Posts: 1663
Location: Kodiak, AK | Couple of things...yes, you can net work an LCX with HDS. I've not done it myself, but know those that have. The only thing that won't jive is if you decide to add LSS, it won't be compatible with the LCX.
As far as tips for HDS, think of it kinda like Vista vs Windows XP. Everything is still there, but it's in different places and called different things. If you're used to the LCX menus and options, the HDS is a whole-nother system. Everything is still there, like selecting map data to select your Navionics card, but it's not in the same place or on the same menu as it was on the LCX. So get used to the menus before you're on the water, get your settings where you'd like them and all that because the menus are different. The other thing you'll need to get used to is the "lag" in the HDS. It's basically a little computer sitting on your boat, so just like your computer at home, when you click on something or open a file, sometimes it has to "think" about it before it does it. HDS is similar. You'll hit "PAGES" to switch from chart to sonar or structure or whatever and it'll take a few seconds before it loads into the pages menu, and then a few seconds for each selection. Not a huge deal, but frustrating at times.
I like HDS, but it's got it's bugs like any system. Sometimes the depth soundings won't load on my chart after I zoom or come back from a sonar or structure page. I then have to shut it off and restart it to get them to load. Sometimes they load on their own. Sometimes not. Zooms can also be slow. You'll hit it.....hit it.....hit it....hit it....hold it down....hold it down...hit it.....then it'll zoom. Then it'll go from a half mile zoom straight to 100'. You just gotta give HDS time to work and do it's thing. And when it does, it's awesome. The sonar is amazing. I don't know how it'll look on the US, but on it's own ducer, it's incredible. LSS has changed the way I fish and where I fish. It's awesome and worth the upgrade.
I had a problem with my 8 reading an 09 Premium card...just would not do it. Went through three units before I tried the Plat + and got it to work. But I'd zoom in, and it'd lock up and reboot. I think I had a thread on it here when it happened. It was back in November if you want to look for it. But just one more glitch to the HDS. And I see it, and everything I mentioned above as small issues with and overall excellent system. Took me a while to get used to it all after my LCX's (still run a 27C on the bow) working so well, but like I say, once you get used to it and know how to work with them, they are awesome units. |
