Fusion-Link N2K

Free, MS-IP700 $519.99; www.fusionelectronics.com

The ability of Fusion marine stereo systems to integrate with multifunction displays over NMEA 2000 (or Ethernet) is a wonderful example of what MFDs and standard network protocols can do for us. One day last summer a Garmin software update suddenly made the GPSMap 7212 already installed on Gizmo’s flying bridge the best interface I had for the Fusion IP700 stereo installed below. And mind you, I already had a Fusion NRX remote control up there, and I also had the Fusion Remote apps running on iPad and smartphone via Gizmo’s Wi-Fi router.

In normal use, the Fusion interface only occupies that media bar (shown) at the bottom of your MFD screen (if you want to see it at all). But a tap on the scrolling artist/song title window takes you to full-screen controls for picking audio sources, browsing tunes on sources like an iPod or USB memory stick living in the waterproof IP700 or a Fusion dock, or even digging deep into the stereo’s many settings. On the MFD you see a deeper menu with huge and sometimes informative touch buttons and also you have the ability to name speaker zones so it’s easier for you or a guest to know what you’re doing with the volume.

Fusion-Link can’t pass cover art over NMEA 2000 to Garmin MFDs, but apparently, the Furuno TZT and all current Raymarine MFDs can do that using Ethernet. Lowrance HDS Gen 2 and Simrad NSS/NSO also support Fusion-Link over NMEA 2000 as well as their own SonicHub, which spearheaded audio integration (and is built by Fusion).