HDS 2 vs its hummingbird clone?

[Kyhl]

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...

Yes, my HDS picks up the GPS when parked in the garage, no view of the sky.

[reddog]

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).

Welcome to the Humminbird family.

Clear out some messages in your PM box, and Ill send you some information to get you started..

[CaptainMusky]

Humminbird doesnt have a true downscan do they? Last I heard it was blending the side images together to form the bottom scan, versus a real down image.

For anyone looking at Lowrance and worried about not having a Lakemaster chip, get the 2012 Lowrance Lake Insight Pro map chip. Uses same data as the Lakemaster chips. I have it along with a Lakemaster chip and they are identical.

[TruthWalleyes]

yep, hbird down isnt nearly as good as lowrance....but i hsvent used down more than 10 minutes in my two years of owning si

[fowldreams]

Can either one be used with an additional transducer for the hard water season? I too am in the market for a new unit on the boat but I would like to justify the purchase for dual seasons.

[gixxer01]

Both HB and Lowrance offter ice kits for their units.

This has been a topic I have been researching for quite some time, and have come to the conclusion that there is no "Better" unit. Both units offer positives and negatives. However, as a Bird guy, the HDS Touches are testing my loyalty. I really want to see how this WIFI "GOFREE" translates into real world applications!

[Esox_Magnum]

HDS can be converted to ice, not sure what all HB units can be,,,,

[solbes]

One of the things I love about my HDS is I can connect it to my Yammy outboard and get a whole slew of engine monitoring data (mpg, engine temp, oil pressure, engine hrs just to name a few). Cost me a little over $100 to do so. You can add whatever data you want custom to each page, or view one of 3 pages dedicated to such info.

The Yamaha digital gauges that display similar info are far more expensive.

In the past Humminbird was not NMEA 2000 compliant, so no way to do so. I seem to remember seeing something within the past year that may make this incorrect now though.

I also like the fact that you can upgrade Lowrance as you see fit. I just now bought the DI/SS add on module (Lss2) and I've been running my HDS for 3-4 years now.

And the last piece of info I'll add is the Dr. Depth compatibility. Its a software program where you can take data logs of GPS position vs depth and create your own custom maps on your PC. You can log data with either system, but its easier to display the custom map on a Lowrance. Again this may be out of date, as I've been doing it for 3 years now. And let me tell you, custom depth maps are the bee's knees. My trolling runs are PRECISE, and our depth contours are complex on the lake I fish 80% of the time. The DNR map was made in the early 1940's and I hope it is never updated

[TMF89]

solbes, that's the program that lets you create 3D maps right? How much did you pay for it, just curious. I'm considering it just for how cool it is. That and my buddy who's a Geography major practically drooled over the example videos I showed him lol.

And thanks for the info mnfishguy, I'll have to check and see what we've got at work (I work in the fishing department at the EP Gander Mountain, but don't worry we get the same discounts on both units so I'm still "objective". lol)

As stated earlier, at the end of the day it really comes down to if you drive a Ford or a Chevy, prefer eating at McDonald's or BK, and would rather have a can of Coke or Pepsi.

[solbes]

I think I paid $120 maybe for the lifetime software licesnce for Dr Depth. He's added modules since then, One is a colored version that shows bottom hardness. He also has an overlay from structure scan that maps into sort of a mosiac. Current prices look to be between $140 and $225. Look up Doc's HSOforum if you want some local help (the program was developed in Sweden).

Yes you can generate really cool 3D maps, but as far as I know you can only view them on your PC. The map that goes onto your SD card into your Sonar/GPS unit is the standard 2D depth map with iso lines.

[TMF89]

Good to know, thanks for the info! I'll have to do some more research on that. Just one more thing to play with while you're sitting in your boat in the garage pretending to be on the water, right??

[LunkerCity]

The new HDS units are capable of making precise maps with the new StructureMap feature. Not sure what it costs, but you upload your data and then download the map back to your sd card. I think you pay based on the amount of data required to make the map. I hope to try this out on a couple of my usual lakes. It seems like it would have to be cheaper than buying a whole program since you wouldn't do it on more than a few lakes...

[JohnMickish]

The new Navionics chips have something like that going on as well. Constantly updating your chip. For both the Birds and Lowrance.

[TMF89]

Do Birds allow for structure scan/side imaging overlay on the charts? I haven't ever seen one do it but I've never thought to check either.

[Nick Kuhn]

No. I think Hummindbirds upcoming technology will be sort of cloud based mapping. It will upload GPS trails and depths from lots of users and generate up to date maps based on the trails from the participating population of users. I don't recall where I heard this though.

[ClownColor]

No. I think Hummindbirds upcoming technology will be sort of cloud based mapping. It will upload GPS trails and depths from lots of users and generate up to date maps based on the trails from the participating population of users. I don't recall where I heard this though.

Would your info be automatically uploaded during upgrades...as in they are "stealing" it?

Lets hope not. Not a lot of secret spots out there now days but I have some "hidden treasures" that I'm sure not many people know about. If HB puts my rock piles on the cloud for others...would not be too happy!

[Dahitman44]

This is the greatest thread ever!

[Dahitman44]

Still not sure my answer on the GPS was answered well enough -- can you guys with the HDS2 chime in on the internal puck vs external?

The guy at the "Sports Store" said the puck is a MUST even though it has an internal.

I know the guy wants to make money too ...

[toddb]

No major issues with internal GPS and have a HDS 5, 7 and 8. Have lost signal a couple times, but I lost it when I had a LCX 112 with external just as often. I think he is feedin you a line...

[B-man715]

Still not sure my answer on the GPS was answered well enough -- can you guys with the HDS2 chime in on the internal puck vs external?

The guy at the "Sports Store" said the puck is a MUST even though it has an internal.

I know the guy wants to make money too ...

I heard that the only downside of the internal gps is that when trolling slow (.25 - 2mph) the speeds displayed can be a little erratic and inaccurate.

The external is supposed to be dead nuts.

[CaptainMusky]

External puck will refresh a lot faster meaning your location should be a bit more precise than the internal. I have never had issues locking in with the internal even if I turn the unit it on while parked in my garage.

The only other advantage to the puck would be you can put it wherever you want as in it doesn't have to be where the head unit sits. In a console boat with the hds mounted at the helm you could put the puck near the transom where the transducer would be. Making your map and depth readings more accurate at least position on the map as it relates to the depth you are reading.

[Shack]

I think I paid $120 maybe for the lifetime software licesnce for Dr Depth. He's added modules since then, One is a colored version that shows bottom hardness. He also has an overlay from structure scan that maps into sort of a mosiac. Current prices look to be between $140 and $225. Look up Doc's website if you want some local help (the program was developed in Sweden).

Yes you can generate really cool 3D maps, but as far as I know you can only view them on your PC. The map that goes onto your SD card into your Sonar/GPS unit is the standard 2D depth map with iso lines.

Minus compatibility, you would need a unit that could render 3D imagery files to view a 3D map.

[Kyhl]

Still not sure my answer on the GPS was answered well enough -- can you guys with the HDS2 chime in on the internal puck vs external?

The guy at the "Sports Store" said the puck is a MUST even though it has an internal.

I know the guy wants to make money too ...

Sounds like you nailed it. He wants to make money.

Two of us have said that the internal picks up the gps position from inside a garage. That's working well enough for me.

The only advantage would be to move it 6' closer to the transducer which really isn't all that important to me. That's your call, your money.

I'd say try it without and if you are not happy then add it later.

[solbes]

Custom 3D would be awesome on a boat graph. I still get what I need with 2D though.

As to internal/external GPS. My HDS has no issues with WAAS lock so its pretty accurate. But I do notice the unit struggling a little with the really slow speeds (under 1.0 for example). Mainly loses direction while on drift (I have my 60 second course prediction arrow turned on). Possibly an External antenna would help with this, but I don't feel the need.

[delcecchi]

Custom 3D would be awesome on a boat graph. I still get what I need with 2D though.

As to internal/external GPS. My HDS has no issues with WAAS lock so its pretty accurate. But I do notice the unit struggling a little with the really slow speeds (under 1.0 for example). Mainly loses direction while on drift (I have my 60 second course prediction arrow turned on). Possibly an External antenna would help with this, but I don't feel the need.

I believe that is the nature of GPS, even with WAAS. There are short term fluctuations in position that can affect speed calculations. 1 mph is about 1.5 feet per second. So if you are moving at 1.5 feet per second, and the unit updates the speed calculation every 10 seconds or 15 feet, it doesn't take much of a change in position error to make it 20 feet instead of 15 or NE instead of N.

I have carried my Garmin handheld while taking a walk for an hour. Had the odometer type function turned on. When I have looked at the "maximum speed field it usually lacks credibility. Seems unlikely an old guy like me was going 7 or 8 mph....