HDS 2 vs its hummingbird clone?

[Dahitman44]

I understand there are only a couple of differences between the two top scanners. One being the ability to "color" (hummingbird) a certain depth to show you similar spots on the lake. The HDS2 has two year warrenty and greater visual definition?

Thoughts on the two?

Thanks!

Hit

[Esox_Magnum]

HDS also allows for upgrades later like DI/SI. radar, sonic hub ect as buget and wants allows...Having used both I prefer the imaging on the HDS over the HB...

[MN Mike]

Don't forget about Bird integration into Minn-Kota Trolling motors, Lakemaster data cards AND 360 imaging ( if it's in the budget )

Birds offer more beyond DI / SI and at a cheaper price.

Mike

[Esox_Magnum]

$800 for I Link, $2000? for 360, need 800 series or bigger to use I Link... My Iowa math must be rusty, that dont seem cheaper to me, Gen 2 HDS and LSS2cis just over $2k... Lowrance has the better imaging on their SI, also something you can add later with HB must be bought with the unit... Lowrance also now offers a touch screen version of their HDS series...

I'm not a LM fan so what it can do don't matter to me as Navionics is better for most the waters I fish both in Iowa and MN...If I was more of a walleye guy the I Link might be a slight benifit over not having it but as a fish to eat walleye guy when I do fish them it is hard to justify since I'm either trolling shallow weeds early season or deep basin trolling lead in the later summer early fall...For muskie fishing that I do 99% of open water it won't be of any benifit for me to add the I Link and have to swap units, figured it up earlier this winter and cheaper to just get a HDS 8 and SI to add to my current 2 HDS units...

[MN Mike]

$800 for I Link, $2000? for 360, need 800 series or bigger to use I Link... My Iowa math must be rusty, that dont seem cheaper to me, Gen 2 HDS and LSS2cis just over $2k...

Come on.... you seriously thought I was saying everything I mentioned above on the Humminbird would be cheaper than a Lowrance setup? You could easily top $5 - 6k with a complete decked out ( 1198 ) setup on the Bird but then it would do things a Lowrance couldn't think of.

Some people prefer Lakemaster in this area....

Mike

[toddb]

Some of us up north folks bought up on the Lowrance Lakemaster Chips before they sold out. Too stubborn to switch I guess...

[Esox_Magnum]

I bought into the LM craze once, used it for 3 hours and took 6 months to dump it at half price, I'm sure for some lakes it is better but for me personaly it isnt... All personal preference on units choices both will do something better than the other and have options the other cant offer...For me I have never seen a difference to get me to switch and the new options avlible wont be an advantage to anything I fish or for my style of fishing... I'm getting cheap in my old age got less than $1300 in my HDS set up and for less than $2k will add a 3rd unit dedicated to just structure scan, so will end up with a 5,7 and 8 in the end, 5 and 8 on the console 7 up front....

[TruthWalleyes]

Lowrance cant do screencaptures...

[bassNspear]

Lowrance cant do screencaptures...

yes they can

[Dahitman44]

Wow -- great points!

[Dahitman44]

In the past I know lowrance (happened to me) had puck connection issues. Sometimes it would flake out and say it couldn't connect? Have these issues improved?

[Esox_Magnum]

HDS is all internal GPS, no issues with loosing signal even behind my windscreen...Works just fine also on the console of my truck in the winter...

[TruthWalleyes]

bass n spear,

i was told by a lowrance sponsered walleye pro that they can not.

however, looking on bbc boards i can see that they do have that capability....are they tied the gps waypoint?

i wonder why he said they couldnt...that was about the only thing that would deter me from lowrance. i am really excited for lowrances future scan/mapping capabilities and might make the switch when that comes out.

[Esox_Magnum]

Does HB offer engine monitering?

[TruthWalleyes]

Yes i believe they do....my engines are too old to have that though.

[gixxer01]

$800 for I Link, $2000? for 360, need 800 series or bigger to use I Link... My Iowa math must be rusty, that dont seem cheaper to me, Gen 2 HDS and LSS2cis just over $2k... Lowrance has the better imaging on their SI, also something you can add later with HB must be bought with the unit... Lowrance also now offers a touch screen version of their HDS series...

I'm not a LM fan so what it can do don't matter to me as Navionics is better for most the waters I fish both in Iowa and MN...If I was more of a walleye guy the I Link might be a slight benifit over not having it but as a fish to eat walleye guy when I do fish them it is hard to justify since I'm either trolling shallow weeds early season or deep basin trolling lead in the later summer early fall...For muskie fishing that I do 99% of open water it won't be of any benifit for me to add the I Link and have to swap units, figured it up earlier this winter and cheaper to just get a HDS 8 and SI to add to my current 2 HDS units...

The 798 is compatible with Ilink. Your unit must have Ethernet capability.

[TMF89]

I prefer the screen on the Lowrances to the Birds. I think the SI is easier to read/more detailed. Lowrance units can be a little harder to learn but they're more customizable as far as features go than Birds. Birds are easy to use right out of the box if you want that, if you're looking to spend a bunch of time tinkering and getting the performance just right, Lowrance is the way to go.

Scrolling/Display updating is MUCH easier and faster on Lowrance. I still have no idea why HB haven't upped their processors (or whatever's causing the difference). Lowrance units scroll much easier and smoother (as far as moving the crosshairs around the screen), and the maps themselves update much more quickly on the displays for Lowrance units if you scroll across a large area. I just got an HDS 8 w/Structure Scan and I can't wait to test it out up at Rainy River.

[Dahitman44]

I have always been a lowrance guy and I figured I would saty with them -- but that coloring feature is pretty cool on the HB

[Esox_Magnum]

True but when your zoomed in working a spot normaly your zoomed into 50 or 100 feet

[JohnMickish]

The 1198 now uses two processors. It's as fast as anything out there.

Yes, Lowrance has the touch screen and that may be a great feature in Florida, but for me taking my gloves off in a 40 degree rain just to change the zoom is not something I would look forward too. Yes, they do make gloves that have the electronic screen fingertips, but I haven't seen any raingear that can hold up to outdoor use with them.

[ClownColor]

Both are great. When I made the decision last year, I went with Lowrance HDS Gen 2 for 2 reasons:

1) I like that I can upgrade, buy a larger screen, or add multiple screens while not having to buy the SS /DS again or for each unit. One can also buy it in phases(unit first with tradition sonar and add SS /DS later). I'm also banking on if they come out with newer units, one only again has to buy the unit itself and not the SS / DS (which is the case if you upgrade to the touch screens).

2) Money. Got a smoking good deal on the HDS. When you have two almost identicle products, I'd go for the best deal.

Either way, your making a good purchase espicially if you get SI / DI (SS/DS). Just get some learning DVD's like Dr. Sonar and your set!

GOOD LUCK

[delcecchi]

Nothing personal John, and many poster's points are valid, but I have a question or request. This seems like the kind of topic where folks that have a conflict of interest might be posting. You know, those guys who have a business relationship of some sort with one or the other of these companies...

So, if you do or don't have any relationship other than as a retail customer, please so state which it is.

BTW as a customer, I am still carrying suspicion and annoyance of how I was treated by Lowrance even though I know that was before they got acquired.

[TMF89]

mnfishguy, when did the new dual processor Birds come out? The one we have at work is slower, but it's also probably a year old two old, so it probably isn't the latest version. Although I will say I've found all the HDS units (Gen 2 obviously) to be faster than any of the Birds, so while putting a dual-core unit in their flagship unit is a step in the right direction, IMO they need to go that route with the rest of their units (at least in the 7/8/9xx class) to be truly competitive in that respect. Otherwise if you're not looking Thanks for the info though, I'll have to see if we have a new one in stock and play with it.

[B-man715]

I just bit the bullet on a new unit (1198 si) after a LOT of research, and speaking with owners of both units first hand.

More than one current Lowrance owner is ditching them and going to fly with Bird ( and I am now one of them).

A couple others regretted their Lowrance purchases after seeing what the new Birds are capable of.

Lowrance: structure scan, down scan, and 2D

Bird: side imaging, down imaging, 2D sonar.......... and 360 imaging, I-pilot link, follow the contour etc.

Another amazing and under-advertised capability is Cannon-Link. It's the same idea as the I-pilot trolling motor system, but instead ties the new Cannon digital downriggers to your sonar.

Imagine being able to control 6 downriggers at once with the push of a button on your sonar unit!

You can automatically deploy and retrieve from the helm, view the depth of each downrigger, and here is the kicker........ a feature called Bottom Track will automatically pay out or pay in wire to keep your ball a set distance from the bottom (that you choose).

[JohnMickish]

I have no electronics relationship. I pay the same that you do. I used to be a HUGE Lowrance guy until about 5 years ago when their LCX line was just junk. They had shallow water problem and couldn't fix it. After I had about $2500 invested I was told "sorry, but we can't help you". I then switched to Humminbird and have been very happy. Like I said, Lowrance has a great looking sonar and both units will serve you with what you want, but Lowrance left a bad taste in my mouth and it hasen't washed out yet. Humminbird clearly states on their HSOforum what units they still repair (10 years back or so) and what it will cost, Lowrance I believe will only repair the HDS units once they get out of warranty.

Would I run Lowrance in the future? Sure, I would have no problem with that and part of me thinks that may be the thing to do, but with Johnson Outdoors owning Humminbird, Minnkota and Lakemaster, the future looks to bright for me to switch right now. The Ilink and the 360 imaging look to be very promising. If your a downrigger guy, the cannonlink is something to think of too.

In 2012 the 1198 went to a dual processor. I had an 1197 and would outrun the map at speeds over 45MPH on the river when it was zoomed in. I did not have that problem when I switched to an 1198. They also switched up the backlighting on the 1198 at the same time.