www.iFourWinns.com

Just wondering, if any one else has this problem?

I have the Elite-5 DSI which is both GPS & fish finder. Has anyone been able to output NMEA 1083 depth out of it. Lowrence's help desk states that it will do it. Two of their techs at different shows have claimed that it will only output GPS date on NMEA 0183.

I'm looking at the same unit... it definately only has NMEA 0183 output - the same as my current Eagle unit has to interface to VHF. So it works for me!

Jsut some background for those interested...

NMEA 0183 is a combined electrical and data specification for communication between marine electronic devices. It is widely supported by most hardware and software vendors including Google Maps Mobile. It is basically just a 4800 baud serial connection with a set protocols to allow a limited number of devices to talk to each other and transfer information such as GPS position. In marine applications it is slowly being phased out in favor of the newer NMEA 2000 standard.

NMEA 1083 is the newer 'Garmin' format, and is currently not very widely supported by the industry at all. The general opinion is that NMEA 1083 may become phased out soon and replaced with the newer NMEA 2000 protocol.

NMEA 2000 is a system used on boats for data exchange in a network with a bus structured backbone, in contrast to NMEA 0183 where each device has its own seperate power and data cables, NMEA 2000 uses a drop cable between the backbone and each device, providing this device with power and in return streaming the data into the backbone making it available for all other devices to use. So NMEA 2000 devices are dead easy to install! In theory, you can also connect it to the CANbus system.

So bearing this in mind, you may be better off looking for a unit with NMEA 0183 or NMEA 2000 - or even better still, some devices available today currently have both of these interfaces. NMEA 1083 looks set to become an orphaned protocol pretty soon, so with no future it's probably not a good choice. NMEA 0183 will survive for a few years to come, but fewer new devices will probably support it as it's a pretty ancient protocol and very limited in what you can do. Most new devices want to do a lot more things than its capable of and will turn to NMEA 2000.

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Alec

2006 Horizon 190
VP 4.3GL/SX, Sunsport

Thank you, but I am not sure on what you are tring to tell me?

I curently have a NMEA2k backbone (6 nodes) on my boat. So "YES" much easyer to deal with!! The Elite-5 DSI is only 0183 output BUT for GPS info only. So yes, your VHF will see it for DSC to work. Most VHF units right now, about 75% are only NMEA 0183. Lowrence help desk is telling me "yes" it outputs both. Two other Lowrence poeple say "no". I can see the GPS data but not the sonar data. I want to send the depth to my GPS and I have done this with my older Garmin fish finder.

My question is: Is anybody else seeing both, sonar & GPS data using a the Elite-5? Thanks!!

Sorry Paul - I just re-read you initial post...

The think explanation I have for your dilemma is that just because something is NMEA 0183, does not necessarily mean it supports all of the commands and data types in the 0183 standard. The early versions of this standard were fairly basic GPS data only, with additional functionality being added over the years.

I think the Elite-5 is GPS data only as far as I can make out from their documentation - it seems to not support the 'depth' ($GPDPT) command.

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Alec

2006 Horizon 190
VP 4.3GL/SX, Sunsport

Thats fine! Yes, that is ture or at least that is what I have heard from other people too. This unit is new & is still being made by Lowrence. I have upgraded the frimware to the latest ver.

"I think the Elite-5 is GPS data only as far as I can make out from their documentation" Please, what docs?? I went looking in their op-manual & web site last night.

It would be great if some else is using the same unit & seeing that data or not.

I had a long talk with Lowrence, if it means anything to any body. They claim that it does out put sonar depth over NMEA 0183. I have 2 Garmin units that do not see it. Also I have 2 VHF units, one hand & one fixed that can see the Lowrence ouput GPS data.

The best I can say is, don't mix both brands if you are using NEMA 0183!! Even NMEA2k is tricky mixing the 2 brands.

THanks Paul. Sorry nobody here could answer your direct question. You might try on BoaterEd or one of the big national forums for an answer. I've always thought once you pick a brand for electronics, you gotta stay in the same family for the other toys.

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2001 Horizon 260 - 7.4 Volvo GSI DP

You can mix brands. It depends on what you are trying to do.

The NMEA 0183 has (from what Garmin & Lowrence states) 2 or3 versions. It could be version depended. I have used a Garmin 3006 & 740 GPS to send position date to a Cobra & Lowrence VHFs using 0183. Both had no problems & even displayed the time.

NMEA2k is "suppose" to take more of this out of the equation AND make it plug and play. It is close to it!!! My Lowrence digital gauges LMF-400 is showing GPS data on it & only fuel flow, NO MPG is it should. BUT, if you go down the list from it showing what is on the network, the Garmin is not there! If you go to the Garmin, on the NMEA2k list, both the Lowrence fuel flow sensor & the gauge is listed. The Garmin 740 has no problems in displaying MPG/KPG and fuel flow.

I just pulled the Lowrence sonar unit out & installed a Garmin 541s. Now I can send depth data to my Gamin 740, use the 541s as a fuel flow monitor (full screen), as a fish finder & back up GPS.