Just a GPS

  • Bundie
    Monticello, MN
    Posts: 79
    May 9, 2013 at 5:07 pm #1282139

    I have a HDS 7 on the counsel of my boat, and I would like to add just a GPS to my set up so I could have two 7 inch screens. Here in lies my conundrum, can anyone tell me why Lowrance,Hummingbird,or Garmin, cannot offer just the GPS instead of always being a sonar/gps combo?

    mark-bruzek
    Two Harbors, MN
    Posts: 3859
    May 9, 2013 at 5:14 pm #1169655

    Cost is primarily in the screen size.
    The technology is the same in 7 8 10 and 12″ but the cost is vastly different.

    Look at it this way, if you have one that fails you will have a back up to run on split screen rather than being down to only a GPS if your graph/gps combo fails. Its a smarter option in my eyes.

    suzuki
    Woodbury, Mn
    Posts: 18531
    May 9, 2013 at 5:17 pm #1169659

    Garmin offers many GPS only units for boats.

    dandorn
    M.I.N.N.E.S.O.T.A.
    Posts: 3201
    May 9, 2013 at 5:56 pm #1169674

    Lowrance discontinued their HDS-7m chartplotter only.
    You still may be able to find one online somewhere.

    It looks like they retailed for about the same price as a combo unit so most people bought the combo and used one as
    chart only. If you ever had a problem with one you
    had backup of both sonar and GPS.

    roottwo
    Posts: 72
    May 9, 2013 at 6:38 pm #1169681

    I know that Lowrance (probably similar for Humminbird too) uses the same processor/microcontroller set to run all of their HDS models. That controller has built integrated circuits set up for functions like GPS, LCD screen output, SD-card memory access, ethernet communication, etc. The big cost driver comes from the sunlight viewable screen and to a lesser degree the marine grade housing and connectors.

    The point? It doesn’t cost a lot different to make a sonar/gps versus an exclusive GPS or exclusive sonar.

    Developing product isn’t cheap. Leveraging a bunch of products reduces flexibility like you noticed, but makes the end product less expensive (not cheap) for us but still profitable for the manufacturers.

    Dave Bonjour
    Menomonie Wisc
    Posts: 36
    May 9, 2013 at 9:12 pm #1169709

    Check out the elite 7 version of GPS/ chart plotter it is om Lowrance web sight ,, It is GPS only

    biggill
    East Bethel, MN
    Posts: 11321
    May 9, 2013 at 9:45 pm #1169715

    Quote:

    Garmin offers many GPS only units for boats.

    In my opinion, they make the very best as well.

    mhtrapper
    Posts: 26
    May 12, 2013 at 2:50 pm #1170258

    Garmin hands down for gps been building them forever. Sonar on the other hand probably lowrance, never had a garmin sonar.

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