I currently have the St50 plus instruments but will probably soon purchase the newer ST60 plus. I notice the 60 series has only 4 contrast setting as compared to the 50 series which I believe had more. I will mount my instruments straight up and down (perpendicular to the deck)and when standing I will be at a more extreme angle. Just wondering how the view and contrast adjustment works out for you folks that have the ST60 system? Thanks.
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Tim, my speed indicator broke
and it is not reparable by Raymarine and you can not buy a new one. I saw one one ebay but someone wanted it more than me. I think he paid several hundered dollars. So I bkoke down and decided to upgrade. I have a friend interested in the depth gage. I will have a wind and GPS gage left over but they will not be available until mid to late May if I decide to sell them.
and it is not reparable by Raymarine and you can not buy a new one. I saw one one ebay but someone wanted it more than me. I think he paid several hundered dollars. So I bkoke down and decided to upgrade. I have a friend interested in the depth gage. I will have a wind and GPS gage left over but they will not be available until mid to late May if I decide to sell them.
New ST70's
The new Raymarine ST70's have sun viewable color displays. More money of course. I recently replaced my dead ST50+ wind head contol unit with a new ST60+ after Raymarine said they no longer repair them but it was fully compatible with the old ST50+ wind transducer. It isn't and I have to replace it also. At least the cable and mast head connector are supposed to be the same. I have four instruments mounted horizontally and with polarized sunglasses I can't read the displays all at once. I have to constantly tilt my head at different angles to view them. It drives me nuts and I've always wondered why.
The new Raymarine ST70's have sun viewable color displays. More money of course. I recently replaced my dead ST50+ wind head contol unit with a new ST60+ after Raymarine said they no longer repair them but it was fully compatible with the old ST50+ wind transducer. It isn't and I have to replace it also. At least the cable and mast head connector are supposed to be the same. I have four instruments mounted horizontally and with polarized sunglasses I can't read the displays all at once. I have to constantly tilt my head at different angles to view them. It drives me nuts and I've always wondered why.
UV light
Raymarine has a coating on the display that helps cut the UV light and therefore make it easier to view in the sunshine. Couple that with polarized sunglasses and you cut it all together, leaving you with a black display. I usually peek under my glasses to read the displays.
Raymarine has a coating on the display that helps cut the UV light and therefore make it easier to view in the sunshine. Couple that with polarized sunglasses and you cut it all together, leaving you with a black display. I usually peek under my glasses to read the displays.
Mike...
...thanks for the explanation. The part I don't get is that when I view all four displays straight on (1,2,3 & 4). Typically, 1 might be black while 2 is readable, 3 is grey and 4 is readable. Tilt my head a bit and 1 is readable, 2 is grey, 3 is black and 4 is grey, etc. It appears that the coating or optical alignment for each display was manufactured with different specs causing disimilar effects with the polarized sunglasses. I'm not an optics expert and don't know the correct terms.
...thanks for the explanation. The part I don't get is that when I view all four displays straight on (1,2,3 & 4). Typically, 1 might be black while 2 is readable, 3 is grey and 4 is readable. Tilt my head a bit and 1 is readable, 2 is grey, 3 is black and 4 is grey, etc. It appears that the coating or optical alignment for each display was manufactured with different specs causing disimilar effects with the polarized sunglasses. I'm not an optics expert and don't know the correct terms.
Wind Instrument and Polarization
Pat: Please be sure to post your wind instrument in the Gear for Sale section -- I'd like to get a decent used one. Monty: I have a feeling they simply cut the polarized material without considering the plane of polarization, so you get the uneven view. You'll find that if you twist your head clockwise or counterclockwise the view will change. The problem is you may have to contort your head into very unnatural positions! Alternatively, simply flip your glasses up to read.
Pat: Please be sure to post your wind instrument in the Gear for Sale section -- I'd like to get a decent used one. Monty: I have a feeling they simply cut the polarized material without considering the plane of polarization, so you get the uneven view. You'll find that if you twist your head clockwise or counterclockwise the view will change. The problem is you may have to contort your head into very unnatural positions! Alternatively, simply flip your glasses up to read.
Not sure why
Monty I'm not sure why they vary. You may be correct in assuming it's the way they build them. Sometimes I think it's my sunglasses and how they were polarized. I've gotten used to it and just peek under my glases or take them off if I'll be working with the chart plotter for more than a few moments. I'm about to get prescription Oakleys and hope they'll not be too of a problem when reading the displays. I'm going for the Oakleys more for eye protection than anything else. Last year I took a zipper pull on a connector panel, that was I was trying to put up in heavy air, just off the corner of my eye. Another inch and I might have had a very big problem, so the cost of the Oakleys will be well worth it.
Monty I'm not sure why they vary. You may be correct in assuming it's the way they build them. Sometimes I think it's my sunglasses and how they were polarized. I've gotten used to it and just peek under my glases or take them off if I'll be working with the chart plotter for more than a few moments. I'm about to get prescription Oakleys and hope they'll not be too of a problem when reading the displays. I'm going for the Oakleys more for eye protection than anything else. Last year I took a zipper pull on a connector panel, that was I was trying to put up in heavy air, just off the corner of my eye. Another inch and I might have had a very big problem, so the cost of the Oakleys will be well worth it.
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