Contour Elite

[croixflats]

Oh! Ive had my eyes on that for a while. Sweet Unit. I'll be able to add radar and monitor engine, fuel, autopilot, weather and other onboard sensor data via the chartplotter.

[FISHINGURU]

The Contour Elite was $150, this thing rules.

Heck no it didn't arrive in time, mail lady pulled up just as I was getting in the vehicle to leave, I wasn't going to have a computer with me thats why I was hoping to get it the day before. I knew I wouldn't get that lucky.

So how does this bad boy work? What will I need to download spots off the CE to my H20C? I've probably only spent about half hour on it so far, I got the basics down like the fish search, 3D, fishing log, but not how to save spots or download them to my GPS.

Anyone out there using this thing like a champ yet?

[croixflats]

I'm still tinkering with it but man the things we can do with this is awesome..

To save spots click on the bulls-eye. A table of choices will appear click on "draw new target spot" then drag curser to where you want to mark and click T1 will appear with an orange dot second mark will be T2.

To transfer all you need is a USB cable hooking GPS to the computer. Press "export to GPS" choose serial/USB for GPS format than choose USB for port than select spots from the list you created you want to export and click the press export.

I'm using a garmin but I believe the program will recognize the GPS you hooked up and give you a choice to pick from as for format

[ND4LIFE]

I decided to order this last night myself (MN lakes). I like maps and I'm kind of a computer nerd so I thought I should get good use out of it. I may even find a way to get this into the boat with the addition of a USB GPS receiver

[FISHINGURU]

Cool, thanks CF

I'm gonna have to mess around with it later tonight when I get some time.

ND, if you like maps your gonna love this thing. If you crack any hidden secrets let me know lol.

[croixflats]

Yep hook your GPS via serial NMEA proocal or USB to the lap top and when Contour Elite is operating just have to press real time tracking on the bar in contour elite. Unreal!! You can hook the boat GPS/sonar also but I think those have to be hooked up serial NMEA protocol.

[FISHINGURU]

lol, we posted at dang near the same time last post

[AaronM]

I just thought I would add my feedback. I just purchased this software and am really impressed with it. Just for full disclosure, I am in no way affiliated with either Lakemaster or the company that created the software.

Pros

-The ability to sit at home and scan the lake for different structure types is great. No more bringing in my hand-held for scroll, wait, load...scroll, wait, load.

-In my few hours of browsing, I've noticed many reefs, humps, flats, and other features that I have missed before.

-The 3D tool is fun, but I'm still out on whether that feature is a deal breaker for me. I have mainly used it for "Oh, that's neat" type of browsing rather than a mainstay tool.

Cons

-The search function is pretty worthless to me, as well as the "find similar" function.

-Slight lag time from when zooming in and out, not as fluid as I would have liked to see. Probably due to the massive amount of information in the screen, but still needs work.

-Cannot re-name way-points you mark with the software. Technically you can, but it takes more work than it's worth.

Overall

Will this help me put more fish in the boat? Maybe, maybe not. I, however, am a map guy; I love bringing in maps and studying them. This software really makes the time fly by cruising around. For the average fisherman, probably not worth it. Nothing can replace time spent on the water, but for me this was worth the money.

[croixflats]

LOL!

I was showing this program to my uncle and man he just could not get over it. I punched up the lake his cabin is on, Sand Lake next to Bowstring, And he was amazed by the structure it has. He knew it had lots of structure as they have been up there for 60 years but it sure gave him a different perspective. He owns the point at the end of bowstring river and didn't realize how it laid out as far as drop offs and shelves.

[LOTWSvirgin]

How do you find out what lakes are on this??

[AaronM]

You can buy it from LakeMaster, check their online HSOforum or keep checking in at Gander Mountain as I believe they will be carrying it.

[croixflats]

How do you find out what lakes are on this??

You can go to Lakemaster web site Click Here Click on the state then click download product lake list

[FISHINGURU]

I got the LOTW/Rainy one, my buddy is gonna get the one with the MN lakes then we can just share.

[BehindtheHead]

i am having issues with the 3d mode. it pops a message up on my computer for a split second not even long enough for me to read it.anybody have any ideas?

[McGurk]

i am having issues with the 3d mode. it pops a message up on my computer for a split second not even long enough for me to read it.anybody have any ideas?

Got to Microsoft's HSOforum and do a search for ActiveX updates. Download and install the latest update, close down and restart, and try it again. That is what I had to do when I had that problem. Fixed it right quick!

[Ed Carlson]

It will prompt you to do the Active X update if needed when you install. Just do not skip the step if it asks you to do so.

I have the MN, LOTW/Rainy, and the new Dakota's Contour Elite Editions. These are preaty amazing tools.

They will grow with you and are not closed ended software platforms. You feed it info, and it gets even smarter, you goth get smarter.

I didn't get all the lakes I wished in ND yet but the major players are really well done. Devils Lake and the Big Mo River system are covered well.

I do not have the worlds fastest computer by far, but it loads and operates this program easily with no lags. Once I hook up my new computer with the advanced graphics capability's, look out!

This is great mapping, and I'm very pleased with it so far.

[croixflats]

Yep, that should do it. If I remember right thats one of the things the software suggested to do before going further.

[BehindtheHead]

ok did some updates on my puter. now when i click on 3d the message says

terrainviewer.exe has stoped working.

windows is checking for solutions for the problem.

then the message disaperes and nothing happens.

just so you guys know.the problem is probibly somewhere between the chair and the keyboard. im not a puter guy.

[Ed Carlson]

Might be quickest bud to just drop Contour Elite a call or an e-mail. There support will walk you through the de-bug process as needed. They have excellent SC Tech staff willing to help as needed.

In case's like this...I find it safest to bite my lip, and swallow my pride, and admit to God and the Support Team Tech's...I'm hung up and need help. I generally do not FUBAR up things any worse that way.

[McGurk]

Contour Elite's parent owner SFS has a QnA area on their HSOforum, might be worth poking around in there. Do a search and you'll find it, along with a post or 2 from me.

---I was wrong, it is DirectX that you need to look for the updates for, not ActiveX like I previously stated. Try doing the same thing I mentioned, but looking for DirectX instead. Sorry about the confusion. DirectX deals specifically with 3D applications.

[Hubcat]

Does anyone know if they are going to update CE? CE has 226 High Def lakes but the new Lake master Minnesota chip has 287 Lakes and has some lakes that I fish around Mankato. I was just wondering if they will bring it up too the 287 lakes.

[fishinalot]

Not really sure how this software works.I do have it and plan on having my son download it on the computer when he gets home for spring break from college.

My question is this... Can I download our waypoints off of our H2O's, and lowrance 522's, put that information on a SD card, then download that information to this system, then after that information has been stored on our computer can we take that information and save it on the computer and download all of that information into new units( for example) a garmin handheld gps and Humminbird sonar/gps's ??.

The reason I ask, because I'm not sure how much longer the H20's will last ( we have 2 of them), if those units [PoorWordUsage] out we will be buying the Garmin handhelds next and we are looking possibly in upgrading to the humminbird side imaging sonar/gps.

Hope this is not too confusing?

[McGurk]

fishinalot: I don't realyy know what your asking. If you are looking for a way to simply get data from your old GPSr's, save it, and then upload it to your next GPSr's you do not need this software. There are other free, downloadable pieces of software that will allow you to manage your waypoint data and download/upload to multiple devices, regardless of brand or format. "EasyGPS" 4.18 is a safe and free piece of sotware that will do it, and you can find both a reiview and a link at cnet's site.

If you are looking for a way to get to know the more popular lakes in a region, create "target areas" (waypoints), and do some data managing Contour Elite will do that for you. I don't know about pulling data from a SD card,as I have always simply connected directly via the GPSr's data transfer cable.

On a side note, I brought the laptop out on the lake with me to ty out the realtime tracking. Worked like a charm, but my laptop's screen was all but unreadable due to the light conditions and glare. It's not the software's fault, though. As neat and awesome as it sounds, I still think a chip in a handheld or flasher w/ GPS and chip capability is the way to go.

[croixflats]

Quote:

My question is this... Can I download our waypoints off of our H2O's, and lowrance 522's, put that information on a SD card, then download that information to this system, then after that information has been stored on our computer can we take that information and save it on the computer and download all of that information into new units( for example) a garmin handheld gps and Humminbird sonar/gps's ??.

Yea you can do that. You also can pull information from another program already installed on the computer like say Garmin MapSource or something similar. If you can hook up your GPS to the computer via USB cable you can down load directly to Contour Elite . You also can export waypoints to an SDcard or the GPS.

[croixflats]

Does anyone know if they are going to update CE? CE has 226 High Def lakes but the new Lake master Minnesota chip has 287 Lakes and has some lakes that I fish around Mankato. I was just wondering if they will bring it up too the 287 lakes.

I'm sure they will add more lakes to the list. If you get the software now you can have it updated. Under help on Contour Elite tool bar there is a search for update function.