hummingbird 898c or lowrance HDS7

[cvanderweyst]

Cant decide wich one to buy. I have used the hds and like it alot havent had a chance to use the bird. I have heard som horror stories about lowrance customer service so i am now considering the bird. Has anyone used both?

[delcecchi]

Cant decide wich one to buy. I have used the hds and like it alot havent had a chance to use the bird. I have heard som horror stories about lowrance customer service so i am now considering the bird. Has anyone used both?

Also look at some other Lowrance units. I think one pays a premium for the networking and some other HDS features. If you don't need those features perhaps one of the other Lowrance units might be a possibility.

[Esox_Magnum]

Couple guys in our club run 898's on their bows and have nothing but problems with their Universal sonars, I run HDS and love it, hopefully adding a 2nd one by spring. Lowrance has improved their CS alot over the past year. Both are good units but if you plan on using it with Minn Kotas US the edge goes to Lowrance.

[Rodbldr4fun]

I have an HDS-5 and love it. I like the cigarette lighter power adapter. It allows me to use it like a portable in my car, in other boats when fishing with friends (two frequency options) and for ice.

Take a look at Reeds in Walker. They have some very good prices on special; that's where I picked mine up.

[SimilarIsland]

Couple guys in our club run 898's on their bows and have nothing but problems with their Universal sonars, I run HDS and love it, hopefully adding a 2nd one by spring. Lowrance has improved their CS alot over the past year. Both are good units but if you plan on using it with Minn Kotas US the edge goes to Lowrance.

Why would they run an 898 with a universal sonar?

[JohnMickish]

How can they have trouble with the US feature on their trolling motors? I hope they are not trying to get the SI feature thru the trolling motor, that wont work.

I run a 898si on the console and a 937 on the bow. I used to run Lowrance (LCX 27s) but got tired of updating their equipment and it not working in all types of water and bottom content. I hear the HDS series fixed most of it but since I switched to Humminbird I have had ZERO issues. Plus it just works, any time, any depth, any bottom, and when I have called for a question I talked to a real person in less than 1 minute.

Lowrance had me with their aswome looking sonar but lost me with their quality issues(1 GPS puck, 1 transducer and the famous shallow water issue) and customer service. Humminbird will have to screw up big time for me to have to switch back.

[PerchJerker]

I've used both and I like both.

I have Lowrance in my own boat, because they have better / more powerful networking options, and I like the displays better. I've been really happy with them. But I've also used HBs quite a bit too and like them as well (especially if their networking capabilies will handle what you want to do with them).

Not sure how much that helps you, but I don't think there's any valid reason to avoid one or the other.

We've got some HB898c SIs and some Lowrance LSS-1 StructureScan modules in stock that we could make a better deal on right now --- if you're interested you can reach me at the Pro Fishing Supply info below.

[Esox_Magnum]

They arent the SI units lots of interference issues with the US. I have been a happy Eagle/ Lowrance owner for over 20 years, I just keep going back whenever I get a new boat or feel the want to update. In my circle there just seems to be less problems with the new Lowrance units over the HB units.

[cvanderweyst]

I think i like the standard sonar display better on the HDS but it is hard to tell without trying them both on the water.

I like the bird because for $300 or less i can upgrade to side imaging.

I do not plan on networking units so that is not a deciding factor.

[PerchJerker]

I like the bird because for $300 or less i can upgrade to side imaging.

I'm not following what you're saying about the price ......

If you want the side imaging and down imaging functions, you can get into the 898c SI, a side-imaging unit, for about $200 less than you could get into an HDS-7 and an LSS-1 module.

If you're not sure if you want the SI and DI, you could get into an HDS-7 for $370 less than the HB SI unit, and have the option to add the LSS-1 module whenever you wanted to. With HB you don't have the option to add it later, you either go with an SI unit or you go with a standard unit.

You said you're not planning to network units together --- that's nice because then it's easier to evaluate them on a stand-alone basis. The HB SI unit with all its pros and cons for $200 less, or the Low w/ StructureScan with all its pros and cons for $200 more.

Good luck deciding, and have fun shopping!

[delcecchi]

New Elite 5 DSI has downscan imaging. Price undisclosed. Available early 2011 it says. I know it is a 5 and not a 7.

[rmb]

Couple guys in our club run 898's on their bows and have nothing but problems with their Universal sonars, I run HDS and love it, hopefully adding a 2nd one by spring. Lowrance has improved their CS alot over the past year. Both are good units but if you plan on using it with Minn Kotas US the edge goes to Lowrance.

some people have a bit of a problem running a bird through the universal sonar puck. it's generally not an issue with the puck itself but interference with the trolling motor and even more so at higher thrust settings. i had the same issue until the tech support guys over at minnkota had me add a ground wire from the negative terminal (connected to the motor lead) to the frame of my boat. once i installed this additional ground all my interference issues with my bow mount bird went away. i was told that this is even more common on glass boats. if you are running a 24v setup make sure you are grounding the negative lead to the motor and not the negative 1st battery terminal that is jumped to the second battery. worked for me might work for them.

[JohnMickish]

Or just run a dedicated battery for the electronics so there is no chance of RF interference.

I do like the sonar screen on the Lowrance units, it has great colors and is very sharp. As stated Lowrance has the edge in networking right now but after the first of the year that should be about even with the new ethernet capabilities that HB is coming out with.

Lowrance has the edge too that if needed you can upgrade to the SI feature at a later date.

I think that Lowrance has learned their lesson with the LCX issues and the number of people with 2 year old units that are junk and deemed unrepairable by Lowrance. Humminbird repairs units that go back 10+ years, and the price of repair is listed on their HSOforum. Customer service/repair definitely goes to Humminbird.

You can't go wrong with either unit, but I KNOW my Hbird will be usable for years to come, and Humminbird sponsors this site.

[cvanderweyst]

I meant i can get the HDS 7 for roughly $1k and the HB 898c SI for approximately $300 more. If I buy the HDS now I cant afford the downscan, the ram mount, and Lakemaster chip to go with it.

[PerchJerker]

As stated Lowrance has the edge in networking right now but after the first of the year that should be about even with the new ethernet capabilities that HB is coming out with.

There is one shortcoming in HB ethernet compared to Lowrance, having to do with side-imaging info. It only comes into play if you have multiple SI units networked together.

With Low, you buy one side scan module and connect it to up to 3 display units. You control the display and settings seperately from each unit, for that unit.

With HB ethernet you share Side Imaging info ONLY between Side Imaging units. If you network an SI unit and a non-SI unit you will not share anything SI or DI related. If you network two SI units together to share info that means you've paid for two SI units, a much higher price tag.

This only comes into play of course if you're using side scan and multiple units, but if so then Low has more powerful capabilities and a lower price tag.

Regardless of which brand you go with, it's really cool technology and leap years ahead of what was out there just a few years ago. Have fun with it and learn from it. Don't try to figure out what it costs per pound of fish or anything like that though

Hope that helps.

[gregg52]

i see no mention of garmin here ??

i'm for sure done with lowrance

1000 bucks and $hit dont last 3 yrs

thinkin bird or garmin

no experience with bird

do have an ole garmin gps that was very easy to use

so i'm leanin that way i guess

no hurry through it will be awhile....lol

[Nick Kuhn]

PerchJerker,

It seems like that shortcoming is something that could be easily fixed with a software update (maybe on newer models only though). Perhaps HB is working on that behind closed doors?

[JohnMickish]

Thanks PJ, I did not know that.

[PerchJerker]

PerchJerker,

It seems like that shortcoming is something that could be easily fixed with a software update (maybe on newer models only though). Perhaps HB is working on that behind closed doors?

I agree, from the outside it sounds like it should be an "easy" thing to fix. But since it's not going to be available it must not be that easy??? I haven't heard why they can't share that data, or if it's something that will ever be available or not --- only that it is not available when their ethernet rolls out.

[Nick Kuhn]

I'm really not sure. My guess is they use a different chip to prevent people from re-flashing the 858 to perform as an 898 (or the similar products at each given screen size). An 858 + SI ducer is still cheaper than an 898. I really don't think there is any technical limitation stopping them from doing so. It's more of a flaw in the pricing model actually.

[TurnUpTheFishing]

Wait, so can I buy a 788 and a SI ducer and some how get a side imaging unit?

Im thinking hard about the 798si unit and have all winter to look for a deal but I know where I can get the 788 for a good price...

[PerchJerker]

No, that is exactly what you cannot do. Even if you network it to an SI unit you still will not get SI displays on it.

[TurnUpTheFishing]

That's what I figured. I was just a little confused by what I read.