Raymarine: New MFDs

[Paul Mermelstein]

Anybody install a new Raymarine MFD (c series or e series) over the last year or so? If you have personal experience with those units, have you had any problems or issues?

Thanks.

Paul

 

[transmitterdan]

I installed C90W in cockpit. Not using its radar or AIS features. It connects to the old SeaTalk network and all instruments work with it including autopilot. It peacefully coexists with my old RL80 at nav station via SeaTalk. No issues since installing it. One thing to think about is the CF card slot will not work with SD adapter and Navionics charts. Must use a real CF card. Newer C and E series might not have this issue but be sure to ask.

Regards,
Dan

 

[Paul Mermelstein]

Thanks Dan.

All, I am looking for experience with the new e or c units to see if there are any quality issues.

Thanks.

Paul

 

[MetricMountie]

Paul

I had a C90 Wide installed on our boat three seasons ago, it linked up with no problems to the previous seatalk installations. We use both the plotter and radar functions and this season will be linking Scerius weather, depth sounder, etc. I've had absolutley no issues with the unit since it was installed. It seems to draw very little power while operating and the radar dome mounted just above my main spreaders gives me good range in all conditions. Hope this helps.

 

[galynd]

I installed a c95 in September. Has worked flawlessly.

 

[Skipper]

The new "A" series don't understand NMEA0182. Therefore useless for connection to most DSC radios, or AIS\DSC radios, or many other equipment, unless you buy a $200 converter for NMEA2000 (that hopefully works in a compatible sense).

Raymarine told me that "The industry is moving away from 0182". Better tell the industry. And, funny how the "E" series can accept 0182.

Makes zero sence to me. Why omit your product from consideration for every boat in the world running 0182. Such a simple protocol, why omit it.

 

[Paul Mermelstein]

The new "A" series don't understand NMEA0182. Therefore useless for connection to most DSC radios, or AIS\DSC radios, or many other equipment, unless you buy a $200 converter for NMEA2000 (that hopefully works in a compatible sense).

Raymarine told me that "The industry is moving away from 0182". Better tell the industry. And, funny how the "E" series can accept 0182.

Makes zero sence to me. Why omit your product from consideration for every boat in the world running 0182. Such a simple protocol, why omit it.

I am not defending Raymarine; I am just a customer. However, remember that NMEA2000 replaced NMEA0183 (not 0182) and the industry has in fact now moved to the new standard for new products. Now, that said, many but not all of the new products continue to all for NMEA0183 to connect to legacy electronics, as well as NMEA2000, during a multi-year transition period. But the "A" series is Raymarine's entry level MFD, and is not intended for more extensive networking, so they left out 0183 connectivity on their bottom tier product. It is on the other MFD lines though, like the "c" and "e" units I am considering.

Anyone have personal experience with the "c" or "e" MFDs that came out over the last 12 months?

 

[Skipper]

"the "A" series is Raymarine's entry level MFD, and is not intended for more extensive networking, so they left out 0183 connectivity on their bottom tier product."

Um...it has Seatalk ng , Seatalk, and NMEA2000 connectivity, plus interfaces for Radar, instruments, AIS, DSC, engine guages, relays, sonar, satellite weather, etc. How is this not intended for extensive networking?

NMEA0183 (not 0182, pardon) has not been here all that amazingly long. Nifty in the 80's, but not really prevellant till the 90's. Now there's loads of very good instrumentation, AP's, etc on a lot of boats. The manufacturers are now end-of-lifing their technology like it's a computer or a copier. This was one of the intents of the connectivity of NMEA, to reduce the turnover of perfectly good electronics gone sour by the forces of the "industry". So now they just change the network protocol, and use that as an excuse not to support older gear. Soon, NMEA2000 will be obsolete, in favor of new and expensive equipment that we all get to buy.

My brand new Standard Horizon GX2150 outputs DSC and AIS in 0183, not 2000. That fact is hardly an indictator of obsolecence. Raymarine's decision to omit 0183 omits the "A" series from considersation by many, if not the majority, of boaters who have 0183 instruments, radios, and auto pilots. I was minutes away from ordering the "A65", then I dowloaded and read the owners manual. I need the smaller screen, and don't want to pay $1,400 for a chartplotter ("E"), so went with Garmin 441, which has much of the same functionality, understands 0183, and is a third the cost. The screen is not as good, but before the higher res screens came around, who cared. It works fabulously.

But...you asked about "c" and "e" series, which makes my rant irrelevant to this thread. :dance:

 

[Paul Mermelstein]

"
But...you asked about "c" and "e" series, which makes my rant irrelevant to this thread. :dance:

Rants are fine. I do it all the time! At least yours was relatively polite. See you on the Bay!