Garmin 182c screen!

Hightower · 12 October 2007, 17:47

Guys, have a look at the crappy photo and tell me if there's anything I can do to cleen the screen?

I think it's the coating come off in places making the screen look smeared and dirty.

Can anyone please tell me if there anything I can do?

Mollers · 12 October 2007, 17:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hightower

Guys, have a look at the crappy photo and tell me if there's anything I can do to cleen the screen?

I think it's the coating come off in places making the screen look smeared and dirty.

Can anyone please tell me if there anything I can do?

Yep, that's bad!

Hightower · 12 October 2007, 18:02

Mollers · 12 October 2007, 18:15

Ah, there it is! Try peeling the plastic off.

Hightower · 12 October 2007, 18:18

You fool, I took it off 3 years ago

Mollers · 12 October 2007, 18:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hightower

You fool, I took it off 3 years ago

Are you sure it was just the plastic you pulled off?!!

Hightower · 12 October 2007, 19:01

Yes, but if it makes you feel better I'll have a look tomorrow.

bernithebiker · 13 October 2007, 11:28

Hightower, my 178c, which is only 1.5 years old looks pretty much the same. I can't really get it clean or smear free.

Partof the problem may have been wiping the screen when it had salt on it. But it does make it look tatty, and can make it hard to read too.

My new 498 looks pristine (of course! its new!) but hope it stays like that.

Hightower · 13 October 2007, 11:35

I'm going to send an email and picture to Garmin an let them know. If the screen is glass then wiping it with Acitone might clean the rest of the coating off, however I'm not willing to do that till I've spoken to Garmin first.

Hightower · 13 October 2007, 11:43

OK, so I won't email them...I can't seem to find and address on their website, I'll give them a ring next week.

The Grocer · 13 October 2007, 12:15

You're not alone - nearly all the anti-reflective coating has come off our 178c after 8 months.

I'm going to contact Garmin when I've got a minute or ten.

Then again, if anyone's aware of a cheap, durable and effective after-market a/r coating that can be applied by the ham-fisted, I'd be very interested.

Hightower · 13 October 2007, 14:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Grocer

Then again, if anyone's aware of a cheap, durable and effective after-market a/r coating that can be applied by the ham-fisted, I'd be very interested.

You mean a sledge hammer

The Grocer · 13 October 2007, 15:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hightower

You mean a sledge hammer

That's my usual standard of engineering - if it don't work, 'it it 'ard!

It'd really reduce the glare - but somehow I doubt the legibility would improve...

jwalker · 13 October 2007, 16:27

The loss of the anti-reflective coating is often talked about on the US forums. Is seems to be particularly bad when in direct sunlight....just like Arran

....there doesn't seem to be a satisfactory aftermarket cure. Most folk talk about a stick on protective film which, apparently, is also a bit anti-reflective. I think the idea is to put it on when the unit is new. However, if Garmin don't have a solution which doesn't cost you, a good polishing with T-cut or Brasso will probably remove the remains of the coating. You can then live with the shine or try the stick on film. I've seen the film advertised on Ebay.

This is not my usual type of advice since I've not tried it so you're on your own. I've polished plenty of things with Brasso, though.

Colin F · 13 October 2007, 16:35

i used spectacle cleaner wipes on mine, came up ok. it was recommended to me by my local garmin dealer

Hightower · 13 October 2007, 18:50

I was always very carefull with my screen and always washed the screen with water and wiped with really soft cloth and camera wipes (which I actually kept on board), the screen was never in direct sunlight unless in use. I think that when the GPS is on it's not too bad, just very unsightly when switched off.

Nasher · 13 October 2007, 19:04

Andy

Try wiping it with a normal glasses cleaning cloth, like you get with a new pair of specs.
It may be too late as your coating appears to have become patchy already.

If you've not got one, I can let you have one with RAYMARINE printed on it

They are supplied with all Raymarine displays as a cleaning cloth.

If you end up taking the coating off altogether the film JW mentioned is supposed to work very well on computer screens, so would be worth a go.

Nasher

jwalker · 13 October 2007, 20:17

Andy, is the film damaged or is it just marked with grease and fingerprints? If it's just marked try using some Fairy Liquid in a small amount of warm water and then rinse it off. Wipe gently with a kitchen towel, use a new sheet for each wipe. I use this if I mark a camera lens, computer screen, CDs and also on me specs.

Chris · 13 October 2007, 21:02

Andy I just had this happen to my 178C I actually decided to remove mine completely and used window cleaner. It does not make any diffrence as far as I can see as I can still see the screen clearly in sunlight.

Chris

codprawn · 13 October 2007, 22:42

I hope my Raymarine will be ok - the screen was a bit grubby so I was going to clean it - then this bloke comes around from the RNLI to do a free safety check - before I could stop him he started rubbing at the screen with his grubby hand to clean it!!!

After my very loud comments he won't do it again in a hurry....