garmin 496 - truning on and off mo xm subscription services....

"~^ beancounter ~^" wrote in message
...
I am about to activitate my garmin 496 weather and music features
w the xm folks...

I am going to use the "full blown" weather service @ $50 + $7 for the
radio feature.....

Two questions...1) if I know I am not going to use the features for
say
2 months ( or longer ) ...can I temp. turn on and shut off w/out
penalities
or fees?

Or, does one need to keep going, month to month using the services it
or not?...and 2) whats the music quality like on the radio side? How
do
folks listen to the music ? ... Get a good set of headphones?
Portable
speakers? Or just use the built in factory speaker?.......

As always...thanx for ideas, comments, and tips.....

The music quality is exceptional.

You can turn off the full blown Aviator features for a time and reactivate
it without penalty last I heard, but they said that if you do this too much
they will charge an activation fee of 75.00. What is "too much" I can't
tell you.

I have a Zulu headset and use the Bluetooth feature to listen to the audio.
It sounds three times better then the Bose X. I also bought a Bluetooth
adaptor from Jabra that I plug into the back of the 396. Works great. I
also have central music through my PS Engineering 8000B audio panel so all
4 seats can listen. If I'm alone prefer the BT method because I don't have
to use any wires.

Kobra

Two questions...1) if I know I am not going to use the features for
say
2 months ( or longer ) ...can I temp. turn on and shut off w/out
penalities
or fees?

Given some of the stories of the poor customer service by these chaps
and the many goof ups, you might reconsider frequent changes to this
service. Although, the main problem appeared to be in the initial setup
when you first subscribed.

Not sure if things have improved.

I went out the other day to get...nothing. No feed. I went on the site
to discover (as others already have), that, if you don't use the thing
often enough, you get shut off. This requires a reactivation via the
Web. It worked. F.Y.I. to those who may idle the unit for a couple of
months.

Mike

Oh yea, ?? Even though you keep throwin' the $50 per month? They
shut
you down w/out notice?...If so...that's a pita...



On May 18, 7:23*am, Mike Spera wrote:
Two questions...1) if I know I am not going to use the features for
say
2 months ( or longer ) ...can I temp. turn on and shut off w/out
penalities
or fees?

Given some of the stories of the poor customer service by these chaps
and the many goof ups, you might reconsider frequent changes to this
service. Although, the main problem appeared to be in the initial setup
when you first subscribed.

Not sure if things have improved.

I went out the other day to get...nothing. No feed. I went on the site
to discover (as others already have), that, if you don't use the thing
often enough, you get shut off. This requires a reactivation via the
Web. It worked. F.Y.I. to those who may idle the unit for a couple of
months.

Mike

Well, I only buy the "lite" subscription at $29 odd bucks a month. It
appears to be a limitation of the technology that, if you don't use it
enough, the unit needs to be reinitialized. Only inconvenient under
certain circumstances.

So, they don't shut you down, you do (by not flying often enough).

Good Luck,
Mike

Oh yea, ?? Even though you keep throwin' the $50 per month? They
shut
you down w/out notice?...If so...that's a pita...




.stuff snipped from my original reply
I went out the other day to get...nothing. No feed. I went on the site
to discover (as others already have), that, if you don't use the thing
often enough, you get shut off. This requires a reactivation via the
Web. It worked. F.Y.I. to those who may idle the unit for a couple of
months.

Mike

"Mike Spera" ...
It appears to be a limitation of the technology that, if you
don't use it enough, the unit needs to be reinitialized.
So, they don't shut you down, you do (by not flying often enough).


How do they (XM) know if you are using their service. Isn't it a XM sat
receiver only. There is no feedback signal transmitted AFAIK. Maybe the
activation code they transmit is time limted by hardware/software coding in
the Receiver?

Mike Isaksen wrote:
"Mike Spera" ...
It appears to be a limitation of the technology that, if you
don't use it enough, the unit needs to be reinitialized.
So, they don't shut you down, you do (by not flying often enough).


How do they (XM) know if you are using their service. Isn't it a XM sat
receiver only. There is no feedback signal transmitted AFAIK. Maybe the
activation code they transmit is time limted by hardware/software coding in
the Receiver?



The problem comes from the issue that while you may have paid for a
month or a year or what ever the system is designed that it takes a new
authorization hit more often than just at the start of the term.

This isn't a problem for cars or home units that see the satellite most
or all of the time. But an airplane that might sit in a hanger for weeks
or even months loose their authorization and require a reauthorization.
In reality if you just pulled it out of the hanger and started it up it
would probably be reauthorized in 20-30 minutes without calling but most
people want it when they want it.

I thought they fixed (probably by increasing the reauthorization
frequency for those with aircraft subscriptions) the problem but that
might not be so.

On May 16, 12:19*pm, "~^ beancounter ~^"
wrote:
I am about to activitate my garmin 496 weather and music features
w the xm folks...

I am going to use the "full blown" weather service @ $50 + $7 for the
radio feature.....

Two questions...1) if I know I am not going to use the features for
say
2 months ( or longer ) ...can I temp. turn on and shut off w/out
penalities
or fees?

Or, does one need to keep going, month to month using the services it
or not?...and 2) whats the music quality like on the radio side? How
do
folks listen to the music ? ... Get a good set of headphones?
Portable
speakers? Or just use the built in factory speaker?.......

As always...thanx for ideas, comments, and tips.....

cheers.......

Back to the subject line. I have the aviator light and love it. I also
pay the extra for the music as I have a stereo intercom in my Viking.
The only real difference I see is lightning and winds aloft. I can
figure them out with the Garmin. You can't just shut the service off
at will and pay as you use.

" lightning and winds aloft "

you get this info on the light package? i thought it was
only on the full or heavy service...if not...what extras do
you get on the full service..@ $50 per mo....?

how is the quality of the music? can/does it replace the
use/need for mp3 or cd palyers?...is it good fm quality? ie:
stero, low static, etc...

thanx






On May 26, 8:13*am, "
wrote:
On May 16, 12:19*pm, "~^ beancounter ~^"
wrote:





I am about to activitate my garmin 496 weather and music features
w the xm folks...

I am going to use the "full blown" weather service @ $50 + $7 for the
radio feature.....

Two questions...1) if I know I am not going to use the features for
say
2 months ( or longer ) ...can I temp. turn on and shut off w/out
penalities
or fees?

Or, does one need to keep going, month to month using the services it
or not?...and 2) whats the music quality like on the radio side? How
do
folks listen to the music ? ... Get a good set of headphones?
Portable
speakers? Or just use the built in factory speaker?.......

As always...thanx for ideas, comments, and tips.....

cheers.......

Back to the subject line. I have the aviator light and love it. I also
pay the extra for the music as I have a stereo intercom in my Viking.
The only real difference I see is lightning and winds aloft. I can
figure them out with the Garmin. You can't just shut the service off
at will and pay as you use.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Yes. The quality of the music is excellent if you feed it into a stereo
intercom with music input. That's what I do.

Piper Warrior. N2096L.

"~^ beancounter ~^" wrote in message
...
" lightning and winds aloft "

you get this info on the light package? i thought it was
only on the full or heavy service...if not...what extras do
you get on the full service..@ $50 per mo....?

how is the quality of the music? can/does it replace the
use/need for mp3 or cd palyers?...is it good fm quality? ie:
stero, low static, etc...

thanx






On May 26, 8:13 am, "
wrote:
On May 16, 12:19 pm, "~^ beancounter ~^"
wrote:





I am about to activitate my garmin 496 weather and music features
w the xm folks...

I am going to use the "full blown" weather service @ $50 + $7 for the
radio feature.....

Two questions...1) if I know I am not going to use the features for
say
2 months ( or longer ) ...can I temp. turn on and shut off w/out
penalities
or fees?

Or, does one need to keep going, month to month using the services it
or not?...and 2) whats the music quality like on the radio side? How
do
folks listen to the music ? ... Get a good set of headphones?
Portable
speakers? Or just use the built in factory speaker?.......

As always...thanx for ideas, comments, and tips.....

cheers.......

Back to the subject line. I have the aviator light and love it. I also
pay the extra for the music as I have a stereo intercom in my Viking.
The only real difference I see is lightning and winds aloft. I can
figure them out with the Garmin. You can't just shut the service off
at will and pay as you use.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

great...thanx for all the tips and feedback everyone !!!






On Jun 29, 6:41*pm, "EK" wrote:
Yes. The quality of the music is excellent if you feed it into a stereo
intercom with *music input. That's what I do.

Piper Warrior. N2096L.

"~^ beancounter ~^" wrote in ...
" lightning and winds aloft "

you get this info on the light package? i thought it was
only on the full or heavy service...if not...what extras do
you get on the full service..@ $50 per mo....?

how is the quality of the music? can/does it replace the
use/need for mp3 or cd palyers?...is it good fm quality? ie:
stero, low static, etc...

thanx

On May 26, 8:13 am, "



wrote:
On May 16, 12:19 pm, "~^ beancounter ~^"
wrote:

I am about to activitate my garmin 496 weather and music features
w the xm folks...

I am going to use the "full blown" weather service @ $50 + $7 for the
radio feature.....

Two questions...1) if I know I am not going to use the features for
say
2 months ( or longer ) ...can I temp. turn on and shut off w/out
penalities
or fees?

Or, does one need to keep going, month to month using the services it
or not?...and 2) whats the music quality like on the radio side? How
do
folks listen to the music ? ... Get a good set of headphones?
Portable
speakers? Or just use the built in factory speaker?.......

As always...thanx for ideas, comments, and tips.....

cheers.......

Back to the subject line. I have the aviator light and love it. I also
pay the extra for the music as I have a stereo intercom in my Viking.
The only real difference I see is lightning and winds aloft. I can
figure them out with the Garmin. You can't just shut the service off
at will and pay as you use.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -