Furuno just introduced three new multifunction displays, with more power, faster responses and larger sizes. They’re all the third generation of Furuno’s NavNet MFD series, and they’re called NavNet TZtouch3. Furuno says they are the three most powerful MFDs on the market; they all have a more powerful quad-core processor for a fast response.
The new MFDs come in 12-inch, 16-inch and 19-inch displays. The 12-inch version is a hybrid, with a RotoKey you turn to help navigate in any sea condition. (I’ve often found that this is a big help. If I try to use my finger to set a new waypoint in a three-foot chop, and we come off a wave, for instance, I’ll end up touching something miles away from what I want.) It also has a built-in GPS and a 1kW TrueEcho CHIRP fish-finder.
The 16-inch and 19-inch touch-screen MFDs have sleek edge-to-edge glass displays that deliver clear images from any angle. They too have the built-in GPS and fish-finder. If you need more underwater power, Furuno has Deep Impact, a high-powered 2/3kW amplifier that connects to the internal TruEcho. For maximum power, you can connect to a 5kW or even a 10kW transducer. The fish-finder casts a wide underwater beam, searching across a full 200 meters; it does down to a depth of 300 meters.
The new MFDs are intuitive and with the larger ones you can swipe or touch the screens to access the various functions. You also can build your own display using multiple screens. You can monitor engine data with custom instrument pages; the MFDs also provide free worldwide weather data.
An entirely new feature on the TZtouch3 MFDs is an anti-theft protection system called Pin-Code Lock. It operates the same way that your cell phone lock does. You have to enter a four-digit code to turn on the device. The idea is that this will help reduce electronics theft, particularly on the Florida black market. Read more:
