vexilar? marcum, bird?

[Esox_Magnum]

1. Is a new Vex digital - NO

2. Can Vex split screens with Flasher look and Digital Vertical look - NO

2. Is a new Vex as good in open water - NO

3. Is a new Vex upgradeable via Software - NO

.....Why would you fix something that isn't broken? I believe the vex units will outlast any digital unit. I think the digital units are cool But for me I get all the information I need from that good old spinning wheel with the 3 colors

Well only 2 colors....Nobody said it was broken, just getting outdated... Would you rather have a tube TV or a LED flatscreen?

[muc33]

Comparing the lx7 to the 385 makes much more sense than comparing the lx7 to a mechanical flasher.

Doesnt it??

You'd be better to compare an LX6, closer size, I want to see my screen. With the capability of graph and flasher screen on one screen or either and graph for history ill go for size. If you want to hole hop like mad, ill bite on the 6 and 385 to compare and sacrifice screen size on the 385 plus conversion and fee for lake maps added in. Not sure what that would run as I ha ent checked that all out. I ha e my phone with the Navionics so I'm fine.

But overall, to me, I guess the age old quote... Size matters! I'm not getting any younger and my eyes aren't getting any sharper either.

[PFUNK]

You'd be better to compare an LX6, closer size, I want to see my screen. With the capability of graph and flasher screen on one screen or either and graph for history ill go for size. If you want to hole hop like mad, ill bite on the 6 and 385 to compare and sacrifice screen size on the 385 plus conversion and fee for lake maps added in. Not sure what that would run as I ha ent checked that all out. I ha e my phone with the Navionics so I'm fine.

But overall, to me, I guess the age old quote... Size matters! I'm not getting any younger and my eyes aren't getting any sharper either.

The bird 385 is sold in an ICE version or the open water version, so you don't need to pay for a conversion if you buy the ICE 385 to begin with. If you want to use it on the boat you will have to get the high speed transducer and power cord/mount which will run around $100. (which you would have to buy for the lx-6 or lx-7 if you wanted to use them on your boat). The lakemaster cards run around $100 as well. Total to be set up for open water and ice fishing with a lakemaster card will run about $580-$600 if you shop around for a deal on the ice 385ci and buy the open water parts from amazon or e--bay. Personally, the screen size has never been a problem for ice fishing. A little bigger screen in the boat would be nice though. I have never really seen the appeal of having the flasher, graph, and vertical window all on the same screen. Seeing the same thing in several forms seems like a waste of all that screen to me. A split zoom/graph is all I really use, and most of the time I just run the graph in the section of the water column I want to see depending on what I am targeting. For the same price as an LX-6 I think you get more bang for you buck from the 385. If I was looking strictly for an ice fishing unit I'd probably get the LX-7 if I had the money. But the ability to have a do it all unit at a lower price point makes the 385 my pick. It has been a great purchase and would do it again in a heartbeat. No brand loyalty to anyone here, as this was my first humminbird product. I have nothing but good things to say about humminbird's customer service as well. I patiently await the day that they put out an update that allows you to use the 9/19* transducer that the ICE 35/45/55 come with. An improved interference rejection would also be nice. Marcum has a definite edge in those areas.

[muc33]

The bird 385 is sold in an ICE version or the open water version, so you don't need to pay for a conversion if you buy the ICE 385 to begin with. If you want to use it on the boat you will have to get the high speed transducer and power cord/mount which will run around $100. (which you would have to buy for the lx-6 or lx-7 if you wanted to use them on your boat). The lakemaster cards run around $100 as well. Total to be set up for open water and ice fishing with a lakemaster card will run about $580-$600 if you shop around for a deal on the ice 385ci and buy the open water parts from amazon or e--bay. Personally, the screen size has never been a problem for ice fishing. A little bigger screen in the boat would be nice though. I have never really seen the appeal of having the flasher, graph, and vertical window all on the same screen. Seeing the same thing in several forms seems like a waste of all that screen to me. A split zoom/graph is all I really use, and most of the time I just run the graph in the section of the water column I want to see depending on what I am targeting. For the same price as an LX-6 I think you get more bang for you buck from the 385. If I was looking strictly for an ice fishing unit I'd probably get the LX-7 if I had the money. But the ability to have a do it all unit at a lower price point makes the 385 my pick. It has been a great purchase and would do it again in a heartbeat. No brand loyalty to anyone here, as this was my first humminbird product. I have nothing but good things to say about humminbird's customer service as well. I patiently await the day that they put out an update that allows you to use the 9/19* transducer that the ICE 35/45/55 come with. An improved interference rejection would also be nice. Marcum has a definite edge in those areas.

You make great points on all of this. And as I said before. I simply prefer the larger screen to see things. I do like to run the flasher/graph combo, as you can see the history with the graph as to what was coming in or not and did I scare it off or such when I did a vigorous jigging motion or something. Its a great piece to use in my book. I too am not trying to "sell" anyone on anything, just pointing out why I see one to have an advantage to another. Heck on my open water graphs, I don't have anything smaller than a 5 1/2 inch screen, so I surely don't want to start that on ice! Ha! I want the 10 inch main graph with SI from Humminbird on my boat!