Question for the Garmin Autopilot Boys?

[Skybolt]

@Irie308 I spoke with Garmin Tech support today asking about the PGN support for a few things, but digital switching was one of them. They had no idea what I was talking about and brought it to engineering. There answer was if it's not listed then it's not supported. Also one helm is one helm, a completely different department according to them.

I asked why they show digital switching mixed in with other devices and stated that it wasn't a one helm app running. They opened a ticket with eng to get the definitions ironed out for the PGN list.

Something really changed at Garmin and they have all new people that can only read a script now. Shame.

 

[ttmott]

@Irie308 I spoke with Garmin Tech support today asking about the PGN support for a few things, but digital switching was one of them. They had no idea what I was talking about and brought it to engineering. There answer was if it's not listed then it's not supported. Also one helm is one helm, a completely different department according to them.

I asked why they show digital switching mixed in with other devices and stated that it wasn't a one helm app running. They opened a ticket with eng to get the definitions ironed out for the PGN list.

Something really changed at Garmin and they have all new people that can only read a script now. Shame.

From my experience they have levels of support - the initial phone call is the first.
When my Fantom scanner was losing targets the standard phone call tech support simply took me through simplistic stuff I already did then they transferred me to another level and we got more into the "guts" of the thing then we tied into their shop and test engineer. They ended up taking my scanner back as an exchange no cost over one year out of warrantee.
Then the issues with my Fusion audio system and how the latest S/W really messed up my configuration; again two levels with them concurring there is an issue with the latest S/W release.

 

[Skybolt]

From my experience they have levels of support - the initial phone call is the first.
When my Fantom scanner was losing targets the standard phone call tech support simply took me through simplistic stuff I already did then they transferred me to another level and we got more into the "guts" of the thing then we tied into their shop and test engineer. They ended up taking my scanner back as an exchange no cost over one year out of warrantee.
Then the issues with my Fusion audio system and how the latest S/W really messed up my configuration; again two levels with them concurring there is an issue with the latest S/W release.

Yeah, I went two levels today as well. Still didn't get any answers and just got shuffled along.

 

[Irie308]

Yeah, i used to get real answered when first moved over a few years ago. Doesn't seem to be the case anymore. Seems to be someone working from home reading a script. I will say though the guys I ran into at the Ft Lauderdale boat show were very very knowledgeable. The guy I spoke to at the NYC boat show...not so much.

 

[Skybolt]

Yeah, i used to get real answered when first moved over a few years ago. Doesn't seem to be the case anymore. Seems to be someone working from home reading a script. I will say though the guys I ran into at the Ft Lauderdale boat show were very very knowledgeable. The guy I spoke to at the NYC boat show...not so much.

Yeah it just sucks that the TD-50 will not be much more then it is right now. Meaning it's support of independent devices for status and digital switching as they clearly show screen shots of.

 

[Irie308]

Yeah it just sucks that the TD-50 will not be much more than it is right now. Meaning it's support of independent devices for status and digital switching as they clearly show screen shots of.

Yup, seems like someone on the marketing team got ahead of the engineering team

 

[Irie308]

Interesting email recieved from Garmin today.

Hello Dean,

If you were wanting to configure the TD 50 to display OneHelm information, you would completely lose all other functions of the TD 50. For example, no radar, autopilot control, charting, anything of that nature. We ccan do it, but yu have to be comfortable with that. It is unfortunately not as simple as networking them.

Thank you for choosing Garmin,

Eli
Product Support
Garmin International
For 24-hour access to support videos, manuals, FAQs & more, visit the Support Center.

 

[Skybolt]

Interesting email recieved from Garmin today.

Hello Dean,

If you were wanting to configure the TD 50 to display OneHelm information, you would completely lose all other functions of the TD 50. For example, no radar, autopilot control, charting, anything of that nature. We ccan do it, but yu have to be comfortable with that. It is unfortunately not as simple as networking them.

Thank you for choosing Garmin,

Eli
Product Support
Garmin International
For 24-hour access to support videos, manuals, FAQs & more, visit the Support Center.

Oh man did they really screw this product up. Such a shame it had such great possibilities.

I wish I knew if it supported NMEA 2000 digital switching or not. Their tech support said it only supports whit is listed in the manual, yet they show a screen shot of it supporting it ...

 

[Smashpjp]

There is an old saying: "Hardware eventually fails. Software eventually works"

I had a new transponder installed over Winter, so was planning on removing the remaining ray marine components

I think I am going to tackle the auto pilot here to integrate with my GPSmap 8610 . Turns out the Old St5000+ and tridata ST60 still can get a decent penny on ebay.

I was going to just do the retrofit kit, but

I found an old "Garmin Reactor 40 Hydraulic Corepack with GHC 20 and SmartPump v2" bundle on sale for $2700.

I was looking to add a second screen and the TD-50 looks like it fit the bill. It seems its limiting and just adding a GPSMAP 743 is the better option long term.

 

[Skybolt]

... I was looking to add a second screen and the TD-50 looks like it fit the bill. It seems its limiting and just adding a GPSMAP 743 is the better option long term.

Unfortunately it seems that is the case. My 1243 MFD(s) do everything with no issues. Even my 7608 works perfectly for everything. I just liked the size of the TD-50, can't see why they did what they did.

 

[Irie308]

Tried updating my units to the 35.10v yesterday. What a cluster. Both my 8616 and my 1222 ended up with the "recovery loader ready" message on the screen. I then had to remove each from the network and power down to get them to load. The 1222 still won't load so I will have to install from a sd card per Garmin. I may skip it because there isn't anything useful in this update. I was hoping for some changes to the TD 50 but nada. Therefor I would recommend skipping this update until they fix the deployment.

 

[ttmott]

Tried updating my units to the 35.10v yesterday. What a cluster. Both my 8616 and my 1222 ended up with the "recovery loader ready" message on the screen. I then had to remove each from the network and power down to get them to load. The 1222 still won't load so I will have to install from a sd card per Garmin. I may skip it because there isn't anything useful in this update. I was hoping for some changes to the TD 50 but nada. Therefor I would recommend skipping this update until they fix the deployment.

What the heck is going on with Garmin? My Fusion audio system got totally hosed up on the last update, there are various restrictions on loading charts, the autopilot control screen has gone from technically functional to a 3D video game, features I used regularly are now not there. It's just disappointing.

 

[b_arrington]

Tried updating my units to the 35.10v yesterday. What a cluster. Both my 8616 and my 1222 ended up with the "recovery loader ready" message on the screen. I then had to remove each from the network and power down to get them to load. The 1222 still won't load so I will have to install from a sd card per Garmin. I may skip it because there isn't anything useful in this update. I was hoping for some changes to the TD 50 but nada. Therefor I would recommend skipping this update until they fix the deployment.

I usually don't update until the SW has been out for a few months to see if the new versions are running OK. The GPS devices are too critical to do an update right away and risk it not working.

 

[quality time]

What the heck is going on with Garmin? My Fusion audio system got totally hosed up on the last update, there are various restrictions on loading charts, the autopilot control screen has gone from technically functional to a 3D video game, features I used regularly are now not there. It's just disappointing.

My Fusion RA-670 is basically unusable after the update. Have you gotten yours fixed @ttmott? Tech support wants me to disconnect it again this weekend even though I've already done that.

 

[ttmott]

My Fusion RA-670 is basically unusable after the update. Have you gotten yours fixed @ttmott? Tech support wants me to disconnect it again this weekend even though I've already done that.

I had to disconnect it from the Garmin network to get the features back. Consequence is I lost the display of the Sirius artwork on the MFD's.
Did you update the Fusion and this happened or the navigational equipment?

 

[quality time]

I only updated the Fusion software. Which I normally would not have done but I was going to contact support about another issue and figured they would say to do that first.

It's frozen on the "for best sound activate Fusion DSP" screen and will randomly play the FM radio for a few seconds... I was planning on doing the Garmin updates this weekend but maybe I'll wait awhile.

 

[Skybolt]

What the heck is going on with Garmin? My Fusion audio system got totally hosed up on the last update, there are various restrictions on loading charts, the autopilot control screen has gone from technically functional to a 3D video game, features I used regularly are now not there. It's just disappointing.

Man this is bad, nothing with Garmin is going smoothly like it used to. And the updates they are providing are useless and only seem to take away features.

I updated my 1243's to the latest FW, but only because I had to in order to get the sub'd charts going. My RA770 isn't going to see an update for a long time. I mean Dam ...

 

[Skybolt]

I had to disconnect it from the Garmin network to get the features back. Consequence is I lost the display of the Sirius artwork on the MFD's.
Did you update the Fusion and this happened or the navigational equipment?

Tom what FW version did you update too, 6.20? I tried to update to that today and it wouldn't go, stopped ~95% and nothing. I rebooted the head unit to recover twice and gave up.

I had wanted to see if there was something I could do with the Sirius art work, but it won't update. So I guess I will try the usb option ...

 

[ttmott]

Tom what FW version did you update too, 6.20? I tried to update to that today and it wouldn't go, stopped ~95% and nothing. I rebooted the head unit to recover twice and gave up.

I had wanted to see if there was something I could do with the Sirius art work, but it won't update. So I guess I will try the usb option ...

Yes 6.20.

 

[ttmott]

Tom what FW version did you update too, 6.20? I tried to update to that today and it wouldn't go, stopped ~95% and nothing. I rebooted the head unit to recover twice and gave up.

I had wanted to see if there was something I could do with the Sirius art work, but it won't update. So I guess I will try the usb option ...

6.20 installed GMN autodetect which is what hosed everything up.