Review of the Si-Tex ColorMax 15 marine moitor. The ColorMax 15 offers good multifunction display (MFD) for the money. The Si-Tex ColorMax 15 LCD C-MAP MAX/NT+ Charting System features ultra-fast processor, GPS WAAS receiver, programmable Guardian Grounding Alarm, video input ports for connecting cameras, second station capability and is expandable to an all-in-one GPS charting system, fishfinder, radar with optional sensors.

By Ben Ellison

The $3,179 ColorMax 15 offers good multifunction display (MFD) for the money. The 15-inch, 1024x768-pixel screen is bright and sharp, rendering full-screen video as well as any MFD I’ve tested. The unit also has VGA out for a repeater and no fewer than five NMEA 0183 ports for AIS, GPS, autopilot, etc. The ColorMax 15 also supports every feature in the C-Map Max arsenal, including ones not yet available like C- Weather.

But this MFD is crying out for interface improvements that its obviously fast processor could easily handle. Aside from the split screen shown, which is only available when optional radar and fishfinder modules (not tested) are attached, the generous display area is frustratingly unmanageable. No simultaneous dual-scale chart windows, no video splits, no flexible font data, and no favorite page setups, all features that have almost become MFD standards. Si-Tex says that interface updates are in the works.

Si-Tex
(727) 576-5734