Nobeltec Sounder, package completed?
Nobeltec just announced an InSight Sounder option for its VNS and Admiral charting+++ programs. The company can now supply the soft– and hardware for plotting, radar, AIS, and fishfinding, including a heading sensor and even a wireless display. Nobeltec has also established a relationship with SkyMate, the easy-to-use satellite messaging and monitoring system that I’ve followed with much interest. Their respective programs can now share a PC and sensors nicely, and maybe more (not much on either company’s sites yet). Finally, Nobeltec has slashed the price of its AIS listener (was it the first to offer AIS to yachts?), and is running some new rebate programs. And we can imagine that the lads in the lab are working on more ways to expand the total package.
Still $1,800 is a bit steep for an AIS receiver..
http://www.nobeltec.com/products/prod_accessories_ais.asp
This is the same Comar unit that is less than $750 from other sources.
Am I correct one needs Nobeltec Admiral for AIS receiver support?
Both GPSNavX and CoastalExplorer support AIS for far less $$$.
Seems to me Nobeltec is a little out of touch with pricing.
Tricky subject. Should a company price a product as low as possible or build in enough margin to get it in front of numerous potential customers (marketing & advertising) and into the hands of dealer/installers (wholesale)? Whichever way you go on that, wouldn’t you hope they generate enough income to support the product well and continue to make improvements? I’m a pretty devoted shopper myself, but have learned that price certainly isn’t everything. I know plenty of people who are happy to pay top dollar for a product they want, as long as they don’t have to mess around installing it and they have a reliable someone to call if there’s a problem. Sometimes those people are off boating while I’m dinking around trying to get something to work or looking for a deal!
but think of $430 for SR162 including delivery cost for a better performance ais receiver,the $1799 price truely makes me unhappy.