Fusion Head Unit, iPhone Question…

Chris-380 said:
Worth it? This feature alone seems to be awesome!

we are looking at it to use the partybus feature, have you used that?
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I think it was worth it. The unit also can do Bluetooth, WiFi and ethernet. I haven't used partybus but did notice in researching the new features that they had enhanced it quite a bit in the most recent software updates. Also, there's now a range of Apollo models. I think the 770 is the most expensive and capable but lower priced units are available if the 770 is overkill, including a "black box" without a screen for folks who intend to only use the app and/or an MFD to control the Fusion.
 
I will say this about the 770, if I were to do this over again I would go for the headless unit (WB670) because I never actually use the head unit ever. The head unit volume defaults to all zones like the app does and makes it clumsy to control a zone's volume. With the addition of the ERX400 ethernet remote or the NRX300 N2K remote you have all the functionality of the head unit, but can be assigned to an individual zone. The ERX400 is a color remote that will display what ever the head unit can.
 
SKybolt said:
I will say this about the 770, if I were to do this over again I would go for the headless unit (WB670) because I never actually use the head unit ever. The head unit volume defaults to all zones like the app does and makes it clumsy to control a zone's volume. With the addition of the ERX400 ethernet remote or the NRX300 N2K remote you have all the functionality of the head unit, but can be assigned to an individual zone. The ERX400 is a color remote that will display what ever the head unit can.
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I've been able to remove the volume control default to All and the head unit just like the erx400 will default to the last zone selected. It was a pain before they updated the ability to set a zone volume default. I see others having the same issue with their phone side buttons, that is selectable too. I update the software wirelessly through the app and have had much less trouble. The first year I had the 770 was a giant pita!
 
MonacoMike said:
When an iPhone is connected to the Fusion head unit via Bluetooth do the side buttons control volume? Cannot get mine to do that. I can control with the Fusion app, but that is not as convenient. Everything else seems to work.
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I just installed any Fusion deck this year and hav e the same issue. Contacted Fusion and they said you can not control volume from your phone with the latest decks and software. You have two use the Fusion Link app.

Hope this helps.
 
Bryan Norris said:
I just installed any Fusion deck this year and hav e the same issue. Contacted Fusion and they said you can not control volume from your phone with the latest decks and software. You have two use the Fusion Link app.

Hope this helps.
Click to expand...
techmitch said:
If you are talking about the side buttons on your phone, that is a setting within the phone itself as to what they control and when, are all programable and may not be conducive to your objective depending upon your,.. sorry I can not help any further with icrap.
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MonacoMike said:
When an iPhone is connected to the Fusion head unit via Bluetooth do the side buttons control volume? Cannot get mine to do that. I can control with the Fusion app, but that is not as convenient. Everything else seems to work.
Click to expand...
Bryan Norris said:
I just installed any Fusion deck this year and hav e the same issue. Contacted Fusion and they said you can not control volume from your phone with the latest decks and software. You have two use the Fusion Link app.

Hope this helps.
Click to expand...
techmitch said:
If you are talking about the side buttons on your phone, that is a setting within the phone itself as to what they control and when, are all programable and may not be conducive to your objective depending upon your,.. sorry I can not help any further with icrap.
Click to expand...
 
Chris-380 said:
Worth it? This feature alone seems to be awesome!

we are looking at it to use the partybus feature, have you used that?
Click to expand...

I've used the party bus feature with my last boat connecting to a friend's boat. It's not very simple and I think a lot of people are going to find it's not worth the headache, Fusion needs to simplify it. It is GREAT technology and once you get multiple boats connected it IS awesome, but they need to come out with a software update that simplifies process of connecting multiple stereos. The WiFi streaming when just listening alone on your boat is a great feature, the range is easily tripled from Bluetooth.

I think the 770 overall is a great unit but Fusion needs to develop another software update, the software that came out of the box was atrocious but I learned there was already an update out, once I downloaded that it made the unit much more user friendly (but still not simple to use). I am a tech guy and that's my take. I can't imagine someone that doesn't get along with technology!
 
Jmac572 said:
I've used the party bus feature with my last boat connecting to a friend's boat. It's not very simple and I think a lot of people are going to find it's not worth the headache, Fusion needs to simplify it. It is GREAT technology and once you get multiple boats connected it IS awesome, but they need to come out with a software update that simplifies process of connecting multiple stereos. The WiFi streaming when just listening alone on your boat is a great feature, the range is easily tripled from Bluetooth.

I think the 770 overall is a great unit but Fusion needs to develop another software update, the software that came out of the box was atrocious but I learned there was already an update out, once I downloaded that it made the unit much more user friendly (but still not simple to use). I am a tech guy and that's my take. I can't imagine someone that doesn't get along with technology!
Click to expand...
Got 20 says you are correct in that an update is in order. I'm sure it's out there.
 
So let me ask a question for the tech guys, of which we have a bunch! Go easy on me here. What is the issue with some company making a bluetooth "Hub"? Where say one phone could stream via bluetooth to the hub and multiple devices could receive the signal from the hub? Why does it need to be over a wifi network? I've googled it and found a "Bluetooth Hub" but it was expensive, discontinued and got mixed reviews from a few years back. It would be great not only to share a single source with multiple boat head units but also say multiple home receivers, tv's etc. all being able to play the same source without a delay? Is it the fcc, what's the challenge?
 
Cocktail Time said:
So let me ask a question for the tech guys, of which we have a bunch! Go easy on me here. What is the issue with some company making a bluetooth "Hub"? Where say one phone could stream via bluetooth to the hub and multiple devices could receive the signal from the hub? Why does it need to be over a wifi network? I've googled it and found a "Bluetooth Hub" but it was expensive, discontinued and got mixed reviews from a few years back. It would be great not only to share a single source with multiple boat head units but also say multiple home receivers, tv's etc. all being able to play the same source without a delay? Is it the fcc, what's the challenge?
Click to expand...

It's just the lack of capability of bluetooth currently. It may get better with newer versions of bluetooth but currently the tech and range isn't there. WiFi allows far greater quality and range, also allowing multiple devices to connect. The 770 has its own WiFi router built in so you are good to go with just the unit alone. The way the 770 works is you connect to your unit via Bluetooth and play music of your choice, then your 770 broadcasts that signal to every other 770 that wants to connect to you via WiFi. The music is perfectly in sync. WiFi is definitely the way to go. Wet Sounds makes a WiFi adapter to connect up to four boats together, each boat needs one of the antennas (they are $200 for two).
 
Thank you for this info on the wetsounds option.

It looks like a great solution, read the reviews and it does what we want….

Jmac572 said:
It's just the lack of capability of bluetooth currently. It may get better with newer versions of bluetooth but currently the tech and range isn't there. WiFi allows far greater quality and range, also allowing multiple devices to connect. The 770 has its own WiFi router built in so you are good to go with just the unit alone. The way the 770 works is you connect to your unit via Bluetooth and play music of your choice, then your 770 broadcasts that signal to every other 770 that wants to connect to you via WiFi. The music is perfectly in sync. WiFi is definitely the way to go. Wet Sounds makes a WiFi adapter to connect up to four boats together, each boat needs one of the antennas (they are $200 for two).
Click to expand...
 
Cocktail Time said:
So let me ask a question for the tech guys, of which we have a bunch! Go easy on me here. What is the issue with some company making a bluetooth "Hub"? Where say one phone could stream via bluetooth to the hub and multiple devices could receive the signal from the hub? Why does it need to be over a wifi network? I've googled it and found a "Bluetooth Hub" but it was expensive, discontinued and got mixed reviews from a few years back. It would be great not only to share a single source with multiple boat head units but also say multiple home receivers, tv's etc. all being able to play the same source without a delay? Is it the fcc, what's the challenge?
Click to expand...

The issue with BT is that it was designed for a one to one or peer to peer connection. It doesn't want to stay connected unless it is transmitting data. BT itself MUST be paired, opposed to connected, once paired it then connects. WiFi is a much broader technology in that it was designed to handle multiple clients and much higher bandwidth where as BT was not. Not to mention the signal strength of wifi is much greater then BT, BT was originally designed for things like a PC mouse and keyboard then morphed into music and control. BT controllers by design cannot support the hub style of interfacing and is quite difficult to get it to do that. That is the 100 ft. view of it.
 
Bryan Norris said:
I just installed any Fusion deck this year and hav e the same issue. Contacted Fusion and they said you can not control volume from your phone with the latest decks and software. You have two use the Fusion Link app.

Hope this helps.
Click to expand...
Depends on the model you have. A couple of the lower-end units will not allow for phone volume control but the higher-end certainly will. It can be toggled on and off on the head controls and on the app.
 
Thanks all for the info on the BT vs. Wifi. I have a 770 and can use the "Groups" (no longer called party bus) feature but still get drop out and delay. I'm tired of spending my time on the water updating everyones units and wish they would just work and work easily. I did speak to a tech at Fusion who recommended that I turn off my optical input, for some reason there is a delay when that input is active that they are working on.

Since someone mentioned them, the Wetsounds A-Links do really well and the newer V2 are even better if you don't have a Fusion 770 in the mix or are tired of fooling with it. Still a phenomenal head unit IMHO. Thanks for the info on the BT challenges. Now one of you make a wifi music hub and retire with a 650 Fly somewhere warm...

Btw, my 770 works with the volume controls on the side of my iPhone. Sorry to hijack the thread.
 
Cocktail Time said:
Thanks all for the info on the BT vs. Wifi. I have a 770 and can use the "Groups" (no longer called party bus) feature but still get drop out and delay. I'm tired of spending my time on the water updating everyones units and wish they would just work and work easily. I did speak to a tech at Fusion who recommended that I turn off my optical input, for some reason there is a delay when that input is active that they are working on.

Since someone mentioned them, the Wetsounds A-Links do really well and the newer V2 are even better if you don't have a Fusion 770 in the mix or are tired of fooling with it. Still a phenomenal head unit IMHO. Thanks for the info on the BT challenges. Now one of you make a wifi music hub and retire with a 650 Fly somewhere warm...

Btw, my 770 works with the volume controls on the side of my iPhone. Sorry to hijack the thread.
Click to expand...

I suffered the same crap with my 770... That was why I didn't bother upgrading my Fusion 650 in my new boat to the 770. It was just a pain in the a$$ to get all the boats connected so we didn't even mess with it. Fusion needs to simplify the process.
 
I had all sorts of issues controlling volume feom my iPhone on the RA70. Actually, just one issue. It didn’t work. Ended up selling that unit and got an RA210. Worked ok for about 2 years. Now the 210 has problems staying connected to a paired iPhone. Or drops the connection for no reason, or won’t connect. But once connected the volume works. Ugh. I don’t know if this is fusion or apple or both. But I’m about done. I have no issues with any other BT device and I don’t need special vendor apps for them. Shouldn’t need one for Fusion to work either. To configure, sure. But not to operate. The Fusion and iPhone combo is a mess
 
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