Lowrance 2 x HDS5 or 1 x HDS7 ???

[CRAFTY24]

Hi Guys,

Got the new boat and sold the old one this morning so I have the cash to play with some accessories.

My old boat had a Lowrance 5 inch combo and I really liked it. Apart from small screen (small boat) it was easy to use out of the box and never missed a beat.

So going with what I know I want to stick with Lowrance as despite the bagging I have read in other forums I found it to be a great product.

So my question is do I go for 2 separate 5 inch units i.e. sounder and separate GPS or do I go for the 7 inch combo. Each have their advantages and work out to be roughly the same price (2 5's slightly cheaper). I am going with the 50/200 transducer for off shore work.

The way I see it having 2 units gives me a bit of redundancy and I can adjust zooms and settings without having to go out of split screen mode like I did on my old one. On the other hand with the 7 I can split the screen and adjust the proportions of the screen to show more map or more sounder info depending on what I am doing. I also think that when I am fishing I would only really want to see the sounder and looking at a 7 inch from the back of the boat will be handy.

Oh and before anyone suggest it yes I realise the 8 has some great features but it is just out of my price range.

Thoughts????

Dave

[jason p]

hey dave there was a debate on this just recently may pay 4 you to do a search and have a sticky beak. i guess it all comes down to personal preference. you can split the screen and adjust the portions on the 5" aswell like the seven. would be nice to have the bigger screen though. me personaly think it would be better to have two combos in the 5 (7 would great $) nothin worse when 1 breaks down, this way you will always have a back up. cost cost cost.

jp

[No Fear]

I vote for the 2 5's as well. I currently have the 5 combo and the variation in the screen size doesnt warrant the extra cost for the 7 verse the two 5's. Mine has never missed a beat either. Should you get the side scan or some other new whizz bang technology in the future, at least you can have 4 screens (2 5's split) as I believe the 7HDS can only be split into 3 max.

[Spaniard_King]

Buy 2 x 5's.... bit like a 10 inch split in 2 :) :)

[CRAFTY24]

Yeah thanks for the response guys. I did read that thread Jason P and it did offer some value. I was keen on the 2 x 5's until I saw the 7 working at Northside Marine yesterday and it look good. I thought if I was anchored up fishing the big 7 with just the sounder reading would be easy to read.

To add to it is it worth getting a 5 combo and networking them or just run them idependantley?

2 x 5 combo's is much more than one 7 combo, the 2 standard 5's = better savings.


Dave

[Moonlighter]

Hi Dave

You might have seen my post in the electronics section.

I have 2 x 5's - one x and one m, and they have not missed a beat - but as I said there, in hindsight I would get 1 x HDS5 combo and a HDS5m GPS.

The sounder version HDS5x doesnt have a SD card slot so software upgrades etc are problematic - you need to do them ia the GPS and link the units together with an ethernet cable - it cant be done over an NMEA2000 network.

Plus then you have redundancy - I figure that with a good map card, having the GPS wityh double redundancy is more valuable than having 2 sounders.

You can link the units together with the ethernet card (I have one but havent bothered doing it yet, apart from the sw update process. I have both of my HDS's on an NMEA2000 network that includes the Suzuki DF115 and both units can show engine and fuel data, plus alarms etc etc etc. Almost too much information!

But overall, IMO, its better to have 2 x 5" units than 1 x 7" or 8".

PS Northside Marine, and do a deal on a new Navionics chart at the same time!

Cheers

ML

[CRAFTY24]

Thanks Moonlighter.

I did read your post several times for information. I did take your advice and went to northside marine and they were surprisingly very good on prices. I already have a navionics card that i kept from my last boat so I am all sweet. Suo you have the units linked via the NMEA2000 network? Is there any benfit to this?

I think that cable is like $32 or something.

[Moonlighter]

I linked mine because I was setting up the NMEA network to the Suzuki anyway and thought that if I was going to have one HDS on the network, I might as well have both of them - just 1 extra T piece and 1 cable is all that it takes.

Allows me spread the fuel related overlay data between both screens - I have fuel economy (km/ltr) on one screen, and fuel renmaining in my tank on the other. Just gives more options for little price.

Unless you also have the engine on the NMEA 2000 network there , or at least NMEA fuel flow meter, there wouldnt be much point linking them I would think.

What engine do you have on the new boat?

NMEA 2000 only allows limited sharing of info (digital info like depth readings etc) between the HDS units - bandwidth and speed not fast enough to carry full signals, whereas ethernet cable can carry much more data and allows greater sharing, so I am told. Check the lowrance website it gives more info on what can be shared over ethernet.

The short ethernet cable is $40 or thereabouts as you say.

Cheers

ML

[jason p]

Yeah thanks for the response guys. I did read that thread Jason P and it did offer some value. I was keen on the 2 x 5's until I saw the 7 working at Northside Marine yesterday and it look good. I thought if I was anchored up fishing the big 7 with just the sounder reading would be easy to read.

To add to it is it worth getting a 5 combo and networking them or just run them idependantley?

2 x 5 combo's is much more than one 7 combo, the 2 standard 5's = better savings.


Dave


dave i cant see the value of linking two combos they will do all thats needed independently (as far as i can see).
i can see my(old) 5" screen as clear as day from the back of my boat.(only 5.5mtr)
i havent had my new combo on the water yet but there is a feture on the combo that you wont get with the 5m and 5x standalone units (unless you link them i guess) wich alows you to scroll back and place a waypoint on any given spot on the sounder, wich will then place this mark on your gps so you can go straight back to it, this feature alone would sway me to the combo, can see this being a very valuable tool.
ive been kicking myself for years, when i got my last sounder i skimped alittle on the price trying to save a few bucks although it is an ok sounder but if i only saved the few extra quid i woulda got a colour sounder and been satisfied. i guess the morel here is get what you want now cause it maybe a few years before an upgrade.
it's all easy to say hay but its not my pocket:) .

good luck
jp

[Moonlighter]

Just got B See F cattledog in the mail tonight and they have $100 off HDS5 combo now $899 and HDS5x @$749 - might be worth checking prices vis a vis Northside!

Cheers

ML

[jason p]

##### #### #### didnt need to see that ml typical ay

jp

[CRAFTY24]

Wow thanks for that.

Just checked my inbox and had the BCF catalogue and you are right. In fact the HDS5x is 699 for members. I guess I know where I am going tomorrow.

Thanks for all your help guys.

Dave

[Micadogs]

Hi Crafty, I would also go with the 2 x 5's. I run two combo's on my boat both 5 inch. Heaps better than using split screens. There wasn't much in price between dedicated and combo, so just opted for the combo.

There are some places also, that you can buy the 5 sans the transducer. So if you get two combo's, you only need one transducer which bought it back in line with dedicated units.

My GPS had issues one day at sea, just turned it off and used the 2nd to get me home. (Pushed the cord in the back of the failed unit and it worked again). But if this wasn't the case, I could have had issues (but then again also use landmarks for navigation just in case)

If your budget can stretch get two 5's in the combo's, one with transducer and one without.

One last thing get the 50/200KHZ transducer, it is a lot more expensive that the 83/200 one but is worth it (if you are fshing in fresh water then stick with the 83/200 one.

Regards Adam

[CRAFTY24]

Ok I won't bore you with the details but I manage to pick up the 5 inch combo and the 5x (fish finder) both at really good prices. (thanks moonlighter).

Anyway I must say I was a bit surprised as my last combo previous to the HDS series came with a speed sensor and external GPS Antenna. Now I know it comes with a built in Antenna so I will have to wait and see how it goes in the half cab. From my research these are both an optional extra now. Not a huge problem as I am sure you get the speed from the GPS but it was handy to see how fast current was running under the boat when anchored.

Only thing I am missing is the ethernet cable as the 4 shops I went to didn't have one. Bias did a ring around but no good so I will have to order it in. No big rush though.

Guess I have 2 late night ahead of me installing it so I can use them on the weekend.

Thanks for all th help guys.

Dave

[jason p]

good stuf dave you should be happy with that specially since you got them on sale. if only i had waited a week or so:wut: .
the internal gps recievers r quite powerfull these days, i have a half cab and the unit sits just in front of the wheel works without a problem mind you i only have a soft bimni top. if you had a hard top then you may have to go the external.
as far as speed, yep all on the gps and when at anchor through a peice of bait out and see how fast it goes;D .

i cant wait to get out this weekend to test my new unit may even have to take a day of monday:) .

good luck
jp

[Moonlighter]

Hi Dave

My HDS5M GPS sits on the dash on my Surtees, under the alloy hardtop roof. Lots of people told me I would need to get the external antenna to get decent satellite lockon, but theguys at Northside and Trymax both siad I would most likely have no problems - and they were right.

Below are some pics of my setup so you can see.

The HDS5m is mounted on the dash using one of those alloy RAM mounts, and this gives fantastic ability to move it around to almost any position and angle because of the double ball joints on these RAM mounts. I had never used one before and I am now a huge fan. Pretty well priced at BIAS too.

A quick turn of the RAM's big locking wingnut and the HDS, bracket included, comes out so I can take it inside for safekeeping.

Cheers

ML

http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww298/Moonlighters_album/Surtees/IMG_3091.jpg

http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww298/Moonlighters_album/Surtees/SurteesJune.jpg

[jason p]

thats the go ML those rams are great for maneuverability, how r they on the move, does the unit stay still??
alot of variables with the gps, ie hard top. as long as there is direct sight above, as yours is, you can still pick up the sats, i think its more when you dont have it exposed that it hinders the reception.
nice rig mate, were do you usualy go out?

[jason p]

hers a pic of how mine are set up as you can see i cant use thje ram mount would be great to be able to swivel these units but cant. i think i can live with it though:)

jp

[Moonlighter]

Hi JP

Yep, never had any problems with them moving around even in rough conditions - as long as youve tightened up the RAM properly!

My hardtop pulls down at the front (gas struts) so that the leading edge is directly onto the screen and keeps the spray out in bad weather. Still no dramas with GPS sat lock even then.

The guys from Trymax have theirs in a Senator (I think?) with a full hard-top, full height screen and quite large cabin area under the roof - and still get satellites fine. So I think most hard-tops would be OK, depending of course where you placed it.

I fish mostly from Cleveland, (live only 5 mins from the ramp) but fish anywhere from Evans Head to 1770. Havent fished much out of the Sunny Coast lately - did a few o/nighters in my previous 4.8m JBS at the Barwons but not been up there lately. Might have to hit the spotties up there this summer!

Cheers

ML

[Leon Kruse]

Thanks Moonlighter.

I did read your post several times for information. I did take your advice and went to northside marine and they were surprisingly very good on prices. I already have a navionics card that i kept from my last boat so I am all sweet. Suo you have the units linked via the NMEA2000 network? Is there any benfit to this?

I think that cable is like $32 or something.

crafty highly recommend linking the two because the advantage you have with linking them is if one happens to die when they're linked one can still talk to the dead unit and use it's software to create like a combo unit to complete your fishing trip and still get you home also

[RJ5023]

crafty highly recommend linking the two because the advantage you have with linking them is if one happens to die when they're linked one can still talk to the dead unit and use it's software to create like a combo unit to complete your fishing trip and still get you home also

My HDS7 - internal aerial - is RAM mounted underneath the console (almost inside the cabin) and I have no problems with Satellite reception. Same ali boat as ML

Best benefit of NMEA is that I can display motor (Etec) information on the HDS7 screen. Instantaneous fuel consumption, currrent and engine temp - all with alarms - are the most useful.

Cheers,

[CRAFTY24]

Thanks for all the help in deciding on which way to go with this.

I eneded up with the 5 inch combo and 5 inch fishfinder. I installed them Friday/Saturday and was out yesterday to test them. I could not be happier with the result as they work perfectly, look great and I can see them nice and clearly from the back of the boat.

Only thing left to do is grab a network cable to link them. If anyone knows someone who has them in stock please let me know.

Some pics for you all. Oh and I decided to carpet the dash and clean it up at the same time.

Dave

[Moonlighter]

Hi Dave

Well done, that looks great!

A pretty easy install job these days - hardest and trickiest part is usually getting the transducer thru the transom and set up to give you good pictures at speed. I like to think that it was experience, skill and ability that allowed me to get mine in the perfect spot first try, but in truth it was probably complete ar$e!

I take it that you get good satellite lockon on the GPS without any drama?

Good idea the carpet on the dash too, keeps the glare minimised.

I dont think any Lowrance dealers stock the Ethernet interface cable, but they will order one in for you if you ask. I got mine from Trymax at Capalaba.

Cheers

ML

[jason p]

nice 1 dave you gotta be happy with that. yer i took mine out for a test run on the weekend aswell and couldnt be happier with it, outstanding detail on the sounder at all speeds. look out fish here we come:) .
cheers for the update.
good luck and tight lines

jp

[Jakers 69]

Going to do the same.
Thanks

[HH565L]

Seems you've got the answers already, but in case it hasn't been mentioned the advantage of having two (aside from having a larger viewable area) is that if one fails you can still use the other.

My set up is a bit old now, but I run a Globalmap 3500 GPS and an X107CDF Sounder. When toying around with the idea of going a single combo unit, I figured two would be a far better option ie if the GPS failed I could use my sounder to sound for fish, and if the sounder failed the GPS would put me on to marks that have produced previously.

You can see the 2 units mounted on the dash in the pic below.

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z14/HH565L/My565370.jpg

[DTHCoCo]

I vote for 2 of em, my boat will have a hds10 & hds7 once it arrives.

[johndeere]

I'd go for one unit especially if you have to remove it (or them) for security reasons. The screen on the HDS10 is that large that you can run it on split screen all the time.

[Dignity]

I'd go for one unit especially if you have to remove it (or them) for security reasons. The screen on the HDS10 is that large that you can run it on split screen all the time.

my mates GPS died although the sounder still worked and had to take the unit back several times - severly limited his fishing while it was in the workshop even though he would follow me out to fishing grounds he then realised how dependant we have become on technology.

2 units are my vote.

[novice23]

I went the other way.
1x HDS 10. Couldn't be happier.