Navionics vs. Lakemaster chips

[lawman]

I use the Lakemaster 2009 chip in my Lowrance HDS5m GPS unit. It is a very good chip. I fish Leech a lot and noticed the contour lines are represented in white and a bit hard to see at times. Would I better off with a Navionics Premium chip? It looks like the countour lines are black in the advertisements. Or is there a way to change the appearance of the contour lines on the Lakemaster chip?

[Rodbldr4fun]

I have the same unit and haven't found a way to change the color either and would like to if someone has figured it out. I also fish Leech and have found that I have to change scales to better read the contours. When I am at the spot, I zoom in quite a bit and find the lines come out well.

[Esox_Magnum]

I wasnt happy with my LM for this reason so no longer use it and stay with my Navionics in my HDS units, much easier to read.

[delcecchi]

There previously was a way to change the color scheme on lowrance units. I think it was on the setup display menu. does that no longer work?

[lawman]

Del, Tried customer service on-line and I stumped them. Can't do more with them until I power the unit up after I get my boat out of storage. Not real confident in a solution. The owner's manual says nothing on the topic.

[delcecchi]

Del, Tried customer service on-line and I stumped them. Can't do more with them until I power the unit up after I get my boat out of storage. Not real confident in a solution. The owner's manual says nothing on the topic.

I looked at the online manual and didn't see anything. If they dumped the display palettes on the HDS5 that would be another of life's little mysteries as to why.

[Esox_Magnum]

Dont have the unit or manuel with me but I think the HDS has 13 color palets to choose from, from my aged and feble memory...

[delcecchi]

It seemed like they ought to, but I couldn't find any discussion about them in the fine manual. I did find where you could set colors for radar and that was all.

I don't have a HDS for a variety of reasons. But I figured I could read the manual. no luck.

[Esox_Magnum]

I do know you can change the palet on the finder part, but now you got me thinking if you can change it on the GPS, boats in storage so no way to power up the unit to see and the manuel is under the seat in the boat to I think.. I do know I got the LM specificly for Vermilion and even after having a Lowrance pro in the boat trying to set it up right I still wasn't happy with the results, put my 07 Navionics back in and happy again. Funny as hot as everyone praises the LM chip and mines only got 3 hours use on it I can't get rid of it.

I also recently had a chance to compare the 2 brands side by side on my home waters I know well, Navionics hands down was the better chip for showing what was truly there.

[lawman]

If it was a simple manuever to change the appearance on the GPS I am sure Lowrance would have been able to tell me how to do it but they were stumped. Lowrance asked me what type of operationsl software was loaded onto the unit.(they were not referring to the type of chip) I don't know why the question...its their product they should know the answer to the question. Guess the answer is a new Navionics chip.

[Esox_Magnum]

Operating systems means what upgredes you have installed or if still running the original, mines been updated twice already.

[lawman]

Esox..which version of the Navionics chip (ie..Premium, Platinum, Standard) do you run?

[Esox_Magnum]

I run the older premiums I think, will be getting the new platinum this season after getting to see it on a friends boat last fall.

[tsande00]

I run Navionics and learned that LakeMaster is better for Red Lake.

[PerchJerker]

I like Navionics colors better, but for the waters I fish the LakeMaster maps are almost always better maps.

One neat trick with the LMS / LCX generation Lowrance units was to go into the screen settings and change it to night view ---- that really made the contour lines stand out nicely on the screen. It doesn't seem to work as well with the HDS units though, at least not with the color palettes I like to use.

[TheHogSeeker]

Anyone try the Iphone App Navionics version? Wondering if it is worth all $14!?

[Oreo]

I have the 2010 LM chip and my older chip also always has black contour lines. I have just been playing around with my HDS7, I have it set on a Genz blue box for ice fishing, and I can not find how you would change the color of the contour lines as of yet. I will keep looking. Also, post your question on a few other fishing web sites. I have heard of this before and I am sure I have read responses with the proper procedure to fix your problem.