HDS 7 and 5 or an 8

[klungses]

I am looking to upgrade the units on my boat and have noticed that for the price of a HDS 8 and could purchase a HDS7 for the dash and a HDS5 for the bow. Are there significant advantages to the the 8 to warrant not getting a 7 and a 5?

[hondo]

Other than the obvious difference of screen size, the HDS-8 has the soft keys on the bottom of the screen so it's a bit quicker and easier to get to some of the popular menu functions. And the HDS-8 has a few screen view options not available with the HDS-7 and HDS-5, at least for the StructureScan module.

It seems to me that it should come down to how and where you fish in your boat --- in other words, how much time you spend using the bow unit and how much time you spend using the console unit.

Hope that helps, good luck with your decision.

[klungses]

Thanks for the good points hondo. I do spend a large amount of time in the bow lindy rig, jig and spinner fishing walleyes in south dakota and minnesota lakes. I currently have a x15 in the console and a x52 in the bow so we are talking a significant upgrade.

[eyecatcher01]

you could always set up a network between console and bow and than for now just get the 8 and move it from one to the other for how you are fishing. than down the road if wanna get another hds just have to plug n play. i have a lcx 110 and lms 337 and networked them. i find myself always moving the 110 to the bow when im up there and back to helm when i'm not...much to the disapproval of my buddies :)

[1625rebel]

If I was spending your money, I'd get a 7 and 5. If you want side imaging, you get an ethernet module anyway, so you're already on your way to networking. Then you could have side imaging at both locations and either share the transom transducer (with cost savings) or install a 2nd transducer at the bow.

Downside is the loss of the quick keys and some screen size for side imaging that you would get with the 8.

[hondo]

Thanks for the good points hondo. I do spend a large amount of time in the bow lindy rig, jig and spinner fishing walleyes in south dakota and minnesota lakes. I currently have a x15 in the console and a x52 in the bow so we are talking a significant upgrade.

Based on your reply --- that you spend a lot of time in the bow and you have an x52 there now --- I'd go with the 7 and the 5.

Similar to what eyecatcher said --- you could move the 7 and the 5 between your bow and console depending on where / how you're fishing --- especially if you put them on RAM mounts or something similar. Power, transducer, network and ethernet connections are the same for both units, the only thing different is the size of the mounting bracket but that is easy to get around if you put them on RAM mounts. If you're going fishing and expecting to be in the bow, move the 7 up there before you launch and put the 5 on your console --- if you're going to be fishing in the back of the boat then put the 7 on your console and the 5 on your bow. You could swap them around on the water too if you wanted.

Also, 1625rebel is correct, if you add the side-scanning StructureScan module you can connect it to up to 3 HDS units, so you could have side-scanning at your console and your bow regardless of which unit you had in either location.

[wally want to be]

On the new boat I just bought there is an X510 ( I think, the pic wasn't too clear) on the bow and a LCX 112c on the console. I am taking my HDS 8 off my old boat and putting it on the bow and getting a HDS 10 for the console. question...can I keep the 112 where it is and network it along with the hd's or just leave it alone with it's own transducer.
I moved up from a LCX17 so I am really pleased with the HD's so far. Had a little trouble at first with some local mapping we use here in Kansas but the chip maker straightened it out and now all is well.

[guest]

I am trying to transfer gps waypoints from my 520c to a new HD7...However the HD7 does not seem to be reading the MMC/SD card with the dat file on it...any suggestions????

Thanks,

[manitobawalleye]

I am trying to transfer gps waypoints from my 520c to a new HD7...However the HD7 does not seem to be reading the MMC/SD card with the dat file on it...any suggestions????

Thanks,

try this......

http://www.thenextbite.com/node/13250

[guest]

thanks manitobawalleye, useful information and website. I am still having trouble, it seems maybe the format of the SD card is not correct or something? Any ideas??

[MikeG11]

I you don't need GPS on the 5, I have a 5X for sale.

[Backwater Eddy]

thanks manitobawalleye, useful information and website. I am still having trouble, it seems maybe the format of the SD card is not correct or something? Any ideas??

Try a different SD card, some brands apparently have problems. Juls posted something a while back on this... I forget the make of the SD card that was problematic?

[guest]

Thanks eddie, i will try that next, this disk i was using was "SanDisk" brand, 4G.

[manitobawalleye]

Thanks eddie, i will try that next, this disk i was using was "SanDisk" brand, 4G.

try it on a 2 gig card, that is what i use
i read somewhere that too big of a card apparently causes problems