Aspen MFD weather options

[BaldEagle]

I have some upgrades planned for next year and have decided to add a second Aspen display (likely 1000 MAX MFD so I can remove vacuum system).  I currently have traffic from TCAS via GNS 430 into my current Aspen PFD, but I'm confused when it comes to weather options.  The transponder is a GTX335.  What would be most cost-effective?  Remove TCAS system and replace GTX335 for GTX345 to get ASDB traffic and weather on Aspens.  Or install separate hardware just to get the weather?  I'm happy with the current TCAS setup.  I'm going to install a Flightstream 210 when I do the GNS 430 WAAS upgrade; I don't know if that complicates things or not.  Curious to see what other folks have done.

[Marauder]

I have some upgrades planned for next year and have decided to add a second Aspen display (likely 1000 MAX MFD so I can remove vacuum system).  I currently have traffic from TCAS via GNS 430 into my current Aspen PFD, but I'm confused when it comes to weather options.  The transponder is a GTX335.  What would be most cost-effective?  Remove TCAS system and replace GTX335 for GTX345 to get ASDB traffic and weather on Aspens.  Or install separate hardware just to get the weather?  I'm happy with the current TCAS setup.  I'm going to install a Flightstream 210 when I do the GNS 430 WAAS upgrade; I don't know if that complicates things or not.  Curious to see what other folks have done.

 

I went with the Lynx 9000+ and have traffic and weather displaying on both the PFD and MFD. I would check to see if the Garmin 345 will display weather products on the MFD like the Lynx does. There is a lot more than the weather radar with a full ADS-B integration. You also get text weather products along with the METs, winds aloft and TFRs. When I was looking at the 345, they hadn’t allowed integration with the Aspens.

 

 

 

 

 

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[MIm20c]

Aspen has a mfd unlock for adsb sources. When buying the card you have to pick between the L3 and Garmin. I think it list for ~800 but often can be had for less. 
I was originally planning on turning my system into a 1500 system. But by the time you buy the unlock and spend $3500 upgrading the 335 to a 345 it makes for an expensive upgrade.  

[alextstone]

I have the Aspen 1000 Pro PFD and I am in line for the Max upgrade.  I've been considering adding the 1000 MFD and adding weather to the Aspen as well.  However, I currently have both ADS-B weather (displayed on a GTN 750) and XM weather (displayed on iPad with Foreflight).  Having used both side by side, I much prefer XM weather for the following reasons:

1.  updates are indeed faster and closer to real time with XM 

2.  cell movement tracking and cell tops with trend lines

3.  ADS-b tends to over estimate intensity of precipitation to such a point that I find it's almost like a nagging ex-wife warning me not to go there (ok, not that severe).

So, for me, I think if I were to add weather to the MFD, I would want XM AND real time lightning data.