With Everybody worried about Proof of Placement, there are sales people taking advantage of unknowing customers, selling things that don’t often need be sold. We utilise ISOBUS implement controllers more and more because often you already have the display in your tractor for steering, but what about the data?
API is a term used to describe the mechanism which your proof of placement data or job can be moved to between manufacturers ‘Cloud servers’, its not new, we have been doing it for years! A great example of this is a waiter in a restaurant, like in the picture below.
Here is a great short video explaining API’s function using the Waiter Principles.
Ag Leader and Raven both have API protocols, and so does all the international manufacturers. It has become a industry norm in the rest of the world and between Hardware and Data Management providers.
The great thing about API, although they might be different between manufacturer, there is standards in place, and often the software built to work with one API can easy work with others with changes. Ultimately giving us the ability to utilise hardware and data from multiple sources, with minimal hassle.
The 3 point hitch on your tractor is built to a industry standard too, and it allows you to put any brand implement on the rear to complete a job. This is the same principle with ISOBUS controllers. Not one manufacturer is good at building everything, they all have there strengths and weaknesses, so why do you tie yourself 100% to one technology company, if there hardware is substandard could you lose business because of it?
After all every manufacturer trading in Agriculture today has a skeleton in the closet that didn’t work, innovation comes from somewhere! Why would you leverage your business off one company and their specialists (they change jobs too!), when you could take the best bits that suit you from every manufacturer.
So when someone tells you that you need another piece of hardware in your machine to collect data, don’t just sign up to anything without truly understanding what you already have, It may actually be the best in the industry!
If you want to know more about your existing Ag Leader and RAVEN hardware, I am happy to help you know more.