Lowrance Elite-5 HDI Fishfinder/Chartplotter

[pg3]

Any advice on this product? Gander Mountain have them on sale and I need a new unit. Let me have it, the good, bad and ugly!

Thanks....

[CrappiePappy]

It's basically the same unit as my Elite 5DSI .... with 2d sonar function added .... which is why they call it "Hybrid Dual Image" (HDI). Personally, I don't think the added 2d sonar does much for the unit. The 5" screen is not too bad, when one function is being displayed. When two functions are being displayed, it's a bit crowded ... so I can't see where having three functions on screen would be very rewarding. I started using mine with the map/DI side by side, and that was pretty crowded, and requires some button pushing to switch from the map to the DI image in order to zoom in on either image. When I got the "update", it allowed the two images to be one over top of the other, which gave a much improved visual ... especially for the DI image, just because it stretched it out across the screen, which meant that the image lasted longer on screen than when the two images were side by side.

Like my Elite 5DSI ... the Elite 5HDI has been discontinued by Lowrance. Refurb units are still available for around $250, but only have a 6mo warranty. They've basically been replaced with the HOOK 5 Chirp/DI units.

The unit has an internal antenna .... so, you need to be aware of the fact that the distance between the unit and the transducer may factor in to your ability to to get "dead on" readings of waypoints. I have my unit at the bow and transducer on the trolling motor (<2ft apart), and haven't had much in the way of those type of problems.

If you are not familiar with Down Image, you may find the charts and discussions in this thread to be of some value : http://www.crappie.com/crappie/fishi...-chartplotter/ ... but, it's 87pgs long, so it may take a minute or two to scan through.

[downtime]

I have the Elite 5dsi and like Pappy stated the screen can be crowded but the unit works great. I got the navtronics map as ell and on out resent trip to Norris lake it came in handy as we traveled to area we had not been to in a long time. It marked the hazards well and the depth couture was on mark IF the lake was at normal pool so one must know what normal pool is and adjust accordingly. Got mine this past winter at Cabela's on sale for 499 with a 100 dollar rebate. Good luck !

[pg3]

Thanks, I pulled the trigger and bought one from Gander Mountain, 249.00 plus a rebate for 50!

[Eagle 1]

the biggest down side is how slow the chartplotter process boat movement . All other screens are fine .

[downtime]

Thanks, I pulled the trigger and bought one from Gander Mountain, 249.00 plus a rebate for 50!

Did you get the Elite-5 HDI ?

[pg3]

yes sir!