MS-RA205 not compatible with Iphone 11 and up

I had an issue all summer fighting my USB connection to the fusion radio not working on my new iphone. I just used bluetooth all summer or my brother in laws iphone 8, as his worked with no issues. I finally got around to contacting fusion, and their tech support stated that my head unit is no longer compatible with the newer model iphones and the only fix is to buy a new head unit (and transom remote as that wont work with a newer headunit).

As my boat is only a few years old I am quite upset to have an obsolete head unit already so I will not be going back with fusion, does anyone have some good suggestions for a headunit and transom remote swap that would work well in the cutouts currently occupied by my fusion bricks?

fusion is owned by garmin and not surprised at the pace of electronics development and not wanting to spend time developing updates for older units but it's not really any different than pc's, cell phones and the likes.

that said we had a jl audio media master head in our last boat and it was a royal pos. slow to load, lagged when swapping usb tracks and an overall poor software front. I'd stay away from that brand as you shop....

This wouldn't be a direct fit but when I need to swap head units, this will be my next one: https://www.wetsounds.com/product/WS-MC-1

Next model down:
https://www.wetsounds.com/product/WS-MC-2

Transom remote: https://www.wetsounds.com/product/ww...one-controller

Sent from my Note 9 using Tapatalk

I don't think the tech told you the right answer. We also have the MS-RA205 and my iPhone XS plugged in without issues. I have found the newer phones are somewhat more finicky when it comes to plug in connections, so you should check your cable and the connection between the auxiliary port and the head unit.

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Originally Posted by Zog

I don't think the tech told you the right answer. We also have the MS-RA205 and my iPhone XS plugged in without issues. I have found the newer phones are somewhat more finicky when it comes to plug in connections, so you should check your cable and the connection between the auxiliary port and the head unit.

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I have tried plugging in directly to the headunit in the back, no dice. My brother has an Xs and his works, 11 and up is the issue. Here is exactly what fusion told me

"Unfortunately the MS-RA205 will not work with your newer iPhone. It does not have the proper communication Pathway to allow the audio to pass. It should look like it's going to work the song should be displaying but no audio passes. Unfortunately there's no fix to that without replacing that radio with a newer unit."

I'm quite frustrated, my phone works fine on my buddy's 2005 malibu, so its not about tech refreshes as far as I'm concerned.

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Originally Posted by RC_Hinojosa

This wouldn't be a direct fit but when I need to swap head units, this will be my next one: https://www.wetsounds.com/product/WS-MC-1

Next model down:
https://www.wetsounds.com/product/WS-MC-2

Transom remote: https://www.wetsounds.com/product/ww...one-controller

Sent from my Note 9 using Tapatalk

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This is what I have been looking at as well. Any ideas for the transom, the old unit is rectangular and this is obviously oval. Will I have a giant hole in the back if I switch to this?

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Originally Posted by mcjimmy33

This is what I have been looking at as well. Any ideas for the transom, the old unit is rectangular and this is obviously oval. Will I have a giant hole in the back if I switch to this?

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Maybe you can look up the old model transom remote and see what the back looks like. Just because the front is rectangular doesn't necessarily mean the pass through is.

Sent from my Note 9 using Tapatalk

I have this fear that the pace of mobile phone tech is going to outpace the boat makers, and integrated systems like the Vision system on the Supra will be useless. I mean the GoPro integration already is, what keeps phone tech from being next?

good idea, I probably need to go out to the boat and look at the back of it as well.

https://pdf.crutchfieldonline.com/Im.../917NRX300.PDF

According to this its a 2" hole, which I should be able to cover. The 4 small screw holes for the mount though would not be covered by a circular transom remote. I could fill those, wouldn't be too noticeable but definitely I would see them every time.

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Originally Posted by mcjimmy33

I have tried plugging in directly to the headunit in the back, no dice. My brother has an Xs and his works, 11 and up is the issue. Here is exactly what fusion told me

"Unfortunately the MS-RA205 will not work with your newer iPhone. It does not have the proper communication Pathway to allow the audio to pass. It should look like it's going to work the song should be displaying but no audio passes. Unfortunately there's no fix to that without replacing that radio with a newer unit."

I'm quite frustrated, my phone works fine on my buddy's 2005 malibu, so its not about tech refreshes as far as I'm concerned.

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Well that is super lame! Sorry, my brain was not working this morning when I posted. For whatever reason, I didn't process that you were using an 11 and I was thinking the XS came out after the 11. Just out of curiosity, does the phone charge while plugged into the USB port?

Have you made sure your 205 has the latest/greatest firmware? I dont see that the fusion tech ran through this with you. His answer may be mostly correct, but also may be possible that an update after your model was installed in a 2016, which could have been produced in 2015, had an update released, but never installed.

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Originally Posted by mcjimmy33

I'm quite frustrated, my phone works fine on my buddy's 2005 malibu, so its not about tech refreshes as far as I'm concerned.

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is your buddy's 'bu using the same headunit from fusion? if so that would mean your unit is bad. if not then sounds like fusion has given you the answer and if that is the answer it is 100% a lack of tech refresh.

frustrating to say the least but 2in is spot on. as tech increases boats are going to be left behind and depending on builder, some of these boats are going to be floating bricks when the oem electronics cannot be updated nor are parts available to replace...

and on that WS unit, looked at those for our current boat and they are bada$$.... cost is up there but if you have the means that HU would be nice.

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Originally Posted by sandm

is your buddy's 'bu using the same headunit from fusion? if so that would mean your unit is bad. if not then sounds like fusion has given you the answer and if that is the answer it is 100% a lack of tech refresh.

frustrating to say the least but 2in is spot on. as tech increases boats are going to be left behind and depending on builder, some of these boats are going to be floating bricks when the oem electronics cannot be updated nor are parts available to replace...

and on that WS unit, looked at those for our current boat and they are bada$$.... cost is up there but if you have the means that HU would be nice.

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My buddy has an alpine unit. I may be missing something but seems to me if a unit from over a decade ago still works for USB then fusion is doing something wrong with their design if their model from a few years old is already a brick.

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Originally Posted by Zog

Well that is super lame! Sorry, my brain was not working this morning when I posted. For whatever reason, I didn't process that you were using an 11 and I was thinking the XS came out after the 11. Just out of curiosity, does the phone charge while plugged into the USB port?

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It charges and the music will even show up on the headunit display for the song being played, however no audio ever comes out.

I had a similar issue in my truck head unit. What I found was that if you have connected via BT, then attempt to connect via USB, the unit prioritizes the MAC address of the BT connected device over the connected USB device. The only solution is to unpair all BT devices you want to connect via USB. Use Apple certified usb cables as well, because new Apple devices recognize non-certified cables. Streaming connection such as YouTube audio defaults to USB over BT. To use YouTube, I have to turn of BT, and connect via USB, and switch to the USB in. It’s a PITA.

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Originally Posted by 2in2out

I had a similar issue in my truck head unit. What I found was that if you have connected via BT, then attempt to connect via USB, the unit prioritizes the MAC address of the BT connected device over the connected USB device. The only solution is to unpair all BT devices you want to connect via USB. Use Apple certified usb cables as well, because new Apple devices recognize non-certified cables. Streaming connection such as YouTube audio defaults to USB over BT. To use YouTube, I have to turn of BT, and connect via USB, and switch to the USB in. It’s a PITA.

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Man I would be so happy if this worked! I will definitely try it out.

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Originally Posted by MLA

Have you made sure your 205 has the latest/greatest firmware? I dont see that the fusion tech ran through this with you. His answer may be mostly correct, but also may be possible that an update after your model was installed in a 2016, which could have been produced in 2015, had an update released, but never installed.

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Yes I updated the transom remote, I was on the current version for the headunit. I did get the head unit replaced in 2017 or 2018 for another issue, so it may have been updated then.

Man I’m hoping I won’t have this issue when my work updates my phone to the iPhone 12. I have an iPhone 8 now and I think the Fusion radio in my Max is the RA70. Anyone know if I will have issue connecting via BT or USB? I agree the rate these phones update makes it difficult for the aftermarket to keep up.