Firmware upgrade 3.3 is available.
It also contains a firmware update for the XM antenna.
27
Jan
Attention Garmin GPS 496 Owners…
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> Firmware upgrade 3.3 is available.
> It also contains a firmware update for the XM antenna.
Does it fix the slew/re-write / slew/re-write / slew/re-write problem?
Any word on anything else it may address/fix/enhance?
—
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
http://www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"
In article <1191788024.468308.275…@d55g2000hsg.googlegroups.com>,
Jay Honeck <jjhon…@mchsi.com> wrote:
> > Firmware upgrade 3.3 is available.
> > It also contains a firmware update for the XM antenna.
> Does it fix the slew/re-write / slew/re-write / slew/re-write problem?
> Any word on anything else it may address/fix/enhance?
Change History
Changes made from version 3.20 to 3.30:
* Added compatibility with Jeppesen database 0711 and later.
* Improved GPS satellite acquisition under certain conditions.
* Improved operation of flight log when a heliport is near the departure
or destination airport and the aircraft type is not set to Helicopter.
* Improved ability to highlight certain areas of Class B airspace when a
Mode C veil overlaps.
* Improved remote frequency list sent to the SL-30/SL-40.
> Change History
> Changes made from version 3.20 to 3.30:
<insignificant changes snipped>
As I suspected. I’m afraid the only way I’ll ever fix my frustration
with the 496 is by selling it on Ebay.
—
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
http://www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"
On Sun, 07 Oct 2007 15:20:59 -0700, Jay Honeck wrote:
> As I suspected. I’m afraid the only way I’ll ever fix my frustration
> with the 496 is by selling it on Ebay. —
I was quite put out that True Flight wasn’t at AOPA Expo. I even called
them from the Expo floor hoping that I’d merely somehow missed them, but
nope; they weren’t there.
As a result, I did come close to buying the 496. Garmin was there, of
course.
There was plenty of competition: VistaNav and much more. But most of the
competitors at the function level I wanted were priced a couple of
thousand more than the Flight Cheetah 190 or the Garmin 496.
I liked the Garmin’s compactness. No extra box for the XM weather, for
example, and the box itself was also pretty small. The screen, though,
is pretty small too in comparison to other products.
The Flight Cheetah seems to have more features for the instrument pilot
than the Garmin. In fact, one thing I noticed was that *no* product I
found would insert a full approach into a flight plan. All they’d do is
insert the FAF. Is there some requirement for that for portable GPSs,
perhaps?
But what really turns me off of the Garmin products is the lack of
upgrade path. The next product is always an entirely new box, leaving
current owners a little "high and dry". But I don’t know: how long after
the N96 is release is the (N-1)96 still supported with software upgrades
and the like?
– Andrew
"Jay Honeck" wrote in message …
> …… I’m afraid the only way I’ll ever fix my frustration
> with the 496 is by selling it on Ebay.
I’m not a big fan of Garmin, but at least they have a product when they
advertise it.
Just got back from AOPA Expo and it was visually impressive, until I started
asking questions about delivery schedules, and then most of it turned into
vaporware:
1. This summer’s killer app, the Evolution PDF by Aspen Avionics, designed
to bring our 30+ yo airframes into the glass era with just a logbook entry;
the brochure even states "Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) Approved Model
List (AML) for over 800 aircraft models":
Quotes: "Well,… we just completed three days of flying with the FAA and
they didn’t like some of the push button sequences, so we are going to make
some adjustments". "We’ve been sending them out to select dealers". "Oh
no,… they’ll be ready for install way before next summer". "Will you be
able to pull out your whole Vac system and still meet cert?… let me ask…
no?!?… hold on… yes?!?… what?… no!?!… you probably have to
relocate your AI in the panel". Damn, I hope I don’t get one of the models
they sent to the dealers early.
2. BendixKing KSN-770, the Garmin 530 killer, does it all, King demo guy
knew unit well, expected entry point of under $20K. Availability: Blank
stare.
3. My personal dark horse favorite, the GeoPilot II+ by AvMap (little
brother to the portable EKP-IV), with Victor Airways and promises of XM
weather from seperate receiver (like the PDAs), usable in car, audio out
jack, speaker on back:
Quotes: "yeah… I know… the vendor should never have released the email
ads about XM". "No… the engineers just went back to Italy to make some
mods to the software". "Yes,… I’m sure the weather interface will be ready
by Christmas". "They want to release the XM weather in the EKP at the same
time as the GeoPilot". I neglected to ask christmas of what year.
I hope these guys sell a ton of these products, I just like the Garmin
method of "keep your mouth shut until you have something to deliver" better.
By the way, I’ll be real interested in attendance numbers this year. There
was dancing room in the aisles, it didn’t take long to find a chair at the
lunch tables, and my 10am Fri flight demo of the Remos G3 LSA (cancelled by
pre lunch IMC) was easily rescheduled for that afternoon (and I still got
the whole hour). The economy may be pumping along, but recreational GA seems
to be in naptime.
"Andrew Gideon" wrote in message …
> I liked the Garmin’s compactness. No extra box for the XM weather,…
Here’s an expo data point from the AvMap booth that I have not had time to
vet: The AvMap guy claimed that Garmin got early permission from XM to do a
custom receiver board in their box, but XM is not allowing anyone else tha
same, so all second commers will have an external XM receiver box/antenna.
Doesn’t sound plausable, but who knows?
On Mon, 08 Oct 2007 01:21:57 +0000, Mike Isaksen wrote:
> Doesn’t sound plausable, but who knows?
Perhaps Garmin paid enough for the exclusive right?
– Andrew
> Here’s an expo data point from the AvMap booth that I have not had time to
> vet: The AvMap guy claimed that Garmin got early permission from XM to do a
> custom receiver board in their box, but XM is not allowing anyone else tha
> same, so all second commers will have an external XM receiver box/antenna.
> Doesn’t sound plausable, but who knows?
Was that the tall, older guy named "Vern" telling you that? He’s at
all their shows, and is a very sharp guy. He sold me my AvMap EKP-
IIIC that I dearly loved (and only sold to make room for weather…)
Unfortunately, he’s been talking about "XM being right around the
corner" for years now, so I’ve lost all faith in AvMap. I love their
products, but without XM they’re just another GPS.
—
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
http://www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -
Jay Honeck wrote:
>>Change History
>>Changes made from version 3.20 to 3.30:
> <insignificant changes snipped>
> As I suspected. I’m afraid the only way I’ll ever fix my frustration
> with the 496 is by selling it on Ebay.
> —
> Jay Honeck
> Iowa City, IA
> Pathfinder N56993
> http://www.AlexisParkInn.com
> "Your Aviation Destination"
Jay, I thought you really liked the unit when you got it. I’ll admit I
have missed part of this thread. What are your problems with it?
–
Regards, Ross
C-172F 180HP
KSWI
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -
Ross <nowh…@nowhere.com> wrote:
>Jay Honeck wrote:
>>>Change History
>>>Changes made from version 3.20 to 3.30:
>> <insignificant changes snipped>
>> As I suspected. I’m afraid the only way I’ll ever fix my frustration
>> with the 496 is by selling it on Ebay.
>> —
>> Jay Honeck
>> Iowa City, IA
>> Pathfinder N56993
>> http://www.AlexisParkInn.com
>> "Your Aviation Destination"
>Jay, I thought you really liked the unit when you got it. I’ll admit I
>have missed part of this thread. What are your problems with it?
Troll.
Clark <c…@uswest.net> wrote in news:Xns99C44F7928218ch2uswestnet@
64.209.0.81:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -
> Gilbert Smith <nos…@nospam.com> wrote in
> news:2qnmg3lhe6svl7o311gja69mul95s2jt60@4ax.com:
>> Ross <nowh…@nowhere.com> wrote:
>>>Jay Honeck wrote:
>>>>>Change History
>>>>>Changes made from version 3.20 to 3.30:
>>>> <insignificant changes snipped>
>>>> As I suspected. I’m afraid the only way I’ll ever fix my
frustration
>>>> with the 496 is by selling it on Ebay.
>>>> —
>>>> Jay Honeck
>>>> Iowa City, IA
>>>> Pathfinder N56993
>>>> http://www.AlexisParkInn.com
>>>> "Your Aviation Destination"
>>>Jay, I thought you really liked the unit when you got it. I’ll admit
I
>>>have missed part of this thread. What are your problems with it?
>> Troll.
> Jay’s 496 has a troll? Wow. Was that a special order option?
I’m available as a package with a Comm, VOR GPS and inflatable doll.
Bertie
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -
Gilbert Smith wrote:
> Ross <nowh…@nowhere.com> wrote:
>>Jay Honeck wrote:
>>>>Change History
>>>>Changes made from version 3.20 to 3.30:
>>><insignificant changes snipped>
>>>As I suspected. I’m afraid the only way I’ll ever fix my frustration
>>>with the 496 is by selling it on Ebay.
>>>–
>>>Jay Honeck
>>>Iowa City, IA
>>>Pathfinder N56993
>>>www.AlexisParkInn.com
>>>"Your Aviation Destination"
>>Jay, I thought you really liked the unit when you got it. I’ll admit I
>>have missed part of this thread. What are your problems with it?
> Troll.
I resent this. I have been a long time contibutor to this NG. I do not
post often, but I do like to contribute. I have an earnest question,
because Jay had given a glowing account when he first bought the 496 and
I was thinking about getting one. If he has reservations about it now I
would like to know.
–
Regards, Ross
C-172F 180HP
KSWI
> I resent this. I have been a long time contibutor to this NG. I do not
> post often, but I do like to contribute. I have an earnest question,
> because Jay had given a glowing account when he first bought the 496 and
> I was thinking about getting one. If he has reservations about it now I
> would like to know.
Don’t worry about it, Ross — I think he was just trying to get
Bertie’s best offer…
Anyway, the Garmin 496 was never my first choice. The screen is too
small, it’s oriented "landscape" instead of "portrait" (which is
preferable for an aviation GPS), and the screen re-write speed while
slewing is horrendous. (This last problem will drive you absolutely
nuts on a x-country flight.)
That said, the 496 is still the only "single-box" show in town. I’m
just astounded that Lowrance — the largest GPS manufacturer in the
world — hasn’t jumped on XM weather for the boating crowd.
Don’t get me wrong — it’s not all bad. Good things about the 496
include:
- XM weather is worth putting up with all the other problems
– Having it panel mounted in our AirGizmo is wonderful
– It’s an excellent XM radio music tuner.
– The built-in AOPA directory is very nice — I use it far more often
than I thought I would
– The menu system used to access airport runway and comm information
is quite excellent. We use it on literally every flight.
All they need to do is make the screen a bit bigger, make the unit
user-configurable to portrait or landscape mode (AvMap already does
this), and install a faster processor (or re-write the software so
slewing isn’t such a resource hog….)
—
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
http://www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -
Jay Honeck wrote:
>>I resent this. I have been a long time contibutor to this NG. I do not
>>post often, but I do like to contribute. I have an earnest question,
>>because Jay had given a glowing account when he first bought the 496 and
>>I was thinking about getting one. If he has reservations about it now I
>>would like to know.
> Don’t worry about it, Ross — I think he was just trying to get
> Bertie’s best offer…
>
> Anyway, the Garmin 496 was never my first choice. The screen is too
> small, it’s oriented "landscape" instead of "portrait" (which is
> preferable for an aviation GPS), and the screen re-write speed while
> slewing is horrendous. (This last problem will drive you absolutely
> nuts on a x-country flight.)
> That said, the 496 is still the only "single-box" show in town. I’m
> just astounded that Lowrance — the largest GPS manufacturer in the
> world — hasn’t jumped on XM weather for the boating crowd.
> Don’t get me wrong — it’s not all bad. Good things about the 496
> include:
> – XM weather is worth putting up with all the other problems
> – Having it panel mounted in our AirGizmo is wonderful
> – It’s an excellent XM radio music tuner.
> – The built-in AOPA directory is very nice — I use it far more often
> than I thought I would
> – The menu system used to access airport runway and comm information
> is quite excellent. We use it on literally every flight.
> All they need to do is make the screen a bit bigger, make the unit
> user-configurable to portrait or landscape mode (AvMap already does
> this), and install a faster processor (or re-write the software so
> slewing isn’t such a resource hog….)
> —
> Jay Honeck
> Iowa City, IA
> Pathfinder N56993
> http://www.AlexisParkInn.com
> "Your Aviation Destination"
Thanks, Jay,,,
–
Regards, Ross
C-172F 180HP
KSWI