Picking apart a fish finder

[pulleye16]

SO what can people tell me about the less obvious parts/info of a depth finder? What do you look for besides the obvious; color screen, zoom, gps capabilities....Do you guys care about pixels, what about peak-to-peak power, db, kHz cone angles, duel/single beam(I saw this one that had duel beam...20 and 60 degree angles, with a 60 angle why you you need 20... wouldn't the 60 just pick it up)? What should I look for when finding two very similair products (no band Loyalty), what sets one apart from the other?

[Esox_Magnum]

Power/pixel means generaly cleaner crisper picture. Cone angles can benifit in steep drops ect where the 60 gives you a dead zone where the 20 will show you more whats there. I have noticed in 25 years of using electronics is you get what you pay for. Example we run 2 different units from the same brand, 1 cost $450 the other around $1200 when it was new. The $1200 unit while older has better features and shows way more than the $450 one does.

[walleyewild]

I agree with Esox.

Most of the units out there from the same manufacturer, have a lot of the same features, but when it comes to price then you're talking about display size, rms watts, pixels...

The 3 things I look for is above.

Display size is getting to be a bigger issue as I get older, Larger display means that it is easier to see when running across the lake.

RMS Watts, how deap the unit will read and cone angle falls in here too, how large or small the area under the boat or fish hole the unit will display.

Pixels = resolution, the more verticle pixels per inch the better the resolution, better resolution= more fish arches= more fish in the boat?

WW

[gunflint]

Reliability and service. When you start looking at finders that are over a few hundred bucks the gizmos are similar. I want one that I know will last for several years and that the manufacturer will stand behind. Just yesterday I was with a fishing buddy. We went down to the local shop with the express purpose of buying him a Lowrance HDS7, we left with an 858c Humminbird. This guy has been a Lowrance user for many years. However they have been having reliability and service issues as of late and when your dropping around $1000 for a new toy you want something you can depend on.

[Ed Carlson]

Serviceability, reliability, and costumer service is the big 3. Try calling the service centers for each of the brands you are considering once, and ask a few question.

Ease of use, are the user menus and operating software system overcomplicated and prone to fail, has it a history of software upgrades that is actually software fix's?

Daylight view ability of the display. Is it clear, crisp, and viewable at all angles?

Expandability and upgrade-ability, does it have room to grow with you? Or is the unit with planned obsolescence in mind, a stop gap in there line that is already planned to be phased out in 2 years?

What are your warranty options after the first year? Could it cost you 50% of the units price new to fix it, if so, an extended warranty is wise up front at the point of sale.

These are all good questions and points of concern worth exploring before a purchase.

[PerchJerker]

If you can, try to see them and use them on the water before you decide. I much prefer the display and functionality of certain units over other certain units, but that's a personal preference that you can't develop until you actually get to use them a bit.