B&G/Navico Link

[Dockhead]

One of the most surprising and unpleasant events in the course of my ownership of Navico/B&G electronics was when I was prompted to update the GoFree app (used to remotely control MFD's from an Android tablet) to a new one called "Link". When I did that, it wouldn't work with my first-generation Zeus Touch! Turns out, it was not backwards compatible. So they prompt you to upgrade to disfunctionality


I found the APK for the old version, installed it, and then it worked without problems.


But I left that tablet on "my other boat" (my friend's D67 we sailed across the Atlantic last year) and bought a new tablet (Samsung Tab Active, which I think is ideal for this application). Setting it up now, I couldn't find an old APK which would work. Ended up trying the latest version of Link, and lo and behold -- it seems to now be backwards compatible.


EXCEPT -- there's something weird with the video. The colors are out of register. Anyone else experience this? I will reboot everything and try again in case it was just a startup glitch, but seems like a weird problem.

[PeterSailor]

Here it is, again
https://www.dropbox.com/s/v2u5s8168j...oFree.apk?dl=0

[SailingHarmonie]

I don't get it...

The Link App has always worked fine with my Zeus Touch, T12. I keep the app updated to the current version all the time. No issue. I am finally retiring the T12, not because of any software compatibility issue, but the toll of a decade of full time cruising has taken on the mechanics. And only because the door on the card slot is no longer able to seal fully waterproof. If only my iPhones did so well on support and longevity.

But, even if things happened exactly as you describe, Let's try to imagine a slightly different story line on it that fits the facts you post...

The app was updated, and didn't work with an old, obsolete product that was not longer officially supported. When the problem was discovered, it was fixed in the next update cycle.

Kind of different way of looking at things, yes?

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by PeterSailor

Here it is, again
https://www.dropbox.com/s/v2u5s8168j...oFree.apk?dl=0

Thanks!!

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by SailingHarmonie

I don't get it...

The Link App has always worked fine with my Zeus Touch, T12. I keep the app updated to the current version all the time. No issue. I am finally retiring the T12, not because of any software compatibility issue, but the toll of a decade of full time cruising has taken on the mechanics. And only because the door on the card slot is no longer able to seal fully waterproof. If only my iPhones did so well on support and longevity.

But, even if things happened exactly as you describe, Let's try to imagine a slightly different story line on it that fits the facts you post...



Kind of different way of looking at things, yes?

10 years is a normal useful life for marine electronics, which are expensive, and which are not disposable things like mobile phones.


I will not buy Navico again after this. Backwards compatibility of software with equipment which people paid good money for and which should be expected to still be in use should be a given.

[Dockhead]

Still no joy. The old GoFree doesn't run on my tablet (new Samsung TabActive3). It connects and displays fine, but any attempt to use a control crashes it.

The new Link app works -- all controls work. But the video is disturbed -- colors out of register.



You can sort of understand a chart, but the radar is unusable.


I suspect that Link problem might be an unsupported screen resolution. But Samsung removed the screen resolution control in the Settings/Display menu.



If anyone has found a way around this, I'd love to hear about it.

[Naughty Cat]

As an update to this topic B&G confirmed to me that that Go Free is no longer supported for the Zeus 2 and, therefore:

1. The Link App has not been upgraded to be compatible with newer versions of Android and is not available to download any more. The Link APK file will not install on newer versions of Android.

2. You can still get it here although I have yet to work out what version of Android is the last for compatibility
https://download.cnet.com/link-conne...%2D1%20module.

2. The B&G App, which contains the kernel of the Link App, is not compatible with Zeus 2.

in other words, buy a new plotter if you want to be loved by B&G!

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Naughty Cat

As an update to this topic B&G confirmed to me that that Go Free is no longer supported for the Zeus 2 and, therefore:

1. The Link App has not been upgraded to be compatible with newer versions of Android and is not available to download any more. The Link APK file will not install on newer versions of Android.

2. You can still get it here although I have yet to work out what version of Android is the last for compatibility
https://download.cnet.com/link-conne...%2D1%20module.

2. The B&G App, which contains the kernel of the Link App, is not compatible with Zeus 2.

in other words, buy a new plotter if you want to be loved by B&G!

Outrageous.


Even worse than this, I have a brand new Zeus 3S, current model, and I had to go through left handed sources for the old Link app. Because I can't download the new B&G App in my location, although that's Denmark, next door to Navico's home country of Norway! What a clown show!!