Future of 480

I was talking to an avionics guy the other day who was turning people
away from the 480. His reasoning is that Garmin orders the required
chips in bulk lots and once they are gone they are gone. Since the 480
install base is smaller than the 430/530 and since it does not seem
that Garmin wants to move the 480 software forward (all subsequence GPS
units have been based on the 430 software) he believes that at some
point 10 years down the road, chips will not be available. He said the
same will happen for the 430 but it will take much more time since
there is such a large install base and Garmin has more of an incentive
to order additional production lots.
Does that make sense?

-Robert

"Robert M. Gary" wrote:

Does that make sense?

It is not readily apparent to me why the availability of a chip ten years
from now will affect the 480 units that are installed today.

--
Peter

Peter R. wrote:
"Robert M. Gary" wrote:

Does that make sense?

It is not readily apparent to me why the availability of a chip ten years
from now will affect the 480 units that are installed today.

Ten years from now, when your 480 dies and requires parts, they may not
be available, and if they're not, the unit would be useless.

-jav

Javier wrote:

Ten years from now, when your 480 dies and requires parts, they may not
be available, and if they're not, the unit would be useless.

Do solid state chips fail with enough regularity for your scenario to be a
real risk?

--
Peter

In article ,
"Peter R." wrote:

Javier wrote:

Ten years from now, when your 480 dies and requires parts, they may not
be available, and if they're not, the unit would be useless.

I fully expect any GPS installed today to be as obsolete in 10 years as the
KX-170 is today.

Roy Smith wrote:
In article ,
"Peter R." wrote:

Javier wrote:

Ten years from now, when your 480 dies and requires parts, they may not
be available, and if they're not, the unit would be useless.

I fully expect any GPS installed today to be as obsolete in 10 years as the
KX-170 is today.

"obsolete" as in not current technology or "obsolete" as in not
serviceable?

-Robert

Roy Smith wrote:

In article ,
"Peter R." wrote:

Javier wrote:

Ten years from now, when your 480 dies and requires parts, they may not
be available, and if they're not, the unit would be useless.

I fully expect any GPS installed today to be as obsolete in 10 years as the
KX-170 is today.

I agree, but please watch your quoting. You replied to my message, then
removed my quote but left my name as the author, making it look like I
authored someone else's words.

--
Peter

Javier wrote:
Peter R. wrote:
"Robert M. Gary" wrote:

Does that make sense?

It is not readily apparent to me why the availability of a chip ten years
from now will affect the 480 units that are installed today.

Ten years from now, when your 480 dies and requires parts, they may not
be available, and if they're not, the unit would be useless.

-jav
In 10 years I suspect the 480 will be as obsolete as the King
Nav/Com's it replaced.

Do you think the 430 has any better life expectancy. The thing
is already nearing obsolescence.

It was obsolete the day it came out, without an airways database.

Karl
"Ron Natalie" wrote in message
...
Javier wrote:
Peter R. wrote:
"Robert M. Gary" wrote:

Does that make sense?

It is not readily apparent to me why the availability of a chip ten
years
from now will affect the 480 units that are installed today.

Ten years from now, when your 480 dies and requires parts, they may not
be available, and if they're not, the unit would be useless.

-jav
In 10 years I suspect the 480 will be as obsolete as the King
Nav/Com's it replaced.

Do you think the 430 has any better life expectancy. The thing
is already nearing obsolescence.

Ron Natalie wrote:
Javier wrote:
Peter R. wrote:
"Robert M. Gary" wrote:

Does that make sense?

It is not readily apparent to me why the availability of a chip ten
years
from now will affect the 480 units that are installed today.

Ten years from now, when your 480 dies and requires parts, they may
not be available, and if they're not, the unit would be useless.


In 10 years I suspect the 480 will be as obsolete as the King
Nav/Com's it replaced.

Do you think the 430 has any better life expectancy. The thing
is already nearing obsolescence.

I don't know either way. I was just answering the question by Peter R.

Since there are more 430's out there than 480's, will Garmin have more
incentive to keep parts in stock for the 430? I don't know, either.

-jav