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Posts: 512
| I was wondering if anyone has done any real / serious evaluation of the new Switchfire technology from Humminbird or DownScan from Lowrance?
If so, thoughts, preferences, etc?
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Posts: 233
Location: Iowa | From what i can tell, it looks like all switchfire is, is a version of lowerance's high definition broadband system not the downscan feature.
Jeremy |
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Posts: 512
| Hey Jeremy,
For example, in one of the recent Bass Pro catalogs I received, the Humminbird specifically says "NEW SwitchFire downlooking sonar". Consequently, I doubt that Humminbird was copying Lowrance but, rather, it seems DownScan from Lowrance is trying to compete with the detail offered from the recent Humminbird units.
I'm not sure where you got your opinion from but my original question still stands:
Has anyone done any serious and real evaluation of the latest high-end sonar / fishfinding products from Humminbird and Lowrance?
Thanks |
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Posts: 2323
Location: Stevens Point, WI | Hummingbird released side imaging technology first, or at least made it accessible to the public first, followed by Lowrance. Lowrance then officially released Downscan at the Icast show that took place in Orlando in July of this year. Hummingbird then followed them with Switchfire, just to set the record straight.
You will have a hard time finding many guys that have had much time with this technology at this time due to just being released in July. I know a couple of the Lowrance techs who have the DownScan stuff and have told me about it. Your best bet is to ask your question about these two products on WalleyeFIRST. I know Doc Sampson or Rippin_eyes will be able to provide you accurate information about the DownScan. Johnny Candle and a few others will be able to give you information on the Switchfire. |
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Posts: 233
Location: Iowa | Hey tmag,
No need to get your undies in bunch and no need to get defensive about it. I have never heard about switchfire until you typed something about it.
NO i haven't SERIOUSLY evaluted both of them. I googled switchfire, on a bass forum page there are a couple of images and it looks NOTHING like downscan of lowrance. It appears to me, WITHOUT any SERIOUS evaluation or up close personal experience, that it looks like a regular 2D sonar reading.
There is a forum at the following link and this where I got my information. Kind of remarkable how it looks nothing like lowrance's downscan.
http://bbcboards.zeroforum.com/zerothread/432504-humminbird-switchf...
Do me a favor if you are going to ask a opinion about a product and get pi$$y about an opinion you don't like. Maybe you shouldn't ask the question to begin with.
THANKS.
Jeremy
Edited by jwelch 12/14/2009 7:20 PM
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Posts: 279
| Okay both of you are right the switchfire just changes the detail of the 2d sonar but there is a downscan that is coming out for humminbird. They have a new unit 898si coming out for 2010 that comes with the downscan so are the newer models 798 and above. Sometime soon the are going to release the download for older 798 and above models... here is a website that has some info on it http://www.jasonhalfenoutdoors.com/HumminbirdIndex.html not really sure which one is better than the other i have a 798 so i am going to download the software for it and be happy. |
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| I've been running a pre-release version of Humminbird Down Imaging for the past month or so. You can check out the results of my field tests, complete with many 2D, Side Images, and Down Images, at the site below:
http://www.jasonhalfenoutdoors.com/downimaging1.html
Hope that helps! |
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Location: Iowa | Thats some pretty awesome stuff, jason. Thanks for sharing.
Jeremy |
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Posts: 512
| Hey Jason,
Thanks for the info. That's great. I may perhaps also post on WalleyeFIRST and thanks for that suggestion too.
Now, as for "undies in a bundle", Jeremy, from what I can tell, only your response reads that way. However, since you've opened the subject and offered advice regarding posts, I'll do the same regarding responses specifically as it refers to questions phrased similarly to my own:
If someone asks for information from those who have deep knowledge of a product (i.e. have you used the products, etc.), why offer a response which clearly denotes one hasn't even read the promotional material? Wouldn't that seem to offer confusion or potentially no valuable information at all? Secondly, if someone has asked an opinion from those who have significant tangible experience, why respond if you have none? Seems strange to me but, then again, what do I know? I guess I'm some rogue poster 
In the meantime, it doesn't help any of us much that neither Lowrance nor Humminbird seem to have anything on their corporate websites about these products.
Thanks again for the info guys! |
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Posts: 233
Location: Iowa | I agree with you on the corporate websites not showing any information on there new stuff. Also I'm very interested in this, I'm looking to buy a graph or two for my boat and looking for all the information, benefits, and features of humminbird vs. lowrance before dropping a couple grand on a unit.
As far as the rest of your post I can't say I do.
And it's bunch not bundle, at least if your quote and try to belittle or "denote" (as you put it) somebody (twice)you might as well be correct at the same time.
But then again I might be a be a rogue poster, too
Jeremy
Edited by jwelch 12/30/2009 9:36 PM
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Location: Stevens Point, WI | Are you guys serious? Tons of stuff on the DownScan, including a video!
Here is the link:
http://www.lowrance.com/StructureScan/ |
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Posts: 233
Location: Iowa | Sorry, TJ - lowrance has added a alot of information since I last looked.
I guess if I were humminbird and was coming out with something new to there product line. i would be promoting the heck out of it. Having something on there website and try to create some sort of stir about it.
Jeremy |
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Posts: 2323
Location: Stevens Point, WI | Jeremy, no need to apologize. I totally agree with you on updating their website asap, apparently that isn't top of Hummingbird's list of things to do. |
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Posts: 512
| Thanks for the link on the Lowrance site.
Well, yes, it appears that Lowrance does have material on their website.
However, if you look under "Products", it's not listed or at least as "DownScan". Further, if you look under the HDS systems, it's not there either. Upon a closer look, it shows up under the ethernet / network products as "StructureScan".
If you do a search, the results appear as though they are from the forums.
I guess my point was / would be that if an angler receives the proverbial Bass Pro / Cabela's catalog and sees "DownScan", what do you think that angler will look for online (i.e. DownScan or ethernet products called StructureScan)?
Thanks again for the solid info guys.
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Posts: 512
| I have posted to Walleyefirst. The thread link is below:
http://walleye.outdoorsfirst.com/board/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=1... |
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| I USE A 987 AND A 997 SEARCH/RESCUE MODEL,THE NEW DOWN IMMAGING WORKS VERY WELL FOR MY S.A.R.WORK,H-BIRD IS THE ONLY ONE I WOULD USE,MY BUDDY HAS A LOWRANCE AND HE LIKES MINE BETTER FOR SEARCH/RESCUE WORK,IS VERY GOOD FOR FISHING TO. |
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