Humminbird 570DI Help

I've read many of the posts on this board about folks who have had problems with this unit, and I'm having the same sort of problem. It was purchased 3-9-2012 from Amazon and it was a few months before it could be mounted on my pontoon boat. From the first I could never see the picture quality that I have seen in the ads or the pics on this forum. In fact, I don't remember ever seeing a fish symbol.

At first the depth reading worked, but got to where it would flash between 1.6 feet and perhaps the real depth. Still no structure or fish. Just the bottom. The transducer is mounted behind the right pontoon and the readings continue erratically whether the motor is running or not. I've adjusted and readjusted the transducer angle to no avail. Also cleaning the face. I recently had a bass boat with two depthfinders on it--one a H'bird--and never had any problem with them.

My son and I tried all sorts of menu adjustments for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. No help. So I got in a chat session with H'bird this am and was told to send the unit and transducer in. Looking on their site it says to send in $103.45 with the unit.

Apparently the 570DI's have problems from what I'm reading, and I wish I could go back and just get a better depthfinder with what I'm about to invest, including the original price of $279.

The transducer seems to be working as I can hear it pulsing on the FM radio at about 107. I have the depthfinder here but the boat is 50 miles away on the lake, so I don't know what software version or what.

Anyway, I read that there was a way of making or obtaining a cord to do the updating yourself. I'd appreciate any help or advice from you guys. I'm at my wit's end....

Ultrastick,
The problem you are describing sounds more like a transducer failure versus software. If you can find someone else with a Humminbird DI model unit you could test your 570 DI on their boat to see if the problem is in your unit or the transducer.

The cord you are referring to would be either the AS-PC2 or the AS-PC3 (depending on whether you need a DB9 Serial Port connector or a USB connector for your computer) and would allow you to update the software and manage your waypoints via the HumminbirdPC program. I would wait on getting this cable.

Thanks Greg. My son came by and picked up the unit to try again since he was headed back to where the boat is. He said he was going to try the Self Diagnostic menu and anything else we possibly haven't tried. We will put off the updating and see about getting a new transducer. We don't know anyone else who has this model depthfinder. Greg, what is the model/catalog number of the transducer we need?
Thanks so much.

XNT-9-DI-T is the transom mount version of this transducer

Many thanks again Greg. My son reported from the lake that the self test diagnostic didn't show anything amiss, but it's still behaving crappy (pun intended). We're deciding now whether to go for a transducer or just save for a new unit.

Once again Greg, thanks so much. I'll post results if we replace the transducer.