- 35min). When you decide for this model the first thing you wanna do is to update the version - the older versions have quite some bugs and the latest version 4.x gives you some additional features. The download over Magelan is quick and the update easy. But take care: Whenever you update or download data to your GPS, never ever let it run short of electricity. Make sure the batteries are at least half charged (remember 64 MB take appr. 1hr). Otherwise you will experience some serious problems to get this thing running again. brThe WAAS correction satelite makes this a very accurate positioning system. Over the North American continent you have always WAAS connection (Accuracy up to 3yards). The 12 channel receiving capacity contributes to it.brFrom the 24 satelites circeling the earth you need at least four to get all the necessary information. I never had problems using it in the open or in my car. brI would buy it again but maybe next time with a color option - even though that must be worse on the batteries.

Time is passing. Moore's law applies to GPS, too. brI loved it when I got it, have used it extensively, and happily. brBut, by today's standards, the screen is too small, the images on the screen are too small, and the odd shape, while comfortable for a hand held, is awkward for the dashboard of a car, or even the desk beside the PC. There are odd constraints on usage of large capacity SD-MMC chips, and the mapping software that works with it doesn't do its job well, either. pI _still_ carry a real compass in the woods or on the water, and bring extra batteries and a paper chart or two (or more). If it is loose in a boat, I'd put it in a clear, waterproof, container of some sort, at least in a zip-lock bag or the equivalent. p...pI'm glad I bought mine, but if I was getting one today I'd look for a serious, heavy, discount.

Yes, I agree that the Meridian Platinum is a wonderful GPS. However, I just logged on to the Meridian website and pulled down the latest upgrade to this GPS. The instructions were very clear about using batteries more than half full to complete the upgrade. I inserted new batteries to do the seemingly simple upgrade. The upgrade lasted more than three hours while the instructions said the task would take only a few minutes. During the upgrade, the batteries completely discharged and the unit shut down. The download reported 99% complete for over an hour but would not finish. The unit is now rendered unusable. Megellan has informed me that this unit is not repairable, upgradable or useable at this point. But they are suggesting that I can purchasing a remanufactured GPS to replace my Platinum. These prices are all over the $150 mark and hover closer to $250 for a replacement. I followed the directions to the letter. Their routine to upgrade rendered this GPS unusable now and I have to pay to get a replacement? I have used this GPS for hiking, automobile trips and have a great mount that I purchased for my boat. All this is to be tossed? This company may need to be looked at a little closer when thinking about a GPS purchase. I have another Magellan GPS, the Roadmate 760 that also needs to be updated. Imagine if I lost this unit as well? With no support from Magellan? In the future, I'd have to rethink my decision on selecting a unit from Magellan. I'm not at all happy with the response I received from them. It was their instructions which rendered this perfect GPS, useless. A real shame.

I've used this numerous times to find my way around blocked roads and unfamiliar cities. It was a good GPS for it's time, but I'd suggest now to find a newer model, computer interface is pretty clunky and slow with this model if you want to upload more detailed maps to it. Recommendation: Nice GPS, past it's prime, look for something newer if you are buying.

My ONLY complaint about this GPS is the ease at which it turns on or off. I do a lot of geological field work and compile a lot of location information. And, every once in a while I have to put the GPS in my pocket or in a pouch I wear on my belt. VERY often I hear a little beep indicating the power switch has been activated. If I had it "off" it is not a problem because it will power down in 5 seconds unless the enter key is hit. But if it is "on" everything is interuppted. Magellan should have designed a small toggle switch or at least an "on" button that takes more that casual contact to activiate.
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br /Other than this one annoyance, the GPS lives up to everything Magellan has to say about it, I even bought one for my kid.

I have had my MeriPlat about 2 weeks now. I am very pleased with the quality of the unit and also the form-factor.pThe quality is very good: the unit has a rubber wrap-around "bumper" on it (in case you drop it) and the buttons are placed so that you can easily press them with your thumb. Also, since I'm left-handed, I was pleased to see that the design does not favor a certain "handedness" like many of the Garmin units do. The reviewer who said that the unit's battery compartment was not watertight just needed to open their eyes. Inside the battery door, this is another rubber seal which seals the actual battery/memory card compartment. It is true that holding the unit up to a light will reveal gaps, but those gaps are what allows the battery door to compress the rubber seal and make the compartment watertight. pThe usability of the unit is very good also. This is my first GPS and I've been able to become comfortable with using it in less than 2 weeks of casual (fun) use. I am really looking forward to having better weather so I can use the unit for "real". Most of the data displays on each of the unit's 8 screens can be customized or removed completely. The screen is easily readable in full sunlight (unlike some LCD displays) and the dual-level backlight does a fine job at night. The backlight is an EL panel (electro-luminescent) so it does have a quiet "whine" when it's running (as nearly all EL panels do) because the panel is driven with a high-frequency voltage step-up converter. This is normal and honestly, not a big deal at all.pI am looking forward to getting an SD memory card so that I can download additional detailed maps for use in the MeriPlat. This expandability was one of my main reasons for purchasing one of the Meridian products (none of the Garmin units are expandable). Once you go to download a decent-sized detailed map, you'll realize why being able to have 128Mb removable cards is so handy!pThe built-in basemap is decently detailed, but as you would expect, 16Mb cannot hold every detail in the entire country. In my region, for example, the built-in map does not have the minor neighborhood streets. Also, sometimes the map is about 100 feet off, which considering that normal GPS (without WAAS, which this unit has) is accurate to about 50-60 feet, I don't think it's a big deal. Plus, as noted in my previous paragraph, I will be adding detailed maps in the near future via the expandable card, so I don't consider this to be a major issue. I don't think that most people will have any issues with it either.pOverall, I'm very pleased with this purchase. I never thought that I'd have this much fun by simply knowing where I am, but it's a blast. I can't wait to start doing some geocaching!pMike

I'm not new to using hand-held GPS units; been doing it for a decade now - and I make very heavy use of them both for hiking as well as driving cross-country.pUnfortunately, Magellan's Meridian Platinum has been a great disappointment so far. There are some things that I really do like in it, namely the built in barometer, thermometer and compass. My favorite of these is the compass unit which seems to work quite accurately and lets you get a reading of your bearing even when standing still. Unfortunately this is about the end of my positive thoughts about the unit.pProbably the biggest disappointment is the flimsy physical design. The door to the battery compartment is NOT water proof. It is a large plate (about half the size of the unit) which is placed straight down on the receiver and then two sideway latches are engaged to hold the plate in place. The problem is that these latches are not holding the plate very tightly - there is a noticeable gap between the plate and the GPS unit. If you hold the unit sideways and look at a light source you can actually see through the space between the plate and the receiver. I guess that Magellan's definition of waterproof does not include keeping the battery bay and memory card dry. The physical design feature that I find even harder to live with is the ease with which the unit will accidentally power down when you are carrying it on your belt on in your backpack. The power switch protrudes way too much, it is located near the bottom end of the unit and will activate with the slightest touch.pAlso, the unit eats batteries like there was no tomorrow. It requires two 1.5 volt AA batteries to operate. These do not last long at all. Even if you do not use the back-light, they will be eaten up in a few hours. If you go on a substantial hike (like a day hike, heh) I recommend that you take a handful of extra batteries with you. In a vehicle, the power cable is indispensable. Thankfully the cigarette lighter adapter is relatively [inexpensive] but I do not see why it was not included with the platinum unit to begin with. Another nice thing to have for the car is a mounting bracket. I used to attach my previous GPS units to the top of the dashboard with Velcro and they stayed there quite securely but given the shape of this unit you really need the bracket.pMagellan's memory cards are unreasonably expensive. I got a Viking 128 MB Secure Digital Card that works just fine with the Meridian .... If you get the same thing from Magellan, prepare to pay twice as much for half the memory with no improvement in performance. The only thing that you have to be aware of is to upgrade Magellan's firmware to version 4.02 because the version that the Platinum unit ships with does not support the Viking card. However, the upgrade is a trivial process (you will need the data cable which ships with the Meridian Platinum).pAnother issue with the memory card: the map that ships with the Meridian is ok for the states but there is little data for Europe. So I bought the MapSend Streets Europe ... Of course there is no way that you can download the entire map of Europe to the GPS receiver's memory card even with the 128 MB card installed. In fact, with the current firmware you can not even fill up the 128 MB card. You are restricted do downloading no more than 4 regions with each region being no more than 16384 KB. And this refers to the size AFTER conversion so I recommend that you do not mark a region bigger than 16000 KB in size. So here is the battery problem - downloading the map data to the receiver even at the highest baud (115200) takes a long time. In fact, it takes so long that the battery will be used up BEFORE all of the map data is downloaded to the unit - and this will cause the download to effectively abort. Even when I started with fresh batteries and having done the map conversion ahead of time (stored them on the hard drive of my PC before the GPS was ever turned on) the best that I could do was to download only 3 out of the 4 possible 16384 KB regions! So you say - why not just download three regions, change the battery, and then download the final region. Nope - maybe this is possible to do but it did not work for me because each download session clears the previous regions that were downloaded. In the end, the most I could do was to download only Austria and Italy and had to leave the rest of the trip to good old paper maps.

I purchased a Roadmate 300T in April. In August the units batteries would not charge. I called the Technical Support and was told to send it in to the RA Center in Ft. Worth. I sent it in and never heard back from Magellan. I've called Technical Support 15 times and I'm told something different each time. I was told today that they don't have the software to even determine the status of the unit. All they can do is tell you that thay are working on your unit. They don't have access the the repair center to determine what is realy going on with your unit. Stay away from Magellan.

I shopped long and hard for the right GPS for me and after hours of INet research and comparison shopping...took the leap and bought the MeriPlat...pFor the few xtra bucks, it is absolutley worth getting the Platnium over Gold and any SportTrack...(imho)pSo far, I have not been disappointed...it works (afaict) flawlessly...p(My only beef is with the supporting MapSend Topo product which leaves something to be desire. But it does add enhancement to the basemap and I still recommend it...)

Well, my experience with this gadget has been swell, a piece of cake when it comes to set it up (I didn't even have to read the manual) and a very easy to use and understand HANDHELD! Has many great features that I don't really use but I'm ok with that, I prefer more that less... Great for trekking, my main activity when I use it... I wouldn't leave home without it, it's my favorite "high tech toy" to use for my job, as I am an archaeologist...:) I only had one problem with it because after two months of use it's system crashed down and it just wouldn't turn on again... I took it to the store where I bought it with my warranty on hand and they gave a brand new GPS, the same one of course, after 3 days!!! Anyway, I did what other customers already said: UPGRADE ASAP. So I did and I hope I don't have anymore trouble with it... Apart from that, I'm very happy and satisfied with this GPS.

I bought one of these in June of 2003 and it went bad in November. It started shutting itself off after being on only a few seconds. I have returned it to the manufacturer for repair.

This is the G.P.S. I've been waiting for! brFor many years I've been holding off buying a handheld G.P.S., they were difficult to learn , feature starved and, in my opinion, to expensive for what you got. brThen along came the "Merdian Platinum". This will be the benchmark for handhelds in the future. It has a very intuitive interface and is feature packed! Waterproof (it floats!), built like a tank, easy to see display, two levels of back light, designated zoom buttons, I could go on and on.brThe built in electronic compass and barometer/temperature feature are frosting on the cake. br but don't take my word for it, if you're in the market for a handheld G.P.S. look no further.brThis is IT.brKUDOS MAGELLAN!

I travel a lot in relatively tough conditions in a 4X4. Last week I went into Northern Arizona--I figured...what the heck I might as well get a GPS to help me as I will be 70+ miles from the nearest town. Not only did the unit fail to get more than 2 satellites --useless for point recognition--it asked me for the lat and long of where I was!!! What a joke--Magellan sucks! Isn't that what the GPS is supposed to do? tell you where you are and not the other way around? Going to Garmin.

Be careful of other reviews!!! The meridian units do not have unlimited expandability as the manufacturer and other reviews state. When you use MapSend Streets or TOPO, you are LIMITED to four 16 MB regions, totaling 64 MB. If you have a 128, 256, or 512 MB card, you can only put 4 16MB regions on the card. It is very limited!!! Contacting Magellan's support only gives you an email that says "Thank you for contacting us." If you need to load a large region, think twice about the Meridian devices. The hardware and functionality is superb, but the expandability is poor if you are going to travel in an extended area or go on a long road trip. You will have to switch between many small regions.

Mine is not even 2 weeks old and it is dead. It either won't turn on or it suddenly dies after 10-15 seconds. New batteries didn't help. After visiting several internet chat rooms I discovered that this is a widespread problem. According to other owners Magellan is not being very helpful. Save yourself a lot of grief and buy a Garmin. From what I have seen this problem is limited to the Platinum and the possibly the Gold.

I bought this GPS 4 weeks ago and was initially very impressed with it's functionality and well laid out screens and data display capabilities. After having it for about 10 days and only a couple of hours actual use, the first time I went to use it for the intended business purpose, the unit failed to start, despite changing out two sets of fresh batteries. The unit had basically died after only a couple hours use. I've been waiting over a week for the replacement to arrive. I checked the box to find that the GPS was manufactured in China. Coincidentally, a few months ago I purchased a replay TV system from SonicBlue, also made in China. It too was dead on arrival and was immediately returned for refund. Two of the last two electronic gadgets I purchased were made in China, and both of them failed immediately. Draw your own conclusions about this products reliability.pWhile the Magellan Platinum is a great GPS from a basic engineering standpoint, those of you who have had problems with the reliability of products made in China may want to think twice about buying this GPS for any use which may put yourself at risk, or have significant business consequences.

this gps unit is pretty much useless for car navigation-- it showed me a block from where i was standing, on another street, past a creek that doesn't exist! (in south florida, using usa streets and destinations).
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br /what the $#%% is the point of a GPS if it doesnt even show you where you are? it embarassed the hell out me when i was showing it off. you can only imagine.
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br /in terms of hiking on trails and wooded areas and whatnot, i cant judge because i didnt test that aspect before i returned it, but im sure its great.
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