360 Imaging – GPS recommendations

I’m thinking of purchasing 360 Imaging for the upcoming open water season. My question is if anyone has one and what GPS you have experience with? I have two HB 998’s and am wondering if the screen is large enough for good 360 viewing? I’ve heard from some that the 998’s are a bit small, someone else said you can enlarge the half screen view and make that area twice as big (but is the resolution clear enough)?

The other option is – if I were to sell one or both of my 998’s and purchase a larger GPS (1199 or Onix) which is better? I hear the Onix has great clarity but has had many bugs, is slow and the touch screen feature needs improvement. The 1199 is $900 less than the Onix and may not have the touch screen but the screen is large, clear and can communicate with my remaining 998 (where the Onix won’t).

Okay looking for opinions: Keep both 998’s, upgrade one GPS to an 1199, or bite the bullet on an Onix and hope there are software updates that fix the bugs?

I would go with the 1199, it works best with your system and is more proven. I hate to be a cynic, but what if hbird abandons the onix and comes out with a completely new program that the on the shelf now onix can’t support? I also am not a fan of touch screens in sunny areas, call me anal but I don’t want sweaty fingerprints on my screen. You want to enjoy your time on the water, not be having to work around gliches or duplicating info that you could easily transfer if both units talk to each other.

Also won’t you have to buy another battery and separate mapping cards for it? I don’t know that for a fact just was something I thought I had heard.

Onix a 24 volt system And take a different card that the other birds?

Thats a good question – do you mean an extra battery for the 360 Imaging or to run the Onix?

I hope someone that knows for sure chimes in. I bought my 998’s 2 years ago and a lot has changed since then.

I currently have an AGM starter battery, and two Die Hards to run my iPilot Terrova 80 and the 2 HB’s. I hope I don’t need yet another battery.

from the Humminbird website
Onix
Power Input:10-20 VDC
Power Draw:2.5 Amps
MMC Compartment Available:Yes
MMC #Slots:2

From the 360 Manual
Power Input:10-20 VDC
Power Draw:360 MAmps

from the Humminbird website
1199
Power Input:10-20 VDC
Power Draw:1.3 Amps
MMC Compartment Available:Yes
MMC #Slots:2

Personally, I find that when
I have the 360 on, it seems to hit the low voltage (12V) warning on the Bird a lot earlier.
but I am still using the original starting battery on the boat.

The micro card comes with an SD adaptor included to fit a wide range of Humminbird models. Find out if your unit is compatible. FYI, the Onix and 998, 1199 all are
http://www.humminbird.com/uploadedFiles/Site_Assets/manuals/2014_LKM_HBCompatibility%20List.pdf

You won`t need an extra battery to run the Onix or 360. If I were you I would wait until spring Hbird is coming out with a Onyx with out the touch screen for supposedly $500 less. So I would imagine once they are out and the rush is over one could possibly pick one up for not much more then an 1199.

I don`t believe Hbird will be changing much only improvements in the Onyx series it is digital. If any thing I would look more into the Onyx then stay with the older technology of analog the of the 8, 9 ,11 series.

If I was younger I would not even consider the analog series, it is going to eventually be limited to what Hbird can do to it.

Part of me thinks to wait another year or two until the bugs are worked out of the Onix units. If I went that route, I may still pick up a 360 now since I dont think that technology will change much in the near term (unless somebody knows something different)?

So my question now is – has anyone ever run the 360 on a 998? I know its a smaller screen but does it work relatively well in identifying subtle structure, fish etc? I’ve also heard you can blow up the viewing circle twice as big and then view only 180 degrees in front (or in back, to either side) of the boat.

Anyone have thoughts or experience there?

Boy I feel dumb. Where did I get the impression that the Onix was a 24v unit.

You can isolate any part of the viewing circle from 10 to 360 degrees.
There is a zoom feature 2 4 6 8 10 12x
as well as zoom in on cursor position
You can also change the distance range of the circle itself
on my 1198, I usually run the full 360/sonar view
( I am usually spot locked )

as far as is the 998 screen large enough for the 360,
I would think that if it is large enough for you when displaying the SI screens,
It would be large enough for the 360 screens.

Also, be aware that the 360 uses an Ethernet connection as well
which is why I have the Ethernet switch installed
I-Pilot Link, 360 and 1198 all require a connection point

I have a feeling I could blow up the viewing area on the 998 but wonder if the resolution would be good enough to really see the subtle images and variations in structure..

Onix is 1024 H 768 V pixels
1199 is 800 600
998 is 800 480

So, what I would check is your SI images on the 998
I see a similar display resolution on both SI and 360

What I am saying is
if you like the SI resolution
you will probably be satisfied with the 360 resolution
since you already own the 998
why not try it.