Ansley W. Sawyer wrote:
> Jack,
>
> I am looking at the Furuno 7000NT chartplotter for our cockpit. It will
be
> interfaced with our fathometer, autopilot, radar, and computer thru a
> Brookhouse multiplexer. It seems that all the electronics companies are
> going to NMEA 2000 and cat5 wiring but if I start down that path I will
have
> to change everything I have and it all works great.
>
Most of the newer boats I deliver have systems that use some flavor of
proprietary networking (SeaTalk, NavNet, etc.) to connect the radar,
sounder, and chart plotter. It is very useful when it is all up and
working. And, in fact, the systems don't seem to be very troublesome at
all.
As I understand it, all of these are various proprietary implementations
of basic TCP/IP networking. And I think the multiplexers, in at least
some cases, are what will allow boaters to mix components from the major
brands. Like if you want a Furuno chart plotter, a Raymarine radar, a
third brand sounder, etc., you can have all that.
I guess one advantage of not mixing brands is that you can share both
the charting and any or all of the different data displays at two or
more places in the boat.
Are you back in the water yet this year? If not, I'll bet it won't be
long.
Jack
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