Opinions on total-package electronics brands?

[jnkendal]

I believe you are intending a phased installation. The question is: whichever OEM you choose, will the component you install today (2009) be capable of integrating (seamlessly) with the item you may wish to install 2 years later?

An anecdote:

My yacht's keel was laid in 1995 and fit-out completed in 1996. The electronics then were Autohelm ST60 (probably state-of-the-art then) and a Raytheon Z10 radar. Now it is 2009, the chartplotters are Raymarine C80 and C120; the radar is a RD218; the GPS is RS125; the A/P controller is a ST60+ along with the wind display; there is an AIS500 installed. What hasn't changed is the A/P hyd pump; fluxgate compass; wind speed/VMG displays; wind sensor; course computer (type S3) and two multi-function displays; Sea-talk data bus is the same as installed in 1996. All working and talking to one another, without any OEM or 3rd party interface units.

I cannot comment on other manufacturers but the transmigration from Autohelm through Raytheon through Raymarine has been a non-event (apart from re-sizing the cut-outs for the upgraded equipment).

As for "mix-n-match" OEMs - well, that is a brave new world, where you have make the right choice now, and hope the manufacturers don't change plugs/compatibility in 2 years (a la mobile phone handset manufacturers (eg. Motorola, Nokia).