Stereo Upgrade

[ttmott]

As far as the Garmin GXM vs the Sirius SXV300 receivers. And, this is more for those trying to weed through all of the previous comments -
The Garmin GXM connects to the boat's NMEA 2000 system. The controlling element for the GXM Sirius receiver is the GPSMAP chart plotters - nothing else. The GXM provides two functions - weather and Sirius XM. The weather integration is really good; the Sirius XM integration is really poor. Sirius XM music is transported to the Fusion stereo through the Fusion Aux RCA inputs. Consequently, the Fusion Radio cannot control Sirius XM music and audio. There is no controlling data feed. Everything Sirius XM must be managed through the chart plotters.

The Sirius SXV300 receiver on the other hand which includes the antenna mounted on the roof and a small black box tuner and that connects to the back of the Fusion stereo in the Sirius XM port. The Fusion head now has full authority to control the Sirius radio but the Sirius weather feed is not available. Also, all Siriux controls are provided via NMEA 2000 to the chart plotters as well as any Fusion remotes and the Fusion smart phone app. This is the superior method to have Sirius XM by a long shot.

Now can you have both the Garmin GXM and Sirius SRX300 and split the functions???? Well, first you'd have to have two costly Sirius subscriptions of which the weather component is very pricey, but would the chart plotter control Sirius radio through the Fusion or use the GXM - I don't know. I would suspect the worst outcome.
One thing - to use the GXM for music ported to the Fusion radio you must purchase a Garmin NMEA0183 harness (don't ask because it has nothing to do with NMEA0183 other than a couple of wires are 0183) which has the RCA outputs to connect to the Fusion radio Aux inputs. As an FYI, I purchased that harness because a couple of the wires are for chart plotter remote alarms and I have audible alarms in the solon for anchor drag features.

 

[Skybolt]

@ttmott Tom, yep, beyond Sirius, if you keep it connected that is. It's assumed that the fusion doesn't need to be connected to the GMN, their tech support doesn't know that in doing so gives you artwork on the MFD. So none of what they did makes any sense.

So to simplify this bad news, connect to the GMN and you loose wifi to the head unit. Since there is no real reason to connect the Fusion to the GMN, or benefit in doing so. Don't connect to the GMN and everything (except artwork on MFD) still works as it did.

From their perspective, why did they even do this? There is no benefit in connecting to the GMN other then the artwork, which they say won't work. So what's their plan? Especially since the wifi is gone, so that means so is their party bus. Which doesn't really work right to begin with. So is that why they did this, to make that work?

 

[Skybolt]

As far as the Garmin GXM vs the Sirius SXV300 receivers. And, this is more for those trying to weed through all of the previous comments -
The Garmin GXM connects to the boat's NMEA 2000 system. The controlling element for the GXM Sirius receiver is the GPSMAP chart plotters - nothing else. The GXM provides two functions - weather and Sirius XM. The weather integration is really good; the Sirius XM integration is really poor. Sirius XM music is transported to the Fusion stereo through the Fusion Aux RCA inputs. Consequently, the Fusion Radio cannot control Sirius XM music and audio. There is not controlling data feed. Everything Sirius XM must be managed through the chart plotters.

The Sirius SXV300 receiver on the other hand which includes the antenna mounted on the roof and a small black box tuner and that connects to the back of the Fusion stereo in the Sirius XM port. The Fusion head now has full authority to control the Sirius radio. Also, all Siriux controls are provided via NMEA 2000 to the chart plotters as well as any Fusion remotes and the Fusion smart phone app. This is the superior method to have Sirius XM by a long shot.

Now can you have both and split the functions???? Well, first you'd have to have two costly Sirius subscriptions of which the weather component is very pricey, but would the chart plotter control Sirius radio through the Fusion or use the GXM - I don't know. I would suspect the worst outcome.
One thing to use the GXM for music ported to the Fusion radio you must purchase a Garmin NMEA0183 harness (don't ask because it has nothing to do with NMEA0183 other than a couple of wires are 0183) which has the RCA outputs to connect to the Fusion radio Aux inputs. As an FYI, I purchased that harness because a couple of the wires are for chart plotter remote alarms and I have audible alarms in the solon for anchor drag features.

Yeah agreed, no reason to use the GXM, which Garmin recommends for this. Before Garmin bought Fusion, Fusion had the SXV300 on their website as what to use for Sirius.

When I first got my boat the PO had a GDL30, weather and radio same as the gxm, connected and that's how he used the stereo. Control through the MFD and aux in to the Clarion head unit. As you said, less then optimal.

 

[alnav]

As far as the Garmin GXM vs the Sirius SXV300 receivers. And, this is more for those trying to weed through all of the previous comments -
The Garmin GXM connects to the boat's NMEA 2000 system. The controlling element for the GXM Sirius receiver is the GPSMAP chart plotters - nothing else. The GXM provides two functions - weather and Sirius XM. The weather integration is really good; the Sirius XM integration is really poor. Sirius XM music is transported to the Fusion stereo through the Fusion Aux RCA inputs. Consequently, the Fusion Radio cannot control Sirius XM music and audio. There is no controlling data feed. Everything Sirius XM must be managed through the chart plotters.

The Sirius SXV300 receiver on the other hand which includes the antenna mounted on the roof and a small black box tuner and that connects to the back of the Fusion stereo in the Sirius XM port. The Fusion head now has full authority to control the Sirius radio but the Sirius weather feed is not available. Also, all Siriux controls are provided via NMEA 2000 to the chart plotters as well as any Fusion remotes and the Fusion smart phone app. This is the superior method to have Sirius XM by a long shot.

Now can you have both the Garmin GXM and Sirius SRX300 and split the functions???? Well, first you'd have to have two costly Sirius subscriptions of which the weather component is very pricey, but would the chart plotter control Sirius radio through the Fusion or use the GXM - I don't know. I would suspect the worst outcome.
One thing - to use the GXM for music ported to the Fusion radio you must purchase a Garmin NMEA0183 harness (don't ask because it has nothing to do with NMEA0183 other than a couple of wires are 0183) which has the RCA outputs to connect to the Fusion radio Aux inputs. As an FYI, I purchased that harness because a couple of the wires are for chart plotter remote alarms and I have audible alarms in the solon for anchor drag features.

Tom, the current GXMs (-53 and -54) are connected via the Garmin Marine Network. I believe the older versions now discontinued were NMEA 2000.
I have the GMN-53. I had both Sirius XM sources concurrently for a little while once the MS-RA770 was installed. At that time, the MFD Sirius XM interfaces were clunky and confusing (I think there are posts somewhere about that).
I easily cancelled the Sirius XM component of the subscription as soon as the trial period ended. The GXM entertainment component looks like just another radio ID on the Sirius site and to the support staff.
But, since, like all Sirius XM receivers, the Preview Channel is always available, the GXM Sirius XM entertainment component is still active on my MFDs alongside Fusion Sirius XM. Either is selectable as a source and there are no issues I know of about control of one or the other.

 

[Skybolt]

Tom, the current GXMs (-53 and -54) are connected via the Garmin Marine Network. I believe the older versions now discontinued were NMEA 2000.
I have the GMN-53. I had both Sirius XM sources concurrently for a little while once the MS-RA770 was installed. At that time, the MFD Sirius XM interfaces were clunky and confusing (I think there are posts somewhere about that).
I easily cancelled the Sirius XM component of the subscription as soon as the trial period ended. The GXM entertainment component looks like just another radio ID on the Sirius site and to the support staff.
But, since, like all Sirius XM receivers, the Preview Channel is always available, the GXM Sirius XM entertainment component is still active on my MFDs alongside Fusion Sirius XM. Either is selectable as a source and there are no issues I know of about control of one or the other.

So it sounds like Garmin is going back to how they ran the GDL30 (original Sirius weather module) through the GMN, possibly for the Fusion head unit to be able to control the GXM module now. I wonder how this affects the SVX300 and if they plan on supporting this going forward.

First time I have seen Garmin remove user integration like this. Something I would have expected from Raymarine.

 

[dtfeld]

So it sounds like Garmin is going back to how they ran the GDL30 (original Sirius weather module) through the GMN, possibly for the Fusion head unit to be able to control the GXM module now. I wonder how this affects the SVX300 and if they plan on supporting this going forward.

First time I have seen Garmin remove user integration like this. Something I would have expected from Raymarine.

My Raymarine working fine with this update. Didn’t notice any change.

Once in a while I wish I had switched to Garmin. This is not one of those times.

 

[ttmott]

Tom, the current GXMs (-53 and -54) are connected via the Garmin Marine Network. I believe the older versions now discontinued were NMEA 2000.
I have the GMN-53. I had both Sirius XM sources concurrently for a little while once the MS-RA770 was installed. At that time, the MFD Sirius XM interfaces were clunky and confusing (I think there are posts somewhere about that).
I easily cancelled the Sirius XM component of the subscription as soon as the trial period ended. The GXM entertainment component looks like just another radio ID on the Sirius site and to the support staff.
But, since, like all Sirius XM receivers, the Preview Channel is always available, the GXM Sirius XM entertainment component is still active on my MFDs alongside Fusion Sirius XM. Either is selectable as a source and there are no issues I know of about control of one or the other.

Hey Al
Understand that the Sirius source (Garmin GXM or Sirius SXM300 on the Fusion) can be selected on the MFD.
Can control of the Sirius feed through the GXM receiver be controlled at the Fusion head and smartphone App when the Fusion is connected to the GMN?
Or, is the Fusion still fed through it's AUX input?

 

[alnav]

Hey Al
Understand that the Sirius source (Garmin GXM or Sirius SXM300 on the Fusion) can be selected on the MFD.
Can control of the Sirius feed through the GXM receiver be controlled at the Fusion head and smartphone App when the Fusion is connected to the GMN?
Or, is the Fusion still fed through it's AUX input?

Tom, no, the channels from the Sirius feed can only be controlled through the MFD interface. As I recall, the interface is much the same when GXM Sirius is selected as a source. Sirius only shows up on the Fusion as an AUX source whose volume can be controlled. Not sure if the other audio elements such as base and treble are controllable but I assume they are.
It's beyond me why they didn't include a cable/adapter that would allow the GXM to fully take the place of an SXM300. I think Sirius controls the specs for the interface to Sirius-capable devices across all of the wide variety of vehicles which use them so maybe it's a proprietary issue.

 

[ttmott]

Tom, no, the channels from the Sirius feed can only be controlled through the MFD interface. As I recall, the interface is much the same when GXM Sirius is selected as a source. Sirius only shows up on the Fusion as an AUX source whose volume can be controlled. Not sure if the other audio elements such as base and treble are controllable but I assume they are.
It's beyond me why they didn't include a cable/adapter that would allow the GXM to fully take the place of an SXM300. I think Sirius controls the specs for the interface to Sirius-capable devices across all of the wide variety of vehicles which use them so maybe it's a proprietary issue.

Thanks! That is what I assumed.
So to listen to SXM through a Garmin GXM the chartplotters and GMN need to be on. Not a good solution as we have surmised in the past.
Regarding the base and treble controls - even though the line level signal comes through the Fusion AUX ports, all of the audio controls on the Fusion are still functional including bass, treble, balance, volume, etc.
If you should have the Fusion wired or wireless remotes the only control would volume.

As pretty much all mobile audio has SXM input and control I agree, why doesn't Garmin provide a line off for direct connection to the audio equipment. The answer probably is how it needs to be licensed and subscribed. It seems that they can't figure out how to separate the weather and audio channels.

 

[Skybolt]

Thanks! That is what I assumed.
So to listen to SXM through a Garmin GXM the chartplotters and GMN need to be on. Not a good solution as we have surmised in the past.
Regarding the base and treble controls - even though the line level signal comes through the Fusion AUX ports, all of the audio controls on the Fusion are still functional including bass, treble, balance, volume, etc.
If you should have the Fusion wired or wireless remotes the only control would volume.

As pretty much all mobile audio has SXM input and control I agree, why doesn't Garmin provide a line off for direct connection to the audio equipment. The answer probably is how it needs to be licensed and subscribed. It seems that they can't figure out how to separate the weather and audio channels.

It's been like this since the first weather module years before they thought about Fusion. Since the weather has always been through Sirius providing access to music was a no brainer for them. Regardless of the functionality issues with stereo head units. It's like they envisioned CC before they were a thing.

The issue is they are pandering to the CC enclave and don't care about the rest of the boaters out there. CC the helm is everything regardless of how you use the boat.