TZTXL / TZT10X product details - Wind data display, laylines, route import, PC integration, legacy compatibility

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Aquamarin

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Hey all / hi Furuno support,

hope all are well.

Bluewater cruiser here (sailing) - I guess an odd one out among many motorboaters and fishing hobbyists. Please be patient. :)
So a day ago I was about to pull the trigger on replacing all my perfectly operational NavNet 3D gear with Raymarine stuff, due to the low chart detail and obvious age of the NN3D stuff.
Today I realized Furuno has released the new TZT XL line incl. 10" devices, which I can squeeze into my available space and which resolves he lacking char detail to some extent. Unfortunately, detailed information is scarce (as seems to be Furuno policy?) and as usual, the devil is in the details.

So, Furuno gets a last chance (because I love the quality and lastfulness). Please help me make an informed decision past marketing pamphlets.

Can anyone help:
- How does the wind data display on the TZT XL / TZT10X look like? Still like its 1992? Anyone got a screenshot?
- Can the plotter show laylines on the map? Will they still look like an afterthougth (TZT3) or more professional?
- Any way to conventiently import routes from e.g. Predict Wind or still via PC only? What format?
- How does interfacing witht the TZ Nav PC software work? Via LAN only? Other connections? Still an awkward IP configuration mess like with NN3D?
- I understand the TZT XL line is still compatible with the DRS4D Radar of the NN3D family, the DFF1 Blackbox sounder and via a NMEA2000 bridge with the PG-500 fluxgate, correct? (I understand I don't get modern performance out of that).

I love my Furuno gear. Other stuff seems like toys, Furuno seems like its meaning business - I wanna give it a chance even though it seems Furuno doesnt consider sailing people their target market.

Thanks a lot!
 
Howdy. I am and have sailing pacific on a 65 feet cat for a few years so guess I am also part of the possible blue water minority. Cant advice you on different gear since it usually boils down to prize vs quality - and that is a personal choice. However I would recommend to avoid mixing different brands - my experience is that it will result in unexpected problems from time to time - and support is just to eager to blame another brand. I use 100% (almost) Furuno.

I do run Boating on iPad. Just as a totally independent back up and to show predict wind on.

For your main navigation system: If you want to keep part of your old Furuno gear - try to get new Furuno gear.

Wind data: I guess you mean actual meassured data and not predictions. You see it as normal wind instruments.

Laylines: I never use laylines except when racing. But: https://www.furunousa.com/-/media/s..._info/tzt3_using_laylines_and_polar_files.pdf

Import routes: Yes you can but I never do it. I guess you are talking about the route planning in predict wind - and I usually just show it on the iPad. My experience it that is not very accurate and usefull anyhow.

TZ Professional (and radar) - Yes LAN. But I am impressed by the connection. Works really nice. I just use a standard switch connected to the ship router.

For compatibility I can not stress enough to have same brand. If you try to connect a Furuno radar with a Raymarine display and it really does not work. Well - do not expect a very good support from anyone....

Good luck with your re-fit!
 
Hi Danny,

absolutely on one page here. No mixing, that wasn't my aim at all.

You write "normal wind instruments"....thats the issue. My 1984 B&G Network instruments do that as well - but today we can show drift, true & apparent wind directions etc. all in one display without any issue at all. Yet, all screens I have seen by Furuno insist on making it 1984..... so I wonder: "Is that all there is?"
I get it, not everybody wants more information on the display, I happen to do. Not everybody wants laylines (or to be precise, sailable wind vectors on the chart, not necesarily towards a point). I do want that and I want it better than the TZT3 solution is/was.

You write "just use a switch connected to the ship router" regarding your LAN connection. Did you set this up? Did you have to do a manual IP configuration or just plug and play?
With my current NavNet 3D (NN3D) based network, I have to set my PC/Laptop to a manual IP configuration to even attempt to connect. This kills all other networking capabilities of the machine and the resulting connection to the NN3D network is patchy...quite unhappy with that. I don't know how life is on a 65' cat, but on a 41' monohull in the North Atlantic, I assure you fiddling with IP settings in a Windows version asking you "are you really sure you want to mess with this" every 3.5 seconds is far far far from what you want to spend your time on....

One of the biggest drawbacks for me is chart quality. On Navionics I see correct depth and details for example for the Marina in Ponta Delgada on the Azores. On C-Map & mm3d is see an incorrect depth of below 2 meters and no relevant detail at all. Same story down the coast. Just sad...

Thanks for any and all help!

I tried contacting my local European Furuno dealers, but they haven't even been shown the newest software or the 10" device yet. So no use....
 
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Hi again. I think we agree - and you are right: we are all individuals!

I attach an example of cruising display - taken from the manual. Of course you can edit it the way you want. I hope it answer your question ?

For the LAN it was just plug-and-play. I have 2 TZTs, 1 TZ Pro (PC), 1 Radar. Just plugged in the LAN cables in the Netgear standard switch and it worked. I was so happy! :)

For charts I guess it depends on where you are and if it is vector or raster. I use mostly vector here in Pacific and they have been accurate. Actually better then the Navionics that I have in the boating app. But of course it may be different in the Atlantic.

If you want I can we-transfer a manual for the TZT to you.

Cheers

/Danny
 

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Hi Danny!

Thanks for the crusing display - I searched for manuals for the TZT XL family, but couldnt find any. I must assume the display at least hasn't gotten worse since the TZT 3.

LAN: So that's been modernized. Very good! It's a pain in my system.

Charts: Interesting, in the Atlantic and northern Europe the Navionics are reliably more detailed and better than the mm3d charts I have. I guess it is prudent to go with a double approach, like you do, anyways.

Let's hope some of the Furuno guys answer my questions or the European dealers get a demo and can tell me what they learned.

Have a good one!
Jan
 
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