Looks like Grand Rapids is announcing their new displays at SunNFun:
http://www.grtavionics.com/hi-res%20announcement.htm
http://www.grtavionics.com/hi-res%20announcement.htm
Van's Air Force
Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.
GRT High Resolution efis announcement
- Thread starter scard
- Start date
the_other_dougreeves
Well Known Member
Stuff from the link
These are all good things:
* Higher res display - I've always hated how the GRT screens looked like something you might have seen on a Commodore 64 (my first PC).
* Brighter displays - Choice between 800 and 1200 nits - excellent!
* Synthetic vision - Again, excellent!
Copied from the site:
New High Resolution EFIS Models
Sport/HS - Same as current Sport with a 800 NIT High Resolution Display.
Sport/HX - Same as current Sport with a 1200 NIT High Resolution Display, More Powererfull CPU, 3D Accelerated Graphics Engine, Synthetic Vision, Voice Alerts, Ethernet for inter-display link (frees up 1 serial port), Option for GNS-430 interface.
Series I /HS - Same as current Series I with a 800 NIT High Resolution Display.
Series I /HX - Same as current Series I with a 1200 NIT High Resolution Display, More Powererfull CPU, 3D Graphics Engine, Synthetic Vision, Voice Alerts, Ethernet for inter-display link (frees up 1 serial port).
Pricing Available Upgrades
Sport/HS $3200 SEP 2007 $400 Sport to Sport/HS
Sport/HX $4400 DEC 2007 $1600 Sport to Sport/HX
Series I /HS $6400 NOV 2007 $400 Series I to Series I/HS
Series I /HX $8000 DEC 2007 $2000 Series I to Series I/HX
These are all good things:
* Higher res display - I've always hated how the GRT screens looked like something you might have seen on a Commodore 64 (my first PC).
* Brighter displays - Choice between 800 and 1200 nits - excellent!
* Synthetic vision - Again, excellent!
Copied from the site:
New High Resolution EFIS Models
Sport/HS - Same as current Sport with a 800 NIT High Resolution Display.
Sport/HX - Same as current Sport with a 1200 NIT High Resolution Display, More Powererfull CPU, 3D Accelerated Graphics Engine, Synthetic Vision, Voice Alerts, Ethernet for inter-display link (frees up 1 serial port), Option for GNS-430 interface.
Series I /HS - Same as current Series I with a 800 NIT High Resolution Display.
Series I /HX - Same as current Series I with a 1200 NIT High Resolution Display, More Powererfull CPU, 3D Graphics Engine, Synthetic Vision, Voice Alerts, Ethernet for inter-display link (frees up 1 serial port).
Pricing Available Upgrades
Sport/HS $3200 SEP 2007 $400 Sport to Sport/HS
Sport/HX $4400 DEC 2007 $1600 Sport to Sport/HX
Series I /HS $6400 NOV 2007 $400 Series I to Series I/HS
Series I /HX $8000 DEC 2007 $2000 Series I to Series I/HX
Scott Will
Well Known Member
same wiring?
These are all great developments! I can't wait to upgrade. However I wonder if the new systems will share the same wiring/connectors as the old units making an upgrade pretty easy. They mention the ethernet between the boxes which frees up the serial port.
My only gripe with GRT is their lack of map/nav updates. Wish they'd release it more often since they can get the data from the FAA pretty regularly.
They've tried to update their manuals recently which I give them credit for.
These are all great developments! I can't wait to upgrade. However I wonder if the new systems will share the same wiring/connectors as the old units making an upgrade pretty easy. They mention the ethernet between the boxes which frees up the serial port.
My only gripe with GRT is their lack of map/nav updates. Wish they'd release it more often since they can get the data from the FAA pretty regularly.
They've tried to update their manuals recently which I give them credit for.
I wonder if this is the same 6.5" screen that the Advanced Flight Systems 3400 EFIS uses? If it is, that is a really nice screen and I am sure they will sway some potential AFS customers back their way.
Jason
http://www.rouault.us
Jason
http://www.rouault.us
One of the really nice things about GRT is that they generally don't announce something until it is really and truly working....I will be interested to see the latest!
I have always been very satisfied with the existing resolution - it does exactly what I need it to do - if it didn't, I would have bought something else. Higher resolution will allow them to do some new and interesting things, and I think that will be a huge plus for their draw in the market (which is already pretty big - they are getting a hefty back-order list), but for IFR flying, the existing system is pretty capable.
I usually stay about one generation behind the bleeding edge of technology anyway, so it doesn't bother me not to have "the latest"....but I'll be interested to see just what these newfangled screens will do! One of the things about the -8....it is incredibly easy to build a new drop-in panel!
Paul
I have always been very satisfied with the existing resolution - it does exactly what I need it to do - if it didn't, I would have bought something else. Higher resolution will allow them to do some new and interesting things, and I think that will be a huge plus for their draw in the market (which is already pretty big - they are getting a hefty back-order list), but for IFR flying, the existing system is pretty capable.
I usually stay about one generation behind the bleeding edge of technology anyway, so it doesn't bother me not to have "the latest"....but I'll be interested to see just what these newfangled screens will do! One of the things about the -8....it is incredibly easy to build a new drop-in panel!
Paul
walter
Well Known Member
Wondering outloud if two of the new units will stack vertically.
The Series 1 cutout is 4.65 and the new one is 5.19. The bezel is
4.75 vs. 5.25.
Gonna need an additional 1" of vertical panel height. Not a problem if you
extend the panel height I think. Just musing.
I don't have any intention of "upgrading". I'll just have to finish the
rocket to accept the new units
The Series 1 cutout is 4.65 and the new one is 5.19. The bezel is
4.75 vs. 5.25.
Gonna need an additional 1" of vertical panel height. Not a problem if you
extend the panel height I think. Just musing.
I don't have any intention of "upgrading". I'll just have to finish the
rocket to accept the new units
Are there going to be any factory refurbished units, of the original design, available when people start trading in for the new ones? Inquiring / cheap minds want to know. I will be starting on my panel this Summer and would like to go cheap and upgrade next year. My RV-7A has been a pay as you go project. A zero time re-build O-360-A1A followed me home a few weeks ago so it would be nice to be able to fly the first year on an inexpensive panel. I know, like any panel is going to be inexpensive
Steve Eberhart
RV-7A, on the bring it home slippery slope
Steve Eberhart
RV-7A, on the bring it home slippery slope
Resolution was the one complaint I had about the GRT unit so this is good news. Of course I just this week cut my panel for the current version, typical :-(
As mentioned in a previous post, a dual screen setup wiill require an additional 1" to stack the units. I "think" this is just possible in an RV-8 but it would leave no room above the units for anything else and I put indicator lights up there.
I guess I'l take a look at it at SnF and see if it is worth redoing the panel.
As mentioned in a previous post, a dual screen setup wiill require an additional 1" to stack the units. I "think" this is just possible in an RV-8 but it would leave no room above the units for anything else and I put indicator lights up there.
I guess I'l take a look at it at SnF and see if it is worth redoing the panel.
Jordan1976
Well Known Member
Ironflight said:
These units aren't even expected to be available until December 2007, so they clearly aren't really and truly working.
They still haven't shipped the IFR certified GPS that they have been promising since the Sport was announced in early 2005.
The Sport shipped about 9 months after they expected it to. I'm not sure GRT is any better than any company about having stuff ready before they announce it.
Well Jordan, I can't argue with what you're saying - I didn't write very clearly....I guess what I meant is that when you call to order something, they will be very honest about when they are going to be able to ship. They take no money long in advance with a promised ship date - in fact, they usually put you on the list and tell you they'll call for a credit card number when they have a box in hand to ship.
Like all the companies, however, they do like to tease us with what they are working on!
Like all the companies, however, they do like to tease us with what they are working on!
That is exactly how it went this morning. I called about the Sport/HX and I am now number one on the wait list. No credit card. I will get a call when it is ready to ship and will give them the card number at that time. If it isn't ready when I am ready to install it, at the end of the year, I was told I could install one of their current models and get full credit for it when mine is ready to ship. You can't get any better than that.Ironflight said:Well Jordan, I can't argue with what you're saying - I didn't write very clearly....I guess what I meant is that when you call to order something, they will be very honest about when they are going to be able to ship. They take no money long in advance with a promised ship date - in fact, they usually put you on the list and tell you they'll call for a credit card number when they have a box in hand to ship.
Like all the companies, however, they do like to tease us with what they are working on!
Steve Eberhart
RV-7A ready to install the engine
That is typical of GRT. They won't ask you for money until the unit is boxed and ready to ship. I think they may have actually shipped my unit before they got my payment info. They are a refreshing company to do business with in this money hungry world.newtech said:
You are correct Jordan, you must be keeping close track of all of us EFIS manufacturers. What you may not know is that we shipped 24 Sport/HZ systems during the nine months that we were late to customers that could not wait. A Sport/HZ is a Horizon Series I with Sport software.
The Sport delay and having to re-engineer the weather because of licensing issues caused the RAIM GPS delay. Both the weather and the RAIM GPS projects are complete and we are just waiting for the production cases.
The Sport delay was caused by two issues, first was the large volume of sales started taking up larger amounts of my time, therefore less engineering time. After we solved that by adding some new highly skilled employees, we had an issue with the new processor being used that even the manufacturer could solve. We ended up solving it ourselves in the end.
The bottom line is we took care of our customers with the Sport/HZ and we did not ship a product that was not ready.
We have shipped 2 Sport/HS units to a dealers for Sun-N-Fun. The engineering is done. We have just placed the orders for all of our long lead time items. When all the parts are in we can start building them and ship them out.
The Horizon Series I/HS will be next and it is also based on existing hardware and should there should not be any problems meeting the delivery dates.
The Sport/HX and Series I/HX are based on new boards and will take longer because we will not order production parts until we have exaustivly tested the prototype units.
We stand behind our products, who has a better upgrade policy than we do. Full credit towards the new system. We have not discontinued any of our products. They were designed with future expansion in mind. Even if everyone only buys the higher resolution displays, we will still support the current lower resolution display. We have a planned processor upgrade becoming available next year, and it should be under $400.
As allways software updates are free, and we develope the same code for all of our systems. This may not be true for our Series II, but that is getting really ahead of ourselves
Regards,
Todd Stehouwer
Grand Rapids Technologies, Inc.
The Sport delay and having to re-engineer the weather because of licensing issues caused the RAIM GPS delay. Both the weather and the RAIM GPS projects are complete and we are just waiting for the production cases.
The Sport delay was caused by two issues, first was the large volume of sales started taking up larger amounts of my time, therefore less engineering time. After we solved that by adding some new highly skilled employees, we had an issue with the new processor being used that even the manufacturer could solve. We ended up solving it ourselves in the end.
The bottom line is we took care of our customers with the Sport/HZ and we did not ship a product that was not ready.
We have shipped 2 Sport/HS units to a dealers for Sun-N-Fun. The engineering is done. We have just placed the orders for all of our long lead time items. When all the parts are in we can start building them and ship them out.
The Horizon Series I/HS will be next and it is also based on existing hardware and should there should not be any problems meeting the delivery dates.
The Sport/HX and Series I/HX are based on new boards and will take longer because we will not order production parts until we have exaustivly tested the prototype units.
We stand behind our products, who has a better upgrade policy than we do. Full credit towards the new system. We have not discontinued any of our products. They were designed with future expansion in mind. Even if everyone only buys the higher resolution displays, we will still support the current lower resolution display. We have a planned processor upgrade becoming available next year, and it should be under $400.
As allways software updates are free, and we develope the same code for all of our systems. This may not be true for our Series II, but that is getting really ahead of ourselves
Regards,
Todd Stehouwer
Grand Rapids Technologies, Inc.
I have but one comment to make about GRT and their support. It doesn't get any better than GRT.
Personal experience - I ordered a GRT Sport I think the first week they were taking names for the wait list (I already had ordered a duel screen Horizon I system). When it came time to finalize the panel GRT still was not shipping their GRT Sport so Todd and crew shipped me a Sport HZ for the same price so that I could get my panel completed and not delay my first flight. In addition an RV-6 builder friend was also supplied a Sport HZ at about the same time so his first flight would not be delayed. In my 35 years of flying I have never seen this kind of customer service out of any company, aviation or otherwise. Like I said it just doesn't get any better than GRT.
Personal experience - I ordered a GRT Sport I think the first week they were taking names for the wait list (I already had ordered a duel screen Horizon I system). When it came time to finalize the panel GRT still was not shipping their GRT Sport so Todd and crew shipped me a Sport HZ for the same price so that I could get my panel completed and not delay my first flight. In addition an RV-6 builder friend was also supplied a Sport HZ at about the same time so his first flight would not be delayed. In my 35 years of flying I have never seen this kind of customer service out of any company, aviation or otherwise. Like I said it just doesn't get any better than GRT.
