GTN 750 to GTN 750 Xi Upgrade

[toto]

2 hours ago, carusoam said:

Wasn’t there a touch screen in there somewhere?

-a-

Aiui, the GTN and the GTN Xi have the same touch functionality. 

[donkaye, MCFI]

6 hours ago, Stetson20 said:

So I'm a simpleton. I went to the Garmin website and tried to figure out the difference between a 750 and a 750xi. Could someone explain the difference in plain (simple) English for me?

TIA

I've attached the Service Alert to the GTN Xi and GTN updates last December.  Look at what the Xi can do that the legacy GTN cannot.  Since that time Garmin added Smart Glide that the legacy GTN doesn't have the processing power to do.  So you're paying for those upgrades and those future upgrades that we don't know about, yet. Getting at the databases for updates is also easier with the Xi.

GTN Xi Main Software Version 20.10 and GTN 6XX:7XX Main Software Version 6.71 - Aviation Alerts and .pdf

[toto]

6 hours ago, donkaye said:

I've attached the Service Alert to the GTN Xi and GTN updates last December.  Look at what the Xi can do that the legacy GTN cannot.  Since that time Garmin added Smart Glide that the legacy GTN doesn't have the processing power to do.  So you're paying for those upgrades and those future upgrades that we don't know about, yet. Getting at the databases for updates is also easier with the Xi.

GTN Xi Main Software Version 20.10 and GTN 6XX:7XX Main Software Version 6.71 - Aviation Alerts and .pdf 84.07 kB · 4 downloads

Dare I ask what it means to send an SMS text message from your GTN?

[donkaye, MCFI]

4 hours ago, toto said:

Dare I ask what it means to send an SMS text message from your GTN?

You'e not going to get it without additional hardware from Garmin.

[201Mooniac]

5 hours ago, toto said:

Dare I ask what it means to send an SMS text message from your GTN?

If you have a Garmin GSR-56 it allows you to send SMS text messages through the GTN interface

[Will.iam]

What is wrong with just pulling out your phone to look at the text message?

[kortopates]

What is wrong with just pulling out your phone to look at the text message?

Nothing except it won’t work at the altitudes i fly on x-countries.

also with txting capability at altitude i can pull up any international Metar/Taf in a couple seconds.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Will.iam]

1 hour ago, kortopates said:

Nothing except it won’t work at the altitudes i fly on x-countries.

also with txting capability at altitude i can pull up any international Metar/Taf in a couple seconds.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

At altitude i get metar/taf via ads-b how is a GSR-56 able to send the text is it like a sat phone? 

[kortopates]

46 minutes ago, Will.iam said:

At altitude i get metar/taf via ads-b how is a GSR-56 able to send the text is it like a sat phone? 

I said " i can pull up any international Metar/Taf " there are no international METARs/TAF through ADS/B

I don't know on the GSR 56, but it provides both voice and text as well as worldwide weather at varying subscription levels. But at $10K, I can't justify it.   

https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/13270#overview

[Little Dipper]

At the rate things are progressing in avionics we will probably all have voice and text ten years from now at a much reduced price.    

 

[toto]

On 9/2/2021 at 7:15 PM, kortopates said:

I said " i can pull up any international Metar/Taf " there are no international METARs/TAF through ADS/B

I don't know on the GSR 56, but it provides both voice and text as well as worldwide weather at varying subscription levels. But at $10K, I can't justify it.   

https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/13270#overview

Curiously, they don’t list the GTN Xi units as compatible with the GSR 56. They list only the original GTNs.

[Stetson20]

On 9/1/2021 at 7:58 PM, MIm20c said:

Come on over to the hangar Roy. We have a 750xi/750 stack you can play with.  

I will as soon as my plane is out of annual! 

[Cabanaboy]

On 9/2/2021 at 1:07 PM, donkaye said:

You'e not going to get it without additional hardware from Garmin.

         ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

i use the Garmin inReach mini and you can send and receive texts through your phone. You can share your track for people on the ground as well and SOS.

I have the lowest cost plan like $14/month, limited free text but per text cost not expensive if you go over.

 

 

 

[kortopates]

14 hours ago, Cabanaboy said:

         ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

i use the Garmin inReach mini and you can send and receive texts through your phone. You can share your track for people on the ground as well and SOS.

I have the lowest cost plan like $14/month, limited free text but per text cost not expensive if you go over.

I have it as well, although the full size version, and it integrates really nicely into Garmin Pilot so I don't need to leave it. But what really dissapoints me is that they don't support special shorter dedicated text numbers. For example Leidos provides a service by which I can text to 35872 MT and any domestic and international  station ID and I will instantly get the current METAR and TAF for it. I love this for international flying and partly bought my inReach expecting I'd be able to text them in the air using the inReach - but no!  

Edited September 16, 2021 by kortopates

[LANCECASPER]

On 9/2/2021 at 6:20 PM, Will.iam said:

At altitude i get metar/taf via ads-b how is a GSR-56 able to send the text is it like a sat phone? 

GSR (Garmin Satellite Radio)

GTX (Garmin Transponder)

GNS (Garmin Navigation System)

etc.

[Will.iam]

I see thanks. 

[PeteMc]

I fly and hike with an inReach.  Besides texting (what they call Messaging), if something were to happen, once on the ground you are in immediate contact with their rescue center.  You can immediately tell them your condition and needs.

As for the Messaging, you have a limited number of free messages pending which plan you have.  But the Preset Messages are free.  NOTE: If someone replies to your Preset Msg, that counts towards your plan.  So just tell family/friends that when you send an update message, they should not reply "K"...  

[toto]

At the risk of reviving a four year old thread …

Are many shops doing the one-transaction upgrade from a GTN to a GTN Xi these days?

I see that Sarasota has an Oshkosh special at $200 off their normal one-transaction upgrade price. But I’m nowhere near Sarasota. 

I received a GCO 14 as a gift, and it requires the Xi unit, so I’ve been poking around to see what it would cost to do the swap.

 

[Pinecone]

On 9/4/2021 at 10:05 AM, Little Dipper said:

At the rate things are progressing in avionics we will probably all have voice and text ten years from now at a much reduced price.   

 

Good call, but it came a BIT faster with StarLink sat internet connections.

[Pinecone]

On 7/26/2025 at 11:46 PM, toto said:

At the risk of reviving a four year old thread …

Are many shops doing the one-transaction upgrade from a GTN to a GTN Xi these days?

I see that Sarasota has an Oshkosh special at $200 off their normal one-transaction upgrade price. But I’m nowhere near Sarasota. 

I received a GCO 14 as a gift, and it requires the Xi unit, so I’ve been poking around to see what it would cost to do the swap.

 

You can check with any local avionics shop.

I did the trek to Sarasota to have my 650 upgraded to Xi and a FS510 installed.  It took them a couple of hours and they even did some work on my KAP-150

 

[jetdriven]

On 9/2/2021 at 8:15 PM, kortopates said:

I said " i can pull up any international Metar/Taf " there are no international METARs/TAF through ADS/B

I don't know on the GSR 56, but it provides both voice and text as well as worldwide weather at varying subscription levels. But at $10K, I can't justify it.   

https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/13270#overview

For 10 grand, you can buy Starlink and a bunch of years of subscription.  Then you can get the weather there we can also stream video calls and watch movies and everything else that you bought an airplane to escape. 

[jetdriven]

On 7/26/2025 at 11:46 PM, toto said:

At the risk of reviving a four year old thread …

Are many shops doing the one-transaction upgrade from a GTN to a GTN Xi these days?

I see that Sarasota has an Oshkosh special at $200 off their normal one-transaction upgrade price. But I’m nowhere near Sarasota. 

I received a GCO 14 as a gift, and it requires the Xi unit, so I’ve been poking around to see what it would cost to do the swap.

 

Last I heard between five and seven grand with trading in your old box, but be careful with your shop, I went to NC to get mine and allthough the price was competitive, 17,500 outright, I got banged for $1500 in sales tax.  Didn’t see that coming. 

[Pinecone]

5 hours ago, jetdriven said:

For 10 grand, you can buy Starlink and a bunch of years of subscription.  Then you can get the weather there we can also stream video calls and watch movies and everything else that you bought an airplane to escape. 

StarLink Mini is $400.  Global Priority plan is $250 a month if you need service  outside US.

[toto]

6 hours ago, jetdriven said:

Last I heard between five and seven grand with trading in your old box, but be careful with your shop, I went to NC to get mine and allthough the price was competitive, 17,500 outright, I got banged for $1500 in sales tax.  Didn’t see that coming. 

Yeah, I’d prefer one transaction with an invoice for the difference. Ideally it wouldn’t be buying one radio and selling another. 

[Pinecone]

Sarasota Avionics is $6939 trade from 750 to 750Xi, at least for 2 more days.

https://sarasotaavionics.com/avionics/gtn750-to-750xi-upgrade