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820 Touchscreen issues

Former Member
Former Member
"Let's talk about the Touch Screen on the Garmin 820"
It seems like this topic deserves a dedicated thread.

Got a brand new unit, FW 5.10, 5 rides on it and I am puzzled.
The touch screen sometimes works just fine, sometimes not at all.

I had one ride in the rain, with no issues (but it wasn't too cold), then a couple of dry rides with lot's of issues.
Completely unresponsive screen, or completely erratic behavior, with the screen selecting, opening/closing menus etc.

The unit seems to work just fine while sitting on the couch (and clearly that is the only way that the lazy Garmin engineers are testing their product).

What have I tried so far:
Change the "Touch sensitivity" option; Medium seems to work best, High goes crazy, Low is ver unresponsive (at least this setting seems to do something)
Disable BLE and WiFi (maybe some sort of interference/coexistence problem. No real difference.
Factory reset, refresh firmware: no change

My questions to other users.

Does your 820 touch screen behaves erratically?
Ever? Sometimes? All the times?
Are there people with no issues whatsoever?
Is the 520 different? (I had one for a week , then returned it for other problems)
What have you tried to mitigate the issues?

Have you had your unit replaced and been happy ever since?
Was the touch screen ok on previous firmwares?
How can Garmin ignore this macroscopic issue?

At the end of my ride I could not confirm to save the ride. I selected Save and the unit for Discard.
Had to restart the ride a few times before I was able to Save it....


Discuss.

https://youtu.be/ulLgY0xoB3o
  • Former Member
    0 Former Member
    We have escalated the reported Edge 820 touch screen issues to our engineering team. We apologize for the inconvenience. Once we have a resolution we will post a follow up.


    Thank you! I'm hoping this can be resolved or at least improved. When the screen is working the 820 is great!
  • Former Member
    0 Former Member
    I think that if the next firmware doesn't fix these issues it's better that Garmin retires all these devices from the market. An expensive device that it is impossible to use. Now I am using edge 510 cause the 820 has the basic functions that don't work correctly.
    1) touch screen doesn't work properly;
    2) grade doesn't work properly;
    3) elevation doesn't work properly;
    4) navigation that goes crazy.

    Very disappointed and very sad for my wasted money.
  • Former Member
    0 Former Member
    My 820 behaves the same.

    the touchscreen only works sometimes...

    it works "little bit" better when there are no ant devices connected...

    i think there is a hardware resources limitation... i dont have big hopes garmin could fix this with firmware


    very frustrating
  • Former Member
    0 Former Member
    tonights ride in 31 degree F started off poorly. I set up the 820 and did a quick warm op look. When I got back to the car the device was ghost pressing buttons and jumping around screen to screen. I immediately stopped the ride and saved it and then shut the Garmin off and re-started. After the restart the 820 behaved for the next 2 hours. no ghost presses and I was able to use the touch screen with gloves. ....This is more of the same. I'm just posting this for more evidence if needed :).

    I did not navigate a course.
  • Former Member
    0 Former Member
    Same issues for me, both glad and sad to know it's not just me. I've unfortunately already given my 520 to my son, so I'm stuck with this POS. I hope they fix the issues soon. I just did a factory reset we'll see if that helps. It still seems to record the ride but it's useless while riding.
  • Former Member
    0 Former Member
    Cautiously Positive!

    Ok, I received a replacement 820 a couple days ago, re-built my pages and reset the device settings to the same as the prior 820, updated the map as the new device requested. I also noted a firmware update. The device is on v5.10. My prior 820s screen locked up on every ride... 12 rides in all. It was to the point of being silly. I spoke to several Garmin techs. The last tech said he had one and said "really, they work... really." I gave it one last chance. My 820 was a gift from the wife and I really wanted to make it work... So, after I got the replacement, I paired it with the Iphone with no issues... None. It found the cadence, HR and speed sensors fast and with no issues... really... Wow, I'm on a roll I thought... I took a 35+ mile ride on Saturday that started at 38 degrees to the mid to upper 50's had some good climbing and a fast descent. No Issues. The screen worked flawlessly in medium and with gloves. I received several text and phone alerts. The Cal alert worked and did not lock up the screen. I even, dare I say, checked the weather! I was paging thru the screens trying to make something happen.

    The replacement Edge 820 works. I'll keep it if this is how it's supposed to work. I really do not like posting in forums but when something good happens I think some may want to know. Garmin service was also good to work with (Thanks)

    So, I'm saying I'm cautiously optimistic. I'll be riding if I get good breaks in between snow storms.

    Good luck!
  • 0
    touch issue

    Hi Garmin,
    FYI i attach this video from youtube..

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulzhx3iYGYI

    Regards
  • 0
    Hi Garmin,
    FYI i attach this video from youtube..

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulzhx3iYGYI

    Regards


    Good video! Hopefully potential customers will see this prior to purchase! Seems a generally poor product and very unresponsive customer service!!

    Many devices are catching up, or even surpassing now - the wahoo elemnt, the Xplova X5 for example. It feels like garmin are heading the way Nokia did with mobile devices....

    *poor / basic user interface compared to the competitors (setup for example - see how slick phone interface is on Elemnt!!)
    *poor hardware (see unusable touch screen!! why not stick with resistive screen like 810???)
    *poor software issues at launch (elevation problems, grade problems, navigation and map screen much slower than much older devices)
    *strange functionality choices (why do I want a device that turns on when I unplug it????)

    Without a step change they will be overtaken!! Think polar - for many years a real leader in fitness devices for cycling, but who buys them now??

    Col.
  • Former Member
    0 Former Member
    It's really a shame. Garmin has to apologize for this device...and has to refund all customers. It's completely an unusable device. I am waiting for the next firmware if they didn't fix the known issues I will ask to my lawyer for having a refund.
  • 0
    Firmware version 5.20 was released today with Touchscreen improvements to address the reported issues with touchscreen performance. Please see the sticky at the top of the 820 Forum thread for additional details and to download the software.