OLATHE, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Garmin International Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN), the global leader in satellite navigation, today announced a new family of thermal-imaging and low-light cameras – the GCT 30, GCT 20 and GCL 20. These cameras can pan, tilt and zoom (PTZ), and provide extra situational awareness by enhancing visibility at any time of day. The GCL 20, Garmin’s low light camera, is especially useful at dawn, dusk and in light fog, and Garmin’s thermal imaging versions, the high-resolution GCT 30 and low-resolution GCT 20, aide in navigating in total darkness. This new line of marine cameras is being announced in conjunction with the Miami International Boat Show, February 16-20, 2012, and will be showcased in the Garmin booth (#1689) at this year’s show.
“Whether it’s navigating at night, through fog and rain, or for search and rescue efforts, visual information is invaluable for the captain at the helm,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin’s vice president of worldwide sales. “We’re excited to offer our customers these new low light and thermal imaging solutions that – when integrated into a Garmin system – offer capabilities and performance never before found on marine cameras.”
Each new Garmin camera is fully controllable from a compatible Garmin chartplotter and features NMEA 2000 connectivity for greater convenience on board. When interfaced with a Garmin chartplotter via NMEA 2000, and with an additional heading sensor, mariners can use multiple Garmin cameras to track one target from the plotter – simply select the point on the chartplotter screen and the GCT 30, GCT 20 or GCL 20 will automatically lock onto a point and follow it. The GCT 30 and GCT 20 can even detect a hot spot, overlay a box around the spot, and then automatically pan and tilt to follow the identified hot spot, thanks to their innovative target tracking technology. When paired with the heading sensor, each new camera also has the ability to track MARPA and AIS targets, and can provide man overboard (MOB) synergy.
Garmin’s top-of-the-line thermal imaging camera, the GCT 30, boasts a high-resolution VGA (640x480) image, and a continuous digital zoom of 1x to 12x. It pans, tilts and zooms while maintaining a crisp, smooth thermal image in motion at all times with a refresh rate of 9Hz or 30Hz. The GCT 20 thermal imaging camera has a QVGA+ resolution (384x288), offering 44% more pixels than standard QVGA offerings. The GCT 20 has a continuous digital zoom of 1x to 8x, with a refresh rate of 9Hz or 30Hz. Both the GCT 30 and GCT 20 have five definable scene modes and seven color modes. The powerful GCL 20, Garmin’s new low light camera, offers extraordinary zoom capabilities with an optical zoom of 28x and a digital zoom of 12x, for a combined total of 336x zoom. The GCL 20 has a minimum illumination spec of .0004 lux at 10iRE and is available in both PAL and NTSC formats.
For ultimate situational awareness, Garmin’s new family of thermal imaging and low light cameras feature continuous rotation and auto flip so that you can keep an eye on what’s around you. Because these cameras are fully integrated into the Garmin system, the firmware for the GCT 30, GCT 20 and GCL 20 can be updated over the NMEA 2000 network from a compatible chartplotter, saving time and making it easy to always have the latest update available. At only 2.7 pounds, these compact and lightweight cameras can be installed vertically or inverted.
The new GCT 30, GCT 20 and GCL 20 are compatible with Garmin’s award-winning series of GPSMAP® 4000/5000/6000/7000 chartplotters. The GCT 30 has a minimum resale price (MRP) of $13,995.99 and the GCT 20 has an MRP of $8,995.99; both are available in 9Hz or 30Hz configurations. The GCL 20 has an MRP of $3,499.99, and is available in PAL or NTSC configurations. Garmin’s new cameras are expected to be available in the second quarter of 2012.
Garmin’s marine business segment is a leading provider of navigation and communication equipment to retail and OEM customers. Garmin’s portfolio includes the industry’s most sophisticated array of chartplotters and touchscreen multifunction displays, sonar, high-definition radar, autopilot offerings and other products and services that are known for innovation, reliability and ease-of-use.
About Garmin International Inc.
Garmin International Inc. is a subsidiary of Garmin Ltd. (Nasdaq: GRMN), the global leader in satellite navigation. Since 1989, this group of companies has designed, manufactured, marketed and sold navigation, communication and information devices and applications – most of which are enabled by GPS technology. Garmin’s products serve automotive, mobile, wireless, outdoor recreation, marine, aviation, and OEM applications. Garmin Ltd. is incorporated in Switzerland, and its principal subsidiaries are located in the United States, Taiwan and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit Garmin's virtual pressroom at www.garmin.com/pressroom or contact the Media Relations department at 913-397-8200. Garmin and GPSMAP are registered trademarks of Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries.
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Notice on forward-looking statements:
This release includes forward-looking statements regarding Garmin Ltd. and its business. All statements regarding the company’s future product introductions are forward-looking statements. Such statements are based on management's current expectations. The forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this release may not occur and actual results could differ materially as a result of known and unknown risk factors and uncertainties affecting Garmin, including, but not limited to, the risk factors listed in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 25, 2010, filed by Garmin with the Securities and Exchange Commission (Commission file number 0-31983). A copy of such Form 10-K is available at www.garmin.com/aboutGarmin/invRelations/finReports.html. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and Garmin undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.