humminbird or lowrance

[kbyers]

I know this is probably a Ford v Chevy thing but I am trying to make a decision between the 2.  I am looking at the 798ci HD SI Combo humminbird and the HDS 5 Lowrance.  I have always had Lowrance but for the price it looks as though the Humminbird has more features.  Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks guys

[cohoho]

Skip the HDS 5 unless you are going to add all the extra accessories that you can add to it.  The add ons are something hugely extra unless you have that need like sonar, side scanning etc...  If you want that stuff- Then why go with the 5 and get a 7, 8 or 10 that is more compatible with other stuff anyhow.  If your using it as a GPS/Fish Finder- Suggest the Elite 5 with DSI (Down Scanning Imaging), it has the Navonics Program already there with not much more of an upgrade for the Gold system for 100 bucks more (Gold system isn't worth the extra 100 bucks is what I meant) as the detail is excellent for rivers, and sound areas.  It was a great system for my limited use of it prior to selling my old boat.

[kbyers]

I looked at that model but I am not sure that I will like only having the down imaging and no sonar.  One thing that I noticed is that with humminbird is that the units are not expandable like the lowrance units are.  And the Lowrance are initially cheaper but more expensive to add the down or side imaging.

[cohoho]

Down imaging is basically sonar, just giving you a better view?  Not sure what sonar would do for you that it can't?  Depth bottom structure...  It just doesn't have that stupid FISH symbol to show crap in the water and folks pretend that they are real fish.  I could see ropes from buoys, square blocks of concrete holding them down, rocks, complete trees to include branches, yep you don't get that with sonar...

[BLUEBULLS]

I don't have much experience with humminbird but lowrance has always got the job done for me. I don't get too caught up in all the new tech. though. Depth is pretty much all I need on the Columbia for walleye and bass.

[Goomsba]

Lowrance I have the  HDS-8  the scan and bottom scan are awesome for finding structure and getting right on top of it. 

[longknife]

Hummingbird!! Had 2 lowrance units that failed to work. I have the 789(?) GPS, and the fishing chip is killer to have! It gives topo of the bottom floor. Best investment yet!!

[Wacenturion]

I know this is probably a Ford v Chevy thing but I am trying to make a decision between the 2.  I am looking at the 798ci HD SI Combo humminbird and the HDS 5 Lowrance.  I have always had Lowrance but for the price it looks as though the Humminbird has more features.  Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks guys

More features.....yeah....like side imaging.  You can get that with the Lowrance by adding the black box for $600 more.

Even if they were the same features and same cost, just google customer service on both.  That by itself should convince you to avoid Lowrance.

[Wacenturion]

I looked at that model but I am not sure that I will like only having the down imaging and no sonar.  One thing that I noticed is that with humminbird is that the units are not expandable like the lowrance units are.  And the Lowrance are initially cheaper but more expensive to add the down or side imaging.

Humminbird has sonar, side imaging and down imaging all in one.  Not sure where you are getting your information.

Humminbird units are just as expandable as Lowrance with the newer units having Ethernet ports.

In fact new Humminbird products for 2012 include radar for one that connects to units with Ethernet capability.

[MtnMuley]

I run Lowrance, but would choose the top of the line Humminbird any day over Lowrance. They are incredible.

[PolarBear]

Lowrance!  After 30 years and dozens of sonars, Lowrance is the ONLY one that hasn't let me down.

[lokidog]

HUMMINBIRD!!

Customer service is much better if needed.  I have a Lowrance GPS (GlobalMap) and a Humminbird FF/GPS. 

[kbyers]

Humminbird has sonar, side imaging and down imaging all in one.  Not sure where you are getting your information.

Sorry I should have been more clear.  For a couple hundred dollars more initially for the Humminbird model you get the side and down scan, a feature which I would have to pay 600 bucks to add to the Lowrance.  But if I dont buy a Humminbird with side scan or down scan I can not add it down the road.  Is that not correct?

[Wacenturion]

Yes and no. 

If like me you have a 798c si that is a year or two old without the Ethernet and without down imaging, it is merely a free download off of the Humminbird site to an SD card then inset and upgrade the unit to add the DI.

Older units without SI cannot be upgraded to either....just the side imaging units.

Here's some spec's on the Lowrance HDS5

# Built-in Broadband Sounder
# Internal 16-channel GPS+WAAS (GPS+EGNOS+MSAS for non-Americas) Antenna
# Brilliant, New 5"/12.7 cm SolarMAX™ Plus Display
# Built-in High-Definition Insight™ Mapping Options (Americas) or Navionics World Background map (non-Americas)
# Largest Selection of Chartcard Options Including Navionics® Platinum+ with TurboView™
# SIRIUS Satellite Weather and Stereo-Quality Radio Capability (Americas)
# Ethernetworks and NMEA 2000® Performance Networking Options
# Expanded New 2-Year Limited Warranty


On the Humminbird 798ci HD

Display

    * 5.0" diagonal
    * 640V x 640H
    * 256 Color TFT

Cartography

    * Navionics Compatible
    * LakeMaster Compatible

Memory

    * Waypoints: 3,000
    * Routes: 50
    * Tracks: 50 w/20,000 points each

Sonar
DualBeam PLUS

    * 200 kHz / 20° @ -10db
    * 83 kHz / 60° @ -10db
    * Depth: 1500 ft.

Side Imaging/Down Imaging

    * 455 kHz / (2) 86° @ -10db
    * Max Depth: 100 ft.

180° total coverage
Power Output

    * 500 Watts (RMS)
    * 4000 Watts (Peak-to-Peak)

GPS Features

    * 50 Channel GPS
    * Trackplotting
    * Chartplotting
    * GPS Speed
    * Humminbird ContourXD™

Network Modules

    * Ethernet (optional)
    * Satellite Weather (optional)
    * WeatherSense™ (optional)
    * Wireless Sonar Link (optional)
    * Cannon® CannonLink (optional)
    * InterLink™ (optional)


Difference....

Lowrance 16 channel GPS....Humminbird 50 channel GPS

Pixel strength....Lowrance 480x480    Hummingbird 640 x 640 (much clearer)

Price...
Lowrance HDS5..$1300 plus or minus depending on combo pkg.
Humminbird 798ci HD....$1049

Save yourself at least $150.

Last but not least....Humminbird customer service trumps all.  Hope the above helps.

[kbyers]

Thanks, I think you just helped me make up my mind.

[cohoho]

Got me looking at Hummingbird also.  I only had the Elite-5 DSI due to having my older Garmin ripped off.  Now that I had the DSI, I want it or something similar again as regular Sonar is basic for me for what I would utilize the DSI stuff for.  Might be going to play with both sets here in a few days and see what would suit me best.  I do like the option of upgrading but doubt I'd ever do that, but maybe-- right...

[C-Money]

Both are great.....I like humminbird. Even the cheaper ones are excellent!

[trippledigitss]

I pretty much had my mind made up on a Lowrance DSI 5 Elite and now after reading this I'm thinking I should look at the Humminbird's a bit more.... I want to upgrade from my current Lowrance FishMark 320 to a better unit with GPS but stay under the 7hun range.

[PolarBear]

In all honesty, both are great units from great companies.  Just go to a store, play with both and whichever jumps out at you buy it.

[Wacenturion]

In all honesty, both are great units from great companies.  Just go to a store, play with both and whichever jumps out at you buy it.

Agree to a point...both are great units.  Becomes a personal choice as far as features, looks etc.  However if the unit stops working, then customer service is paramount.  Again that's where Lowrance falls down.

I took the following off another board that I remembered from a couple months ago.  Notice all three support numbers for customer service are the same.  Navico is an off shore company that bought out Lowrance.  That's about when their customer service went even further south.  The following information would be enough to make me avoid buying anything from Lowrance.  For what it's worth.

From another forum...............
Navico is Lowrance Simrad. and Northstar. All the same support.
Crappy. And garmin in no better. Stay with Furuno.
I googled each brand. and looked up thier support number
here is what I found.
Simrad 1-800-628-4487
Lowrance 1-800-628-4487
Northstar 1-800-628-4487.