Dual Displays and the Gx51

[Glen E]

Seems both displays need a drop cable to the backbone for the Gx51 to work on both displays...why? Why won't the network cable between units supply the weather to the other display?

[LI32]

For NMEA 2000 usage, all Garmin units (4xx/5xx, 4xxx/5xxx) need their own drop to the backbone - I don't know why, but I do know they won't work without it - I did try.

[CMEBoston]

I guess Garmin does not share NMEA 2000 info over their network like Furuno...or is it just weather?

[Glen E]

Originally Posted by CMEBoston

I guess Garmin does not share NMEA 2000 info over their network like Furuno...or is it just weather?

I agree, but sometime Furuno shares too much (lol)...it just seems to be weather because the GPS antenna shows a fix on both...

[CMEBoston]

Better than not enough, Garmin wants to sell more cables

[CMEBoston]

PS, I love the Maretron N2K builder!!

[bluewaterpirate]

A bird splained it to me this PM. They designed thit that way so the new 500 series could be used in conjuntion with the 4000/5000 series ... remember the new 400/500 sereis uses the GXM 51 antenna.

[CMEBoston]

Right, but why wont it share information between the displays via the garmin network? Not to compare apples to oranges but with a NN3D system you cannot connect 2 MFD or BB on the same NMEA2000 Backbone, each MFD can be connected to a seperate backbone and share all information(0183,N2K,NavNet) between the seperate networks, IE GP330 positon on one nework and say a N2K DST sensor on another, but all displays show DST and Position.

[CMEBoston]

Originally Posted by Glen E

please ask for more explanation Tom...backbones are backbones...and NMEA protocals are made exactly for sharing across state lines so to speak...agreed?

this means a lot more cord pipe fishing when you put a 5208 in the tower - which we are doing a lot......

I would guess the GXM51 is not truly a NMEA2000 device, you cannot get information from it on a raymarine or Furuno display. it only works on a N2K Backbone with a Garmin display. where as if you could install a garmin N2K GPS sensor on a backbone and use it to provide position to any other N2K compatible plotter(or orther device utilizing position for that matter.)

[CMEBoston]

Originally Posted by Glen E

interesting...thanks - meaning a digital id embedded in the code/unit like the ducers?

not really, N2K Is/was meant to provide a true plug and play network aboard a vessel. I am sure if the right amount of money crossed the right pepole we could get the GXM to work on other displays, remember, XM is only used by Garmin(out of the major players) and other PC based programs such as(WXWorks).I would speculate software could be developed to utilize XM weather on other displays.
Also N2K was not engineered to support Video so that may have something to do with the original question.

These are all questions I could have asked at the NMEA N2K training I attended last thursday
BTW Moonraker was the talk of the instructors during test time!

[Glen E]

great stuff CM...thx