OK Wannabe

here is your chance to amaze us once again with your vast lectronics knowledge. What is your take on the side imaging that lowrance is coming out with?

PS..All other thoughts are welcome too, just wanted to make WB feel good this morning..LOL

Well, OK, but you asked and the answer is......I dunno.

I still believe the 2D by Lowrance is superior and the GPS is superior in it's function and form. Having said that, Hbird has an update on the way that's supposed to address the slow refresh rate, but the functionality won't be affected - things like boat icon choices. Their down imaging is a software update and it's free though. Lowrance will be a black box, a new transducer and I'm sure some network cables and bits and pieces.

Lowrance will be more expensive, but scalable from 5, 7, 8, and 10". Hbird will only be in 5, 7 and 10".

If price is a concern, H'bird would be the way to go by about $100 with the 798 checking in right at $1,000. Lowrance would be $700 for the HDS5, plus a reported $400 for the black box making it $1,000. On the top end, I think Lowrance would be $2,300 for the 10base map, plus $400 for the black box for a total of $2,700. H'bird 1197 non nvb would be $2,589. Again' Hbird checks in on price.

Of course, the hidden costs would have to be added in - like networking components, mapping and software for your PC to manage it all, but I'd be they'll be pretty much in line and honestly, when you start topping in at north of $2K for a fish finder, a couple of hundred either way is no big deal.

If you handed me $5K and told me to get what I want, no strings, I'd really struggle right now. I'd probably sit on it until after the updates are out, digested and reported on here before I did anything. But if you forced me to, I'd probably go and see if the updated color scheme of 2D on the H'bird update was more to my liking. If it were, I'd go H'bird, if not, I'd stick with Lowrance.

As an added benefit of going with Lowrance, It'd tick Jeepster off. hehehehe.

Just reread the question, and really didn't address it in it's original form. My take on the Lowrance side imaging and down imaging feature is that it's really, really neat, but no better nor worse than H'bird's features. In essence, they are the same thing and appear to work equally well from what I've seen of them. Yes, I'd buy another one, but I wouldn't chunk good electronics to go chasing after the SI dream. However, if I had HD units, I'd definitely get the black box add on. And if I were buying new H'birds, I'd definitely gravitate towards the SI models.

Wannabe...

Well said Wannabe and I agree with one more thought.
With these units support is very important. Having had both and dealt with support from both, HB support is by far the best.

Thank you fellars! I am definitely going SI in the near future, like you said I am waiting for the summary of the updates and debugging to take place before I make my final decision. I hope to be able to make a choice by the first of the year. The money I have set aside for the upgrade is burning a hole in my pocket, plus it gets harder and harder to hide it from momma.

I just got a response from them.

The 1197 remains unchanged for 2010.
Regards,
Eddie

This means I am going ahead with the 1197. Can not wait another year.

Go with HB! It's one thing to have a superior product that I believe Lowrance has, but it another for them to stand behind it. I agree with wb about them having better sonar performance and maybe better GPS, but I think HB is working diligently to match that performance. With the new updates coming, the problems with the GPS refresh rates should be much improved. I do think that HB listens more to their customers and improves on what they demand, too. Only time will tell if they keep doing so. Plus, as long as I have Joby from HB on the board, I will always have someone to gripe to. Never saw a support person on here from Lowrance.