Guidance Controllers and Displays Need To Be as Versatile and Tough as Possible
Planting, caring for, and harvesting crops are tough tasks, even though technology has made it a lot easier. You've got to stay on schedule if you want those fields to prosper, and messing with equipment is not something you want to do. Guidance controllers and displays, in particular, can be very easy to use – or they can take up your time if you get the wrong one. To find the right system, you want something that will be easy to use and move.
Does the System Need Recalibration Between Fields?
When you first install the display, you'll have to calibrate it and the guidance controller in order to make straight lines across the field. If you don't, you could end up with curvy lines of plants sprouting up and making harvest more difficult. If you use this equipment and display on more than one field, will you have to recalibrate it? Will you be able to simply drive the equipment onto the new field and start working? Calibration can take some time, and that could cut into your ability to finish your work on schedule.
Can the System Be Moved Easily to Other Equipment?
Some of these control systems can be moved from one piece of equipment to another without having to re-set every single parameter or position. While having a display that is dedicated to one piece of equipment is nice because you never have to worry about forgetting to change any of the settings, it can be expensive to have displays for every piece of equipment, especially if you have a large field and normally have several vehicles crossing it at once. How easy is it to detach and reattach the system? You don't want to spend too much time having to deal with moving the display.
What Vibration Protection Does the System Have?
You'll notice that these display systems, like the GFX-350, are ruggedised, allowing them to sit in vehicles travelling over rougher terrain and tilled fields. It is still advisable, however, to find out what vibration protection the system has, not just for the circuitry but also for hinges, connections, and other mechanical parts that can easily loosen up after all the vibrations travelling up from the wheels into the cab. The display should not move out of the position you set it in while the equipment is in motion.
You have to be sure the display is easy enough for you to use that it doesn't delay any of your ag work. You shouldn't have to spend time adjusting the system instead of getting your work done.
