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

"~^ beancounter ~^" <richbonilla@**********> wrote in message
news:0f85be29-7158-4a22-8a2e-1fa71c4b0559@34g2000hsf.************.com...
>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

"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?

On May 16, 12:19 pm, "~^ beancounter ~^" <richboni...@**********>
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.

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 ~^" <richbonilla@**********> wrote in message
news:021f5849-636a-4962-8260-2f2103c0ce5c@p25g2000hsf.************.com...
" 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, "dewey.el...@************"
<dewey.el...@************> wrote:
> On May 16, 12:19 pm, "~^ beancounter ~^" <richboni...@**********>
> 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 -