REFLECTOR: Dream Panel

Joel Smith joels at austin.rr.com
Thu Mar 2 11:01:07 CST 2006


I have been reading some recent concerns about WSI working a deal with 
Sirius Satellite Radio to provide their service. It appears that this is 
to better compete with XM. However, there are some folks saying that 
this will be an expensive conversion for folks with previous WSI 
equipped avionics. Seems like there was an article on AVweb about this. 
One might want to understand this before jumping in.

I don't know much about the other services, but I am a Garmin 396 owner 
w/XM weather subscription. It is awesome for IFR wx. For the price I 
would consider the panel snap in adapter for the panel. When I get to 
where I am going, I take it with me. It's road maps are awesome also. 
You can get a wx picture on the way back to the airport. It would be my 
backup for the GNS-480 with its full IFR capability.

Joel

Scott Baker wrote:

>WSI and XM provide essentially the same weather information service ( XM has
>an advantage by having music).  The two companies are banging heads to win
>market share in the "in flight" weather data arena.  WSI has a huge number
>of ground systems operating at FBO's.  A key ingredient - one that will most
>likely define the winner in this competition - are the associations WSI and
>XM form with avionics display companies.  WSI for instance, "talks" to the
>MX20 but not the GNS480.  XM has integrated its system to a wider number of
>avionics units - including some hand held Garmin GPS units.  I think that XM
>has more subscribers (because it talks with a greater variety of equipment).
>I think of WSI and XM in the same fashion as Dish Network and Direct-TV.
>Same services (or just about) - slightly different base equipment - and
>subscription rates that jockey up and down to give a subscriber a temporary
>advantage one day - but costly nevertheless.  One hopes that as subscriber
>numbers rise, the subscription price will fall - but I think that is wishful
>thinking.
>So - all other thinks being equal, since WSI is supporting the Velocity Sun
>n Fun dinner with a generous donation - everyone think WSI!
>SB
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