Garmin 695/696

[asav8tor]

Well someone has to start the thread,

I think they have a winner,

http://garmin.blogs.com/pr/2008/10/g...nchId=newsroom

[mototopo]

WWWOOOOOOWWWWW!!!

[Canadian_JOY]

From AVWEB:

Since early summer we've heard rumblings that Garmin would soon debut a new portable navigator and the company said today it will roll out the GPSMap 695 and 696 at AOPA Expo next week in San Jose, California. These new products end Garmin's longish product intro drought with a pair of large-screen navigators that have Electronic Flight Bag functions but aren't really EFBs. The 695/696 are tablet-size products (5.7 by 7.7 by 2 inches) with the basic functionality of the popular GPSMap 496 navigator. The new products add one intriguing function we can't wait to see: electronic charts and expanded weather capability.



The hardware itself is Garmin's first aviation-specific effort in more than 10 years—previous aviation portable navigators have been adapted from Garmin's marine or automotive hardware base. Garmin's Jessica Myers told us that development work on the 696 lead to the G300 EFIS to be offered in Cessna's Skycatcher LSA. The 696's WVGA color display is capable of depicting a full size approach plate and, as with the GPSMap 496, the 696 will display XM-based datalink weather, linked in through a smart antenna similar to that used on the 496. As with other Garmin portables, the 695/696 can operate on batteries (2 ½ estimate battery life) or ship's power and it has an internal antenna for GPS reception. (No Bluetooth capability is planned.) The 695 is identical to the 696, but lacks weather capability. Both units will be available for sale at AOPA Expo for $2,695 and $3,295, respectively.


Looks good, but awfully expensive. Seems "brand G" still doesn't understand that some of us want GPS functionality at a price less than what we paid for our EFIS...

[Bob Axsom]

I have not bought a portable GPS since I purchased my GPS 90 in the 1990s. This is one I have to have for the complete and current approach plates alone. I read the information at the site listed by the originator of this thread.

Bob Axsom

[the_other_dougreeves]

Looks quite nice. Of particular interest is that it is designed to be a Class I / II EFB and replace approach charts. It looks like Garmin learned from the MX-20 and Avidyne interface and can toggle between IFR/VFR chart depictions using softkeys on the bottom of the display.

More here.

TODR

[Geico266]

Sweet! I can't wait to see Air Gizmo build a panel snap in device. You just gonna love the large screen, but I like to hold the 496 in one hand while flying.

[the_other_dougreeves]

Originally Posted by Geico266

Sweet! I can't wait to see Air Gizmo build a panel snap in device. You just gonna love the large screen, but I like to hold the 496 in one hand while flying.

Update: Accoridng to AvWeb, the unit is 5.7"W by 7.7"W by 2"H and has a 7" dia screen. For comparison, the older x96 units are 5.7"W x 3.2"H and have a 3.8" dia screen.

I would seem that the 696 is narrow and shallow enough to make a dock that fits a standard 6.25" width stack. It would seem to be a great fit for the experimental / light sport market.

Update 2: Airgizmos emailed me back already this morning (quick service!) to say that they will be making a dock for the 696 but don't have one just yet.

TODR

[Jamie]

Wow...too neat.

The thing I find interesting about it is the knob and softkeys. I work in software and I'm a user interface nerd. Entering waypoints on the 496 is the only real complaint I have about it.

Very neat to see all of these incredibly cool advancements in aviation.

[Ironflight]

I'm glad that the cat is finally out of the bag on this thing, as I have had the marvelous opportunity to be a Beta tester for the 696 for the past several months - and yes, it is WAY cool! When you add up all of the functions that it performs, th price is actually much lower than I was expecting it to be. Wen you look at what you have to pay for an Electronic Flight Bag, then add the features of a 496, you come out quite a bit ahead - and that is not even counting the new HUGE display and more feature-rich software.

The first thing you notice about it has got to be the size and brightness of the screen - this is (I think) an EFIS screen, repackaged as a portable. Bright under all conditions, including on-top sunshine in a bubble-canopy -8. The resolution and map detail are outstanding. Speaking of the map, it now has airways (hi and lo), and an IFR en route chart mode. The flight planning feature has probably one of the best features I have sen yet - you can "grab" the course line, and rubber band it to a new waypoint - so if you get a re-route, or decide to go around something, just pull the line to a new point and follow it - the new point is added to the Flight Plan.

The weather features are the same, but look much better on the big screen - you have more real estate to get a bigger picture of what is going on, and the resolution and color are excellent. There is a new, slightly smaller XM antenna/receiver (I am happy because I have an early unit that doesn't have "Garmin" printed on top, so I don't get a reflection in my windshield when it is on my glare shield - I doubt that is an option....), and it gets the same subscription services as the old one.

The database of the new unit seems to be much more complete than the 496 - I am guessing it is simply more memory. In fact, I have had to go in and turn off private heliports and the like - too much clutter! Our airpark is listed, whereas it was not in the old database.

The user interface is improved (over the older 496) with the joystick/knob. It will be familiar (I learned it in about 10 minutes without a manual) because the stick acts somewhat like the old four-way Garmin "rocker", but the knob can also be twisted to make selections and the like. The edge keys on the bottom make common inputs much simpler - although it still takes a couple of motions to mute the audio (I usually just use the "isolate" switch on my audio panel - it is quicker). The XM audio, by the way, is as good as ever, and even better - they have isolated the audio and power grounds, so you don't get the ground loop hum common on the 396/496! This is huge - and I was able to give my little isolation box to Louise for use in Mikey, so now both are hum free.

There is no doubt that this is a bigger box to manage in the cockpit - I have mine on a RAM mount on the right side of the Val where I mounted the older unit. It fits fine, but is noticeably bigger. However, since it displays my IFR charts, it serves sort of as a flight desk, and I don't really have a problem. I started wearing my knee board on my left leg to de-conflict the space, and was surprised at how quickly I adapted to it.

Speaking of IFR charts - yup - they are all there! Approach plates fit just fine, and are very readable. you can zoom in and out, which is nice when you get a "landscape" SID or STAR chart. You do NOT see the airplane in real time on the charts - this is a chart reader, not an interactive chart/map - but you can switch back and forth quickly between the chart and the map which does depict the approach if you have it selected, and the map shows where you are in real time. Since I navigate with my EFIS and GNS 430, I just put the approach plate on the 696, and leave it there. (And my old Sony "Reader" is going to be just for books from now on I guess....)

Yup, this thing is pretty dang cool! If you do a lot of cross-country flying around weather systems, I am pretty sure the extra cost will be justified by its features. if you are going IFR frequently, then yes, it is a GREAT deal. Now that the wraps are off, I can show it to folks that want to see it at fly-ins (I can stop using my Boonie Hat to cover it up now!) or fuel stops.

It will be interesting to see how it is adopted, and I bet folks will be incorporating it n their panels pretty soon. There are a lot of new features that I haven't even touched on - too much to remember at one sitting!

Paul

[Brantel]

Originally Posted by Ironflight

but you can switch back and forth quickly between the chart and the map which does depict the approach if you have it selected, and the map shows where you are in real time.

Paul,

Are the complete approaches shown on the map or just from FAF in like on the older ones? Proceedure turns? Holds?

If so, this thing is going to tempt people to break some rules!

How about VNAV stuff, what does it do in this regard?