Leveraging Your John Deere Gen 4 Activations/Subscriptions

posted on Friday, February 3, 2023 in Precision Ag

Does your equipment have more functionality than you realize?

Most of us are used to having to buy a different activation for each thing we wanted our displays to do. Typically, this meant an AutoTrac activation on the tillage tractor, AutoTrac and Section Control on the planting tractor and AutoTrac and RowSense on the combine display. With Gen 4 displays that has changed.

Understanding Activations vs Subscriptions:

Activation: One and done. Once an activation is on the display, it stays with that display for its life. Activations are used for integrated displays, think 4600 Command Center. In the future you may hear these referred to as “Permanent License”. These have a higher upfront cost.

Subscription: Paid to use for a period of time, usually one year. Subscriptions are used for universal displays, such as 4640s. In the future you may hear these referred to as “Renewable License”. Subscriptions have a lower up front cost, but are generally more expensive over the life of the display.

Levels:

Basics (typically included with the purchase of a new display)

• AutoTrac- Assisted steering based on user generated guidance lines
• Data Sync – Send documentation data wirelessly to MJD Operations Center
• Documentation – In field mapping

Premium 3.0

• AutoTrac
• Data Sync
• Documentation
• Section Control- Automatically turn on and off implement sections based on previous coverage
• Row Sense – AutoTrac Guidance based of the crop’s physical location. Most commonly used on Sprayers and Corn Heads.
  • This uses mechanical feelers to adjust your guidance system to where the crop is so you can focus more on the task and less about running over crop.
• In-Field Data Sharing – See coverage and work data from other machines in that field. This can be in near real time or historic data (Shared Work and Work History).

Automation 4.0

• AutoTrac
• Data Sync
• Documentation
• Section Control
• Row Sense
• In-Field Data Sharing
• AutoTrac Implement Guidance – Guidance adjusted so the implement follows the guidance line rather than the tractor. (Requires implement Receiver)
• AutoTrac Turn Automation – Automates functions taken on turns or through interior boundaries. Includes speed, implement functions and guidance.
• Machine Sync – Synchronized speed and direction between the Combine and Grain Cart.
• Auto Path - Creation of new guidance lines based on each crop row’s location.

How to check:

Go to Menu and then select System from the left side of your screen. From here go into Software Manager and then choose activations from the left.

Green Dot: This feature is activated. If you have a CommandCenter display this will work for the life of your machine. If you have a universal display (4640) this is a yearly subscription.

Blue Dot: Demo time. This feature is unlocked for 15 hours of use. Feel free to try it out. You will get a message with the demo time runs out.

Grey Dot: Not available. Contact your account manager for options.

Upgrading to Turn-Automation