New Lowrance software- beta!

[yarcraft91]

Lowrance posted today a new version 2.4.2 "beta" software version to address the shallow, weedy water operating problems many of us have reported with the 520-series sonars.

As with any beta software, it's not fully tested, so use it at your risk and keep a copy of 2.4 handy in case you need to revert.

It appears the new beta software adds Shallow Water mode to the 520-series sonars, also the 27/28, 37/38 and several other units. I'm interested in any reports.

[GBS]

Ha - beat me to the announcement. Silly me, I got the beta a couple of weeks ago (see the other thread for the whole take of woe), and didn't test it properly in shallow water mode this past weekend. But, I can tell you that in normal mode, the performance was significantly better. Not fixed, but better. If other reports are correct, the shallow water mode fixes the issue.

Geez, the boat is all fogged, cleaned out, and ready for storage......it won't be that much work to float it and redo just so I can test shallow water mode this coming weekend, will it?

[1shooter]

Hate to be negative but lowrance always seem to come out with fixes to the common problems late in the year. Almost like they know people can't try them as their boats are being put away for the season.

Don't get me wrong I love Lowrance and that's all I use but they need to step up to the common problems people are having.

[stinkycat]

What does it mean by "BETA"?

Thanks!

[2Labs]

What does it mean by "BETA"?

Thanks!

From Wikipedia (a very good article on software test practices, by the way) ...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beta_testing#Beta_testing

Before shipping the final version of software, alpha and beta testing are often done additionally:

Alpha testing is simulated or actual operational testing by potential users/customers or an independent test team at the developers' site. Alpha testing is often employed for off-the-shelf software as a form of internal acceptance testing, before the software goes to beta testing.
Beta testing comes after alpha testing. Versions of the software, known as beta versions (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beta_version), are released to a limited audience outside of the programming team. The software is released to groups of people so that further testing can ensure the product has few faults or bugs (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_bug). Sometimes, beta versions are made available to the open public to increase the feedback (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feedback#In_organizations) field to a maximal number of future users.

[stinkycat]

Zlabs,

Thanks for the info!

[yarcraft91]

GBS:

Yes, I saw your notes in the other thread last night. I still have a non-winterized boat, so I hope to try the 2.4.2 beta on an LMS-527 this weekend. I'll be boating for at about another month on a weedy lake, unless the ramp freezes over, so there is still time to see if Lowrance has this problem solved.

[pikeman007]

I just talked to Linda C today and she is resending me a 522 hopefully the retards at fedex where I live will deliver this time and I can test it out. Its supposed to have the newest version of 2.4 on it.

[GBS]

It won't have the beta version we are discussing here. It will have 2.4.0 which is the latest factroy approved version. Try it out. But, you may want to download the beta version, and try that also, especially if you still have the shallow water/weed problem.

There is a new "shallow water" mode that the 2.4.0 version doesn't have. Note that beta is test software, so they do not promise that there aren't any other bugs. If you try it out, here are the instructions I neglected to follow - you might want to do it., so they have feed back about how well it works, and can therefore decide wheather to put it into the next approved version or not. (Just the fact that they have pushed this version out the door early to the general public speaks to their confidence that this is likely the fix - very big PR black eye if this doesn't do it!)

"Once the update is complete the following adjustment should be done. From a sonar screen, press the menu key once. Highlight sonar features and press enter. Select shallow water mode. Everything else can stay in auto."
"If possible, please record a sonar log of the operations of the unit with the newest software. Please record the log at the highest setting. During the recording, go to the sonar features and place the unit in the manual mode. During the sonar log, the sensitivity and depth range would need to be adjusted manually. Once the log is complete, the unit could be placed back in the auto mode. The log only needs to be 2 to 5 minutes long and recorded in shallow water. Once the log is complete, please e-mail it to Linda Colt."

[hooky]

My boat is in storage ,but I have my depthfinder. Can I download this without power to the Lowrance. I don't believe so but I thought I would ask.

[pikeman007]

No, you have to power up your unit after you put your card in for it to download. Take that boat back out, its to early to put it away anyways.

[GBS]

And just for safety - download the 2.4.0 version now, and save it somewhere on your computer. Lowrance removes older versions from their web site...so if you try and upgrade and don't like it, you can go back. Otherwise you have to beg their support people for an older version.....

[aceoky]

I just purchased a LMS 520 C and have no clue, about what is involved once you've downloaded the update to your PC how do you go about getting it on the sonar unit?

[yarcraft91]

Step 1. Go to Lowrance.com
Step 2. On the top menu bar, select DOWNLOADS, then PRODUCT UPDATES, then click on the name of your Lowrance model.
Step 3. Scroll down the page past "Install this update from the web" to the following line
PC Win98/ME/2000/XP/2003 | Mac OS X | Linux
and click on the kind of computer you have.
Step 4. Save the software on your computer.
Step 5. Put an SD chip in an SD chip reader/writer (about $15 at Staples). Sandisk brand SD chips recommended by Lowrance, 2GB or less only- not the newer high density type.
Step 6. Open the software file you saved, run the executable and respond to the screen prompts. This will load the software update onto the SD chip.
Step 7. Put the SD chip in your Lowrance and power up. The update should run automatically.

[hooky]

It sounds harder than it is. It is really easy and I am not a computer wizard!

[aceoky]

Thank you!

I understood it all except for step #5 and 7 (also I have Vista OS)......

Sorry I wasn't more clear on what I didn't understand, thanks for answering so quickly!

I also didn't know about the 2 GIG max, thanks again as you no doubt saved me some $$$ as I'd probably gone too large capacity.

[Albe]

Thank you!

I understood it all except for step #5 and 7 (also I have Vista OS)......

Sorry I wasn't more clear on what I didn't understand, thanks for answering so quickly!

I also didn't know about the 2 GIG max, thanks again as you no doubt saved me some $$$ as I'd probably gone too large capacity.

Better check on this!!!!

[GBS]

I couldn't stand it - on the way to the storage facility, I got the boat wet again, and properly tested the beta software. My lake had a long slope from the launch, with moderate weeds, to a depth of 10 ft. Then a dive to 22 ft, and back up to a mid lake hump that varies from 12 to 5 ft. The hump has extremely dense milfoil infestation. This is the location that gave my previous finders with later versions of software the screaming memies! LMS-332C with 1.9 would lock up and flash 1.2 ft, with no display. Ditto on a 520C with version 2.4.0 software. Both had to get to a point over 13 ft deep, and where the weeds thinned out, before they would pick up bottom again.

The test software I was sent (the beta) version performed much better. In "general" mode, it still locked up in the weeds, but kept trying to recover, so I was getting sporadic snapshots of the bottom. In "shallow water" mode, it still would not lock on with the digital numbers (they flashed at approximately the weed top depth), but the scrolling trace ("the picture") was continuous, and I could easily differentiate the denser bottom from the solid mass of weeds. It even was good enough to identify less dense areas - not true holes, but masses that were just that - less dense.

There were other sections of similar structure where neither mode was better - but both were much improved over the original problem. And, there were sections where using the shallow mode really cleared up everything. But, for the most part, it was like the description above.

There are other modes - freshwater, trolling, etc. I am unclear as to the fine distinctions. Only tried freshwater for a bit, and that seemed to help a bit in some situations.

This testing area is, I feel, an extreme test. I find myself now wondering wether my original unit with old software, was any better able to handle it - it is several years later, and memories fade, and conditions change. It would be interesting to try a Hummin Bird or Vexliar in the same area. I'm sure they would find it tough also - but how tough is the question.

Me? I think Lowrance has got it fixed "good enough". The true test will come next spring, in more normal fishin' water.

[yarcraft91]

I also had a chance to try the 2.4.2 beta software in a 527C and compare to my 334C.

I chose a large weed bed, ranging from 3 to 10 feet with thick milfoil. I set up a track on the gps and went over the same areas multiple times with each sonar at different speeds. I operated both units in automatic sensitivity mode, which seems to be worst for the 334C (but the 334C doesn't work much better in manual mode). At trolling speeds or above, the 334C couldn't lock on and give a digital bottom reading anywhere in the weedbed, as always. The 527C, with the beta software and running in Shallow Water mode, locked on and always gave a solid digital depth reading under the same conditions, from trolling speeds to 25 mph- didn't try any faster. It's a huge improvement. The only time the 527C flashed the digital depth reading was briefly just before the auto depth changed depth ranges.

The final judgement comes next summer, but now I finally have a depth finder that works in shallow, weedy water.

[BillB719]

Thanks for the information Yarcraft and GBS! I will install the software and try it on my LCX 112C. It was pretty dissapointing when my brother told me my new depth finder was junk as it just read the top of the millfoil weeds. I originally thought it was user error that the unit did not give a better reading of the bottom.

I am surprised that a unit would be released without addressing this common scenario. Having worked in the software field I understand the marketing push to get new and "better" products out, but if they lack quality it leads to short term gain and long term loss. Hopefully Lowrance will address the issue. It sounds like they have started.

I am also surprised that they were requesting sonar logs from their customers. The software/firmware should be tested by the company in the field before it is released.

[BillB719]

Never mind the comment on requesting sonar logs. It is beta after all... retired one month and my brain is already getting "soft!"

[pikeman007]

Finally got my 522 problems worked out and got it going today, thanks to Linda Colt at Lowrance. Took it out and everything worked. Took it through the shallowest weediest water I could find and it still gave a digital reading of the depth without flashing and locking up. Now if the winds will calm down alittle maybe I can get out to the bay one last time before freeze up.

[keiths2130]

I just bought 2 520c units for my new boat. One has GPS and the other does not. I am going to net work them so both can see both xducers and the GPS. Should I down load the new beta software or wait to see if I have a problem? It will be spring before I put the boat in the water. Thanks.

[yarcraft91]

Download the beta software, store it on your PC but don't install it on your 520's yet. While you're at it, also download the current production version and store it on the PC. You'll have the software available whenever you are ready to install it.

By next spring there will likely be a newer production version available. Lowrance removes the older version from their website when they post a new one. The version that became available for my 334C in Spring 2008 didn't work out so well. It was handy to have the older version stored on the PC so I could roll back to a version that worked.