Readouts on Humminbird are TOO BIG!!!!!

First off I must say that I am a huge Humminbird fan. I own a 898c SI and absolutely love it. It has by far been the best money I have ever spent on electronics and has definitely helped me catch more fish.

From day one.... I noticed that the readouts were WAY too big. They cover a large portion of the 898 screen. At this point in time, there is no way to turn the readouts off or reduce the size of the readouts... Nor is there a way to move the readouts to the bottom of the screen (where they should be) like the 1198 and 1197. This is a HUGE defect in the design of these units. The readouts take up over 27%, yes i said 27% of the total screen. We all know that the cost of those screens are expensive and probably the most expensive part of the unit. Why would you cover up 27% of the screen? It makes my 898 look like a 798....

There has got to be an easy way to fix this problem. I am sure it could be fixed with an update. If it was fixed with an update, it would be the best update HB ever released. It would be WAY better than contour lines, terrain mode, etc.. I dare to say that most don't even use that even though it is very neat to have.. but ALL will use the screen and want to be able to use the whole screen that they paid for...

Is there anybody that can fix this problem? It would make a great unit even better... Would allow everyone to use their unit to the full potential. Any reason why it is not fixed already?

I crunched some numbers and was very surprised at the results. Take a look below:

The more I think about it.. The more it bothers me. Especially after I look at the data below. I crunched a few numbers and the results are unbelievable... Owners of the 898 and 998 are getting the shaft. The most expensive part of your SI system is the screen and over 27% is being used up by READOUTS!!!!!!!!!!! Come on Humminbird... Give us the fix for this... Let us make the numbers smaller or place them at the bottom.. 27% is ridiculous.....

Square Inches of Sonar Data Display Area WITH Readouts:

798c = 12.234 Square Inches
898c = 16.031 Square Inches
998c = 21.312 Square Inches
1198c = 48.156 Square Inches

Square Inches of Sonar Display WITHOUT Readouts:

798c = 13.141 Square Inches
898c = 22.203 Square Inches
998c = 29.219 Square Inches
1198c = 53.391 Square Inches

Increase of screen size without readouts:

798c = 0.907 square inches
898c = 6.172 square inches
998c = 7.907 square inches
1198c = 5.235 square inches

Percent of screen covered by Readouts:

798c = 6.9%
898c = 27.8%
998c = 27.6%
1198c = 9.8%

http://i615.photobucket.com/albums/t...splaySizes.jpg
http://i615.photobucket.com/albums/t...playSizes2.jpg

DoubleG

Boy, you got to much time on your hands.

I agree. Would love to move the read outs to different area.

GREAT BIT OF WORK!!!1

I bought an 798 and an 898 and that was the first thing I called HB about. These were the first HB units that I had bought, I always used Low before. I called HB and had a lenghty discussion with them about this issue. They said they would send in a report about the problem. That has been over a year now and every time I call them I ask them when it is going to get changed. I have never been given a date certain. In fact as soon as I finish this I am going to call them and complain again. Maybe if enough people call they might take some action, but I don't think I'll hold my breath.Thumbs Up

Moving/changing/removing the readouts has been on the HB wish list on all the different boards for some time now...(just like my "Donut")....

Aggrivating yes...impossible no...probable? ...only Hb knows...

I assure you this item comes up frequently on the boards.....and we HB owners keep waiting...

It still makes interesting conversation....I enjoyed your facts and figures...

Slow trollers could use you and your knack for number crunching on our side of the "Project HB Donut" conversation.....:)

Rickie

I just got off the phone with HB. The lady that I talked to was not very knowledgeable about the issue. She did check with her Super, whose name is Sharon, and the answer I got was that they are not aware of any immediate plans to fix this issue. She said that you could always turn the displays off, I told her that was not the desirable fix. I ask her what I needed to do to get some action started to resolve this issue. She said I should write Johnson Outdoors at Racine, Wi.

I am going to try to call them at 1-262-631-6600. I am sure this will be a lengthy process as it is nearly impossible to get to talk to someone at a corporate office but I am going to give it a try. The CEO is a lady by the name of Helen Johnson Leipold and that is who I am going after. Wish me luck and if you so desire, start rattling the cage along with me.

I will keep you posted if and when I make any progress.Thumbs Up

Well I don't know whether I will get a call back or not but i just left a message for this fellow. I have his extension at Johnson Outdoors corporate office in Racine, WI. I will refrain from publishing it at this time in order to give him a chance to respond. I spent most of my life in the coporate arena and know almost always that if you can get to the right person you can usually get an answer or get somethin done.
:)

http://files.shareholder.com/downloa...ly_grindle.jpg Mr. Grindle is Sr. Group Vice President – Marine Electronics & Watercraft and responsible for all business functions of the Minn Kota®, Humminbird®, Cannon® and Geonav® brands as well as Old Town®, Ocean Kayak®, Necky®, Extrasport®, and Carlisles®, brands. Mr. Grindle began his career as an accounting analyst in Corporate Finance with SC Johnson where he held a variety of financial and business development positions of increasing responsibility supporting the company's consumer and commercial divisions. From 1998-2001, he was a venture manager at Johnson-Keland Mgt. Mr. Grindle joined Johnson Outdoors in 1999 as Vice President – Mergers, Acquisitions and Strategic Planning, and was named to his current position in 2000.

Mr. Grindle earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from Indiana University and holds a Masters in Business Administration from Marquette University.

Thanks Zack for getting the ball rolling and also to you Slab Master for your leg work. I have a 998 and will follow this with interest and pile on when able.

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Originally Posted by majflyboy

Thanks Zack for getting the ball rolling and also to you Slab Master for your leg work. I have a 998 and will follow this with interest and pile on when able.

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Thanks Maj.

I am about tired of waiting. It may take everyone of us to get it fixed but I feel it can be done if we put the time and effort into it.

I would like to get Greg's feedback on this, he's usually pretty responsive.

Thanks for the help fellas... I don't like being the "squeaky wheel" but sometimes that is the only way to get the "grease". The readouts were the very first thing I noticed when I turned on my 898 SI. I looked and looked for a way to move them, make them smaller, or turn them off. I even posted it on several forums and was really disappointed when I realize there was no way to remove, move, or reduce their size. I don't know if HB knows how great it would be if they could be removed, moved, or reduced in size... It would be a MAJOR improvement! This has got to be a flaw of the system that would be an easy repair (IMHO).

There has got to be a way to talk to a decision maker in a nice, educated, and gentle manor to explain how this would benefit both HB and the customer... I can't tell you how many times others have asked this same question or had this same issue.

Please take a serious look at this HB. It would be for the betterment of your product and to the user.

DoubleG

Going to assume that the Bass boys like the giant readouts as they don't look at the pictures on the screen like us crappie guys do. If that's the case, get used to the giant readouts. :mad:

I totally agree with you guys about the readouts....I'll send an email to HB right now in support of your quest....

Contact Support

Just 1 piece of advice (from experience in "Project HB Donut") as you take on this "quest"....

When anyone (HB rep or HB user) offers their opinion that "the HB units are working as designed"...stick to your belief that crappie fishermen should have just as much say as any other HB user group in what improvements can be made to the HB units....

Rickie

Email sent...

Rickie

Good luck.........

Were the readouts smaller when the product was purchased, and then they all of a sudden got too big? Don't folks do any research or take the time to try and see a product up close before buying? Doesn't the buyer have a responsibility to find out if the product will satisfy their needs? Let's face it, marine electronics are a big investment, one should make darn sure it's the product they want. Buying a product and then expecting a company to modify it to suit someone's tastes is a bit much to expect. I guess I'm old school, seems today everyone wants to shift the responsibilities away from themselves and on to others.

sell and buy lowrance and u will be able to move the readouts where u want ,humminbird dont care,been on whishlist for years along with dim screen and the donut.thats why i own lowrance now

i see both sides to this. on one hand i do agree that user defined size readouts would be a great options ,and i for one would use a smaller readout if offered. i also see shellbacks point.either way i still believe that humminbird has the best over all units for the every day fisherman,hands down. this is my opinion

I can select the size readouts on my H/B and I can select what readouts I want to show on the screen. Plus I can can program it to select different screens at the touch of a button . If everyone loved Lowrance, H/B wouldn't be in business. By the same token if everyone loved H/B, Lowrance wouldn't be in business. That's why companies try to offer something different from the competition. Don't blame a company if you didn't do the proper research to see if it would meet your needs before buying the product.

Shellback on another anti/PR attack for HB. I agree with Blueball, you want a system you can select your readouts, sizes, and the highest quality system in the game, Buy Lowrance. You don't have to do the research before you buy, just look at the HB wish list, because almost every feature on the Lowrance HDS is on it.

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Originally Posted by kosmo

i see both sides to this. on one hand i do agree that user defined size readouts would be a great options ,and i for one would use a smaller readout if offered. i also see shellbacks point.either way i still believe that humminbird has the best over all units for the every day fisherman,hands down. this is my opinion

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Obviously you've never had the pleasure of being on a boat that has an HDS 8 or HDS 10. You should see what you're missing.

It's a good lesson in the old saying...."You get what you pay for". Thumbs Up

I asked this question to Greg last week, he said Humminbird has known about it, but hasnt made any announcement that they will be fixing it. To me this issue seems like it would be a very easy fix with an update, but im no computer guy though.

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Originally Posted by mduncan62

Shellback on another anti/PR attack for HB. I agree with Blueball, you want a system you can select your readouts, sizes, and the highest quality system in the game, Buy Lowrance. You don't have to do the research before you buy, just look at the HB wish list, because almost every feature on the Lowrance HDS is on it.

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No anti PR attack. It's a simple statement about researching something before you buy it. Look at what you just posted. just look at the HB wish list, because almost every feature on the Lowrance HDS is on it So if it's that obvious of so called H/B flaws for crappie fishermen, why are they buying them? These posts attacking H/B are just folks who didn't do their research and are now blaming the company instead of themselves. If they are posting on here, they have internet access. A wealth of information is out there for anyone who chooses to look. I'm satisfied with H/B, along with hundreds of thousands of others. If you made the wrong choice, man up and get over it.

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Originally Posted by Shellback

No anti PR attack. It's a simple statement about researching something before you buy it. Look at what you just posted. just look at the HB wish list, because almost every feature on the Lowrance HDS is on it So if it's that obvious of so called H/B flaws for crappie fishermen, why are they buying them? These posts attacking H/B are just folks who didn't do their research and are now blaming the company instead of themselves. If they are posting on here, they have internet access. A wealth of information is out there for anyone who chooses to look. I'm satisfied with H/B, along with hundreds of thousands of others. If you made the wrong choice, man up and get over it.

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Maybe some of the problem is that these folks, like many, even me, bought HB when they first came out. When HB was the only unit on the market, it seemed great. Then along comes the HDS units from Lowrance. This sparked off hatred from the HB die hards, especially those who wouldn't consider HDS because HB was the original. So then many did do the homework, and bought HDS. Somehow the HDS units became the Genesis for almost the entire HB wish list.

I agree, do the homework. Those who speak about the HB being easier to use make me laugh. It takes about 10 minutes to learn the menus and what they do. At the end of the day, you can buy the HDS unit, which is what you want, Or you could buy HB and join the wish list group asking HB to turn their units into HDS units.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Crappie Reaper

Obviously you've never had the pleasure of being on a boat that has an HDS 8 or HDS 10. You should see what you're missing.

It's a good lesson in the old saying...."You get what you pay for". Thumbs Up

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crappie reaper,i was not trying to degrade the l brand.this thread is about h not l. i do no a fair amount about l .i no how to navigate through the menu and i no the hardware setup. i no the differ ants in the si and the di also the 2d . i see were h can make upgrades that will that will benefit all. we just dont agree thats all,heck i still dont believe that di shows a ordinary every day fisherman any thing more than the traditional 2d and actually i would go as far to say that its not really di its really just a poor mans si because of the coverage area. the h 455 traditional 2d is the closest thing that we have right now to downlooking under the boat. once again i assure you i could buy l today and i can install it and operate with no problem. there are some options and accs. that the l brand offers that i feel are unnecessary and really for the most part just get in the way for the average every day fisherman. these are only my thoughts on this.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mduncan62

Maybe some of the problem is that these folks, like many, even me, bought HB when they first came out. When HB was the only unit on the market, it seemed great. Then along comes the HDS units from Lowrance. This sparked off hatred from the HB die hards, especially those who wouldn't consider HDS because HB was the original. So then many did do the homework, and bought HDS. Somehow the HDS units became the Genesis for almost the entire HB wish list.

I agree, do the homework. Those who speak about the HB being easier to use make me laugh. It takes about 10 minutes to learn the menus and what they do. At the end of the day, you can buy the HDS unit, which is what you want, Or you could buy HB and join the wish list group asking HB to turn their units into HDS units.

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WOW........... maybe we should just go ahead and change the name of this thread. annybody got any ideals

I'm just supporting Shellback's argument, Do the homework and you'll buy HDS units. If I said anything that is wrong, or breaks any rules, please point that out.

I just got through reading all of your posts... First off.. This thread is not ANTI Humminbird. If you see in my initial statement. I LOVE MY 898 SI!!!!! One more time.... I LOVE MY 898 SI!!!!! Lets make that clear.. I am not being critical of HB. I do see that the readouts are an issue and if it was fixed it would benefit both the user and HB. It has been on the wish list for a LONG time and nothing has been done about it. I don't see why it has not been fixed since it would benefit everyone. This has to be an easy fix...

Lets stay on topic... This is not a lowrance verse HB topic....

DoubleG

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Originally Posted by doublegobble00

i just got through reading all of your posts... First off.. This thread is not anti humminbird. If you see in my initial statement. I love my 898 si!!!!! One more time.... I love my 898 si!!!!! Lets make that clear.. I am not being critical of hb. I do see that the readouts are an issue and if it was fixed it would benefit both the user and hb. It has been on the wish list for a long time and nothing has been done about it. I don't see why it has not been fixed since it would benefit everyone. This has to be an easy fix...

Lets stay on topic... This is not a lowrance verse hb topic...

Doubleg

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amen!!!!!!!!!!!

Good luck staying on topic here...everything on crappie.com becomes Humminbird Versus Lowrance......I see Deb has answered a few other questions this morning, wonder why she hasnt voiced Humminbird stance on this thread.

I think Shellback has a valid point, hard to make it without mentioning Lowrance HDS and the HB wishlist. They are all tied together.

Shellback is 100% correct in his thinking. Seems very funny that you pay 1-3000 dollars for a piece of electronics, only to have complaints and wish lists about the very core functionality of the unit? Doesn't that seem to be a little ridiculous?
I think I'd be a little irritated, and find a unit that does what I want, instead of plunking down thousands of dollars, only to be left in suspense for years because HB isn't stepping up to fix these "user desired" items. How about not being able to view in the sun. That's such a basic expectation.

I have never seen a HDS wish list, and I think that says something.

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Originally Posted by jsplinter

Good luck staying on topic here...everything on crappie.com becomes Humminbird Versus Lowrance......I see Deb has answered a few other questions this morning, wonder why she hasnt voiced Humminbird stance on this thread.

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Yep the same ones every time. Deb probably knows she would be waisting her time. Somethings never change.

debrough or any other person associated with humminbird usually stay away from posts like this,such as readouts,dim screen,donut.you might see doug or tmike post on a thread like this one though.i think the reason they will never fix the readouts is because the 997 screen wwould almost be equal to the 1100 series screen ,look at the pic attached.if i still owned humminbird i would rather see this fixed instead of the donut,jmhoThumbs Up

heres a picture using the 597 hd/di. this is what i think that people would like to see on the bigger units, instead of the readouts using the whole side of the screen. this is one of the newer units that humminbird offers. i think that humminbird does lisson to what people have to say, things take time.

Kosmo - Thanks for the pictures.. As you can see from the first image I posted with % calculations, the 798 (same size as the new 597) does not have any problems with the size of the read outs. Neither does the 1198... I don't really know why the 898 and the 998 are getting the shaft with 27% coverage. I know it can be done because it has been done on many other units.. It would benefit everyone.

I have this same post going on 3 other forums and I have yet to hear from Greg, Deb, TMike, or Doug... Maybe they don't know what to say or have heard of this so many times they are tired of it. I sure with someone with HB in the high ranks would listen... It would help them just as much as us.

DoubleG

i did a some looking at some pictures of my 997. it seems to me that the only view that were not getting to use the whole screen is the view with just the si. if im wrong please correct me. heres some different views. you can also see by looking at my avatar ,were i have no readouts showing except were i used the courser.

If you use any split screens with charts, some readouts are automatically pasted.

Thumbs Up

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Stymie

If you use any split screens with charts, some readouts are automatically pasted.

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thanks stymie,when i get home i will look. i really haven't noticed . we all really have the best units and manufacture but i do think there is always room for improvement. thats one of things that is really great about humminbird, the community of followers ,there employees that take the time to listen and offer help, probably mostly on there own time and even the competitors that make both companies make improvementsThumbs Up

heres two more pictures .one si were you dont get full use of the screen,the other is di were all of te screen is used

Kosmo are you able to select so that only the depth is showing in those pics? and if so what are you doing to select that