Trimble EZ Guide 250
- Thread starter 4Diamond
- Start date
No direct experience w/ the 250. I went from the EZ guide plus, to the 500 to the FMX. The 250 should do everything you want it to do very well though. I don't know how far it will go as far as auto-steering or precision controls, but for lightbar guidance it'd be tough to beat.
I always thought I would never like ( or need ) auto steer - - - makes life so much easier! Started with a guide bar then went to an "Outback" unit for about $4,000.00 Going to add at least one more next year, probably two - - - even an old half blind 64 year old can plant right and spray without skips or over laps!
It is amasing how much you can save on inputs as well!
It is amasing how much you can save on inputs as well!
porter
Well-known member
I have an EZ guide plus, an EZ guide 250 and an outback S2. The EZ guide 250 is ok but like anything else you get what you pay for. If I had to do it over again I'd spend the extra $1000 and get the better one.
3 M L & C
Well-known member
I run John Deere guidance. I would go with something that alows auto steering. We first started with a light bar they work ok, but sometimes you get to watching the light bar to much instead of whats going on behind you. Also you mentioned spraying. Using an auto steer system you will use so much less product it will blow your mind how much extra you have been using. Skips and overlaps not only hurt productivity spraying, its not good for whatever crop or grass your spraying. The last point and most important I believe auto steer will put you in a lot better mood at the end of the day. You can watch everything around you and not worry about following a foam mark with the skips and overlaps. I am not to old and was very proud of how straight I could plant following a mark, so I drug my feet about getting it, but after one day of auto steer I havn't even thought about going back to a marker.
I used a Trimble 750 last year and really liked it. When I bought it I looked at a used 250 but didn't like the small screen. If you ever want to upgrade to auto steer then go with the 750 or the newer model. The 250 doesn't allow you to do any upgrades like the other models. I paid $6500 for the 750 and the ez-steer system(steering wheel mount for auto steering) I used it on a jd4650. It's easy to use, touch screen and user friendly. Traded the 4650 for a new 8320 that had the jd greenstar in it. Trimble by far is the best gps system that you can buy that wont cost you over $10000 to get started with.
If this is your first time with a gps system then go with Trimble but I would say spend a little more and go with the 750 and use Wass as your gps service (6-8" accuracy) don't need a subscription for it and your ready to go.
http://www.trimble.com/agriculture/cfx-750.aspx?dtID=overview&
If this is your first time with a gps system then go with Trimble but I would say spend a little more and go with the 750 and use Wass as your gps service (6-8" accuracy) don't need a subscription for it and your ready to go.
http://www.trimble.com/agriculture/cfx-750.aspx?dtID=overview&
Neighbor put auto steer on his planter tractor and toward the end of the second week the hired hand fell asleep and ran into a tree at the edge of the field and did over $30,000.00 in damage!
If he had missed the tree he would have ended up in the Big Blue River - - - years ago when we plowed everything I bought my first 12V TV and had it on the dash of a 4230 JD pulling a 5 16 plow! I was hot stuff back then! I think I had about 3 channels that would come in with the antenna I had.
If he had missed the tree he would have ended up in the Big Blue River - - - years ago when we plowed everything I bought my first 12V TV and had it on the dash of a 4230 JD pulling a 5 16 plow! I was hot stuff back then! I think I had about 3 channels that would come in with the antenna I had.
3 M L & C
Well-known member
4Diamond said:3 M L & C said:
I spray brush not crops, can't always run straight thru a tree with autosteer
All the more reason for autosteer you can watch around you better while the sprayer stays straight but whatever makes you feel better. Autosteer can work on curves or crooks. Guarentee it will pay for itself unless you only have 20 acres.
3 M L & C
Well-known member
The point I'm trying to make is instead of watching the left side of the boom and making sure you don't skip and trying to watch the right side for the tree. You don't have to watch the left it will always be perfect. Some systems will drive around "flags" that you mark one time. They don't work perfect but they can alert you to obsticles. I understand your point it's not perfect but it's a lot more accurate than the best driver can be. I just belive if your going to spend some money on stuff like this the little extra for the autosteer is well worth it.
3 M L & C
Well-known member
I also should clarify that most systems going around a tree is a simple as grabing and turning the wheel like you normaly would. When you get around the tree poke the button again and it will drive itself. I didn't think of this before but if you havn't ran one before you wouldn't know. Sorry