Lowrance HDS unit

[Gumby_III]

Hi all

I currently have a HDS 7 Gen 1 unit in the boat and a very old grey scale Hummingbird sounder that has a sun burnt out section in the middle.

Have decided it is time to upgrade the sounder. Probably planning to get rid of the Hummingbird but keep the HDS 7 Gen 1. I can then use the existing HDS 7 for maps (Navionics card) and then use a new unit as a sounder.

Initial thoughts for the sounder unit was going to be HDS 7 or HDS 9.

Couple of questions that any advice will be greater received are:

• what would you do
• was going to go Gen 3 but notice that HDS Carbon is out soon. If going the HDS route, would you by a Gen 3 now or wait for the Carbon?
• would you go HDS 7 or HDS 9 if I can make the funds stretch? There is about $950 difference between the 7 and 9.

Anything else I should be thinking about?

Thanks

Mark

[ranmar850]

You have quite a few options there. if you like the HDS setup, the new HDI Elite-7 Ti is actually an older HDS more or less repackaged. (Gen 2, correct me if I'm wrong?) These can be had without card or transducer for $850, bargain, particularly as you have you already have a card and transducer(?) just plug and play. And you then have the ability to use either item in either role, ie, if one loses it's ability as fishfinder or plotter, you can keep going by using the other as a combo by just replugging transducer/changing nav card.
But it's all up to you, any of those things you are talking about will work, just add lots of money. Carbon seems to be very hi-specced, and expensive. Asking people whether they would go with one or the other is very subjective, you'll get 15 different answers from 15 different people, all down to personal tastes, preference , and wish to spend. 9 will have a bigger picture than 7, do you want a bigger picture? You already have a 7, is the picture big enough for your needs? At least if you go with two separate units, you'll avoid having to switch pages to get the page-sensitive menus you'll be dealing with all the time on a combo. Starting to drive me mad, I'll be adding an Elite-7 Ti soon to the Elite-7 CHIRP I currently run, using the older one as the plotter and the Ti as the sounder, plus it will give me the bottom lock the CHIRP doesn't.

[WildFishExpeditions]

If it was me... I would have your HDS 1 upgraded to the HDS 2 software first. Then buy a HDS gen3 7. I dont know what features the carbon has but it might be unnecessary things you don't need so look into that. Now you will have 2 HDS7's which you can connect via ethernet and use them both as sounders off the 1 transducer when you are fishing when motoring as you say use one for maps and 1 for sounding.

The Elite TI is not really a repackaged HDS, it just has side scan through the total scan transducer. a HDS is twice the output power of an Elite and you can link a HDS to other HDS units, Elite can't.

[patrol50]

[QUOTE=WildFishExpeditions;1626373]If it was me... I would have your HDS 1 upgraded to the HDS 2 software first.

interesting comment certainly wasnt aware that could be done - i have a hds gen 1 with current 4.0 on it which is the latest gen 1 software upgrade dated 02/09/2012 - i.e ( 4.1.36.68)

so are you saying hds gen 2 current latest upgrade software which is - HDS_Gen2-4.0-45.2.200-Standard-1 can be downloaded onto a gen 1 unit to upgrade it to a gen 2 - sounds pretty unlikely but would be real good if thats right because the gen 1 was a pretty poor effort by lowrance in my view ?? - so how is it done - or is it send it back to lowrance to have it upgraded from a gen 1 to a gen 2 system - have never heard of that ??

cheers rob

[WildFishExpeditions]

No what I meant was to update to the 4.1 software which I think is the most current, and closer to the gen 2 software. From what I understand this fixes some problems and brings it closer to the gen 2 performance when it was first released. The gen 2 still has the bigger processor and hardware etc. No I dont believe you can upload the latest gen 2 software onto a gen 1, But a software upgrade will good. I love my HDS, I can see individual marlin 200m down.

[patrol50]

No what I meant was to update to the 4.1 software which I think is the most current, and closer to the gen 2 software. From what I understand this fixes some problems and brings it closer to the gen 2 performance when it was first released. The gen 2 still has the bigger processor and hardware etc. No I dont believe you can upload the latest gen 2 software onto a gen 1, But a software upgrade will good. I love my HDS, I can see individual marlin 200m down.

ok thought it was a bit too good too be true - mind yu imho lowrance have a bit to answer for for the gen 1 as it was a pretty average first up effort - gen 2 was a better effort - and i wont even comment on the gimmicky 3d ss

cheers rob

[WildFishExpeditions]

What was the release date of the gen 1 and gen 2 roughly?

[patrol50]

What was the release date of the gen 1 and gen 2 roughly?

gen 1 early 2010 and gen 2 early 2012 as i recall
cheer rob