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If I have 2 Humminbird 788ci HD DI units and decide to only buy 1 Navionics card to switch between units and use ethernet connection between the two units, what down time would I have if pulling the card from one unit to the other?
Trying to save $$.
Thoughts?
I don't know a lot about these units but I do know computers and an ethernet connection between the two should be able to share all the data on either unit.
Ethernet will not share Navionics mapping, at least it won't on Lowrance.
I don't know about HB, but it doesn't take any time at all to switch a chip on a Lowrance HDS unit and have it load and view on the other unit, maybe a minute total if that long from when you pull it till you view on the other unit, I would imagine HB is the same. I don't know if HB has pre-loaded maps from the factory like Lowrance does with Insight, but I normally just leave my chip in the console unit as thats where it serves me the best...exploring new areas. Waypoints are shared via the ethernet cable, so I can stay on a waypoint once there with sonar and Insight mapping on the front unit.
Hope this helps some.
Should take a few seconds to load the maps. That's what Lowrance HDS units do. You should be fine.
Most of what Lonestar stated above is also true for the HB...the units can share waypoints, routes, and tracks, but not the map data....this is navionics way of making you buy 2 chips...Quote:
Originally Posted by Lonestar Proud
The base maps in the HB units are called "Contour XD Maps" and they are very basic.....
It only takes a second to pull the Navionics chip out and an additional second to put it in your other unit it's just inconvenient.....
You might consider placing as ad in the "Classified" section here at CC looking for a used navionic chip for your area....someone may have one you could buy reasonably second hand....
Lowrance base maps are very basic as well. The Insight mapping is comparable to Hot Spots paper maps...they actually even have the same fishing "hot spots" tagged with GPS coordinates on the mapping software. The Insight mapping is decent, but contour lines are at 5' intervals I believe, as where on the Navionics Premium it is 1' intervals, considerably better IMO.
Good to know. Thanks for the input.