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Differences are:

File format
1 sec recording available on 705 w/o power meter
Birds eye imagery on 800
Can use multiple maps simultaneously on 800
Can do more fields on the 800 screen
705 screen has much better image quality, easier to view

Some other stuff I can't remember
 
Looks to me like it's the Edge 800 that's off in this case. Times are close enough to be insignificantly different. The 705 got the distances between the two laps of the same trail right, but the 800, not quite.

I'm assuming on this test you have both set to the same recording frequency? 1sec?

Still, I'm not sure a 0.18mi overall difference over more than 32.5mi is a statistically significant difference.

FWIW, I have a similar problem with with my Oregon 450. My Edge 800 and 705 are usually within a few feet of each other but...the Oregon has consistently been giving me 3-4 times the elevation gain the other units give, once five times the gain. It's frustrating, especially since I've tried everything short of sending the 450 to Garmin.
How often do you calibrate the altimeter on the Oregon? Keep in mind that the Edge models have auto-calibration for the altimeter, but the Oregon series do not. On the Oregons, you have to manually calibrate the altimeter to known points.

I recently had an elevation change reading from a ride with my Oregon at ~6000+ft on a ride that I KNOW has only 100-200ft of elevation change from the highest to the lowest point. It gave me that reading because of atmospheric drift from a weather system moving through over the course of my ride. It was a low pressure system, as indicated by the fact that the wind kicked up and the skies cleared out while I rode.

Understand the tool you are using and you will understand why it collects the readings it does.
 
NateHawk said:
How often do you calibrate the altimeter on the Oregon? Keep in mind that the Edge models have auto-calibration for the altimeter, but the Oregon series do not. On the Oregons, you have to manually calibrate the altimeter to known points.

I recently had an elevation change reading from a ride with my Oregon at ~6000+ft on a ride that I KNOW has only 100-200ft of elevation change from the highest to the lowest point. It gave me that reading because of atmospheric drift from a weather system moving through over the course of my ride. It was a low pressure system, as indicated by the fact that the wind kicked up and the skies cleared out while I rode.

Understand the tool you are using and you will understand why it collects the readings it does.
The Oregon 450 DOES have auto calibration but I keep it off and manually calibrate before each use. I know what I'm doing with it and how to use it, it just is not reliable in my experience. Of course, I might just have a bad unit and should send it in.
 
GrayBeard Pirate said:
What are the differences in the 705 and the 800 besides the obvious touch screen?
--> Easy answer link <--

There are more technical details that may or may not matter, depending on your use.

- one second recording or smart recording on 705; smart on 800 only unless you have a power tap to get one second.
- different file format
- temperature only with 800
- custom maps only with 800
- touch screen only on 800
- I have only seen one 800 in the wild, but my 705 screen is much clearer to see
 
KingOfTheHill said:
The Oregon 450 DOES have auto calibration but I keep it off and manually calibrate before each use. I know what I'm doing with it and how to use it, it just is not reliable in my experience. Of course, I might just have a bad unit and should send it in.
Have you compared your current use with the auto calibrate? How long are your rides? Mine with the 6000' of elevation change fluke due to changing weather occurred over only a couple of hours. To keep the altimeter in check, I would have had to calibrate it every few minutes - or use auto calibrate. I didn't worry about it. I just scrapped the elevation data from the altimeter and overwrote it with the DEM elevations.

This is the ride the GPS indicated had such a huge elevation change.





Not even possible for 6000' to occur in less than 3 miles. The GPS did freeze up at one point. Never had that happen before, and it may have something to do with the erroneous elevations.

This is the sort of thing I typically get from the GPS.





This comes from the barometric altimeter. The first climb in both rides is the same stretch of trail. Pretty close between the two. IME, the altimeter has been reliable but with the possibility of atmospheric drift. The second ride illustrates that, because the peaks of each climb are at the same spot (multiple trails converge at the top of one hill) and as such should be at the same elevation. But due to atmospheric drift over the course of the ride, those elevations change slightly.
 
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