I’m seeing an intermittent issue where AIS names are displayed with a bunch of extra characters on our TZT16XL MFDs (running v25.11). It happens about 20% of the time they are powered up, and a reboot usually resolves the issue. The source of AIS data is an em-trak A200, and the names are displayed correctly on Garmin MFDs that are connected to the same N2k network.
AIS target names
- Thread starter bhastings
- Start date
Thank you for the pictures. Here's what I'd recommend starting with...please ensure that both TZT16X displays are set to Sys Instance of "0" and the same Device Instance number (preferably "0"). After making those changes, power off the entire system (including the breakers) for 20 seconds and power back on to see if there's any change.
@TheReaper is correct. The Furuno MFDs should NEVER be on different instance numbers from each other. This is because the system design prevents the Furuno MFDs from having conflicts with each other. The MFD software allows only one MFD to talk on the 2000 bus (all will listen) so there is never two trying to talk on the bus, in conflict. Looking at that very large bus, you might end up needed to cut that down to few limited items and get it working first, then build up until you find the problem. I would recommend ensuring that AIS unit has the newest firmware. Worst case if you can't track it down, get a 20 min NMEA 2000 recording from the TZT16X and send it into support to be looked at in more detail.
Thank you for the suggestions. It is a large bus and I had trouble at first getting everything working (older firmware on the EmpirBus digital switching modules prevented the Furuno settings menus from working). The bus is split with a Maretron NBE100 gateway, and both sides are independently powered, however the MFDs and the AIS are on the same segment. All firmware is the latest and greatest. I have switched the device instances on the Furuno MFDs to match, and will watch to see if the weird characters on AIS names reappear.
One thing to note, however, is I believe this is some sort of issue with the data being first populated as the MFD boots, as when it happens on boot the weird characters persist in the AIS names, but when it boots and the characters are not there, I have never seen them start to appear.
One thing to note, however, is I believe this is some sort of issue with the data being first populated as the MFD boots, as when it happens on boot the weird characters persist in the AIS names, but when it boots and the characters are not there, I have never seen them start to appear.
With a very large bus sometimes it pays to move unnecessary things for the MFDs onto its own 2000 bus to cut down the complexity and use NMEA 2000 bridge device to bridge any necessary data between the two, particularly if dealing with products not certified or high traffic devices. Many larger yachts do this to control data flow better and make any future troubleshooting of issues simpler. Just a thought.
So, I saw the extra characters on AIS names with both MFDs set to the same device and system instance. Also, Maretron’s N2K analyzer is now reporting an instancing conflict for the Furuno MFDs with two proprietary messages, so it appears that they are both transmitting on the bus. Regardless, this issue has only ever appeared on powering the TZT16XLs, has always been resolved with a power cycle of just the MFDs, and has never appeared during use - so honestly not that big of a deal.
The two TZT16Xs need to see each other on Ethernet and NMEA2000 to stay de-conflicted. Recommend looking at your Sensor List to see if the two TZT16Xs have the same IP address. If yes, then master reset the one you consider the slave (non-chart master) while everything else is off. After reset, that TZT should be powered off. Turn on everything else first, then the TZT you reset. If no, then check to ensure that only 129283, 129284 and 129285 are the only PGNs turned on in the NMEA2000 PGN Output menu. Once that's done, run N2K Analyzer again and see if instance conflict still appears. Device instancing is normally only for when more than one device is outputting the same PGNs. System instancing is not used and should always be 0 (zero) on our equipment.
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