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Posts: 392
Location: KY | I am looking at these two GPS/finders. They are at the top of my budget. Any recommendations for one over the other? both are new with down imaging at the $650 price point. I have not seen the Humminbird available yet. |
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Posts: 2323
Location: Stevens Point, WI | The Lowrance DSI was just release in July and will beavailable in the next few weeks. I had a few opportunities to use one this past year and was very impressed with the capabilities of the unit. I think you'll be surprised with the overall picture of the Lowrance verses the Humminbird.
If your just looking for a unit to replace as your main unit, I would suggest against a downscan unit only, it's not something I'd replace to use solely without regular sonar. For an extra $100 bucks and the ability to use a mapping card with it, I'd go with the Elite-5 DSI. |
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Posts: 392
Location: KY | If your just looking for a unit to replace as your main unit, I would suggest against a downscan unit only, it's not something I'd replace to use solely without regular sonar. For an extra $100 bucks and the ability to use a mapping card with it, I'd go with the Elite-5 DSI.
T.J.
I am not sure what you are trying to say here. I am planing to go with the Elite-5 DSI, or the Humminbird as my main unit. Do they not work like a "regular sonar"? Can you elaborate?
Thanks,
Bruce |
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Posts: 2323
Location: Stevens Point, WI | Bruce, it's more of a personal thing. I like having the sonar feature, but the DSI will do everything the sonar will do and more, you'll love it.
One big advantage with the Lowrance DSI unit is that you get readouts when your under power and on plane. According to my sources on the Humminbird DI, their equipment does not allow you to be under power going fast and get a readout. That in itself would be a huge deal to me if I was looking to buy. |
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| According to my sources on the Humminbird DI, their equipment does not allow you to be under power going fast and get a readout.
TJ, did your sources say whether that was on the original Humminbird DI that was software-derived (analyzed standard sonar return) or on the newer hardware-derived ones with a dedicated DI transducer element?
they perform pretty different in a whole range of ways, might be important to know...
Bruce, i've been very pleased with the performance of the Humminbird units i've used, i'm sure you would be too. it's quality equipment and they have a solid reputation for good, fast customer support.
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Posts: 2323
Location: Stevens Point, WI | According to the Humminbird website, it says nothing about the ability to get readouts up to 40mph like the Lowrance DSI. My source that told me that was referring to the Lowrance Elite-5 DSI, so I'm assuming when he told me this, it was in reference to the comparative model for HB. I will know more tomorrow, he said their equipment did not allow for the unit to be under power and be utilized like a sonar like the Lowrance model because of the transducer make.
Bruce, another reason for wanting a sonar is for the readout at high speeds. If you read the Lowrance link, it says readouts up to 40 mph, and my source said it works pretty good. He actually said he hadn't used sonar in two years since he's had DSI. However, it also says on the Lowrance website for optimum imaging speed of 8 mph and under. |
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Posts: 2752
Location: Mauston, Wisconsin | With my HB 997SI, I put in a transducer switch & a thru-the hull transducer - no problem with high speed sonar. Humminbird's tech support is spot on "fast" & they do what they say they will.
Find a dealer that has both & go play with them.
Have fun!
Al |
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| I will know more tomorrow, he said their equipment did not allow for the unit to be under power and be utilized like a sonar like the Lowrance model because of the transducer make.
previous Humminbird units did not have a transducer element for DI. Humminbird makes it's own transducers whereas Lowrance gets there's from a supplier that supplies them for multiple companies. the new Humminbird's coming out now will have the dedicated DI element; my guess (we'll see) is that it'll perform about like the other ones on the market such as Lowrance: best going slow, okay at mid range speeds, poor at high speed. the faster the boat's moving, the less data it can gather, there's really no way around that.
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Posts: 3
| First as disclosure, my name is Mark Gibson. I am the Marketing Director for Humminbird. I will try to answer as many of the questions as I saw in these posts. Let me know if I leave anything out.
First, the Humminbird DI units incorporate two elements inside the transducer. They provide both traditional 2-D sonar and Down Imaging sonar. The DI beam in the Humminbird is pointed straight down and has dual frequency 455 and 800khz. the traditional 2 D beam is also dual beam (200 and 455khz). The Lowrance units only provide Down Imaging sonar and don't provide traditional 2D sonar. With the Humminbird units you can view either on full screen or a split screen showing both. In my opinion you can get valuable information from both 2D and Down Imaging sonar so it is great to have both. Our published spec is up to 50 MPH for high speed readings for our DI units where Lowrance is up to 40 MPH. My email address is [email protected] and if someone will email me I can send them snapshots showing the DI and 2D sonar (full screen and split screen modes) so they can post on the sight. If anything I have stated about the Lowrance units is inicorrect please correct me as I am simply going on specs I have seen on Lowrance site. |
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Posts: 3
| One more comment. Since Humminbird has the 2D element and the Di element you can get 2D readings at high speed as well as DI. the speed capabilities of the 2D as very similar to the capabilities with our other traditional 2D transducers. As someone mentioned the faster you go the less detail you get on DI. this is correct regardless of brand because of simply physics. The faster the boat is going the fewer pings hit an individual object.
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Posts: 392
Location: KY | Thanks for the feedback guys. Reading the spec sheets it sounds like the Humminbird has some nice features. 640x640 screen, 50 channel GPS, Down Imaging and Dual Beam Sonar.
Does the hummingbird have an external antenna option? Does the Lowrance display speed?
Anyone know when the hummingbird will be in stores? I would like to see them side by side. The season starts in about 6-8 weeks down here.
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| thanks for chiming in, Mark. it's great to have someone right from HumminBird weighing in with information.
here are some screen shots from the 597ci HD DI that you're asking about, Bruce. the split-screen images really show how much the DI cleans up the image details, especially for structural elements while the standard sonar gives you those nice arcs that indicate larger fish.
Edited by lambeau 1/18/2011 8:17 PM
(HumminBirdScreenShot01.PNG)
(HumminBirdScreenShot02.PNG)
(HumminBirdScreenShot03.PNG)
(HumminBirdScreenShot04.PNG)
(HumminBirdScreenShot05.PNG)
(HumminBirdScreenShot06.PNG)
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 HumminBirdScreenShot01.PNG (82KB - 343 downloads)
HumminBirdScreenShot02.PNG (109KB - 424 downloads)
HumminBirdScreenShot03.PNG (94KB - 400 downloads)
HumminBirdScreenShot04.PNG (71KB - 344 downloads)
HumminBirdScreenShot05.PNG (78KB - 283 downloads)
HumminBirdScreenShot06.PNG (46KB - 321 downloads)
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Posts: 2
| The Elite 5 DSI is a great little unit. The sonar quality is second to none. I ran an engineering sample last fall. Once guys use the down view sonar, there is virtually no need for the standard 2D sonar.... I've been running down view sonar for 2 years and haven't had a use for 2D since then.... The only reason I do use it is to get pics to show why you don't need it..... I've attached a few pics that I've gotten from the DSI......
47 mph no problems with the DSI reading the bottom all over Mille Lacs..... Talked to a guy who had no issues with it at 56mph down in Florida.... Being able to tell the difference in rocks on the bottom or fish on the bottom is really sweet... seeing fish in standing weeds or trees is not a problem.
I will have some deep water pics come spring... You can also check out the lowrance.com for more info on the DSI
Chris
Edited by Rippin_eyes 1/19/2011 5:47 AM
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Screen001.jpg (161KB - 282 downloads)
Screen003 (2).jpg (158KB - 289 downloads)
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Screen009 (2).jpg (148KB - 289 downloads)
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| my humminbird 997 reads as fast as my boat will go, which is 45mph gps. takes a little tweaking, as it does with most of the units I've been around. lowering isn't always the answer, a very slight tail down will do it. |
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| here's some more images from the H'bird 597ci HD DI that show off the way it gives a clear picture of underwater objects. i think the first image is pretty cool, showing the zoom feature's ability to help you find fish tight to the structure.
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Humminbird11.PNG (126KB - 495 downloads)
Humminbird12.PNG (114KB - 424 downloads)
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Humminbird14.PNG (154KB - 267 downloads)
Humminbird15.PNG (153KB - 269 downloads)
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Posts: 742
Location: Grand Rapids MN | I hope you don't mind Bruce but I want to piggy back off your thread. I just started looking at these same units as this thread popped up and thought the DI would be a cool tool to try out. I've always thought the side imaging would be awesome to try but these units were always out of my price range until I found the 798ci HD SI. I fish a variety of lakes from Vermilion to LOTW and thought this would be great just for picking out details in structure for both casting and trolling. Has anyone used these SI units on these bodies of water or similar and what did you think? Thanks in advance for any insight. |
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Posts: 2323
Location: Stevens Point, WI | I put HDS-8's on my boat last summer and fished Vermilion and numerous lakes in WI and I will say this, the StructureScan and DownScan features are well worth it in my opinion. After using it just a few times, I won't be without ever again. |
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Posts: 238
Location: Rhinelander | I installed all new HB graphs on the boat last year and can't say enough good things about them. Still don't have all the features down pat (my fault)....learn something new everytime on the water.
To answer your question are they worth it, with the side imaging and down imaging learned so much more on lakes I have fished for 20 plus years thinking beforehand I new them like the back of my hand. No I did not even scratch the surface in those previous years.
Bar none, best investment ever made for gaining knowledge on the water.
Now for HB vs Lowrance, that is a personal decision one has to make on their own. Previously ran Lowrance electroncs for quite a few years, had enough of the issues and very happy deciding on HB even though only owning them one year. |
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Posts: 68
| I am thinking about a new sonar unit as well. With as much detail as these new units have can you see/distinguish a big muskie? Heck in Lambeau's pic 3 above it looks like there is a turtle on that small hump.?? I gotta believe that if your over a weed bed, or tree with a bunch of skinny branches hanging out a fat ski would stand out.
Are both companies products made in USA? TX -kid |
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Posts: 315
| This is funny...hb vs low! They r both making top quality products its up to the individual to pick the graph that they feel suits them. I am just getting these units into my store in Maple Grove guys and I'm going to get them onto display in the next week or two! I am extremely excited about these units in fact I havent been so excited about new units since I bought my last unit. Come into Gander and check them out guys happy to help you!!!
Andy Hutter |
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Posts: 3
| Rippin Eyes. I have a question. The images you attached look like screen snapshots from the Elite 5 DSI unit. I have an Elite 5 DSI that I bought to test and I called Lowrance and they said these units don't have screen shot capbillities. Are they wrong? Is your unit a production unit? If so can you tell me the steps to take a screen snapshot or does your unit have special development software? the capability to take screen snapshots is a great feature.
thanks
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| bruceky. something else that i think you should consider.look at the 2d pictures of the hummingbird di units.see how mutch more detail they show when side by side with the di picture.then look at a lowrance 2d. it will be more of a mushroom look. it wont show the detail of things like tree limbs. ( this is my option any way,look for your self ) |
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| lam are these really untouched screenshots from a bird 597 di?
thnx
mark |
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| lam are these really untouched screenshots from a bird 597 di?
they came directly from Humminbird.
my guess is that both Lowrance and Humminbird use the best possible images to show off their units' performance, but i'd assume they're very careful to use real screenshots so that they're representing themselves accurately.
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Posts: 4
| Well I would hope so, has anybody seen any from actual bird owners?
thnx
mark |
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| there's a million images posted by users on the Unofficial Humminbird Forum:
http://www.xumba.scholleco.com/viewforum.php?f=14
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Posts: 4
| Lam are you talking about Down images from the side imaging models or the new down imaging models like the 597 DI
thnx
mark |
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| Lam are you talking about Down images from the side imaging models or the new down imaging models like the 597 DI
i haven't looked through all of the images available on that site, so i don't know for sure what you'll find, but i imagine most of them will be SI since that's been out for awhile and the DI units are just coming out now. there's probably some DI pics in there from early adopters if you did around.
either way, as i understand the technology, the DI transducer element is essentially a single SI crystal pointing down (rather than to the side), so i think it's fair to assume the quality of the DI image will be similar to those provided by the SI elements.
does that make sense?
Edited by lambeau 2/11/2011 11:27 AM
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Posts: 4
| perfect sense lam but that is really not an indicator of image quality for the bird, cuz all the SI down shots are software produced whereas the dsi models are hardware something that bird has not shown before
thnx
mark |
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| perfect sense lam but that is really not an indicator of image quality for the bird, cuz all the SI down shots are software produced whereas the dsi models are hardware something that bird has not shown before
yes...i'm suggesting that you consider that the SI side-images are hardware produced, so the quality of the end-user-posted SI side-images that you see on that website is a direct indication of the quality of the new DI units since both are produced directly by Humminbird's proprietary transducers. the SI side images compare pretty exactly to the DI down-images shown above. (as does even the SI-produced down-images, btw.)
i don't represent Humminbird in any capacity, I just like products that work.
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Posts: 4
| What I am trying to say lam is that the si units downscan is software they blend the left and right beam to come up with the ds, they don't have a dedicated down looking crystal in the si units! So the bird dsi units that have a dedicated crystal may or may not look like the software rendered shots that are produced by SI units, I am not sure but I think I have seen the above screenshots on other forums and I believe they were taken by the SI units.
mark |
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Posts: 742
Location: Grand Rapids MN | I have a quetion for you Mark G. I've been reading as much as possible about the SI and it seems that when there may be problems with the quality of images (left/right cloudy images) the first thing mentioned is the transducer level. This makes sense but they also mention to level it while the boat is "normally" loaded in the water and things can change with addition of people or loads. Is the transducer that sensitive to load changes or maybe slight wave action. Thanks for any info Mark. |
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