Furuno TZTouch3 displays question

[Bcg]

Is there a display only touchscreen that can be used as an extension for an MFD or do you have to buy a complete MFD with charting and sonar for every display you want to add?

Most of the boats I’m looking at in our price range have older electro that I’d want to update because I love marine electronics. Ideally, I’d want 2 19” displays in a pilot house and a couple of 16” or 19” on a flybridge. I’d hate to have to buy 4 MFDs with chart and sonar just to have the displays, it seems like I should be able to by just a couple of MFDs (for redundancy) and then add a coup,e of touch displays that run from those MFDs. Actually, to me it would be ideal to have the displays be just touch displays running a complete black box network for charting, sonar, radar, etc. so I could replace component hardware at will without having to remove and replace displays in holes that might be just different enough to not be an exact fit but, I don’t think anyone does that.

 

[MYTraveler]

My last NavNet network consisted of three NN3D black boxes, a video multiplexer and a bunch of displays (4 in PH, 4 on FB, 1 in cockpit, 1 on tower, and repeaters in salon and MSR). I recently replaced all of that with three computers running TZT2 Professional (basically, an enhanced version of what Furuno runs on its BBs and MFDs), and replacement screens for the above, mostly touch. From what I can tell, TZT3 is a hardware-only upgrade from TZT2 -- Nobeltec (which writes the software for their TZT Professional series and shares it with Furuno), has not (as of last checking) announced anything similar. But, as I recall, you can put an MFD on the network without any problems. Ask Furuno to be sure.

 

[Bcg]

My last NavNet network consisted of three NN3D black boxes, a video multiplexer and a bunch of displays (4 in PH, 4 on FB, 1 in cockpit, 1 on tower, and repeaters in salon and MSR). I recently replaced all of that with three computers running TZT2 Professional (basically, an enhanced version of what Furuno runs on its BBs and MFDs), and replacement screens for the above, mostly touch. From what I can tell, TZT3 is a hardware-only upgrade from TZT2 -- Nobeltec (which writes the software for their TZT Professional series and shares it with Furuno), has not (as of last checking) announced anything similar. But, as I recall, you can put an MFD on the network without any problems. Ask Furuno to be sure.

Thanks for the reply. I know I can add multiple MFDs, what I want to know is if there is a D only, without the MF. Even at inflated marine electronics prices, removing the chart plotter and sonar should cut the cost by at least 1/2 for the display only.

 

[MYTraveler]

Thanks for the reply. I know I can add multiple MFDs, what I want to know is if there is a D only, without the MF. Even at inflated marine electronics prices, removing the chart plotter and sonar should cut the cost by at least 1/2 for the display only.

Furuno sells displays only, and you need not buy the Furuno brand to add a display only. However, I don't believe that a display only can be added to a NNTZT network unless that network has at least one black box. But, Furuno could tell you for sure.

 

[Bcg]

Furuno sells displays only, and you need not buy the Furuno brand to add a display only. However, I don't believe that a display only can be added to a NNTZT network unless that network has at least one black box. But, Furuno could tell you for sure.

Thanks. Do you happen to have a product number or a link for the display only?

 

[sunchaser]

Have you checked out Big Bay's display only product line? There are dozens of options available for interconnecting marine components to displays. Have you considered no MFDs and laptop or designed hard drive only tied into displays. Will you be installing a Maretron backbone or similar? On our bright FB sunlight viewable MFDs are hard to beat. Lower helm or PH then the display, radar and charting options open up.

Suggest you hook up with a solid marine tech who can do an already set up boat tour with you. The tech we've used ask's me "Hey, come look what I'm doing ---" when I raise questions. BTW, there are pros and cons to touch only screens especially when in moving seas.

What vessel are you planning to install your new setups on?

 

[Bcg]

Have you checked out Big Bay's display only product line? There are dozens of options available for interconnecting marine components to displays. Have you considered no MFDs and laptop or designed hard drive only tied into displays. Will you be installing a Maretron backbone or similar? On our bright FB sunlight viewable MFDs are hard to beat. Lower helm or PH then the display, radar and charting options open up.

Suggest you hook up with a solid marine tech who can do an already set up boat tour with you. The tech we've used ask's me "Hey, come look what I'm doing ---" when I raise questions. BTW, there are pros and cons to touch only screens especially when in moving seas.

What vessel are you planning to install your new setups on?

I honestly haven't really looked into the PC based solutions yet, that's something I definitely need to research more.

We're still looking for our boat. We're looking for something in the 50'ish range with a raised pilot house. There's a 57' Tollycraft nearby we're going to look at this week, in the next week or two we're going to spend a few days at our place in Houston and look at everything currently available near there and then in mid to late June, we're going to make a trip to Florida where there's at least 1 of every boat ever built for sale.

If money were no object, we'd be in a Nordhavn 55 or 60/62 but, we have a budget of about $350, to leave room for all the upgrades/deferred maintenance/etc that I'm sure will be required. We could stretch to $500 for a completely turn-key boat, I don't think such a thing really exists though. Even brand new boats need something, at least every one I've ever bought has.

 

[sunchaser]

Suggest you focus on the right boat, engines, systems, vessel condition etc first. Electronics are normally a do later issue, if they need any redoing at all. Use some shoe leather and the near perfect vessel will eventually appear.

Forget about asking price. A 450+ vessel should be attainable for 350 in the market that is developing. Money talks.

 

[rslifkin]

Suggest you focus on the right boat, engines, systems, vessel condition etc first. Electronics are normally a do later issue, if they need any redoing at all. Use some shoe leather and the near perfect vessel will eventually appear.

Forget about asking price. A 450+ vessel should be attainable for 350 in the market that is developing. Money talks.

Agreed. And once you choose a system, etc. you don't necessarily have to do all of the electronics at once either. You can do the basics, and leave a "ok, I'll add that later, I want a second MFD here when it's in the budget, etc."

 

[caltexflanc]

You would be better served asking this question of Furuno directly, by phone or through their forum, which their techs monitor and reply to. They are very helpful.

https://www.furunousa.com/en/get_support
https://www.furunousa.com/en/company/contactus

 

[Codger2]

Have you checked out Big Bay's display only product line? There are dozens of options available for interconnecting marine components to displays. BTW, there are pros and cons to touch only screens especially when in moving seas.

A pure touch screen only can be a real hassle in sloppy seas. (Axiom) "Axiom Pro" incorporates a knob for zooming in and out which I find much easier to use. (Sloppy sea or not!)

 

[Bcg]

A pure touch screen only can be a real hassle in sloppy seas. (Axiom) "Axiom Pro" incorporates a knob for zooming in and out which I find much easier to use. (Sloppy sea or not!)

Furuno has a hybrid as well. If I've got something to stabilize my hand with, touch screens work well. If not, yeah they can be a problem.

 

[Bcg]

Suggest you focus on the right boat, engines, systems, vessel condition etc first. Electronics are normally a do later issue, if they need any redoing at all. Use some shoe leather and the near perfect vessel will eventually appear.



Forget about asking price. A 450+ vessel should be attainable for 350 in the market that is developing. Money talks.

Unless they've been completely done in the last 3 years, I'm redoing them. I like being on the bleeding edge.

It's been a long time since I had a real boat though, about the time the Raymarine E series hit the market, so I've got a lot of relearning to do.