David-aviator
Well Known Member
I am going with GRT's Sport EFIS and will port ADS-B stuff into it eventually but meanwhile I need a reliable GPS backup am familiar with and have decided to stick with a Garmin 295 I've had since 2003. It has kept me on track and never let me down for 10 years.
The only problem is the data base - it is old - and needed a refresh. So I bought the upgrade for $49.95 And then the trouble began. First off a serial port/usb converter was purchased. And then it took a couple hours to find the proper driver for the converter. And then the data base would not install with my new IMac or with my old HP lap top, the 295 was not where to be found. The Mac technology was too new and the HP was too old - it needed SP3 which won't install because of the old processor.
I went a friend who has a later PC and tried the install there and same problem, the 295 could not be located even with Garmin's latest Communicator.
Yesterday I was on the phone with Tony at Garmin aviation support and we found the problem. When going through the process of getting the new data base, I had entered the unit serial number instead of the unit ID number. When Tony corrected the numbers, it down loaded at my friends house in about 3 minutes.
Problem over!! Thanks to Tony at Garmin who would not give up.
With regard to the IMac, Garmin Communicator supports it for all products except aviation data bases, at least this is so with the 295. I don't know the reason for that but that's how it is. Also, Mac does not like serial port data, I found that out. They supported it about 20 years ago but it is long gone.
The only problem is the data base - it is old - and needed a refresh. So I bought the upgrade for $49.95 And then the trouble began. First off a serial port/usb converter was purchased. And then it took a couple hours to find the proper driver for the converter. And then the data base would not install with my new IMac or with my old HP lap top, the 295 was not where to be found. The Mac technology was too new and the HP was too old - it needed SP3 which won't install because of the old processor.
I went a friend who has a later PC and tried the install there and same problem, the 295 could not be located even with Garmin's latest Communicator.
Yesterday I was on the phone with Tony at Garmin aviation support and we found the problem. When going through the process of getting the new data base, I had entered the unit serial number instead of the unit ID number. When Tony corrected the numbers, it down loaded at my friends house in about 3 minutes.
Problem over!! Thanks to Tony at Garmin who would not give up.
With regard to the IMac, Garmin Communicator supports it for all products except aviation data bases, at least this is so with the 295. I don't know the reason for that but that's how it is. Also, Mac does not like serial port data, I found that out. They supported it about 20 years ago but it is long gone.
