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Posts: 64
| Looking at something that won't break the bank, would you go Hummingbird 597 or Lowrance hds5 ? Any advice would be good! |
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Posts: 208
| If you can find a lowrance 520c newly used i would recommend them. I've got two and there's nothing i cant do with these units and have been very realiable. A larger screen would be nice but can't justify the price. I have no experience with the new HDS units so i can't comment on there history. |
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Posts: 133
Location: Wausau, WI | Get a little bigger screen with a HBird 788c. |
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Posts: 313
Location: Bemidji, Lake Vermilion | wdykstra - do you have any experience with either brand or a preference? I vote Lowrance every time. Is this for a console or to be put on the bow? Are you going to be primarily muskie fishing or using it for multipurpose angling? An HDS5 is all a person needs for a bow situation for sure, slightly larger screen is nice for console but not necessary again if you're almost always muskie fishing. HDS's are awesome units, you'd not be disappointed with one. Important note - learn how to pick the proper settings/learn how to effectively use it. Either brand is a tool and neither will be great if you don't know how to use its full array of features etc properly. |
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Posts: 582
| Personally I like bird better. I have both and have more issues with Lowrance. |
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Posts: 574
| Maybe its me, but I could never find the keel offset on the hbird, this alows you to offset your depth on the locator to compensate for trolling motor being 2-3' in the water.
And transfering/backing up waypoints seems alot easier on lowrance.. You need to buy a cable to backup your waypoints with hbird.. Lowrance you can download to a SD card. Easily found for $10 almost anywere with electronics...
I had 1 of each on my last boat, wish it would have been 2 Lowrances so I could have moved waypoints back and forth... but oh well. The sunrise/set moonrise/set is priceless on the Lowrance too.
Edited by Jason Bomber 2/19/2011 9:12 AM
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| There is a keel offset in a HB, don't have access to mine to see what menu it is. You don't need a cable to update or backup waypoints on a HB if it has a card reader which most do, all you need is a SD card, just like a Lowrance. The HB will give you better resolution, 640x640 vs 480x480. The Lowrnace is able to upgraded with side/down imaging the HB is not. A closer comparison would be the 597cihd vs Elite 5, or the 597cihddi vs elite 5 dsi, or 788cihd vs hds-5. |
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Posts: 574
| The Hbird I had last year (595c)you could not use a SD card for waypoints... If they changed that over the last few years nice... That, the sun/moon, and the keel function were my only complaints.. Otherwise it was a nice unit, and VERY bright. |
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Posts: 64
| Thanks Guys! looked at them at gander last night and i think i like the new hd unit from hummingbird 788 I beleive. It has has good map data already, and my grandfather has had nothing but issues with his hds5 |
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