Hummingbird Matrix Sounders

[locky]

Gidday Folks, I am upgrading my sounder and have looked at the new Hummingbird Matrix.There dosn't appear to be much info apart from the advertising.

Can anyone out there in Fish Land help me with any info.

Cheers ???

[clutter]

Check out the units on www.humminbird.com

cheers

[bungie]

Upgraded from a Phirana X1 to the Matrix 25 last week. Im VERY impressed with it, still on the big learning curve. Got Glascraft Marine getting in a few extras for it too, Barometer, NMEA cable to hook up my Garmin 26 to it (gives me two GPS views this way, one on the Matrix and one on the Garmin), PC cable to enable adding routes and GPS points into the Matrix direct from my PC (plus enables to upload new software into the unit)

Shop around, I found over $150 difference in the price of the unit between stores

[Fitzy]

WE've got them in at work & they seem pretty good on paper & are really starting to pick up in sales. I'm impressed with the Matrix 35 with it side view ability which is better than the old 450 TX due to the spilt screen ability. Think all of them can have a GPS hooked up to them via NMEA. This effectively turns them into a dual purpose unit. I have'nt used one on the water yet however, that's always the real test.
Think the best pixel count on them is 240 verticals so I wont be upgrading from my Zercom LPG2000 (Legend 3005) but am considering one for the front end of both rigs under the Minn Kotas to use the side view potential.

If anyone wants prices quoted on these or other brands, send me a PM.

Fitzy..

[Cloud_9]

I had the luck of being at the Qld launch of the matix sounders through a mate in the boating industry, probably one of the best value for money sounders you can get at the moment.
plus if you want to upgrade when you can afford it $300 more and you have a GPS in the same unit. as well as the ablity to have barometric preasure as well they all can plug in to the unit.

[bungie]

Or you can plug a seperate GPS into the unit.
I have my Garmin 126 wired in to it. Means I can use my PC to load GPS plots into the Matrix while sitting on my desktop. This is so much easer than puting in the marks with the garmin, in the Matrix I type it all in a piece of softeware from Humminbird (marks, tracks, the lot), plug a 9volt battery into the unit and it all moves across to the unit
Then use the Matrix to navigate to X spot once there mark the spot in the Garmin then use the full screen of the finder to look for structure.

I love it :)

[Kerry]

Or you can plug a seperate GPS into the unit.
I have my Garmin 126 wired in to it. Means I can use my PC to load GPS plots into the Matrix while sitting on my desktop. This is so much easer than puting in the marks with the garmin, in the Matrix I type it all in a piece of softeware from Humminbird (marks, tracks, the lot), plug a 9volt battery into the unit and it all moves across to the unit ....

What the Humminbird PC Connect does is no different to loading data (marks, tracks, routes etc) into most GPS receivers including the 126, certainly wouldn't call it any easier, but certainly a feature that any good GPS must have even if sold as an additional accessory.

Cheers, Kerry.

[bungie]

Got me, how would you do it with the 126 ???

[Kerry]

Got me, how would you do it with the 126 ???

Mapsource's waypoint management tool should support the 126/128 for simple upload and download of waypoints, tracks, routes etc.

PCX5, which was Garmin's waypoint management software prior to Mapsource certainly supported the 126/128.

In any case there's a heap of (free) third party software around like http://www.gpsu.co.uk/ or http://www.gpstm.com/ or http://www.easygps.com/ and others that support most Garmin's (and many other makes as well).

The wiring required is already built into the 126/128 power/data cable and basically only requires 3 wires connected to a 9 pin serial connector and it's basically done. #


BTW, what does Humminbird's PC Connect software and cable cost.

Cheers, Kerry.
#

[bungie]

The problem with the garmin set up is you need to get the software/computer to the unit. The matrix can sit on my desk with a 9 volt battery attached to it.

Software is free, The two cables total AU$19 complete

[bungie]

Now you have me thinking, AU$19 was the GPS Connection Kit. have to go back and find what I paid for the PC Connection Kit

[Kerry]

Bungie, A$19 sounds about right for the GPS connection kit, which is now listed in US$ @ $9.99 reduced from $19.99.

The PC Connection kit is listed at US$24.95. Also notice some price cuts in the GPS options from US$199.99 down to us$99.99, which is rather a large drop yet the standard GPS option at US$49.99 appears quite inexpensive.

Appears they have a heavy administrative structure for upgrades, software downloads etc.

Cheers, Kerry.

[whiteman]

I was looking at the Navman 5500 series yesterday and the cost of connecting to the PC via a "smartcard" is $350+++!! Add to this the base cost of $1,700 or $2,500 depending on model plus $250 per map area - and I need 2 - you have a pile of money that can buy a lot of fish!

This makes my old Garmin 12 look like a bargain for the functionality it delivers.

[bungie]

Appears they have a heavy administrative structure for upgrades, software downloads etc.

Cheers, Kerry.


?? Just log in and it tells me whats new since I was last there

[Kerry]

?? Just log in and it tells me whats new since I was last there

Exactly, and to login requires one to register and to register requires serial numbers etc (including accessories ???), which in turn allows one to download software (like PC Connect) and "view software updates and accessories available for the products that you have registered".

I would have thought that many people intending to purchase new gear find it convenient to look at ALL these things prior to purchase but it appears to be a case of buy first then we'll show you what's behind the screen.


Cheers, Kerry.