Garmin 396 vs 496

[mbremer216]

Any opinions on the differences between the two units. Other than the
faster updating and the better street atlas, what makes the newer model
worth $600 more?

Thanks

Mike

[karl gruber[_1_]]

Faster processor and better resolution on the terrain page.

Karl
"mbremer216" > wrote in message
. ..
> Any opinions on the differences between the two units. Other than the
> faster updating and the better street atlas, what makes the newer model
> worth $600 more?
>
> Thanks
>
> Mike
>

[Mike Granby]

Geo-referenced taxi diagrams. Quite useful at larger airports.

[Jay Honeck]

> Any opinions on the differences between the two units. Other than the
> faster updating and the better street atlas, what makes the newer model
> worth $600 more?

That, and the taxi diagrams.

Quite frankly, if you're only looking for a GPS, get yourself a
Lowrance 2000c or the AvMap IV. You'll save yourself a bundle, and end
up with a vastly superior GPS unit.

If, on the other hand, you are looking for XM datalinked weather,
you're pretty well stuck with the Garmins. If that's your goal, you
may as well spring for the 496 -- we did.

On-board weather changes everything.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

[tony roberts[_1_]]

> Quite frankly, if you're only looking for a GPS, get yourself a
> Lowrance 2000c or the AvMap IV. You'll save yourself a bundle, and end
> up with a vastly superior GPS unit.

Lowrance 2000C just smokes - and mine was only $700.00 at Arlington.
My 195 now sits on the right yoke - pretty cool to have 2 - including
terrain avoidance - for less than the price of a 396.

Tony
--

Tony Roberts
PP-ASEL
VFR OTT
Night
Cessna 172H C-GICE

[Jon Kraus]

We just bought a 396 two months. My partner and I discussed the
differences and I went back and read all the posts about the 396. We
already have a Garmin 430 in the panekl so we only wanted the XM weather
capability.

In the end we decided that for the type of flying we do it was not worth
the extra price for the 496. So far, it seems that we have not
regretted our decision. I think we paid 2.2 AMU's for our 396 but I
think I just saw them for 2.1 AMU's somewhere. I am unsure if the 496
took a similar dip.

Jon Kraus
'79 Mooney 201
4443H @ UMP

mbremer216 wrote:

> Any opinions on the differences between the two units. Other than the
> faster updating and the better street atlas, what makes the newer model
> worth $600 more?
>
> Thanks
>
> Mike
>
>

[Dave Butler[_1_]]

mbremer216 wrote:
> Any opinions on the differences between the two units. Other than the
> faster updating and the better street atlas, what makes the newer model
> worth $600 more?

Search groups.google.com for an earlier thread on this subject.

[dlevy[_1_]]

I upgraded my 396 software to version 3.50 via the Garmin website.

The taxiways weren't labeled but the airport layout was on the screen.

"Mike Granby" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>
> Geo-referenced taxi diagrams. Quite useful at larger airports.
>

[Dave Butler[_1_]]

dlevy wrote:
> I upgraded my 396 software to version 3.50 via the Garmin website.
>
> The taxiways weren't labeled but the airport layout was on the screen.
>
> "Mike Granby" > wrote in message
> oups.com...
>
>>Geo-referenced taxi diagrams. Quite useful at larger airports.

No changes in that area are listed in Garmin's change log. What exact
changes do you see? Did you update the database at the same time? I'm
currently on 3.40 but may go to 3.60 to get the "duplicate waypoints"
patch as mine is driven by Aviation In from a GNS480. Thanks.

http://www.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=921

Changes made from version 3.50 to 3.60:

* Corrected display of communication frequency displayed on Airport
and Nearest pages for airports that have multiple Unicom or Multicom
frequencies.
* Corrected issue that could cause the odometer field value to
become inaccurate.
* Corrected occasional unit shutdown during powerup.
* Improved Aviation In communication format by preventing duplicate
waypoints from being added to the route when the remote unit is
navigating a procedure turn.
* Improved address search when using postal codes.

Changes made from version 3.40 to 3.50:

* Corrected issue that could cause flights to be recorded while
driving on land when the unit is in aviation mode.
* Improved alerting for airspace with upper or lower bounds
specified as AGL.

[Ross Richardson[_2_]]

Jon Kraus wrote:
> We just bought a 396 two months. My partner and I discussed the
> differences and I went back and read all the posts about the 396. We
> already have a Garmin 430 in the panekl so we only wanted the XM weather
> capability.
>
> In the end we decided that for the type of flying we do it was not worth
> the extra price for the 496. So far, it seems that we have not regretted
> our decision. I think we paid 2.2 AMU's for our 396 but I think I just
> saw them for 2.1 AMU's somewhere. I am unsure if the 496 took a similar
> dip.
>
> Jon Kraus
> '79 Mooney 201
> 4443H @ UMP
>
> mbremer216 wrote:
>
>> Any opinions on the differences between the two units. Other than the
>> faster updating and the better street atlas, what makes the newer
>> model worth $600 more?
>>
>> Thanks
>>
>> Mike
>>
For those 396/496 owners, what is the annual cost to keep that thing
updated, GPS, EM Weather, etc.

--

Regards, Ross
C-172F 180HP
KSWI

[dlevy[_1_]]

I did update the database at the same time. I thought it odd that it wasn't
mentioned in the update comments.

"Dave Butler" > wrote in message
...
> dlevy wrote:
>> I upgraded my 396 software to version 3.50 via the Garmin website.
>>
>> The taxiways weren't labeled but the airport layout was on the screen.
>>
>> "Mike Granby" > wrote in message
>> oups.com...
>>
>>>Geo-referenced taxi diagrams. Quite useful at larger airports.
>
> No changes in that area are listed in Garmin's change log. What exact
> changes do you see? Did you update the database at the same time? I'm
> currently on 3.40 but may go to 3.60 to get the "duplicate waypoints"
> patch as mine is driven by Aviation In from a GNS480. Thanks.
>
> http://www.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=921
>
> Changes made from version 3.50 to 3.60:
>
> * Corrected display of communication frequency displayed on Airport
> and Nearest pages for airports that have multiple Unicom or Multicom
> frequencies.
> * Corrected issue that could cause the odometer field value to become
> inaccurate.
> * Corrected occasional unit shutdown during powerup.
> * Improved Aviation In communication format by preventing duplicate
> waypoints from being added to the route when the remote unit is navigating
> a procedure turn.
> * Improved address search when using postal codes.
>
> Changes made from version 3.40 to 3.50:
>
> * Corrected issue that could cause flights to be recorded while
> driving on land when the unit is in aviation mode.
> * Improved alerting for airspace with upper or lower bounds specified
> as AGL.

[Dave Butler[_1_]]

Ross Richardson wrote:
> For those 396/496 owners, what is the annual cost to keep that thing
> updated, GPS, EM Weather, etc.

XM weather subscription is either $30 or $50/mo, depending on which
service you prefer ("Aviator" or "Aviator Lite", I think they're
called). I have the $30/mo version.

There are "Jeppesen", "Obstacle" and "Terrain" databases. The Jeppesen
updates are $35 each. There are discounts for longer term subscriptions,
($295/yr for 13 conecutive updates) but I just get a Jepp update every
once in a while, whenever the spirit moves me, maybe a couple of
times/yr. New cycle every 28 days.

Obstacle database is $35, or $195 for 7 consecutive. New cycle every 56
days. Terrain database is $150, no regular update cycle. I've never
updated either of these on my unit.

The automobile database is IIRC $75 and there is a new cycle every
couple of years.

Software/firmware updates are free downloads from garmin.com

[Jon Kraus]

Garmin give you one free DB update that you must use within 90 days. We
have a GNS430 that we keep IFR current and we only want the 396 for the
XM weather. This being true we will probably only update the 396 one or
two times a year. I don't know how much Garmin charges for each update.

The XM weather is $29.95 per month for Aviator Light and $49.95 Full
Aviator.

Jon Kraus

Ross Richardson wrote:

> Jon Kraus wrote:
>
>> We just bought a 396 two months ago. My partner and I discussed the
>> differences and I went back and read all the posts about the 396. We
>> already have a Garmin 430 in the panel so we only wanted the XM
>> weather capability.
>>
>> In the end we decided that for the type of flying we do it was not
>> worth the extra price for the 496. So far, it seems that we have not
>> regretted our decision. I think we paid 2.2 AMU's for our 396 but I
>> think I just saw them for 2.1 AMU's somewhere. I am unsure if the 496
>> took a similar dip.
>>
>> Jon Kraus
>> '79 Mooney 201
>> 4443H @ UMP
>>
>> mbremer216 wrote:
>>
>>> Any opinions on the differences between the two units. Other than
>>> the faster updating and the better street atlas, what makes the newer
>>> model worth $600 more?
>>>
>>> Thanks
>>>
>>> Mike
>>>
> For those 396/496 owners, what is the annual cost to keep that thing
> updated, GPS, EM Weather, etc.
>