Elite-7 Information

Well, no chance on getting on the water this week, but got the new unit from BBG. Fast shipping, great price. Hooked it up to power and ran the Sim looked at some features. Couple cool things I noticed right away. Same screen shot technique as the elite-4. Power and + button.

I like the Zoom/normal DS split screen. I'll get some use out of this one.
http://i.imgur.com/8GCV2irl.jpg

They added some new colors, but I'm partial to the blue or sepia.
http://i.imgur.com/ZjDlk9tl.jpg

Chart/2d/DS 3-way split
http://i.imgur.com/EIX4dRTl.jpg

Chart/DS
http://i.imgur.com/sNCIE51l.jpg

So far, I'm impressed with all the options, and there is ping speed on DS also with 5-6 settings.

The Screen is BRIGHT, I mean you have to see it to believe it. Hope to get out soon, and get some real shots, and recordings done.

Over\Under is a nice one too for 2d/DS on a wide screen.
http://i.imgur.com/apZlrfx.jpg

Thanks for posting. Can't wait until you get it on the water. I sure want one.

Looks like the. 7 is gonna be a good one. Where. Did u mount it? TM or transom?

Going on the TM. I'm going to have the LSS-1, LGC-4000 on the Transom with my HDS-7 on the console and share data with the Elite-7 via NMEA2K.

I just pulled the trigger and got one today.

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Originally Posted by mduncan62

Over\Under is a nice one too for 2d/DS on a wide screen.
http://i.imgur.com/apZlrfx.jpg

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Mike, I like the over/under shots, but in this snapshot I tend to like the 2D better than the DI. DI looks a little fuzzy to me. What chart speed were you running?

While you are linking the 2 units go ahead and link the 4000 to the Elite 7, only draw back I have found is that the GPS is slow. Internal pings once per second and extenal pings 5 times a sec.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Don G

Mike, I like the over/under shots, but in this snapshot I tend to like the 2D better than the DI. DI looks a little fuzzy to me. What chart speed were you running?

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I'll have to look tonight, but keep in mind that this was in simulator. I still have not been able to get on water.

I really like that 3 way vertical split on the wider screen 7...

I'm anxious to see actual on the water snapshots...

It will be interesting to see side by side DI snapshots of the same structure on the HDS 7 and the Elite 7...

Congrats Mike...:ThumbsUp

Rickie

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mduncan62

Going on the TM. I'm going to have the LSS-1, LGC-4000 on the Transom with my HDS-7 on the console and share data with the Elite-7 via NMEA2K.

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Mike, Is the HDS-7 a Gen1 ? The reason I am asking is I want to add LGC-4000 to my Gen1 and wanted to know how you like it.Thanks

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Crappiewhipped

Mike, Is the HDS-7 a Gen1 ? The reason I am asking is I want to add LGC-4000 to my Gen1 and wanted to know how you like it.Thanks

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Yes it's Gen1. I like it, I believe the 5X per second refresh gives you faster refresh when running at high speeds, and near heading sensor quality when slow trolling or trying to hold on a waypoint. I'll probably add another LGC-4000 on the bow for the Elite-7.
I don't think anything on the market right now can touch garmins 10X per second though.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mduncan62

Yes it's Gen1. I like it, I believe the 5X per second refresh gives you faster refresh when running at high speeds, and near heading sensor quality when slow trolling or trying to hold on a waypoint. I'll probably add another LGC-4000 on the bow for the Elite-7.
I don't think anything on the market right now can touch garmins 10X per second though.

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I,m also int. in the elite 7 with LGC-4000. What do you mean by-near heading sensor quality when slow trolling or trying to hold on a WP. Does this mean it will put you real close to your WP? Tks

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mduncan62

Yes it's Gen1. I like it, I believe the 5X per second refresh gives you faster refresh when running at high speeds, and near heading sensor quality when slow trolling or trying to hold on a waypoint. I'll probably add another LGC-4000 on the bow for the Elite-7.
I don't think anything on the market right now can touch garmins 10X per second though.

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Why not network em and use the same 4000?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by LR77

I,m also int. in the elite 7 with LGC-4000. What do you mean by-near heading sensor quality when slow trolling or trying to hold on a WP. Does this mean it will put you real close to your WP? Tks

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In my experience with the unit, yes. I am able to navigate to and hold on WP with more ease and accuracy.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Rees Guide

Why not network em and use the same 4000?

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When I switched over to a single HDS and LSS unit on the console, I moved the LSS ducer and LGC-4000 to the Transom. Having the bow mounted Elite-7 using the LGC-4k on the transom would put me of 16-18ft. That would render the unit useless for navigation.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mduncan62

Yes it's Gen1. I like it, I believe the 5X per second refresh gives you faster refresh when running at high speeds, and near heading sensor quality when slow trolling or trying to hold on a waypoint. I'll probably add another LGC-4000 on the bow for the Elite-7.
I don't think anything on the market right now can touch garmins 10X per second though.

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Mike, thanks for the help.

Found these comparison shots on another site from a reviewer that was using touch vs. Elite-7

Here is the HDS9 Touch image:

http://i.imgur.com/lstpybw.jpg

And the Elite 7 same structure:

http://i.imgur.com/b6iBRtu.jpg

Another showing target separation, fish next to the tree.

http://i.imgur.com/AtM5dxE.jpg


Credit John (fishton)

mduncan62- Thanks for the info on the new Elite 7. I am very interested in this unit and when you can get to use it, I would be very interested in your evaluations. I have read enough on this forum to respect your opinion and honest evulation of something. I have a HDS 7 without structure scan that I am considering changing to the Elite 7 rather than the installation nightmare associated with adding structure scan. I would welcome any comparisions and comments as you evulate these two systems. Thanks for your valued opinions

I also ordered the Elite 7 and LGC4000 ant. from Brian at BBG today. Great service and good price. According to the UPS tracking # it will be del. on Thurs.

this looks like an awsome unit my buddy recently got one, hasnt had it on the water but the sim mode looks good, i have the elite 5 dsi and i love it. may have to look into upgrading eventually

Mduncan...I realize this thread has been dead for a while but have a question for you. I'm doing the same thing with my electronics you are...it made a lot of sense. I have an HDS-7 on the console. I just purchased the LSS-2 StructureScan to add to my HDS unit. I had also purchased an HDS-5 for the trolling motor and had planned to network to HDS-7...but the Elite 7 HDI made a more sense to me to have on the trolling motor (wanted the DI option right under me rather than coming from a transducer on the transom showing stuff I had already passed...also wasn't concerned with SI from the trolling motor)...so I exchanged the HDS-5 for the Elite 7.

I had read on another site where a guy posted a comment that his waypoints were not transferring over properly from his HDS to the Elite 7. Have you had a chance yet to play around with that or attempt to transfer waypoints. I copied this guy's comments below. I was just curious if this may be an issue or if others had experienced similar results...or was it operator error. Thanks!

"I played with one over the weekend. The sonar and downscan looked good. They are high resolution. The unit comes with a single combination transducer that is shaped like a boat...about 3" long.

They only contain a NEMA port. No Ethernet, therefore the waypoint sharing does not sync and is unreliable. They communicate with HDS's like the old LCX's and LMS's, which is frustrating.
I loaded a 320 waypoint file onto an HDS with the NEMA connected to the Elite 7 HDI. 320 waypoints loaded onto the HDS and 66 transferred to the HDI...the numbers were random throughout the entire file. I erased everything on both units and tried again. This time 47 loaded onto the HDI.

To load the waypoints on the Elite HDI you must use a micro-SD chip rather than a full size SD card. Ditto the maps. It only has a single micro-SD card slot. When I loaded the waypoint file on the Elite HDI all 320 loaded fine. None of them transferred to the HDS via NEMA. If you load them on the HDS afterwards, they randomly duplicate on the HDI.

If you delete a waypoint on the either device, it does not delete from the other. If you add a waypoint on the HDS it adds to the Elite most of the time.

The two units shared NEMA devices fine. External GPS antennas, water temp probes, gauges, etc.

The additional cost to hook-up the NEMA link between the two units is approximately $100 if you go with a NEMA starter kit, plus an extra T. I hear the starter kits are going to significantly increase in price soon. They are currently $60-$70.

Another observation was relative to chart zoom. On a full page chart the map will zoom down to 30 feet. On a 2 way split screen the map will zoom to 50 ft. When the screen is split 3 ways, like all the advertising pictures show, the map will only zoom down to 100 ft. That is not zoomed in enough to precisely locate brushpiles off the trolling motor. It will get you to the general area.

They do not have an Exit key which makes menu navigation cumbersome. The menus basically mimic the HDS style. They are easy to use, but backing out of them is not as quick.

From what I saw, the Elite 7 HDI is a standalone unit. It will be a good trolling motor option, but you will be limited by map zoom, forcing the use of only two screens for precision structure location. The internal GPS antenna worked well. They use blue plug sonar and power connectors. The installation will be very easy without a NEMA backbone."

You know, I am still stuck on dry land, so I have not tried what you are speaking of. My understanding was "newly created" waypoints would be created on both units. I don't know if importing on the HDS from file constitutes new or not. I have no plans to import all of my old data and waypoints. I was kind of hoping to start over in a sense, and save my waypoints off of the elite by lake as I go. I have so many old waypoints on my HDS now that I may never use again, so I feel like a purge is in order.

I will update as soon as I get on the water. I'm not bothered by the exit key on the menu, once you get used to the menu, it's pretty easy. I will have to report on the chart zoom once I'm on the water.