376C XM plans..

[steveknapp]

FYI:

Thank You for contacting Garmin International,

 

The Ground Package from XM is not one recommended for the 376C. I have

included a link to the XM page with the packages that we do recommend.

 

http://www.xmradio.com/weather/ma_service_pricing.html

 

If you have any further questions please feel free to contact us.

[Paul_Burkett]

Happy birthday Steve.

[steveknapp]

Thanks!

[ClearwaterBMW]

FYI:

Thank You for contacting Garmin International,

 

The Ground Package from XM is not one recommended for the 376C. I have

included a link to the XM page with the packages that we do recommend.

 

http://www.xmradio.com/weather/ma_service_pricing.html

 

If you have any further questions please feel free to contact us.

 

 

why no ground package

that is completely the opposite of what they told my friend, johh.... who has preordered this unit

 

which package will you get?

 

IF you are interested, here is the thread from the I-BMW site about the same subject. there are many of us over there who have obvious interest in this very exciting garmin product

http://www2.i-bmw.com/ubbthreads/showfla...o=21&fpart=

 

greg

[JB-BMW]

Left side of the XM screen Ground $99.00

[ClearwaterBMW]

you are going to pay $100.00/month?

seriously

i waste money every minute of the day (i'm embarrassed to admit)

but.....

that is ridiculous for most folks

and i'm the guy who owns 5 gps units

and will put that 376C right over my nav ii plus

 

greg

[ClearwaterBMW]

somehow my i-bmw friends think they are going to get away with only $29.95/month...

not sure why

 

greg

[smiller]

So I'm a little confused as to how this will all connect together. The GPS antenna will the one mounted on the 376C (or an external if desired), plus there will be a separate XM antenna? So the 376C has an XM receiver built in (or perhaps the XM electronics are contained in the antenna module)? Also, info on the Garmin site indicates that 'Both XM Satellite data and audio are delivered to the GPSMAP 376C' so how is audio channel selection done? On the 376C? Is the UI for this practical for motorcycle use? And I guess there must be a stereo audio output available from the 376C? Or maybe I am missing something here. Does anyone know exactly how this system will cable up?

 

Edit: Nevermind, just found the owner's manual on the site and apparently all XM audio channel selection and stuff is indeed done on the 376C. The advantage in that is no separate XM receiver to take up space and the disadvantage is that it may be a bit of a PITA to use the 376C interface for that function as it is something that you are messing with all the time (or at least I do.) I don't think that doing channel section on a GPS (any GPS) will be nearly as easy as punching buttons on my Roady2. Still, it sure looks pretty...

[ShovelStrokeEd]

Jeebus,

 

Your on a motorcycle, look up! See blue? Its not raining. See black? Its either night time or its about to rain.

 

Boaters have a much different set of priorities when it comes to weather.

 

Between NOAA and the weather channel on TV I can ususally tell what to pack, how to pack it and what to wear for the day. What the heck more do you need. Talk about getting back to the basics.

[MattS]

I don't at all dig the separate antenna setup for the XM services, but the radio UI looks super-easy. Having an IPX7-compliant satellite radio is a neat trick (as long as the USB connection for the antenna itself conforms to the waterproof standard).

[smiller]

Having an IPX7-compliant satellite radio is a neat trick

 

Yes indeed, forgot about that factor. I'm getting pretty tired of having to worry about all my non-waterproof stuff and would be nice to eliminate that concern wherever possible. Still waiting for an IPX7 Valentine One.

 

Damn... quit giving me reasons to buy one of these things.

 

 

Ed... well, someone was going to say it so might as well be you. But as anyone who lives in Florida knows those cells can pop up wherever and whenever. If you have to ride through them then so be it, but having current NEXRAD information may allow you to choose a route that avoids some nastiness, or even if you like the rain will let you avoid the hail. A critical need? Naw, of course not. A really neat toy? Yes.

[ClearwaterBMW]

Ed

don't you want to play along with our reindeer games?

i just know you do

we ride bmw's.... we're supposed to waste money on electronics....

it is OUR job(s) to stimulate the economy with frivolous purchases, especially in this time of sky high gas prices

 

who knows... by this time next year, you might changing your name to

"nexrad ed"

 

greg

[MattS]

Had an early Christmas here yesterday as the 376C finally shipped. Activated the "Fisherman" weather service ($29.99/month), which for my purposes seems slightly more useful than the "Sailor" package ("Hello, Sailor!") at the same price. Included the audio for another $6.99/mo on the tails of an existing family plan, we'll see if I use it.

 

I haven't been able to play with it too much, but the Home Office here has a satellite-friendly southern exposure. Both GMS and XM antenna have a lock, so here is a look at the map with NEXRAD (that's a marine warning extending out over Hudson Canyon):

 

 

It's only gee-whiz in the house, but I'd say there's some utility to this.

 

Here's the GXM 30 antenna, this pulls in the XM and XM WX signals ... nicely magnetic and build quality exceeds by degrees what ships with the Roady and its ilk ... I'm working on some mounting options as we speak.

 

[smiller]

Matt, could you post some screenshots of what the weather data looks like as you zoom in (I'm wondering how pixelated it gets at higher magnifications)? Of course I guess you may have to wait until you get some weather worth looking at in your area, but I think a front is coming...

 

Just scientific curiosity of course, no envy or anything like that...

[Spinner]

Greg, as Matt said, the fisherman weather package is only $29.99. See http://www.xmradio.com/weather/ma_service_pricing.html

[ClearwaterBMW]

yes yes yes

excellent question

i am NOT quite sure about the unit yet

i want one

i want to make sure the weather issues are good

can't believe we have to order the marine-based packages because the only real car/bike one is $99/month

can't wait to see more screenshots

thanks in advance for the trouble

greg

 

how waterproof IS that antenna, by the way

[MattS]

In advance of posting more shots, the NEXRAD cells are one mile square, as expected. While they do look clunky at zoom (at zoom?), they are still fairly accurate ... was out earlier in the dry (as my cell indicated), while nearby cells showed rain.

 

The antenna is certainly fully waterproof ... it is the USB connection at the back of the 376 that would probably lose it first (I doubt, despite tech support's claim, that that connection is IPX-7 compliant).

[ClearwaterBMW]

also

how do you find the sound quality of the XM is from the output (is it a 2.5mm jack?)

 

would you say that the quality of the sound is the same as other xm units you might have?

 

thanks

greg

[MattS]

how do you find the sound quality of the XM is from the output (is it a 2.5mm jack?)

3.5mm ... sounds fine ... don't forget that the XM audio signal is very lossy to begin with, well beyond the point where a 3.5mm port would introduce more noise.

 

What's interesting is that the XM audio will play through the speaker unit on the cigarette-lighter power cable. Sounds, of course, just awful. Like the old speakers at drive-ins, I suppose.

[ClearwaterBMW]

i appreciate the continued info. i have checked most of the gps-selling websites i know and none have any in stock yet. how did you get this unit so quickly (not that it hasn't been delayed countless times)?

greg

[MattS]

i appreciate the continued info. i have checked most of the gps-selling websites i know and none have any in stock yet. how did you get this unit so quickly (not that it hasn't been delayed countless times)?

http://www.tvnav.com/376c.htm ... I happened to call late last week and was called back within a few hours with the news that they'd ship this week. Good timing.

[ClearwaterBMW]

did you buy the auto navigation kit with it so that you could get the CITY SELECT V.7 to go with it?

 

i have all the map source programs for the 2610/spiii which don't work with the X76 series as you might know

 

thanks

greg

[MattS]

did you buy the auto navigation kit with it so that you could get the CITY SELECT V.7 to go with it?

 

i have all the map source programs for the 2610/spiii which don't work with the X76 series as you might know

I did not buy the auto kit ... I did get the cigarette adapter as a standalone. Not sure why, though, since the plan is to keep the 2610 in the car full time now.

 

Which brings me to the other part ... I'm using my second unlock for City Navigator on the 376C. I know that Garmin doesn't recommend the combination (like pop rocks and soda ... or worse), but it works fine. It even appears that the second line (the vaunted difference between City Navigator and City Select) of exit data is in fact appearing on the 376C. I'd have to do a side-by-side to be sure ... but you might just have to kill me if I start down the road with two GPSes running at once.

[ClearwaterBMW]

well

that is weird, because they insist that you can't use that data from the city nav on the X76

 

i have an old 176C..... with the data cards that i (just for fun) loaded with v.7 city nav data (the stuff i got with my bmw nav ii/2610)

 

and the 176C wouldn't load the card at all

hmmmmmm

 

very interesting, because i know that the auto kit is another $195.00

 

greg

[ClearwaterBMW]

oh, by the way

I PERSONALLY WOULDN'T KILL YOU AT ALL

because i fully intend on running BOTH gps units at once

whether on my GS or my LT

 

on my GS... the nav ii will be closer to me/mounted on the bars and will be used for primary navigation

 

the 376C...

will be mounted on my RCU shelf...

{stock picture of shelf/mine is black shelf on yellow bike}

further away and used for weather/and eventually and XM radio feed into my helmet

 

yes.....

i am a big geek

 

greg

[DavidEBSmith]

but you might just have to kill me if I start down the road with two GPSes running at once.

 

Doesn't everybody have two GPSes mounted on their bike?

[ClearwaterBMW]

David

can we get a blow-up of that avatar please?

it may be the best picture ever

i MUST have it as my wallpaper.... please

 

greg

[MattS]

and the 176C wouldn't load the card at all

The 176C is listed as Metroguide-compatible, suggesting that it will not work with map products requiring unlocks. I had to input the serial number of the 376C into the unlock wizard ... the maps will now work with two and only two units.

[johnlt]

I agree, I use CN with a second unlock (free)on my 276C with no problems at all. Works great.

[ClearwaterBMW]

that is very useful news

here's something else weird:

i recently upgraded to V.7 of the city nav mapsource product because of my BMW NAV ii purchase with the GS

i loaded the dvd onto my computer

put in the UNLOCK code i got from GARMIN (because i was upgraded for free since the bmw nav ii unit came with the old V.6 discs)

i have then been able to load maps and routes on both my:

1. BMW NAV ii (for my new GS).... 2GB CF card

2. BMW NAV i (stree pilot iii)that i got with my 2002 K1200LTE.... 256MB proprietary GARMIN memory card

 

i never entered the serial numbers of EITHER unit into the program... yet the maps work fine on both

 

what do you make of THAT phenomenon?

 

greg

[Burnie M]

that is very useful news

here's something else weird:

i recently upgraded to V.7 of the city nav mapsource product because of my BMW NAV ii purchase with the GS

i loaded the dvd onto my computer

put in the UNLOCK code i got from GARMIN (because i was upgraded for free since the bmw nav ii unit came with the old V.6 discs)

i have then been able to load maps and routes on both my:

1. BMW NAV ii (for my new GS).... 2GB CF card

2. BMW NAV i (stree pilot iii)that i got with my 2002 K1200LTE.... 256MB proprietary GARMIN memory card

 

i never entered the serial numbers of EITHER unit into the program... yet the maps work fine on both

 

what do you make of THAT phenomenon?

 

greg

 

Sorry, not possible - you do have unlock codes entered into MapSource on the PC

 

Also, locked mapsets will work fine on a GPSmap 176C (provided they are unlocked for that unit).

 

And yes, City Navigator works fine on a GPSmap 276C so no reason why it should not work fine on a 376C.

[ClearwaterBMW]

well

i just ordered one from the tvnav folks

thanks for turning me on to them

i have another friend who ordered one too

 

i guess the XM WX info for activation is in the box

 

thanks

greg

[ClearwaterBMW]

Sorry, not possible - you do have unlock codes entered into MapSource on the PC

 

Also, locked mapsets will work fine on a GPSmap 176C (provided they are unlocked for that unit).

 

And yes, City Navigator works fine on a GPSmap 276C so no reason why it should not work fine on a 376C.

 

yikes

maybe i did enter that serial number

didn't think i had

but....

i don't know what i'm doing anymore

 

so, i guess i'm glad that i bought the city select with the 376C because if you can only use the city nav with 2 units.....

i already am (the spii and the bmw nav ii)

so, i guess i had no choice, right?

 

greg

[ClearwaterBMW]

ok

i have the unit

it is all hooked up and initialized

BUT.....

everytime you turn it on....

it takes FOREVER to acquire data for the weather

maybe 15 minutes

 

is THIS normal?

 

the XM comes in RIGHT AWAY

but the "awaiting data" message stays on FOREVER

 

greg

[MattS]

On the XM page, there should be a service level listed ... if it says "No Subscription" you'll need to call. My XM activation was nearly instantaneous, but the XM WX required another call about 6 hours later. The system is kinked -- you know it's going to bad when you can't even activate the WX service online.

[ClearwaterBMW]

no

i got the fisherman like you

just drove around for 20 mins... and it worked better... but,

the thing is:

when you turn it on, it begins to download the nexrad data

so that if you want to see an animated version of the last 1 hour of data...... you have to have it on for 1 hour

it does not SEE the past, if you know what i mean

greg

 

 

i made a nice mount for it on the GS as well

left side of the RCU shelf

drilled

bolted in with stainless bolts and wingnuts with 2 regular nuts below (used a 1.5 inch bolt

to stave off the effects of vibration... still used loctite as well

 

[MattS]

it does not SEE the past, if you know what i mean

Yes, it's a little strange. We just got back from a little mission, and each time the GPS went off, the weather data "erased" ... nice thing about a 376C, though, is you can keep it on when the bike is off and it will retain the "live" feed to the WX.

[ClearwaterBMW]

 

i wonder what the current draw will be and how long i'll keep it on when the bike is off....

but my accessory plug... is hooked to the canbus/by the dealer....

so the plug doesn't stay "hot"

never wired it to the battery.... should do that

but....

the lithium ion battery will work

but i'm not sure how long it lasts

that will be good for lunches, but NOT overnight, i guess

 

i made sure i got into the menu system and made it so that the unit does NOT turn off when the DC power is turn off

 

greg

[MattS]

some screenshots of what the weather data looks like as you zoom in (I'm wondering how pixelated it gets at higher magnifications)

All right, Seth, get ready for the Weather Porn. I think this is better than what they have at the roach motel down the street.

 

Here's a nice overview shot, not very practical for most of our applications:

 

 

This is nice, showing prevailing winds, sea temperatures and wave heights.

 

 

Finally, a sequence of three showing the pixellation of individual cells. One would imagine this rather poor condition might improve over time.

 

 

 

Here is the worst of all ... looks like the cells are 2km square.

 

[ClearwaterBMW]

we ARE weather geeks, aren't we.

one more thing matt...... though i got the FISHERMAN package/like you

when you set the 376C for "automotive use"

it takes away 1/2 what you paid for....

ok, you really don't need to know water temps and buoy reports when you are riding on I-10 through TEXAS....

but.... maybe i STILL wanted to see them!

 

so, now i'm paying $36.90 a month for 3 screens (and XM), though i have no speakers in my helmet at this time to use that feature on the bike

NEXRAD (which IS the most important, afterall)

FORECASTS

SURFACE PRESSURE

 

i talked to several people at XM yesterday about how they just MUST develop a package with the on-the-road user in mind (which OUGHT to be their biggest customer for this expensive toy)

 

we'll see what happens

with XM you can change your service designation without penalty..... everything is month-to-month

 

greg

[smiller]

Thanks Matt. That's cool, and actually better than I thought it would be. I'm sure that Ed is jazzed too.

 

Do you know how often the data is refreshed? Are you seeing returns from 1 minute ago, 15 minutes ago, or..?

[MattS]

Do you know how often the data is refreshed? Are you seeing returns from 1 minute ago, 15 minutes ago, or..?

I've heard alternatively that it's :10, :12 or :15 minutes. There is some kind of countdown timer next to the WX symbol on-screen, I assume this is the wait between refreshes.

 

What's also neat is that the configurable data fields (where you've usually got Speed or ETA, for example) can now display temp, humidity, pressure, wind and dewpoint. Of course, these values aren't measured by the unit, but by the nearest weather station.

[johnlt]

Of course, these values aren't measured by the unit, but by the nearest weather station.

 

That's probably better anyway. My experience with thermometers on bikes is bad. Never can find a good place for the sensor that doesn't read too hot when running.

[ClearwaterBMW]

Do you know how often the data is refreshed? Are you seeing returns from 1 minute ago, 15 minutes ago, or..?

 

read this

 

http://www.xmradio.com/weather/xmwm_productdefs.pdf

 

greg

[ClearwaterBMW]

The system is great... pretty slow and i guess i feel like the guy who bought the 4-function calculator from Radio Shack in 1975 for $249.00 (i STILL have that old catalog, by the way)

 

things will get better

but, considering that THIS is the garmin unit that has the best screen ever, the great weather, with XM... it really is an amazing product at any price

 

greg

[smiller]

The delay in receiving the initial data load and the fact that it all disappears if power is cycled seems as though it might be a little problematical at times. What about when you stop and go in a store or restaurant or whatever, and exit, see a nasty sky in your direction of travel and want to check if there is any severe wx in your planned path? You must either have left the unit on the bike, exposed, and turned on (the only thing missing would be a 'steal me' sign), or wait for the wx data to download again. I guess that kind of problem is inherent in any kind of system like this, though.

[johnlt]

You must either have left the unit on the bike, exposed, and turned on (the only thing missing would be a 'steal me' sign), or wait for the wx data to download again.

 

Gee, I've never enen thought about taking my GPS (and V1 also) off my bike when I go into a resturant. Never had a problem.

[ClearwaterBMW]

i see your point.

one thing you HAVE to do (if you have the unit hardwired to the bike like i do)

is to go into the menu system and make sure that you tell the unit to:

"STAY ON WHEN EXTERNAL POWER IS REMOVED"

otherwise...

if you have it on a "switched" accessory plug, it'll go off before you remember to turn it back on

the good thing: it comes with a GREAT Lithium Ion battery that will keep it going for hours when the ext. power is removed.

but, if you are going to be off the bike for 3 hours plus, remember to turn DOWN the brightness of the screen when you get off the bike (takes 2 secs) so that it draws less power using the Li+ battery

 

as for restaurant and leaving it on the bike

on my GS, i now have

the BMW Nav ii AND the Garmin 376C

with data card/CF card and all the time i spent setting them up... that's about 3K worth of money

i don't eat where i can't see the bike from the window when i am on the road

 

also,

remember that the 376C has 2 antennas

the one ONBOARD the unit is for GPS

the external one (for XM and XM weather) can be placed anywhere so that you can cover the unit and just leave this external antenna "visible" to the sky

 

greg

[MattS]

I guess that kind of problem is inherent in any kind of system like this, though.

All of these issues are a firmware update away from being solved. I don't find a :05 minute delay for the weather unacceptable. At least not during the honeymoon of new product ownership.

 

Here's how I mounted the antenna for the weekend, used a ratcheting marine mount for the antenna ... the white bit is the magnetic pole mount that ships with the 376C, screws on to a standard marine antenna thread.

 

[ClearwaterBMW]

ok

it took me forever

and the pics are from my garage

here are 4 pics of my geek setup

please excuse my pathetic photographic method, at the moment....

you can get an idea

i have the bmw nav ii (garmin 2610) on the bmw-factory mount on the handlebars

and the garmin 376C on an RCU shelf

bolted in on the left side

you can see the built-in antenna for the gps on the unit itself and the EXTERNAL/waterproof XM/XM WEATHER antenna velcroed to the RCU shelf to the right of the unit

 

by the way:

that is the Chicane Baja tankbag you see

it is a great size

look nice on the bike

tons smaller (but still useful) than the bmw MOUNTAINOUS tank bag

terrific, quickly deployable, built-in rain cover

graciously given to me by my friend, john palamaro

enjoy:

 

 

 

 

 

greg