0183 or 2000, you tell me (& G.)
This is Garmin’s first reaction to my NMEA 2000 complaint:
We chose to focus on engine data since it’s primarily the only thing that you can get over NMEA 2000 that can’t be provided from another source (either our Marine Network system or NMEA 0183). Our engineers found a dearth of N2K devices on the market that provided data that couldn’t be obtained in another way.
That’s an odd criteria, I think. 0183 isn’t going away soon, but isn’t 2000 better defined, more reliable, and more networkable? Yes! Above is an illustration of why you might want to get as much data as possible over N2K instead of over 0183. The screen shows some of the 4212’s fine 0183 support—four inputs and two outputs, each with a high or standard speed setting. To use all of them you only have to strip those12 wimpy wires and…
connect them to the right input/outputs on your various devices. Oh, and you may need to go to another screen and specify which strings are sent out, so as not to overload an output. By contrast, that single rugged NMEA 2000 cable’n’plug is able to suck in data from dozens of sensors, plus send out all that collected 0183 data and whatever else might useful to other devices on the network…all plug’n’play simple, no speed settings, no data string on/offs, no problem.
But at least Garmin added, “We listen to our customers and have the capacity to add support for more N2K sensors in the future.” And I know they read Panbo. So thanks for all the comments so far, and don’t hesitate to speak up if you think Garmin should support NMEA 2000 thoroughly (or even if you think I’m making much too much of this ;-).
Ben wrote: "don’t hesitate to speak up if you think Garmin should support NMEA 2000 thoroughly (or even if you think I’m making much too much of this ;-)."
I'll speak up. Making to much of this ?? Ben asks, well not at all I answer. I would say you have it exactly right except your being to gentle on Garmin. Someone over there should clearly be fired for the product feature decision, and another somebody over in marketing should be fired if they know about Panbo and don't take the opportunity in the next 24 hours to respond to you with something more concrete then "We listen to ... add support ... in the future"
In my mind, this tarnishes the Garmin brand name, e.g. beyond diminishing the belief that when you purchase a product that says it supports a protocol ... that it does so in an industry leading way (my prior belief of the Garmin brand)
This one error in judgement, is enough for me to doubt the technical savy of the new chartplotter line and cause me from this point forward to in the same sentence where I say how mostly happy I am with the raymarine e-series product to omit recommending checking out the garmin 4xxx/5xxx product line site unseen before deciding.
And it absolutly removes any buyer remorse of getting the e-series rather than wait for the 4xxx series and use maretron sensors (my original plan in 2006). A certain amount of that buyer remorse started building again thru May as I had to trace every NMEA and seatalk wire in my boat after a certain somebody didn't label the six seatalk and nmea wires when they removed and sent the S2 autopilot for a software upgrade, and was to busy to trace the wiring themselves in the busy spring season. (There are three seatalk wires and three nmea wires that run to my autopilot and smart heading sensor, and bridge numerous times throughout my 39 foot boat on their way to eleven devices; adding to the confusion two of the wires are not actually used, but I couldn't tell that from looking at the pile of discarded wires). Talk about getting an appreciation lesson in the potential benefits of NMEA-2000
If I was in Garmin's marketing department, I would be crafting some damage control language to send to you and your readers right now, that included a date certain of full nmea-2000 support. But, thats me.