Why in the World Lowrance?

So, I just received my new HDS 9 Live units and was getting the shuttle all set up excited to get into the live imaging game. I turned the unit on and was doing the initial setup and I get the dreaded “No GPS Fix” message and annoying beeping. I thought maybe it was because I was in the house. Went outside, same thing. I fired up the other unit thinking maybe there was just something wrong with that one and same thing.
So I got to digging and went through settings and it didnt have a GPS source assigned. WTF! Why wouldnt it come factory defaulted to “This Unit”? Dumb
THey both work fine now and loving the larger screens, but trying out the Active Target will have to wait a bit.

Great question. I don’t know either.

EDIT:

I thought it said “Why in the world would anyone buy Lowrance?”

…my mistake

buckybadger wrote:

Great question. I don’t know either.

EDIT:

I thought it said “Why in the world would anyone buy Lowrance?”

…my mistake

Was thinking the same…

Different strokes for different folks. They have been fantastic for me and much better networking and gps than any of the others.

I love my hds units.

I actually have the luxury of owning and using all the major brands. I can tell you from experience they all have their strong points. Saying anything otherwise is simply uneducated.

Bearcat89 wrote:

I love my hds units.

X2

Nothing against the other brands, I’m just familiar with Lowrance and I’ve been satisfied, so I will continue to use them.

Just joking…please nobody get offended! I want to be able to sleep tonight.

There are definitely Lowrance units out there that are probably light years better than what I run.

Joe Scegura wrote:

I actually have the luxury of owning and using all the major brands. I can tell you from experience they all have their strong points. Saying anything otherwise is simply uneducated.

100%. I have had Lowrance for a long time and have had no issues with them and I know how to operate them and adjust settings. To switch my boat over to something else now at this point would be utterly stupid with all the money I have invested in them and the rigging it would entail. If I were to ever to switch brands, likely with a new boat it would be to Garmin at this point because they function very similar to Lowrance. I hated my buddies Humminbirds when I had to use them. It was like using a damn IPhone it wouldnt let me do what I wanted.

I wish I could get Humminbirds imaging and Garmins ease of use. I had Garmins for 3 seasons on my boat when I first bought it and then switched to HB. Garmins were so easy to get set correctly and go through the menus. CaptainMusky is right about HB. Their interface is so out of date and takes forever to do anything. But I wouldn’t trade the image quality of the HB.

I think they are all pretty dang close with the imaging now. Lowrance just came out with active target 2 and from the reviews Ive see its on par or better than Garmin which has been the benchmark thusfar. Humminbird is very good too. You really cannot go wrong with any of them.

mahtofire14 wrote:

I wish I could get Humminbirds imaging and Garmins ease of use. I had Garmins for 3 seasons on my boat when I first bought it and then switched to HB. Garmins were so easy to get set correctly and go through the menus. CaptainMusky is right about HB. Their interface is so out of date and takes forever to do anything. But I wouldn’t trade the image quality of the HB.

The detail difference from the old 73cv I bought from you, to the new units is crazy. I don’t have the garmins any more just 3 lowrance hds units. I fish with many different guys and all have different electronics. They all seem nice, just personal preference these days. For me I just got the right deals to switch to bigger 12 inch screens

buckybadger wrote:

Just joking…please nobody get offended! I want to be able to sleep tonight.

Bucky, that made me laugh!

I have an HDS and a Garmin on the console there both good, the HDS has the best 2d sonar in my opinion at least they did, I don’t have the money to keep up with the latest editions.

Matho. Spot on wish we could combine those two for clarity and ease of use. If we could put in the Lowrance 2d sonar and were golden!

My new boat came with a Lowrance HDS 9. I was excited about that because I too have had trouble navigating Hummingbirds. Looking forward to trying it on the water.

I will say I bought a new mapping chip for it (now called C Maps) and it wasn’t the easiest experience. Actually had to call Lowrance for help and then create an account on this weird website that was neither Lowrance’s or C Maps. Struck me as very odd.

CaptainMusky wrote:

So, I just received my new HDS 9 Live units and was getting the shuttle all set up excited to get into the live imaging game. I turned the unit on and was doing the initial setup and I get the dreaded “No GPS Fix” message and annoying beeping. I thought maybe it was because I was in the house. Went outside, same thing. I fired up the other unit thinking maybe there was just something wrong with that one and same thing.
So I got to digging and went through settings and it didnt have a GPS source assigned. WTF! Why wouldnt it come factory defaulted to “This Unit”? Dumb
THey both work fine now and loving the larger screens, but trying out the Active Target will have to wait a bit.

It’s left blank for those that network and use a Point 1 antenna.You then choose your source during set-up.

I have had 1 dud Lowrance unit and that was the 334iGPS.LMS350A was brilliant,and the LCX16ci was excellent.And back then H-Bird was still using pixel blocks.
But Lowrance CS is something to be improved.
One of the best units from the way past was Bottom Line,almost as detailed as a paper graph.And their CS was excellent,and repair turnaround was fast.

Yeah that old 334 was trash. Nothing good about it but the hds units have been great in my experience and I’ve owned almost every iteration except the pro and carbon. Funny thing about people saying hummingbird has better imaging they are the only one without a dedicated down crystal. They stitch the two side images together no way that’s better. Garmin and lowrance do not do this.

Joe Scegura wrote:

I actually have the luxury of owning and using all the major brands. I can tell you from experience they all have their strong points. Saying anything otherwise is simply uneducated.

Couldn’t agree more. They all have some really great strengths. They also all have their issues.

Wow joo

milemark_714 wrote:

One of the best units from the way past was Bottom Line,almost as detailed as a paper graph and their CS was excellent, and repair turnaround was fast.

I agree, had Bottomline side imaging back in the 1990’s. My understanding is that Hummingbird bought that technology from Bottomline.

I new I shouldn’t have look at this thread.
I’m going from Garmin Livescope which I was dialed in on then didn’t use it for a year and now I can barely turn the unit on to the new Rig all HB and including Mega Live.

I’m thinking I just may fish off the dock this summer.

Eelpoutguy wrote:

I new I shouldn’t have look at this thread.
I’m going from Garmin Livescope which I was dialed in on then didn’t use it for a year and now I can barely turn the unit on to the new Rig all HB and including Mega Live.

I’m thinking I just may fish off the dock this summer.

I’ll help you get them dialed in

What’s the difference between the HDS and Elite units?

birdswacker2 wrote:

What’s the difference between the HDS and Elite units?

It’s mainly networking capability. Hds units allow you to connect to your outboard and a host of other things while the elite does not. You can connect elite units together and link to an xi5 trolling motor though so they are pretty dang good.

birdswacker2 wrote:

What’s the difference between the HDS and Elite units?

HDS is also high definition. Elite are not. I have both and the clarity on the HD units is quite a bit better.

My only complaint against Lowrance is that the two Elites I’ve worked with had their screens freeze. When back trolling a lake like Vermillion, where boulders and rock shelves can pop up out of nowhere, this is a nightmare! I switched to Garmin and haven’t looked back simply because the two I have are extremely user friendly.

I bought a Garmin Ice Bundle this past winter and really enjoyed it. I would strongly consider going all Garmin if sinking new money into electronics.

I am about equally shocked that HB has such a significant market share and most of the reputable retailers in my area are all HB.

CaptainMusky wrote:

Yeah that old 334 was trash. Nothing good about it but the hds units have been great in my experience and I’ve owned almost every iteration except the pro and carbon. Funny thing about people saying hummingbird has better imaging they are the only one without a dedicated down crystal. They stitch the two side images together no way that’s better. Garmin and lowrance do not do this.

This has not been true since the Helix Gen 2 Solix and Onyx was never this way. Just saying.

lindyrig79 wrote:

I bought a Garmin Ice Bundle this past winter and really enjoyed it. I would strongly consider going all Garmin if sinking new money into electronics.

I am about equally shocked that HB has such a significant market share and most of the reputable retailers in my area are all HB.

I agree with this. Garmin is really easy to use and better value. I still think the imaging is just as good as HB too.

I’m still rocking a X510C and Globalmap 5300c on my Tyee LOL. Can’t even remember how long ago I got them from Marine General. Oh, and a Lowrance LVR 850 marine radio. Ancient tech I know, but I do fine out on Superior and on Namakan/Rainy with them

xplorer if it aint broke dont fix it! I just have to have new gadgets and when I first went to the HDS I had so many problems with the LMS unit not getting GPS signal I had to upgrade. Now I just wanted to get into the active imaging game and increase screen size. I will be done for a while.