NMEA input to old B&G network DATA display?

[dinwood]

The electronics on my boat has grown over the years but I still have an old B&G Network DATA display connected in an otherwise Raymarine STnG system. I can't afford to replace it with a new unit costing most of £600 but I can't work out how to feed NMEA wind, speed & depth data into it. It's got a Network to NMEA cable attached, but as far as I can see that is specified for NMEA output, not input. I read somewhere that B&G Network is electrically almost identical to NMEA 0183, so surely there must be a way of getting NMEA from the Raymarine (which already feeds various other things) INTO the data display.
Can anyone help?

 

[Heckler]

The electronics on my boat has grown over the years but I still have an old B&G Network DATA display connected in an otherwise Raymarine STnG system. I can't afford to replace it with a new unit costing most of £600 but I can't work out how to feed NMEA wind, speed & depth data into it. It's got a Network to NMEA cable attached, but as far as I can see that is specified for NMEA output, not input. I read somewhere that B&G Network is electrically almost identical to NMEA 0183, so surely there must be a way of getting NMEA from the Raymarine (which already feeds various other things) INTO the data display.
Can anyone help?

The network data display never did wind, they did a separate module for that. Speed and depth came from the B&G branded italian thru hull so I am puzzled as to what you are trying to do!

 

[dinwood]

OK: in the original system I had Network wind, depth & speed units connected via the B&G Network backbone and all were visible on the network DATA display. All these inputs are now provided by Raymarine units but I have left the B&G Network in place for a backup autopilot. This leaves me with a network DATA display at the chart table, but it will only display heading from the autopilot. I have failed to get it to display the other inputs even though they are available on NMEA from the Raymarine set-up. I hope this is clearer.

 

[dje67]

I've recently looked at how to integrate the B&G stuff I've got (wind, speed, depth and auto-pilot) with external instruments, as I need to replace the Network Wind unit with something that actually works! I wanted to use a NASA, or some other supplier, to feed NMEA into the Network system. I came to the conclusion that the NMEA functionality of the Network gear is pretty limited.

Getting NMEA into the Network system can only be done via the NMEA input on the Network Pilot (poss. also a Network GPS unit?), but it only seems to receive a very limited number of NMEA sentences (all GPS/nav related). If you search for the Network PILOT installation guide, it shows the sentences that can be received.

Getting data out of the network equipment is also limited and requires a break-in cable (or you can split into the cores of the main connecting cables between the units). Again, a limited number of sentences seem to be transmitted, as described in the installation guide.

If you do find a way of getting wind data into the Network hardware I'd love to know how, as it would mean that I could replace my faulty Network WIND system with a modern equivalent.