screen size for center console

I have been looking at the side imaging units for quite a while. I have narrowed my list down to either the humminbird 999si or the Hds 7 or 9 touch. I was wondering if anyone went with a smaller unit like the 7 inch because the unit would be somewhat closer to the eye on a center console helm and the additional cost of the larger screen didnt warrant the extra visibility advantage. I have aging eyes and things are better with reading glasses now, but would love to not have to use them, course might be advantageous with the 7 or the 9. Thoughts?

Go as big as you can afford if not you will kick yourself

The bigger the better when looking at SI or DS.

I first bought a 798 and could see fairly good,then i bought a 998 ,now it is hard to see the 798 if that makes sense. If eyes are getting a little dim,go with 998 if possible,much better,more room to split the screen for gps,di,si or 2d

Attachment 166003Attachment 166004Attachment 166005 You'll NEVER say "I wish I would of,,,,," :biggrin<*)}}}><

Wow that 12 does look good but the 9 fits my budget better. 9 is also about all I am willing to part with and parting will be a struggle.
Genec, I know you fish kerr a lot, does the 9 fit the bill pretty good. I mean when you are looking stricture dI'd you have to zoom a lot with the 7 but not the 9 or do you use it about the same way?

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Originally Posted by NCredneck

Wow that 12 does look good but the 9 fits my budget better. 9 is also about all I am willing to part with and parting will be a struggle.
Genec, I know you fish kerr a lot, does the 9 fit the bill pretty good. I mean when you are looking stricture dI'd you have to zoom a lot with the 7 but not the 9 or do you use it about the same way?

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I fish with Gene a lot. I have a Lowrance HDS 7 Touch but Gene's HB 998 is easier on my eyes.That's why I fish more in Gene's boat than my own.:highfive

Personally I'd get as big as I could afford. You will not regret it.

Can see everything that the 9 shows but have to look harder and on si i don't go out as far.now on di is good because you are not as far away from targets,usually less than 35 fow,have see many fish with 798,ask don we went over a brush pile loaded with crappies in feb and caught 92 big crappies and i said lets go with them still bitting,threw all back and when we left rode back over them and they were still their but a little deeper and tighter,its a good unit if that is all you can put into one now,thats why i bought a 798 first till i could afford the 998 that went on sale for nearly as close as i paid for 798

These Two HDS10's (which was a very good combination) have sense been replaced with an HDS12T and HDS9T, which is a great combo with the touch screens. I use the 9T mostly for 2D sonar and the 12T for everything else. With a center console the screens are right in you face. Two 9T models would have been just fine for me.

http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/s...ps561e954a.jpg

Holy cow! Those 2 screens take up a lot of realty.

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Originally Posted by Superx10

Holy cow! Those 2 screens take up a lot of realty.

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That's all been changed. Now have an HDS12 on the left and HDS9 on the right. And that's it for me! Don't care what Lowrance comes out with next, I'm staying with this combination..............

http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/s...ps01046816.jpg

Bigger is better.

The biggest difference of unit size shows up when you split:yikes the screens. <*)}}}><

Doubt they will do this because its cutting there on throat but I wonder if any of the depth finder makers will end of with a video out signal so you could buy a depth finder and video to a monitor of your choice (waterproof). With this thought you could go to whatever size you want, just would have to control it from the depth finder. Thoughts?

Humminbird 8,9,11 series have video out. Lowrance had video in (not sure which units)

Really? Does this mean you could have a Humminbird 8, a 12 to 15 inch waterproof monitor for displaying much larger images and control via the HDS 8....I wouldn't think so. If so you could even have a monitor up front and switch it to the front when you wanted to watch the 2d / side imaging up there.....this cant be? I would bet this is for only displaying recorded imaging and not running all the time.

The HB works fine on the video out port...

You are not going to like the prices of a 12v waterproof monitor that is sunlight viewable...

It's cheaper to buy a 2nd HB unit...

http://i477.photobucket.com/albums/r...FE2454CBC0.jpg

Rickie

What kinda adaptor do you need Rickie?

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Originally Posted by Rees Guide

What kinda adaptor do you need Rickie?

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HB VC-1 cable...

http://www.humminbird.com/Products/VC-1/

Plugs directly into the back of the 800/900/1100 series units...

RCA jacks to the monitor...(I'm not really sure why anyone would want to plug in the RCA Audio jack...unless one would want to hear the beeps on the monitor speakers)...

Rickie

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Originally Posted by rnvinc

HB VC-1 cable...

http://www.humminbird.com/Products/VC-1/

Plugs directly into the back of the 800/900/1100 series units...

RCA jacks to the monitor...(I'm not really sure why anyone would want to plug in the RCA Audio jack...unless one would want to hear the beeps on the monitor speakers)...

Rickie

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I just checked the product manual for the xxx9 series 2014 model units...

It looks like HB has discontinued the "Video Out" port...and moved the "screw type" Ethernet connection to where the "Video Out" port used to be in plug 4....

http://i477.photobucket.com/albums/r...psgoht2nqo.png

So "Video Out" will only be found in xx7 and xx8 series of the 800/900/1100 series units...

Rickie

That is correct Rickie.
Not that many people used the video out and as has been said a waterproof, sunlight viewable 12V monitor is quite expensive.

Humminbird should've had that line of products.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by rnvinc

I just checked the product manual for the xxx9 series 2014 model units...

It looks like HB has discontinued the "Video Out" port...and moved the "screw type" Ethernet connection to where the "Video Out" port used to be in plug 4....

http://i477.photobucket.com/albums/r...psgoht2nqo.png

So "Video Out" will only be found in xx7 and xx8 series of the 800/900/1100 series units...

Rickie

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So there is no way to video out on a 899??

No there is not Rees.

Thanks Greg. I do like the new units and so far the internal GPS is doing good.