NMEA 2000 demo set for METS

The NMEA 2000 open industry networking standard will be demonstrated live at a free ConnectFest event Nov. 16 during the Marine Electronics Trade Show, which runs Nov. 15-17 in Amsterdam.

An open plug-and-play system, NMEA 2000 allows devices to be added to or subtracted from a network with no downtime.

The METS ConnectFest will run from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Diverse manufacturers will interact and demonstrate the interoperability of products in a network environment.

The demonstration provides an opportunity to have direct conversations with manufacturers that have adopted and developed products using the NMEA 2000 protocol. New developments in power distribution and alarms will be demonstrated.

In addition to demonstrations, the NMEA’s ConnectFest will provide answers to questions related to cost, installation, configurability and scalability. Among the matters discussed will be the need for all products on the NMEA 2000 network to be NMEA 2000-certified.

ConnectFest will also provide hands-on experience with the NMEA 2000 cable and connector system, which is designed to save weight and installation time and ensure future connectivity for products on a vessel.

A 30-minute presentation on the history, structure and benefits of NMEA 2000 is scheduled for 10 a.m. and 1 and 3 p.m. on the day of ConnectFest