First look at the new Lowrance HD side scanning imagry soon to be out

[Ed Carlson]

Here is the first sneak peek at the new Lowrance side scanning imagery to be out latter this season.

Sneak peak side scan pic.

Additional transducers or a ducer upgrade will be needed and a softwear update, but the word is it will be an upgradable function on all HD units.

More will spill on this soon. Pretty Sweet, seen some more shots of it in action....nifty stuff in HD.

[DTro]

Drool Drool

[TonkaBass]

wow, I didn't know that they were even going to have it for some time. I wonder how they will pan out compaired to the huminbirds.

[Charley]

I hadn't heard anything either. How are they going to compare to Humminbirds? How much $.

[eyebjim]

I really like my bird. I have always been a lowrance guy but this does not look much better then the simulations on the birds. On the lake it is always different. Given all the issues I had with my x15 to get is going right (many firmware upgrades and some of them caused trnsducer failure they would not cover) and then them not adding it to the list of upgrades (that really chaps my hide)I would be hard, very hard pressed to buy one. I love the H2O and other products but I think they have made some bad business decisions or I would have never bought the bird and got so happy.

[hondavxr]

I am drooling right now just looking at that pic. From that pics it is more clear than the Hbirds. Sometimes you still cant make out things on the Hbird with the Lowrance it looks like actual pics of the bottom in HD. NICE NICE probably gonna cost 3k I hope not though

[croixflats]

Looks like Lowrance is scared. With their on going problems of what they have now is it possible to trust what they are offering in competition to someone that has a head start

I have a garmin and wonder if I should have gone the bird.

[Wish-I-Were-Fishn]

"Now everybody's heard, about the bird. Bird, bird, bird... bird is the word"

Guess they even knew it back then

I wouldn't want to be first one with the new Lowrance units. Sort of like a sportsman's version of Microsoft IMO.

[croixflats]

Until there is a break from this Lowrance effect in this region that Lowrance is the be all then people will fallow until they will be convinced otherwise. This will be difficult as these followers have not experienced other brands fist hand.

Then maybe we can have a true Vex versus Marcum and looks like Hummingbird LIKE (familiar to the ice delusion ) debate between formidable sounders for open water.

[harvey lee]

I have considered purchasing one but I'm leaning towards the Bird as I don't like to purchase a unit out for the 1st year. History tells me to stay away from that.

[Sandmannd]

I knew it wouldn't take them long to get that on the market. Looks good, would love one, but I'm with Harvey, I won't purchase a unit the first year in production.

[Ed Carlson]

Huh... I believe the Humm-B Ice Flasher 35-45-55 is in it's first year of production, is it not?

BottomLine, RayMarine, Garmin, and to a lesser degree Farino were the first to use side imaging. BottomLine made more models and the others dropped it for the time being. We will see many different marine vendors apply the new HD and multi dimensional radial scanning imagery in years to come.

Should be very interesting what develops soon, and by whom.

[Wish-I-Were-Fishn]

We can only win as they perfect their products, however, the question is - who can afford them.

If you look at other electronics, they not only get better, but also less expensive, or at least hold their price.

Examples would be digital cameras, automobile GPS units, computers, MP3 players, DVD players, etc.

I know these are all sold to a bigger customer base, which means that development costs are spread over many more units. Non the less, I think they need to be careful not to price themselves so high that nobody can afford them.

If you offer a better product that people want to buy and offer it for a fair price, you will make a killing and gain market share.

[Charley]

Fishing isn't a cheap sport.

[BoxMN]

Fishing isn't a cheap sport.

It is if you are me

...sort of... hehe... I just don't buy the first offs of new innovations. But I do have 4 registered boats, ha! So maybe it isn't so cheap for me... doh...

[Larry FlatCaster]

Looks interesting... I have a SI-HBird and really like it.

They look very similar, Competition in the market helps us all.

It will be nice when the price starts dropping, and they are coming out with a quality/useful product.

[reddog]

My Bird has been bulletproof and those that have had problems, have gotten phenomenal customer service to rectify the problem. Several incredible internet message boards to ask questions and network with other Humminbird users, factory techs (4) and now a Face Book page keeps this company/product in my good graces.

I'm perfectly happy with my equipment, although I would love a 1197 instead of my 997. Competition will bring the pricing inline.

Look for a new software upgrade for the Birds soon to enhance your experience (free)

For those that are drooling over this picture, you dont seriously think they would put anything but the best of the best out in their first release to the public?

[BK19]

Fishing isn't a cheap sport.

try stock car racing for 10 years or so then try and make that statement LOL it sure seams cheap then

[BK19]

What is that pic in that link or image i cant make it out what it is supposed to be

[Ed Carlson]

What is that pic in that link or image i cant make it out what it is supposed to be

Lots of submerged timber both on the starboard and port sides. Some fish on the starboard side schooled up about mid way, other scattered fish on the port side on the high flat.

You can also make out sand flats and possibly a weed line associated with the outer timber on the starboard 3:00.

This is not the best screen shot examples I have seen of the new side imagery from Lowrance, some of the others has structural details that will really blow you away.

It takes a bit of getting used to read side imagery, once your onto it, it paints a exceptional picture of the environment around you.