side scan users, lowrance HDS

lewa · #1 15-03-2010, 05:14 AM

bout to purchace side scan for me lowrance HDS.

who's got ont one???

any feed back??????

Price, instalation ect.....................................

Ian Sewell · #2 15-03-2010, 06:16 AM

Have been running it for a few months now, very impressive bit of gear. Pretty keen to have a look at the Hummingbird to see the difference as a comparison.

Installation was relatively straight forward, certainly no harder than a normal transducer. Plugs are all 25mm so you need a bit of a hole to get them through.
Other than that am just wishing I could get a bit more time on the water to play with it a bit more.

Ian.

hiltonlad · #3 15-03-2010, 06:21 AM

Sewelly can you get the TV on that screen you have?If so I would be keen for the footy season as well as sounding

Drewy · #4 15-03-2010, 07:17 AM

Ian, does structure scan and side scan come with the same unit? I have HDS and I'm thinking of upgrading to structure and side scan for barra fishing, but I'm not sure what the deal is. How does the unit work in dirty water?

Thanks
Drew

BlackBreamer · #5 15-03-2010, 07:57 AM

stay away from the hds 5 heard the head unit blows due to a moisture problem and i personally know two guys that have just replaced there transducers as well.....

Buy a humming bird..

Justin Boyle · #6 15-03-2010, 09:42 AM

Still learning mine. Need some time on the water. Hopefully this weekend. Anyone played enough with them that can give advice on fine tuning?

walloper · #7 15-03-2010, 03:02 PM

hey drewy, the unit does both structure and side scaning, you can choose the split screen option and display both at the same time. i used mine in some pretty filthy water after a lot of rain and the picture quality was fine.

ScaleyNick · #8 15-03-2010, 06:08 PM

G'day Drewy,

I've had my HDS-8 for just over a month now and am slowly getting everything out of it. Nothing beats time on the water, hard to pick a rod up at times.

Firstly HDS units with the added Lss1 will offer you Structure Scan (lowrance term) where as for Humminbird it is Sidescan and Down Scan (Lowrance and Humminbird term)

Essentially both units offer the same to the angler.

The only real difference I have noticed between the units (I fish a lot with DaveW who has Humminbird installed) and remembering I have the Lowrance HDS-8 is that with Lowrance you get a bigger screen and hence pixel count, meaning better detail for less cost (just on price of the head units). There are pros and cons for both systems. With lowrance you have to install the Lss1 which also means another transducer on the boat. The Humminbird comes as an all in one unit ie head unit and transducer, no extra installations etc.

In all honesty there probably isn't much difference other than the layout of the menus. I have found both systems easy to read etc.

My preference for usung my Lowrance in open systems such as lakes is to have my sounder split into two screens downscan (vertical inside the cone angle) and 2D which is a traditional image inside the same cone angle.

If I was fishing a river or looking for sunken reefs or muscle beds then I would have the structure image up also.

Down scan is awesome as it seems to give much better separation compared to the 2D image which would show a school of fish as a bright yellow or red blob. In downscan it shows individual fish more.

I have included some links to some screen captures that I've posted on another forum, so you can see first hand some shots of the Lowrance. A small amount a quality is lost due to the PNG format but I'm sure you will get the idea.

For more info on both the Lowrance check out this site.
www.hightechfishing.com there is also a sister site for the Humminbird..

If you or anyone have/has anymore questions PM me as I'm happy to assist where I can.

Lowrance screen captures

http://www.basinlureandfly.org.au/fo...php?f=1&t=1078

http://www.basinlureandfly.org.au/fo...php?f=1&t=1086

Drewy · #9 15-03-2010, 06:59 PM

Thanks Nick,
the shots look great, I will have to upgrade sooner rather than later.

lewa · #10 16-03-2010, 03:47 AM

exellent feed back guys.

Ill let you no how i go with it all

lewa · #11 17-03-2010, 05:58 AM

Just picked up me unit, pretty stoked.

what map cards are you guys using, the platnium card looks pretty impresive, good to be able to see photo image of where your fishing.

What are your thoughts???

is it a bit of over kill???

Ian Sewell · #12 17-03-2010, 06:29 AM

I just use the gold card, most rivers over here in the west hardly even show on the chart anyway so use it more for fishing off the coast than river work.

ruski · #13 17-03-2010, 06:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lewa

Just picked up me unit, pretty stoked.

what map cards are you guys using, the platnium card looks pretty impresive, good to be able to see photo image of where your fishing.

What are your thoughts???

is it a bit of over kill???

Thought about grabbing the gold, but still haven't got around to it. Mapping isn't that great for out of the way rivers/lakes, so I don't even bother... I just look at my previous trails and waypoints

Shauno · #14 18-03-2010, 08:03 AM

I'm on my third humminbird si unit, not from failure, three boats, three new buyers have all wanted the si units, this time I'm on the 798si.

Here are my thoughts on the matter.

I will compare the 798si (my unit) with the equivilent lowarnace HDS 5

Mounting
Lowrance needs head unit, black box and two transducers, humminbird only unit and transducer. Also HB offer a quick disconnect mount, whereas Lowrance reqiured screwing and unscrewing or multiple cables, then the screwing of the mouth itself to disconnect.
Lowrance 25mm holes - humminbird 16mm who cares though right?

Mounting win to humminbird Clearly

Screen size
798si 5" screen with 640x640 pixels
HDS5 5" screen with 480x480 pixels

Screen size the same resolution nearly over 30% better resolution
Humminbird clearly win

Price
humminbird unit $1799 no more to pay
Lowrance $999 + blackbox $999= $1998

HUmminbird wins on price

Functionality
Humminbird has 3 preset touch buttons, HDS 5 has none (available on HDS 8 and 10 models though) these buttons allow the user to preset the three most important pages and then get to then via the push of a button, rather than scrolling through a menu.
Humminbird win

Both have duel card slot for nav card, plus black SD card for screen shots to be taken. TIE

Lowrance HDS5 is navionics platinum capable, whereas humminbird is limited to Navionics GOLD. Win to Lowrance

So there you have it when shopping for a unit under $2000 AUD, the choice is simple, and thats not even taking into account that HB have been using the technology for years already!

BlackBreamer · #15 18-03-2010, 08:22 AM

Spot on Shauno and upgrades are a free download from the net another win to humming bird...