Greenstar or independent?

Retraceh · Jan 12, 2019

Just about to get into auto steer etc and I was wondering if I should go with a JD greenstar system or an independent such as AgLeader/Topcon/Trimble.

My situation
-New to me 2009 JD 690i combine which is greenstar ready
-New to me 2014 Claas axion 840 autosteer ready sprayer tractor - pulling chafer sentry with AgLeader insight controller
-2011 Claas axion 850 non auto steer ready - drill tractor

I would like
-Auto steer and yield mapping on the combine
-Auto steer and a better receiver on the sprayer to improve the auto shut off as current getting gps signal from a black box and auto shut off doesn’t seem the reliable
-Auto steer on the 850 and utilise the variable rate seeding on the mizuri still

Options I have found at the moment are
1 - get a JD 2630 with 6000 receiver to go directly on the combine and get a universal steering wheel conversion for the tractors. Use 6000 receiver to improve his signal to sprayer.
Cost approx £15,650

2- get an AgLeader or Topcon to fit onto the combine and tractors. They would have to fit their own yield mapping equipment which I think is the main difference in price.
rough estimates from Topcon & AgLeader £20-22k

At the moment the JD system seems to be the way to go due to cost and the fact that it will go straight into the combine.

Is there much difference between the systems? If I were to change direction in the future is the JD system more sellable? Thoughts much appreciated.

Clive · Jan 12, 2019

When we first started with gps it was Greenstar, right back in brown box days when it was only availble on racked machines

Within a couple of years I realised how restrictive that would be so sold what we had and went to topcon which allowed me to move between brands easier - glad I did that early before we had invested too much

The equipment since then been in John Deere, Cat, class, Bateman, Horsch and now Fendt machines so glad it did it this way - and I’ve never bought a single unlock code etc along the way !

Looking at used prices topcon / agleader etc seem worth more than Greenstar as they have a bigger market - and don’t forget the unlock codes from JD which cost fortunes

Buying JD ties you to their tractors in the future (which is their master plan of course !) - it can be fitted to other brands but not without significant cost (unlocks) and added complication

Clive · Jan 12, 2019

I would add you can mix and match systems - we use class own gps in our combine but wirhva topcon radio so it will run on our RTK system

Moving away from a combine manufacturer system would be complex re sensors etc I imagine although these days of can and iso maybe not quite so

njneer · Jan 12, 2019

Make sure you price it all precisely , greenstar often seems cheaper initially on first viewing then you find that section control and variable rate etc are extra which require additional unlocks and at extra cost I think, and please do your own research don’t take my word for it, Topcom have VR and SC in the price .

Andrew K · Jan 12, 2019

How much are Unlock codes from Trimble,Topcon etc these days to RTK?

Serup · Jan 13, 2019

Clive said:
Buying JD ties you to their tractors in the future (which is their master plan of course !) - it can be fitted to other brands but not without significant cost (unlocks) and added complication

You don't buy any extra unlocks depending of brand you use it on. You buy an unlock for the screen, and then it will do this function no matter where you use it.

I have a 2630 monitor and 3000 receiver, which i use on different brands. It do autosteer, section control and "application by map" which i don't know what they call, on 2 drills (tempo and solitair) and possibly a fertiliser spreader soon. Kverneland wants crazy money for allowing any monitor to access their spreaders - possibly to make their own system look cheaper.

I bought 2 unlocks, one for section control and one for autosteer. I have had the system for 6 years now, and so far used it on 4 tractors.

I choose JD because they put autosteer on a non-ready, non-deere cheaper than others at the time, and they had the best free signal (sf1) at the time. I don't know how that is today.

As i understand it, putting a system on a steer-ready tractor of a "wrong" brand, is more expensive, more complicated, and can be nightmare if it doesn't work. I would look into what the "right" system for the claas tractor cost, or ask for guarantee from deere that their system will work as promised for the agreed price.

Clive · Jan 13, 2019

Andrew K said:
How much are Unlock codes from Trimble,Topcon etc these days to RTK?

I’ve never had to buy a. Unlock for topcon - it all came fully unlocked

I think the new x35 we have coming next month has to pay for auto turn though

Andrew K · Jan 13, 2019

I think that applies if you run RTK or similar throughout the machines life, but i want to progress from HP2/rangepoint to RTK on a Trimble FM750 so I can see a potential cost looming?

tr250 · Jan 13, 2019

Clive said:
I would add you can mix and match systems - we use class own gps in our combine but wirhva topcon radio so it will run on our RTK system

Moving away from a combine manufacturer system would be complex re sensors etc I imagine although these days of can and iso maybe not quite so

Is that a satel radio you use

Clive · Jan 13, 2019

Andrew K said:
I think that applies if you run RTK or similar throughout the machines life, but i want to progress from HP2/rangepoint to RTK on a Trimble FM750 so I can see a potential cost looming?

We didn’t have to buy unlocks when we went RTK

Clive · Jan 13, 2019

tr250 said:
Is that a satel radio you use

Not sure ! leave all that to LH agro !

Speedstar · Jan 13, 2019

Retraceh said:
Just about to get into auto steer etc and I was wondering if I should go with a JD greenstar system or an independent such as AgLeader/Topcon/Trimble.

My situation
-New to me 2009 JD 690i combine which is greenstar ready
-New to me 2014 Claas axion 840 autosteer ready sprayer tractor - pulling chafer sentry with AgLeader insight controller
-2011 Claas axion 850 non auto steer ready - drill tractor

I would like
-Auto steer and yield mapping on the combine
-Auto steer and a better receiver on the sprayer to improve the auto shut off as current getting gps signal from a black box and auto shut off doesn’t seem the reliable
-Auto steer on the 850 and utilise the variable rate seeding on the mizuri still

Options I have found at the moment are
1 - get a JD 2630 with 6000 receiver to go directly on the combine and get a universal steering wheel conversion for the tractors. Use 6000 receiver to improve his signal to sprayer.
Cost approx £15,650

2- get an AgLeader or Topcon to fit onto the combine and tractors. They would have to fit their own yield mapping equipment which I think is the main difference in price.
rough estimates from Topcon & AgLeader £20-22k

At the moment the JD system seems to be the way to go due to cost and the fact that it will go straight into the combine.

Is there much difference between the systems? If I were to change direction in the future is the JD system more sellable? Thoughts much appreciated.

Go RTK , on trimble , greenstar is very expensive to get the unlock codes , it is a pay , pay pay system

Andrew K · Jan 14, 2019

Clive said:
We didn’t have to buy unlocks when we went RTK

Were you not running SF2 when you ran Deeres, rather than Topcon?

Case290 · Sep 15, 2022

Auto steer ready tractors means what ? Currently running an atu steering wheel & john Deere sf1 on a claas but the tractor is auto steer ready got a quote wow 2800 for jd unlock 1000 class unlock so I can use the auto steer ready bit . blimey what’s the other options. Available

Serup · Sep 15, 2022

Case290 said:
Auto steer ready tractors means what ? Currently running an atu steering wheel & john Deere sf1 on a claas but the tractor is auto steer ready got a quote wow 2800 for jd unlock 1000 class unlock so I can use the auto steer ready bit . blimey what’s the other options. Available

Auto steer ready usually means that the steering valve and harness is there. If the build in screen can control it, that means you need a receiver and activation.

KB6930 · Sep 16, 2022

Case290 said:
Auto steer ready tractors means what ? Currently running an atu steering wheel & john Deere sf1 on a claas but the tractor is auto steer ready got a quote wow 2800 for jd unlock 1000 class unlock so I can use the auto steer ready bit . blimey what’s the other options. Available

Hang on . You're using a JD Receiver screen and atu??

You've already got the screen unlocked so you don't need any more on a steer ready tractor

Just re read that and it's not a jd tractor. So might need something different inthe screen but I doubt it . I'm running greenstar on a fastrac and needed a solsteer box to run it but as far as I know it's just a general steering unlock in the screen

Vantage ASC - Richard · Sep 21, 2022

Andrew K said:
I think that applies if you run RTK or similar throughout the machines life, but i want to progress from HP2/rangepoint to RTK on a Trimble FM750 so I can see a potential cost looming?

It might be worth considering Centerpoint RTX as you only need the basic - intermediate unlock + subscription which is currently £1'997 + £650 a year which will give 2cm pass to pass and year to year. If you are needing RTK then its £5'962 (Including RTK Radio) + local subscription for RTK

Vantage ASC - Richard · Sep 21, 2022

Retraceh said:
Just about to get into auto steer etc and I was wondering if I should go with a JD greenstar system or an independent such as AgLeader/Topcon/Trimble.

My situation
-New to me 2009 JD 690i combine which is greenstar ready
-New to me 2014 Claas axion 840 autosteer ready sprayer tractor - pulling chafer sentry with AgLeader insight controller
-2011 Claas axion 850 non auto steer ready - drill tractor

I would like
-Auto steer and yield mapping on the combine
-Auto steer and a better receiver on the sprayer to improve the auto shut off as current getting gps signal from a black box and auto shut off doesn’t seem the reliable
-Auto steer on the 850 and utilise the variable rate seeding on the mizuri still

Options I have found at the moment are
1 - get a JD 2630 with 6000 receiver to go directly on the combine and get a universal steering wheel conversion for the tractors. Use 6000 receiver to improve his signal to sprayer.
Cost approx £15,650

2- get an AgLeader or Topcon to fit onto the combine and tractors. They would have to fit their own yield mapping equipment which I think is the main difference in price.
rough estimates from Topcon & AgLeader £20-22k

At the moment the JD system seems to be the way to go due to cost and the fact that it will go straight into the combine.

Is there much difference between the systems? If I were to change direction in the future is the JD system more sellable? Thoughts much appreciated.

Would you like me to price up a Trimble system for you?

Dave645 · Sep 21, 2022

Vantage ASC - Richard said:
It might be worth considering Centerpoint RTX as you only need the basic - intermediate unlock + subscription which is currently £1'997 + £650 a year which will give 2cm pass to pass and year to year. If you are needing RTK then its £5'962 (Including RTK Radio) + local subscription for RTK

that's so stupid expensive, I have my own full RTK and it cost less than that including radio range of 5km or mobile data range of 25km, and costs me about £50 /year in mobile data, with the base station costing less than £1600 to buy. and no other costs. . .
good look selling that, fools and their money maybe, but anyone with any sense, will look at this forum and make my system sound expensive, and yours. . .

Vantage ASC - Richard · Sep 22, 2022

Dave645 said:
that's so stupid expensive, I have my own full RTK and it cost less than that including radio range of 5km or mobile data range of 25km, and costs me about £50 /year in mobile data, with the base station costing less than £1600 to buy. and no other costs. . .
good look selling that, fools and their money maybe, but anyone with any sense, will look at this forum and make my system sound expensive, and yours. . .

I understand your comment but a DIY kit is not for everyone and I'm sure that it has not had the years of experience and research that a Global manufacturer has put into it. I'd only sell a system that would meet the needs of my customer, most don't need RTK

Greenstar or independent?

Member

Staff Member

Staff Member

Member

Member

Member

Staff Member

Member

Member

Staff Member

Staff Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

0 %

Up to 25%

25-50%

50-75%

75-100%

100% I’ve had enough of farming!

Share this page