REFLECTOR: Blue Mountain EIFS

Mon Apr 23 11:04:36 CDT 2007

They said that they will "support" the old unit as in possible software
glitch fixes and the updates to current maps, but no new features, and since
they can not get any replacement motherboards, it is just a matter time
before the  unit turns to nose ballast. Sheila said that they have been
looking for replacement processors for a long time with no luck, but she is
still looking- well, that just doesn't instill a lot of confidence for me...

-----Original Message-----
From: reflector-bounces at tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org] On
Behalf Of Andrew Ellzey
Sent: Monday, April 23, 2007 10:53 AM
To: Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list
Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Blue Mountain EIFS

Tom,

I also have an EFIS-One gold box not yet installed and was also told that
they (BM) was working on the range scaling for the map graphics. I also was
under the misconception that the G3 units would be supported for many years
(software and hardware)or I wouldn't have purchased it.

Andy Ellzey

----- Original Message -----
From: "Alex" <alex157 at pwhome.com>
To: "'Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list'" <reflector at tvbf.org>
Sent: Monday, April 23, 2007 10:25 AM
Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Blue Mountain EIFS

> Hi Tom-
> I will attempt to collect as many folks as we can for this-  I believe the
> basis for this is that we were definitely misled- I have the old sales
> brochure and it says there, and I quote:
>
> "It Just Gets Better
> As new software is developed it will be available for your EIFS one as 
> part
> of our subscription service. The EIFS One is the only instrument in your
> panel that just keeps getting better"
>
> Add to that the rest of the pamphlet that clearly shows the Gold Box
> connecting to WX 500 and WSI weather, which it never has and apparently
> never will do, and I think that we definitely have false advertising here-
> I have not even installed my unit- only made the cut out in the panel- so
> they really should not have a problem taking mine back - although they 
> said
> they could "possibly give me some trade in credit" towards a G4- I didn't
> even ask for the details,  I know it didn't mean that they would not
> directly trade it out-
> I am not saying that it has no value, I am not saying that it will not "do
> everything it did when I bought it"
> Just that the reason I chose to buy it over the other available units was
> that it would be regularly upgraded with new features as they came along.
> BM's Larry tried to play lawyer with his "did we specifically tell you 
> that
> you could zoom the maps" so if they want to play that game, I am more than
> willing to participate. I spoke with Dave Bertram, he said that they told
> him that it would take XM weather in the future. I asked them about that
> specifically, they said "can't be done" so that is a direct lie to him as
> well. I will contact you off the reflector for more details about this-
> definitely prepared to chip in to get this situation corrected.........
>
> Alex
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: reflector-bounces at tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org] On
> Behalf Of Tom Martino
> Sent: Sunday, April 22, 2007 11:14 PM
> To: Velocity List
> Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Blue Mountain EIFS
>
> Alex,
>
> It pissed me off when I found out the "Gold Box" is limited.  However, 
> even
> with its limits it does a great job.  BUT ... I still feel abandoned.
>
> Greg is very casual about the fact that the board manufacturer is "out of
> business".
>
> II realize this happens with a  lot of technology (early adopters are 
> often
> screwed).
>
> HOWEVER ... What makes this case DIFFERENT is that BMA mislead us into
> believing our "gold boxes" would be upgradeable with software.
>
> So, here is my proposal ... get me names and contact information of early
> adopters who feel they were mislead and I will pursue a class action law
> suit for the sole purpose of getting us newer units.  We may have to chip 
> in
> a few bucks for expenses ... but I will not charge any legal fees.
>
> I was going to this before ... but I did not want to do it for just 
> myself.
>
> My email:  tmartino at troubleshooter.com  (I am used to fights like this ...
> TRUST ME).
>
> Tom Martino
>
>
>
> On 4/22/07 8:46 PM, "Alex" <alex157 at pwhome.com> wrote:
>
>> Well- no effect for those who have not received theirs yet/ or have
>> the G4
>> unit- so all is well for you guys- my main problem was that the big
>> sell ( and I want everyone to tell me if I am wrong about this) is
>> that their unit would be software upgradeable to keep it fairly
>> current- the only upgrades I have heard anyone getting from Blue
>> Mountain have been related to map currency or problem fixes. - they
>> claimed when I ordered and paid for mine that it would eventually
>> display WX-500 data, and current weather,  and in the future, and that
>> they were working out how to display traffic. I received mine in Feb
>> of 2006- not too long ago- it is the older style with the separate
>> gold box- new units have everything built into the display
>> unit- I was watching Greg do his schpeal and noticed that the new
>> units have a USB port on the front- so I just asked how exactly I get
>> my updates via the internet so get current with the software- he
>> determined that I have a
>> G2 unit (not sure what happened to G3) and that the technology in that
>> box is 10 years old, and NOT Upgradeable, in fact, I found out that
>> the manufacturer of the board is no longer in business, so I am not
>> sure how long they will be able to support it if there is a physical
>> problem. I did find out that I can get a basic terrain view, but it is
>> on only a single pre-set scale- I was a bit shocked about this since I
>> have flown with a $200 PDA that had fully scaleable mapping, in fact
>> it would auto-zoom when you reached your destination so you can see
>> where you are in the airport environment. Greg just said repeatedly "
>> it does exactly what it did when you bought it" and it isn't his fault
>> that the features like WX-500 display (dropped apparently due to lack
>> of interest) and weather depiction are never going to be available on a
> "gold box" unit, nor is map scaling.
>> The second day, I went to visit with them after sleeping on this, and
>> spoke with Larry and Sheila about this situation, since Greg was not
>> there when I
>> arrived- they got pretty agitated with me even asking about this
>> subject and gave me a "too bad for you" kind of response- even asked
>> me if I had asked anyone at blue mountain specifically if the maps
>> zoomed  before I bought it and thereby if they had lied about that- my
>> response was that I did not ask because it is such a basic function of
>> having a moving map that I would not even think to ask- kind of like
>> asking of the radio in your new Mercedes receives FM signals- not to
>> mention that EVERY other moving map company represented at SNF - and 
>> there
> were a lot of them - had zoom- and lots of
>> other features not present on the $15k Blue mountain-   they just kept
>> saying that the hardware in the gold box is 10 old technology,(despite
>> the fact that I had it only 14 months),  that not physically
>> upgradeable (non- socketed processor and memory) and it was too slow to
> allow for map zooming.
>>
>> My main reason to buy their box was the fact that the magic internal
>> workings were software related and would be regularly upgraded as new
>> features became available, I believe that this was the basis of their
>> sales
>> pitch- at least it was to me-  I know I was promised WX display and
>> WSI
>> weather- even checked their sales brochure when I got home and said
>> right there in big letters about that too- so now I will see how many
>> other folks have this problem or feel that this is a problem, and take it
> from there.
>>
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: reflector-bounces at tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org]
>> On Behalf Of Richard J. Gentil
>> Sent: Sunday, April 22, 2007 3:49 PM
>> To: Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list
>> Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Blue Mountain EIFS
>>
>> Hey Alex,
>>
>> I have a new Dual EFIS/ONE waiting for delivery when I am to the point
>> of installing my panel.
>>
>> What did you find out?
>>
>> Richard
>>
>> Alex wrote:
>>> Hello Everyone-
>>> Just back from Sun N Fun, and I had an "interesting" talk with the
>>> Blue Mountain folks about what the system does and does not do, and
>>> what they promised would be available for those of us who purchased
>>> it- can I please request a show of hands from anyone that has/had one
>>> of their EIFS one units for some further discussions on this
>>> subject........ Anyone else that is not on the reflector - Rvators ect.
>> would also be helpful to speak with.
>>>
>>> Alex
>>>
>>>
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