I am not 100% sure, but I think the above post is right. Most (at least high level anyway) autosteer systems use proprietary communications protocols. They will only work with a receiver that will output that protocol (format). I believe Trimble uses TSIP. There may be some third party receivers that can output TSIP, but many can not. I have never seen any thing but a Trimble receiver hooked to a NAV II controller. I will not say that it is totally impossible, but it is not as simple as configuring a receiver to output NEMA and the correct strings.

I don't know what protocol a John Deere systems uses, but it is a proprietary format. Again, you would have to have a receiver that could output that format. I suspect it will be even more unlikely to find a third party receiver that can output the JD format unless JD uses a format that is some what universal to the industry. I doubt that is the case.

Some of the lower level autosteer systems do use a simple NEMA protocol and with proper settings and cables just about any receiver will work with them.