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

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.......

"~^ beancounter ~^" 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?...

Vacation subscription hold/suspension... I kneaux my neighbor is able to
do this when he isn't flying (he flew out yesterday), I can't find any
reference to it on the Garmin or XM websites in regards to the terms
(like how many times a year you can do this and for how long each time)
or fees required for reactivation... So do this:

quote on
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us through email
or by phone 800-XM-RADIO (800-967-2346).
http://www.xmradio.com/help/emailus.xmc
quote off

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?.......

Had it in a rental car on a trip to buy a plane in Ohio, I heard too
many song repeats within a days time and the talkshow/news sounded like
they were conducted over a telephone due to a high compression codec...

This was over 4 years ago, so maybe things have improved?

Darrel Toepfer wrote:

Had it in a rental car on a trip to buy a plane in Ohio, I heard too
many song repeats within a days time and the talkshow/news sounded like
they were conducted over a telephone due to a high compression codec...

This was over 4 years ago, so maybe things have improved?

It has

how so? is the $8 per mo worth it for music/radio?
compaired to ipods and mp3 players...?


" It has "










On May 16, 2:26*pm, Gig 601Xl Builder
wrote:
Darrel Toepfer wrote:
Had it in a rental car on a trip to buy a plane in Ohio, I heard too
many song repeats within a days time and the talkshow/news sounded like
they were conducted over a telephone due to a high compression codec...

This was over 4 years ago, so maybe things have improved?

It has

"~^ beancounter ~^" wrote in message
...
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

Gig 601Xl Builder wrote:
Darrel Toepfer wrote:

Had it in a rental car on a trip to buy a plane in Ohio, I heard too
many song repeats within a days time and the talkshow/news sounded like
they were conducted over a telephone due to a high compression codec...

This was over 4 years ago, so maybe things have improved?

It has

Well with the legends of songs available, it just didn't seem possible to
hear repeats every 5 hours or less (much less everyday) on a premium
service...

I swore off their programming on that trip, sadly its even cheaper to
subscribe today than back then...

thanx everyone for the info.....

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

Oh yea, ?? Even though you keep throwin' the $50 per month? They
shut
you down w/out notice?...If so...that's a pita...



On May 18, 7:23*am, Mike Spera wrote:
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

200 some channels including LOTS of sports, news, talk, which isn't on
my iPod. I've got three XM accounts as it is home, hanger and truck.

When my plane is done and I get the 496 I'm going to figure out someway
to use the 496 in place of the XM boom box at the hanger and also use
it when on trips in wifes car that doesn't have XM.




~^ beancounter ~^ wrote:
how so? is the $8 per mo worth it for music/radio?
compaired to ipods and mp3 players...?


" It has "