Yamaha Connext upgrade

[Murf'n'surf]

Would you pay an extra $xxx in order to have a chart plotter built into the Yamaha Connext system?

Feel free to post how much it would be worth to you and what manufacturer of sounder/plotter you would like to see partner up with Yamaha.

 

[PolarXJ]

If it were the same price as some of the small chart plotters / sounders (~$500) then no I would not. If it were half that of lower then I would. If it were that same price I would buy the actual stand alone units for the added functionality.

 

[Topper232]

I use my plotter every time the boats on the water, since I boat in tidal waters. I like the ability to bring my Garmin into my office, plug in a USB cable and update the maps when needed.
With a built-in chart plotter, I would be concerned that it would be like a car's Nav system where you have to pay the dealer for map updates, etc.

 

[txav8r]

If I had all the added benefit of updates without needing lube, and good chart data using either Garmins charts or navionics, that would be good. Yamaha deserves a profit and hardware costs are not what you pay for...it is the charts and bundling. For example, you can buy great inkjet printers all day long for $100. That tech is just as pricy as the hardware in a chart plotter. It is the research, the data, the liability, etc. I don't expect them to sell the ability to have a chart plotter for half of what it cost. What I would expect is a base amount, say $399, and get it displayed on the 7" touchscreen! No need for it to cost what a 7" touchscreen costs. But the proprietary nature that Yamaha has, needs to change, and have some of the cabling and ability to use other equipment with interface.

 

[Zeus2013]

If it were the same price as some of the small chart plotters / sounders (~$500) then no I would not. If it were half that of lower then I would. If it were that same price I would buy the actual stand alone units for the added functionality.

X2 we would expect a lower cost since we have the electronics already.

 

[Williamsone46]

Yamaha won the NMMA Innovation Award for their Connext helm control system at the Miami boat show.

 

[txav8r]

@Williamsone46 , it is innovative. And in recreational boats, outside of some very expensive wake boats, it is a first. But it implies it "connects" all the mechanical and electrical systems. At the show, I was asking about replacing the stereo head unit. The answer I got is that any other unit would not interface with the Connext. I hope that is wrong. Same with an EQ. Why not be able to control all the zones in your boat from the connext? Or a radar, your VHF, and as discussed here, the chart plotter? What is the word on this?