If Garmin would only?

[N941WR]

Today I wrote a letter to the head of marketing at Garmin suggesting they build a portable GPS in the same form factor as the X96 but with a full size touch screen, upgraded processor, and a conversion cable that goes from the three X96 cables to the new unit.

The reason is that when those of us with X96 units who have installed the wiring and a means to hold the unit (AirGizmo, in my case) have to replace their X96?s, they will look at competitor products. Heck why not, if you have to rip into your panel and wiring, why not look at all the options out there?

[Kokemiller]

I second that.

Along the same lines I wish Dynon would make plug and play upgrades for the D180 as well.

[rocketbob]

It seems pretty shortsighted to me that they constantly redesign their packaging. If every two years they came out with new portables that have the same form factor, its a no brainer to upgrade.

[Sig600]

That's a lot of money and r&d for a handful of units to a specialized group.

[humptybump]

The cable part is pretty easy. I will (perhaps sooner than I want) be upgrading my TruTrak AP. They already told me the there will not be a plug-n-play cable. My solution is to build a smal 37pin-to-37pin adapter. It will be a whole lot easier than pulling the existing harness.

I realize the Garmin connectors are a mess. I really wish they had a single bulk connector with pin-outs.

Short of some radios and round instruments, the rest of our panels are custom.

[Neal@F14]

How many true competitors to the compact Garmin portables are left on the market anymore? The Bendix AV8OR ?

[N941WR]

Originally Posted by Sig600

That's a lot of money and r&d for a handful of units to a specialized group.

Not really specialized group. They can use the internals for a different form factor and with an X96 upgrade path they will just about grantee a high percentage of repeat buyers.

There are a bunch of people out there who have installed yoke mounts, AirGizmos, and other devices to hold their X96?s and besides, the new units are just too large in our small cockpits, and for those of us who fly VFR or use the Garmin for situational awareness, there is no need for the advance features in the other units.

[N941WR]

Originally Posted by Neal@F14

How many true competitors to the compact Garmin portables are left on the market anymore? The Bendix AV8OR ?

iPads, used X96's, and ???

[Neal@F14]

IPads and other tablets are impractical for panel docking, so are all the large size aviation GPS units. The tablets have terrible screens in bright sunlight too.

I looked around a little more and in the "compact" aviation world, with Lowrance now gone, it looks like all we have left are the Garmin Aera 5xx series (and 196 still in production), the Bendix AV8OR, and the AvMap Geopilot that fill the niche for practical, panel-dockable (e.g. they'll fit in a typical RV's 5.25" wide radio stack panel space without being way too tall mounted in portrait mode) aviation GPS portables.

[N941WR]

Originally Posted by Neal@F14

IPads and other tablets are impractical for panel docking, so are all the large size aviation GPS units.

Exactly my point.

Originally Posted by Neal@F14

The tablets have terrible screens in bright sunlight too.

While I agree, I'm really surprised at how many people are going to iPads.

Originally Posted by Neal@F14

I looked around a little more and in the "compact" aviation world, with Lowrance now gone, it looks like all we have left are the Garmin Aera 5xx series (and 196 still in production), the Bendix AV8OR, and the AvMap Geopilot that fill the niche for practical, panel-dockable (e.g. they'll fit in a typical RV's 5.25" wide radio stack panel space without being way too tall mounted in portrait mode) aviation GPS portables.

The problem for Garmin is that if you are going to rewire your panel and put in a new bracket or Airgizmo, you are no longer tied to Garmin.

The problem for us is that you have to rewire your panel and put in a new bracket or Airgizmo every couple of years.