Spare Screen Covers

goon525 · Regular Visitor Joined: Aug 25, 2005 Posts: 75

The official ones now cost £20 for three - quite a lot. I see others have used different solutions. But is there any common view on whether the official ones are ok?

LostMike · Posted: Sun Apr 05, 2009 4:05 pm Post subject:

They seem to be exactly the same as the original which you must have. So you can decide if that is what you want.
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LostMike
Satmap A10. Platform 21
Software version 1.5.9193
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4ndynorfolk · Posted: Sun Apr 05, 2009 5:52 pm Post subject:

Quite a price hike!

£12.97 on Amazon

goon525 · Regular Visitor Joined: Aug 25, 2005 Posts: 75

goon525 · Regular Visitor Joined: Aug 25, 2005 Posts: 75

Chris32 · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jan 03, 2006 Posts: 38

"As I mentioned in previous posts, both my cover and inner screens were etched by drying rainwater and the use of a good quality microfibre cloth (as provided with expensive spectacles) to remove this only caused fine scratches on both screens. I came quickly to the conclusion that the screen material is far too soft. Continual rubbing it to clean or dry it will quickly fog it with fine scratches.
I've discarded the top cover, to avoid the trapped rainwater problem, and applied a PDA protective film screen protector to the main screen".

I pasted the above from a 2007 posting and it seems to me that the situation hasn't changed much since then. There are enough examples of users discarding the outer cover to suggest that it is a real problem. I had trouble with mine - rain and grit - very early in its life. Like others I have discarded the outer cover and applied a decent screen protector. Proporta make one that can be cut to size and has a non-glare surface that improves visibility significantly, especially in bright sunlight. It is removable without leaving sticky deposits and can be washed and re-applied if it gets really mucky.

I have also found the Satmap pouch awkward to use and very harsh, so I discarded it in favour of a Lowepro D-Res 10AW and tethered the A10 to the case with a single cord phone lanyard so that I cannot drop it. The Lowepro case has a wider opening, a softer interior and a waterproof cover. It has a velcro belt loop and a pair of "D" rings that make it much easier to find ways of fixing it to rucksac harness and provide a firm anchor for the lanyard. It's not absolutely ideal, but makes you realise how much better the custom made pouch really ought to be.

It is a pity that it is necessary to spend extra money like this, but the £25 quid or so makes such a difference to the ease of use and effectiveness of the device that I really think it is worthwhile.

With these mods. the A10 is by far the best walking GPS I have ever used.

Bosun · Posted: Fri Apr 10, 2009 7:10 am Post subject:

Chris,

I was thinking of not using the top cover but I wondered if the two screws towards the upper edge of the Satmap were resistant to direct ingress of water.I realise that the top cover doesn't make them waterproof but at least it deflects water from directly entering the screw holes.

If water doeas get in Satmap might be a bit sniffy about it being used without the top cover.

Ian

Chris32 · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jan 03, 2006 Posts: 38

Funnily enough Ian, one of the things I noticed when I took off the outer cover to get rid of the water under it was that both of those screwholes had water in them. I walked in pretty torrential rain for several hours and the A10 was well wet even though it spent most of the time inside its pouch. The Satmap pouch material is quite absorbent and takes a long time to dry out once it gets thoroughly wet. I'm hoping that the rain cover on the Lowepro pouch will keep it dry, but I haven't had opportunity to try it yet in really wet conditions. We are off to the Lakes next week and I suspect the opportunity may arise . . . . . Rolling Eyes

I think the outer cover on the A10 may create a sort of capillary effect that draws water in and then traps it. Without the outer cover, a single shake gets rid of virtually all the water at once.

I must admit that it never struck me that the manufacturers might have neglected to seal the case screws. Given the trouble that they have taken with the sealing elsewhere, it seems unlikely, but now that you have mentioned the possibility I think I may bung in a bit of flexible sealant to fill up the holes.

Chris32 · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jan 03, 2006 Posts: 38

Have just noticed that the system censored my use of the word tor rent ial.

I broke it into three to see if I could get it through - What's wrong with it?

I'll try it again - torrential

It still doesn't like it - how odd?

cwmboy · Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2009 5:38 pm Post subject:

How about "pouring in abundance" if torrential (see if it happens with me) doesn't work. I was going to try something more coarse then thought better of it!
_________________
I Go To The Hills.............
Garmin 12XL
Garmin Vista
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4ndynorfolk · Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2009 7:45 pm Post subject:

I am sure that Mikealder used that word uncensored, in another thread, when he was explaining why we can't copy and consolidate our own SD cards, and how they might be distrubuted on the www.

Moderator's privilege, or only recently introduced?

rickwiggans · Lifetime Member Joined: Feb 09, 2006 Posts: 77

Chris,

could you tell me which of the Proporta products you used. Was it one of the PDA specific "advanced screen protectors" - and if so which one, or the universal cut to size stuff. I realise you've said in your post you did cut to size, but I'm wondering if there is any difference between the advanced
and the universal stuff.

As an aside, I've just come back from three days cycling in the pouring rain and driving wind, and water has definitely got into the device, despite my being absolutely certain that all closures were firmly shut. I got a fair degree of condensation under the inner screen, and on opening the USB cover, there was water in it. A call to Satmap, methinks,

Cheers

Rick

4ndynorfolk · Posted: Tue May 19, 2009 6:32 pm Post subject:

I use a proporta screen protector designed for an ipaq 2000 series PDA. mine fits with about 1-2mm excess each side which I haven't bothered to trim, reasoning that it will help lift the screen cover from the under screen and prevent the "rainbow" effect.

rickwiggans · Lifetime Member Joined: Feb 09, 2006 Posts: 77

Thanks for that

ElCapitan · Posted: Tue May 19, 2009 6:36 pm Post subject: Spare Screen Covers

I phoned Proporta in April and the Advanced Screen Protector for an "Archos 7" was the one that they recommended (cut it to size). £5.17 each plus shipping and VAT.
Their universal protector is to be used only once.
Tim
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