Has Anyone Tried This Yet?

[Shack]

Another post in a thread reminded me of something.

Has anyone physically tried putting a Lake Master map card into a newer Humminbird unit yet?

I know the store reps tell you it will not work and Humminbird’s web site really does not come out and say (at least what I have found) you can not do it.

Do not get me wrong, Navionics is my first choice anyways, but some like to use both and I have heard Lakemaster has a faster zoom feature.

Has anyone done this or willing to try? I might try and see if I can barrow a Lakemaster chip and give it a try. I do not think it will blow up or anything like this.

[polarsusd81]

I am pretty sure it will not effect the chip in any way, it just wont read the chip. I think the formatting on the card is what Hummingbird is missing in their units. Maybe there will be a firmware update in the future that will allow it to work. They obviously have the capability to read the cards, just an issue with the programming of the unit.

[eyebjim]

I asked a hummingbird service rep if it would work and he said no. But I have not tried it. I am afraid it will wipe out my lakematser chip.

[Nick Kuhn]

Are they both just SD memory cards (I don't have such units)? It won't harm the units or chips, but my guess is the firmware won't support it. Proprietary file formats (such as these chips) are a pain in the arse for electronics makers, so it probably isn't supported yet. They would love to have a standard file format (the locater makers) (which may happen in the future and would be cool, as you could download any map (just like a song from iTunes) to just a standard memory card and use it in any locater that supported the open format). They (the map makers) stick with the current method though to prevent piracy (though somewhere in the underground I wouldn't doubt it if someone has a firmware you could flash to make them work).

[katoguy]

Lakemaster is somewhat related to Lowrance. Don't expect Lakemaster to be compatible with Humminbird. Navionics doesn't have any close ties with any specific sonar unit, so they will be more universal.

[katoguy]

Shack, my buddy tried it. It didn't recognize there was a chip even in the HB.

polarsus & eyebjim, it is spelled and pronounced Humminbird (not Hummingbird).

[DTro]

Navionics doesn't have any close ties with any specific sonar unit, so they will be more universal.

I'm pretty sure they do.

[Shack]

katoguy, you hit the nail on the head. I think Navionics though, is tied to Humminbird way more than you think. For one, in the new unit I purchased they have a ton of info and flyers for Navionics. You hit Humminbirds website and Navionics is all over the place.

Now Lowrance units can handle both chips correct!

I just have a feeling that marketing and sales has something to do with this . Hey, I am purchasing a Novionics card because of this rumor

[Shack]

Shack, my buddy tried it. It didn't recognize there was a chip even in the HB.

polarsus & eyebjim, it is spelled and pronounced Humminbird (not Hummingbird).

Well, their we go

Thanks Katoguy. I almost missed your post while I was typing mine.

I knew there would be a quick answer.

P.S.

Dtro, a close jinx

[katoguy]

They (or we - as I'll attest that I work for Johnson Outdoors although in a separate divison) are completely separate entities from Navionics.

Dtro, I guess I don't know who the parent company of Navionics is or if they have changed hands in the last few years or not. I will dig into it a little when I have time.

[DTro]

Johnson Outdoors Inc. said it has reached an agreement to acquire Geonav Sri, a marine electronics company in Europe, for an undisclosed price.

Geonav is a major European brand of chart plotters based in Viareggio, Italy. Also sold under the Geonav brand are marine autopilots, VHF radios and fish finders.

As a result of the acquisition, Racine-based Johnson Outdoors (NASDAQ: JOUT) now competes in eight distinct marine electronics segments that combined represent a global marketplace opportunity of nearly $1 billion, the company said. Other Johnson Outdoors marine electronics brands include Minn Kota motors and accessories, Humminbird fish finders and Cannon downriggers.

The Geonav chart plotter and marine accessories brand and assets were acquired in a stock purchase from Navionics of Viareggio, Italy. Terms were not disclosed.

Johnson Outdoors' Marine Electronics Group has tripled in size over the past six years because of strong organic growth and strategic acquisitions, the firm said. Throughout fiscal 2007, Marine Electronics Group fishing system revenue has set records, driven largely by new product innovations representing more than a third of group sales during the first three quarters of the year.

[Shack]

Well, their ya go again.

That answers a couple question's I have been asking my self

Thanks Dtro for the info.

[katoguy]

Right, JOUT bought GeoNav from Navionics. GeoNav has some cool GPS units and sonar for larger watercraft. They also have a good distribution & sales network throughout Europe.

Navionics and Johnson Outdoors are in no way related.

[okstate]

my brither has a humminbird 797 ( ithink is the number) i put my lakenaster card in it over the weekend and it did not work. his unit has navionics written on the front panel of his unit.

so it definitely does not work. but still a great product. eventhough we only had a lakemaster chip.

[fishgutz77]

I'm still figuring out the Nav chip in the Low 104c and can't get the kind of zoom that I can with the Lakemaster chip. easy enough to use just different map to look at and wish I could zoom in closer. I can only go to 1/16th mile vs. .04 mile on the lakemaster zoom feature. worked ok in SD. I just perfer the format of the lakemaster chip.

[blueroof]

Humminbird units allow you to zoom in further than Lowrance units when using the Navionics chips. It notes in the upper corner that it is overzoomed, but the results are similar as zooming in tight with a Lakemaster chip in a Lowrance graph.

LB

[croixflats]

Now I'm caught between a rock and hard place. I'm looking for a knew fish locater and now I find out Hummingbird belongs to the same company as Minn Kota. With problems I've with dealing with Minn kota I have decided not to support their product. If Hummingbird is anything like Minn kota I dont want no part. These companies are getting to big and the consumer pays for through bad quality and poore costomer service. I wasnt happy with my Lowarance and now I'm stuck.

When are we going to be able to buy something and not have to worry about if were gonna be lucky and get agood one or we are gonna get stuck with a bad one.