GPS, Colour or B&W?

[davez104]

Hi all,
Will be buying a GPS in the next month or so and was wanting to know if the colour units offer many advantages over the B&W units? Can any of them have the green zones etc downloaded onto them? Aside from that I can't think of too many situations where colour would be of much use to me. The units I am choosing between at the moment are:
Eagle Intellimap480, B&W, 480x480 display $630
Eagle Intellimap500c, colour, 320x240 display $850
Lowrance GlobalMap 3500c, colour 480x480 display, $990

Let me know what you think or what you would rather use.

Thanks.
Dave

[finding_time]

Went into this myself just over a year ago, at the time i didn't think it was worth the extra for colour but many advised me to pay the extra and get the colour so pay i did and couldn't be happier the contrast of colour really make reading the unit easy!! ;)

I got a Garmin 172c and its great i strongly suggest have a look at this unit also as i've only seen good reports about them. Do a search ( 172c)on ausfish and read the comments

Ian

[davo]

If you have an open boat then don't get the Garmin map 172C because the colour is very poor. They fade out during the day. I've had mine back twice and this time it took 5 weeks before I had it returned >:( Get a unit with TFT LCD display if going colour.

[finding_time]

If you have an open boat then don't get the Garmin map 172C because the colour is very poor. They fade out during the day. I've had mine back twice and this time it took 5 weeks before I had it returned >:( Get a unit with TFT LCD display if going colour.

Mate i've got an open boat the gps gets full sun and have never experienced this at all!!! I put all most 380 engine hours on the motor since i've had the 172c so god knows how many fishing hour that translates to without a problem.

Ian

[revs57]

I'd reckon a boat show special on the 172C Garmin would be a good move...I've got one an couldn't be happier

cheers

Rhys

[SundownMarine]

Dave,

There are some advantages of having colour in a GPS and more to the point colour in a chartplotter.
When you look at a monochrome chartplotter it is grey over grey over grey throught the different depth ranges so you end up with more grey but when you see a colour unit there are distinct colours for different depths and this makes life alot easier at a glance on a choppy ocean.
Also different colour for channel markers,leads and the like.

There is a cost difference but it is worth the extra to go colour.

Sundown Marine.

[davez104]

Thanks guys,
Might shell out the bit extra and go for colour. At least it'll look just as pretty as the sounder I suppose :) Anybody using the Lowrance units? How do you find them? Seems to be a big yes for the garmins at the moment.

Dave.

[Smithy]

Yep love em. Haven't tried the top end Garmins but hate the little ones with a vengence when you see what an equivalent Lowrance/Eagle can do. Biggest choice for you is if you want the Garmin Blue Cards or the Navonics Gold. That will be the deciding factor. Once again I can't comment on the Garmin card but they seem to be in favour with the reef fishermen but I love the Navonics card for showing up contours on the shelf etc. and it showed up rises off Rainbow Beach on the weekend very well.

[Stumpy-USA2]

I would go with the Eagle 500C. It will do most everything the Lowrance will do and you will save some money. I have a LMS-480m in b/w, its easy to see for the most part but the new color units like the LMS-332c just blow it away. Given that a 12 channel gps is a 12 channel gps as far as accuracy goes all you are paying for is looks. So get one that looks good but don't buy the biggest one out for a minimal increase in options.

Casey

[BaysideMarine]

Dave,

I agree with SundownMarine. I have fitted both the b&w and colour versions of the Navman chartplotter. 5500i for colour and 5100i (I think) for b&w.

The difference between the 2 is enormous. The colour unit gives you instant discrimination which is excellent in undulating waters such as Westernport in Vic where the depth can go from 90ft deep to 2ft deep in about 200ft distance (around Crawfish Rock).

I found the b&w unit required much more attention to take in the data and was not possible at a quick glance, as was the colour unit.

So if you can spare a bit more coin go a colour job.

Cheers

[bigbrian47]

go the colour dave
ive had a navman colour plotter for a couple of years no problems as said before the definition is great
at the time i could purchase the navman cheaper than lowrance and eagle was only b/w then
as far as the units go i'm keen on lowrance & eagle
i'm on my second eagle sounder a seafinder 480 and happy with it though the next one will be colour
cheers brian

[whiteman]

http://www.threeriversmarine.net/catalog/item/2521272/2181648.htm

It'll cost around $A720 landed in Oz.

Just do it.

[DR]

http://www.threeriversmarine.net/catalog/item/2521272/2181648.htm

It'll cost around $A720 landed in Oz.

Just do it.


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[whiteman]

Didn't stop them shipping to me.