Garmin/AT no longer supporting WSI weather on MX20 moving map

[Peter R.]

I have the WSI satellite weather receiver installed in a Bonanza. The
data from this receiver is displayed nicely on a Garmin/AT MX20 moving
map. Today I called WSI to ask them what new weather features we could
expect from their weather service.

The rep told me that lightening data will be available soon. However,
the data will not be displayed on the MX20 until Garmin/AT modifies the
unit's software to handle this. When I asked him if he knew the time
frame, he recommended I call Garmin to find out.

Taking his advice, I called Garmin/AT and asked their tech rep when we
could expect to see WSI lightening data on the MX20. His response:
"Never. We are no longer modifying the MX20 to handle any new data
available from WSI. Garmin now has our own weather receiver to receive
XM Weather and we will be supporting that service going forward. You
will not lose existing functionality, but you won't be gaining any new
functionality either."

The logical side of my brain can understand this business decision but
the emotional side is pretty ****ed. It now looks as if I made the
wrong downlinked weather vendor choice.

Is this a sign that WSI will be squeezed out of the aviation weather
download market by Garmin and, to a lesser degree, Bendix-King, neither
of whom will be "officially" supporting WSI's weather on their moving
maps? It seems like it to me.

--
Peter R.

[Mike Rapoport]

Wasn't it clear when the WSI product launched that their was no future
support from Garmin? I recall reading this.

Mike
MU-2


"Peter R." > wrote in message
oups.com...
>I have the WSI satellite weather receiver installed in a Bonanza. The
> data from this receiver is displayed nicely on a Garmin/AT MX20 moving
> map. Today I called WSI to ask them what new weather features we could
> expect from their weather service.
>
> The rep told me that lightening data will be available soon. However,
> the data will not be displayed on the MX20 until Garmin/AT modifies the
> unit's software to handle this. When I asked him if he knew the time
> frame, he recommended I call Garmin to find out.
>
> Taking his advice, I called Garmin/AT and asked their tech rep when we
> could expect to see WSI lightening data on the MX20. His response:
> "Never. We are no longer modifying the MX20 to handle any new data
> available from WSI. Garmin now has our own weather receiver to receive
> XM Weather and we will be supporting that service going forward. You
> will not lose existing functionality, but you won't be gaining any new
> functionality either."
>
> The logical side of my brain can understand this business decision but
> the emotional side is pretty ****ed. It now looks as if I made the
> wrong downlinked weather vendor choice.
>
> Is this a sign that WSI will be squeezed out of the aviation weather
> download market by Garmin and, to a lesser degree, Bendix-King, neither
> of whom will be "officially" supporting WSI's weather on their moving
> maps? It seems like it to me.
>
> --
> Peter R.
>

[Peter R.]

Mike wrote:

> Wasn't it clear when the WSI product launched that their was no
> future support from Garmin? I recall reading this.

Hmmm... are you recalling the WSI weather on the GNS430/530s? When WSI
announced weather on these units it was clear that Garmin would attempt
to close this "hack" in some future release of the GPSs' software.

However, during my pre-purchase research I never encountered any
information about a lack of future support for displaying weather on
the MX20.

--
Peter

[Mike Rapoport]

You are right, I was thinking about the WSI weather on the 430/530.

Mike
MU-2

"Peter R." > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Mike wrote:
>
>> Wasn't it clear when the WSI product launched that their was no
>> future support from Garmin? I recall reading this.
>
> Hmmm... are you recalling the WSI weather on the GNS430/530s? When WSI
> announced weather on these units it was clear that Garmin would attempt
> to close this "hack" in some future release of the GPSs' software.
>
> However, during my pre-purchase research I never encountered any
> information about a lack of future support for displaying weather on
> the MX20.
>
> --
> Peter
>

[Dude]

"Peter R." > wrote in message
oups.com...
>I have the WSI satellite weather receiver installed in a Bonanza. The
> data from this receiver is displayed nicely on a Garmin/AT MX20 moving
> map. Today I called WSI to ask them what new weather features we could
> expect from their weather service.
>
> The rep told me that lightening data will be available soon. However,
> the data will not be displayed on the MX20 until Garmin/AT modifies the
> unit's software to handle this. When I asked him if he knew the time
> frame, he recommended I call Garmin to find out.
>
> Taking his advice, I called Garmin/AT and asked their tech rep when we
> could expect to see WSI lightening data on the MX20. His response:
> "Never. We are no longer modifying the MX20 to handle any new data
> available from WSI. Garmin now has our own weather receiver to receive
> XM Weather and we will be supporting that service going forward. You
> will not lose existing functionality, but you won't be gaining any new
> functionality either."
>
> The logical side of my brain can understand this business decision but
> the emotional side is pretty ****ed. It now looks as if I made the
> wrong downlinked weather vendor choice.
>
> Is this a sign that WSI will be squeezed out of the aviation weather
> download market by Garmin and, to a lesser degree, Bendix-King, neither
> of whom will be "officially" supporting WSI's weather on their moving
> maps? It seems like it to me.
>
> --
> Peter R.
>

Garmin is now becoming the de facto "microsoft" of aviation. For all of
those who thought MS was playing fair all along, I don't want to hear you
whining. For the rest of us, we will soon be making the same decisions we
made before. Either way, your choice will have consequences. Our only hope
is that Avidyne pulls off a slam dunk on thier integrated cockpit and GPS,
and plays hard ball by offering better pricing.

[Matt Barrow]

"Dude" > wrote in message
...
>
> Garmin is now becoming the de facto "microsoft" of aviation. For all of
> those who thought MS was playing fair all along, I don't want to hear you
> whining.

Who the hell ever thought that?

> For the rest of us, we will soon be making the same decisions we
> made before. Either way, your choice will have consequences. Our only
hope
> is that Avidyne pulls off a slam dunk on thier integrated cockpit and GPS,
> and plays hard ball by offering better pricing.

It seems an Avidyne EX-500 and a Garmin GPS480 is a heck of good
(compromise) configuration if you're not going with a IFS.

[Jon A.]

Good call about Avidyne. They seem to be moving ahead at a great
pace. If they could get pricing under control, they'll knock those
*******s at Garmin out of that box anyway. Sure would like to see
some better competition in the GPS/COM world too. For all the stupid
asses that thought Garmin buying UPS was a good thing, here's the
start of your reward.

On Wed, 13 Apr 2005 17:51:03 GMT, "Dude" > wrote:

>
>"Peter R." > wrote in message
oups.com...
>>I have the WSI satellite weather receiver installed in a Bonanza. The
>> data from this receiver is displayed nicely on a Garmin/AT MX20 moving
>> map. Today I called WSI to ask them what new weather features we could
>> expect from their weather service.
>>
>> The rep told me that lightening data will be available soon. However,
>> the data will not be displayed on the MX20 until Garmin/AT modifies the
>> unit's software to handle this. When I asked him if he knew the time
>> frame, he recommended I call Garmin to find out.
>>
>> Taking his advice, I called Garmin/AT and asked their tech rep when we
>> could expect to see WSI lightening data on the MX20. His response:
>> "Never. We are no longer modifying the MX20 to handle any new data
>> available from WSI. Garmin now has our own weather receiver to receive
>> XM Weather and we will be supporting that service going forward. You
>> will not lose existing functionality, but you won't be gaining any new
>> functionality either."
>>
>> The logical side of my brain can understand this business decision but
>> the emotional side is pretty ****ed. It now looks as if I made the
>> wrong downlinked weather vendor choice.
>>
>> Is this a sign that WSI will be squeezed out of the aviation weather
>> download market by Garmin and, to a lesser degree, Bendix-King, neither
>> of whom will be "officially" supporting WSI's weather on their moving
>> maps? It seems like it to me.
>>
>> --
>> Peter R.
>>
>
>Garmin is now becoming the de facto "microsoft" of aviation. For all of
>those who thought MS was playing fair all along, I don't want to hear you
>whining. For the rest of us, we will soon be making the same decisions we
>made before. Either way, your choice will have consequences. Our only hope
>is that Avidyne pulls off a slam dunk on thier integrated cockpit and GPS,
>and plays hard ball by offering better pricing.
>
>
>
>
>

[Andrew Gideon]

Jon A. wrote:

> IfÂ*theyÂ*couldÂ*getÂ*pricingÂ*underÂ*control,Â*th ey'llÂ*knockÂ*those
> *******s at Garmin out of that box anyway.

Isn't it also possible to refit an older airplane with an Avidyne? That's a
huge market that's being ignored by Garmin.

Still, cost is a major factor. At a certain price, it's better to buy new
than have a spiffy glass panel in a 20-30 year old airplane.

- Andrew

[Dude]

> Isn't it also possible to refit an older airplane with an Avidyne? That's
> a
> huge market that's being ignored by Garmin.
>
> Still, cost is a major factor. At a certain price, it's better to buy new
> than have a spiffy glass panel in a 20-30 year old airplane.
>
> - Andrew


Currently, the only glass panel retrofit is the Chelton, and I understand it
is rather pricey. I have been hoping that AOPA coughs up a figure for what
it would cost a regular guy to buy that new panel for the commander.

[PPT33R]

Garmin has always aggressively pushed their "proprietary" solutions
over open or industry standards. However, they are beginning to get
their lunch money stolen by more innovative companies in the consumer
electronics market where they have more competition. They were also
getting hammered in the automotive OEM market until they were forced by
the larger auto manufacturers to cut their margins.

I would expect Garmin to aggressively protect the high-margin aviation
business for some time to come. Why else do you think they would buy
UPSAT, when they had the G1000 cooking in the lab??? Obviously to
defeat a competitor on the value end. They don't want to be foreced to
reduce margins in one of their more lucrative markets! Who's their
competition now?

If Avidyne or Bendix/King were smart, they would steal Garmin's
engineering staff and produce a better value system, but even if they
took Garmin's talent today, it would be a few years to introduce new
aviation products.

I feel burned by Garmin after 'investing' in a GNS 530, after many,
many conversations with their engineers on the future of the box
several years ago. As it turns out, Garmin has basically yanked most of
their avionics line guys to dedicate on the G1000 (which has had some
pretty serious issues to resolve, but didn't stop the marketing hype.)
WAAS upgrades for the 430/530 are now more than 18 months overdue from
their original announcements. Then again, Garmin has always attempted
to secure market by hyping products, then continually delaying
introduction (witness the iQue...) to keep people 'sitting on the
fence' rather than buy the competitor's product that may actually be
ready.

[gwengler]

I e-mailed a Customer Support Manager from Garmin with this question,
i.e. when would they update the software of the MX20 to accomodate WSI
enhancements. The answer I got is in no way an indication that they
will not support WSI on the MX20 anymore. Even though he had no
specific dates he told me he expects a new MX20 software update before
the end of the year. And again, even though he didn't know what
additional WSI functions would be enabled, he did not at all indicate
that Garmin would stop doing that. I have dealt with this gentleman
before when I got the Canadian weather update and I believe he would
have told me if they had no plans to support WSI in the future. BTW,
WSI is the only in-flight weather sytem with Environment Canada Radar
mosaic and Canadian METAR/TAF.

Gerd