Just wondering if anyone has put this on there unit yet? Does it help out any or make it worse? I have the 2.3 version right now and it doesn't work for crap in shallow weedy water.

That version just came out on the Lowrance site.
I hope it's finally the fix....

I had the x510c. went from the 2.3 to 2.4 didn`t work. I now have a Vexilar Edge. Done with lowrance.

Whofan:

OK- I'm puzzled. I recall your journey with the 510C was documented on this message board in August and early September. I don't see a software update available for the 510C on the Lowrance website. How did you get software to update your 510C?

The 2.4 software update for the 522C was released Sept. 30. I don't think your experience with the 510C and version 2.4 software for that unit is relevant to the current question. The software version numbers may be the same, but that doesn't mean the software versions themselves are the same.

I see the x27C also has a new 2.4 software release available as of 9/30/2008. Lowrance claims it improves the performance in shallow, weedy water. I look forward to hearing from someone who has installed and tested it.

Here's the list of the changes from Lowrance for the update. Note the one I set off by itself. My self interest - just received my 520C as a replacement for a 332 that had the same issue - going out for testing later today.....

Production-only changes
Includes all features from previous updates, including:
Added Lowrance HD radar support via serial communications
Added Greek language
Added Polish language
Added ability to take a screenshot capture of the display on the unit and save to a card/hard drive – In Screen Snapshot mode, use the power key to capture the screenshot
Added Navionics Platinum support including 3D view and panoramic photos
Added support for the Lowrance Broadband Sounder-1
Updated language translations

Improved sonar digital depth tracking in weeds and over bluffs

Improved Navionics support
Changed Map/Sonar/Radar page to be resizeable
Modified backlighting properties
Improved ethernet stability
Moved the Cancel Navigation menu item to the top of the system menu
Many modifications to radar settings and features
Modified SD/MMC data storage properties
Added support for HDM NMEA0183 sentence
Improved Navionics card support
Added sonar sharing over ethernet
Modified Auto-Sensitivity feature
Modified memory card reading functionality
Enhanced Navionics support
Enhanced NauticPath electronic chart support
Enhanced sonar noise detection

GBS:

I like some of the things on that list. The last item? Enhanced sonar noise detection? I hope that doesn't mean the sonar will detect more noise. :-)

well I put the update on my 522 yesterday, might be awhile before I get it out. I still don't see any shallow water option listed on mine like I see in the video at thorne bros. I will post results if the weather lets me get out to little bay denoc.

Whofan:

OK- I'm puzzled. I recall your journey with the 510C was documented on this message board in August and early September. I don't see a software update available for the 510C on the Lowrance website. How did you get software to update your 510C?

The 2.4 software update for the 522C was released Sept. 30. I don't think your experience with the 510C and version 2.4 software for that unit is relevant to the current question. The software version numbers may be the same, but that doesn't mean the software versions themselves are the same.

I see the x27C also has a new 2.4 software release available as of 9/30/2008. Lowrance claims it improves the performance in shallow, weedy water. I look forward to hearing from someone who has installed and tested it.

My 510c new came with the 5.3 version. Sent my graph to Lowrance in July for a new transducer and they upgraded the unit to the 2.4 software. I then tested the unit in a shallow weedy bay where I Perch fish. Same spot where the graph failed the first time same results.
Then called Lowrance back and told them that I found out that an older software 1.6 people on the net said was a fix.
Ithen sent the 510 back to Lowrance the second time. I then got a call from Lowrance stating the the 1.6 software worked only on the LMS combo units. So LOwrance installed a 2.0 version on my 510c. Same results. This process took weeks and hours on the phone. In between the two times I sent the Graph in the tech I talked to on the phone told me to take the graph out of the auto range mode and set it manually to the water depth I`d be fishing. So then I`d be constantly adjusting my graph according to depth. I then sent the graph in the second time telling Lowrance that operating the unit manually in order for it to work was unacceptible to me. I spent $500 for the X510c as a upgrade to color from a flawless X75 I used for 7 years.
2.4 didn`t work for me or did 2.0. I have heard that 1.6 was a fix?.
Lowrance could have been up front with me and said ; We realise we have a problem, when we get a fix we will recall your unit for repair.
Instead Lowrance acted like the problem was unique to my unit and kept throwing software changes to it playing the cat and mouse game. I first thought I had a bad transducer that was changed out with the first software update.
In the end the I walked away and bought a Vexilar. I wish I kept my X75 Lowrance use to make a great graph. I like my Vexilar but it cost me to get out of the Lowrance.

As those who have been following my Linda Colt thread know, this is a saga in trying to get my original 332C to read any depths less than 12-14 ft. Lowrance has been throwing new units at me, rather than trying the requested downgrade in software - so I can't report whether that works or not.

But...the latest is a new 520C that was sent to me. It already had the 2.4 software installed. Took it out for about an hour last night to see how it would fair.

Very marginally better than my original 332C - that guy would not read anything under 12-14 ft. Period. This one did read, as long as the weeds were absent or not very thick. The lake I go to is infested with Eurasian milfoil - so there are very heavy mats at this time of year. The unit would frequently report the "tops" of the weeds (1.5 ft), but was unable to see the bottom at 7-8 ft. Most of the time the display was flashing, and the chart was frozen. It apparently was trying - sometime there would be a change in the flashing reading, but it never was able to work consistently. Moving into a shallow lane (2.5 ft) that was cleared of weeds brought all function back, as did moving into deeper waters (over 14 ft) . I did have one incidence of "flashing and freezing" at a depth of 32 ft. And at all deep water readings (30-45 ft), the trace for the bottom was just a line of dots - no indication of what kind of bottom it was. There could have been loads of fish, but I am not confident I would see any of them hanging on the bottom.

Sigh.....

So, I cannot recommend version 2.4 as the fix for the depth reading problem at this point. Ish....
Stay tuned to my Linda Colt thread to see what steps Lowrance next takes......

Whofan:

Thanks for clearing up my question on updating your sonar. It puzzles me that Lowrance would install "version 2.4" software on your 510C sonar in July, but not officially release version 2.4 for the LMS-500 series until the end of September. I'll admit I know nothing about Lowrance's internal software development procedures, but based on experience in this field in my own company...

The software installed on your 510C back in July might have been a "beta" of the version 2.4 software. "Beta" software is another way of saying "we're not done testing it yet, but we're ready to let you help us find the rest of the bugs". If you call up the software version on Lowrance units, you see both a version # and a build #. During the software development and testing process, the build # is incremented each time a major version of software is modified, assembled and tested as the developers correct the bugs they find. My guess is the build number of the version you got in July is different from the build number currently available for the 510C. There's no knowing, but the problems you had with your build may have been fixed in the current build for the LMS 500's. I expect you couldn't care less and I wouldn't blame you.

I object to the practice of handing customers a beta version of software unless the customer knows what's happening and agrees. Customers should know they are participating in the product development process, not think they are getting a proven fix to their software problems. If you were handed beta software without a clear warning of such, then Lowrance did you wrong.

As to version 1.6, I recently installed a version with that number on my LCX-334C and I can tell you it did not fix my sonar's "shallow/weedy" problem, nor did a replacement transducer. I see that there is no new software version posted for the LMS 300 series since 1.7 last winter. I'm still waiting for help.

GBS:

I'm trying a different approach to this shallow/weedy sonar freeze-up problem. I recently bought an Airmar P66 transducer and will test this weekend with my Lowrance 334C. The Airmar has a narrower cone angle than the 200KHz Lowrance Skimmer (12 vs. 20 degrees IIRC) and has an excellent reputation among saltwater boaters. I will report whether it produces a better result.

not to be ignorant , but no depth finder no matter what kind is going to show much through the weeds, or if the water is shallow, , i mean if it is that important,, get up and look over the side of the boat, if it is shallow you should see bottom , or the fish,,

2.4 doesn't help a bit. I had my boat out today and the depth would flash and the screen would freeze in weedy water. At one point I was in 30 ft of water and I was getting no reading at all, just kept flashing 24.5 ft with no pic of the bottom. I wish I could get a refund and buy a bird.

In the end the I walked away and bought a Vexilar. I wish I kept my X75 Lowrance use to make a great graph. I like my Vexilar but it cost me to get out of the Lowrance.[/QUOTE]

It may have cost you to walk away..(I tossed my 320C in the crap can...quick and painless).. the Edge will be be your reward. No more new versions of the same old frustrations.... Ver 2.0 2.5, 2.7 back to 1.5 ...no sorry...try this.....1.1/2.

You know own a unit with no record of frustration, with far more user value and convenience.....enjoy.

I got ahold of linda colt today and they said they would send me a test version that has helped the problem. I have the 2.4 version on there now and it didn't work for crap. She said she would take care of me if it doesn't work. Hopefully it works, and if it doesn't I hope I can get a refund and buy a bird. Just waiting for them to send the updated test version.

Yep, Linda also sent me a version of their test software. I was asked to to a short test recording over the problem spots, and then send it in to them for analysis.

As to some of the other comments - the weed issue wasn't an issue 3 years ago with a new unit and different software. I may not have seen anything else except a field of yellow and the bottom contour, but I knew what the depth was. And while our lakes can be moderatley clear, we're not that good - so looking over the side to see if it is 9 ft deep or 11 feet deep is not practical. I would need a rope with knots. And I would like to know where that 3 ft wide hole in the weed bed is....might be something hanging out there......

As to chucking the whole thing...some have less tolerance for this kind of problem resolution and/or more money, which allows things to be just "chucked". And that is the right thing to do for them. But I've already given money, and found a door in where they are willing to work toward resolution, so for me I'll go through the trouble shooting to see if it can eventually get resolved. There are advantages to the brand, that I want to have. So it is in both of our interests to try for a resolution.

GBS:

I'm thinking like you are. I have someone at Lowrance who is responsive and willing to work with me. I like the product I have with the exception of how it works in shallow, weedy water. I've seen other Lowrance products work well in those conditions, so I expect they can solve this problem and I want to give them the chance. It looks like I could be testing the version for the 334C.

I had some issues in thick weeds so wanted to try 2.4 out. It worked great in water as shallow as 2' but as you observed, thick week growth (very thick in my case) caused false bottom readings of as little as 2.5' when I was in 12' of water. This is a very clear lake so the weed line is always in the 12' to 15' range. The units would quickly recover and give correct readings when I hit gaps in the weeds.. I had an X-18 (replaced with the 27) and did not have the problem with that unit. However the X-85 I used to have on front was very sensitive to thick weeds and shallow water, loosing bottom and flashing ever deeper depths until you power cycled the unit. As another post said, Lowrance will solve this so I will await the solution. Ice is soon to come anyway

I'm going out of town until the weekend, so will be interested to hear what others with the test software find out. I'll try mine this coming Sunday.
I have a hunch that Lowrance came up with a cool new algorithm for detecting fish and rejecting non-fish a little over a year ago with their new product lines (and incorporated into their other upgrades)....but it has this one little issue.......

Still waiting for it to be sent. Hopefully I will get it before the weekend and will post results. Can't they fix the time on this website so it shows the correct time of posting.

Still waiting for it to be sent. Hopefully I will get it before the weekend and will post results. Can't they fix the time on this website so it shows the correct time of posting.

Date and time displayed on your screen are under your control. At the top of the page, go to:

USER CP > Edit Options > Date and Time options

Set the correct time zone there and save your configuration.

Thanks for the help on that.

well I put the update on my 522 yesterday, might be awhile before I get it out. I still don't see any shallow water option listed on mine like I see in the video at thorne bros. I will post results if the weather lets me get out to little bay denoc.

Could you point us to the link to the thorne bros video ? I can't find it ...
Thanks

http://upload.outdoorsfirst.com/watch.asp?id=1053

For those waiting with baited breath on how the test software worked out....

Ran off the plane at the Mpls airport on Sunday, drove home as fast as legally allowed, hooked up the boat and headed to my local lake. Had both a blank chip for recording a "before" scenario, as well as an "after" with the new software.

Launched, hit the acc. power switch, turned on the depth finder. What the heck? Screen flashed, and it shut down. Tried several more times. Once in a while it would flash before shutting down. Spent time adrift checking wires, connections, fuses. All were OK. Then I unmounted the unit from the base, and tipped it sideways so I could get at the cables on the back easier. OVER 1/2 CUP of WATER dribbled out!
Looks to be a bad seal around the screen - and it had rained a couple of days while I was gone. Nothing tropical - 1 to 1.5 inches in 12 hrs, with 20 mph winds. ie - Fishin' weather! It does turn on after a couple days of drying...but I don't trust electronics after they get water logged...so back it goes.

And Ms Colt is now gone on jury duty...

Methinks this problem is going to get mothballed till spring. I'm rapidly coming up on the day I have to put the boat into storage. Sigh.

I'm still waiting on a test ver or a reply from linda on what to do with my 522. Went out on friday to little bay de noc and my sonar didn't give me a depth reading the whole day, and I didn't catch any fish. Real fun trying to fish a certian spot with no sonar. Ended up cutting my day short and coming home. Sure would be nice to have a sonar that works. Hopefully I can get it fixed soon because I want to go back out there in 2 weeks to try again.

Her automated message says she's out a jury duty until the 20th.

I don't have high hopes that the test software will really fix anything, in as much as part of the requirement for using it is to make a recording and send that back to Lowrance. Seems that we are being used as "testers". I do not have an issue with that, but realize that the final fix may still be a ways off...

Well they better figure out something soon. I'm tired of going out and not having a sonar that won't read bottom at all,or give me a depth reading. They better get me a unit that works or refund my money so I can get one that does work. I won't hesitate for a minute to buy a different brand. All I want is one that works, I don't care who makes it.

Hey Pikeman, I also downloaded version 2.4 and couldn't find " shallow water option " .

Did Linda Colt give you an explanation for this?

I have the 520c and I was wondering if the 500 series will have this option.

Thanks

No there is no shallow water option for the 522 yet I guess. Right now my sonar isn't working. The last 2 times I went out it won't give me a bottom reading and the depth is stuck on one number and flashing. I am waiting for a reply from Linda C. I need this unit fixed or replaced now. Do you have a 522 and is yours locking up like mine?

Pikeman,

I have the 520c, and after my earlier post i took the boat out and the 2.4 worked VERY well.
I was in shallow weeds of 3ft at speeds of 2-5 miles per hour, plus shallow rocks. Never lost bottom, and no lockups. I only lose bottom at high speeds, which I believe has more to do with my transducer mounting.

Jaimey

Same here with my LCX 27C, did the update(2.4.0) and followed instructions as per Thorne Bros video, had the boat out on Friday and the unit worked flawless in shallow water, weeds and various structure/depths.

My final chapter for this year - the replacement 520c arrived Friday. I got out on the lake on Sat. to do some testing. The beta version of the software did better than the normal version (2.4.0) that is currently available for the 332/520 series). Note that the current 2.4 software for this model does NOT have the "shallow water" setting that the previous poster referred to.

The test software (2.4.1) did do better - it still started flashing in dense beds of milfoil, but actually managed to reconnect to bottom a few times, and permanetly reconnected in shallower depths with more weeds. Fixed, no - but a noticable improvement over version 2.4

The kicker - since I had had a couple of weeks between receiving the test software and actually being able to try it out, I neglected to go back and read the diredtions! The test version DOES have the "shallow water" setting. And I was supposed to try some specific settings, and then send the recording back to lowrance. I blew it!

By the time I realized the error, the engine had been fogged, lower unit lube changed, and everything cleaned up for winter storage. So, based on others comments - Lowrance may be very close to a "fix" for these models too. I may not know until late next summer when the milfoil again gets really thick.....

But there is that chance I could give it one more try on the way to the storage facility.......

I'm still awaiting my 522 to come in. Right now its in fedex limbo. Everytime they have come I have been working.

I started a new thread - look for the news about beta software just put out there for the depth/weed problem.