HDS 8 - poor sonar screen resolution

[Satisfied]

Ever since I've used my HDS 8 (two seasons), I've been very disappointed in the quality of the sonar display. I haven't made it a big concern since I use the HDS for the SS mostly, but I was expecting a high quality display since it has broadband sonar. Instead the quality is inferior to my lcx-26 and my lcx-15.

I can't really describe the problem other than the display seems low resolution, or "pixilated". I hope the attached picture can give a better idea. I've goofed with all of the settings I can think of, but nothing has improved it.

Any advice would be most appreciated.

[Hawker]

Try dropping your colorline down to 70% and your auto sensitivity down to -3. Make sure your are set in shallow water mode too! I think you'll see a much improved screen from what your pic shows!

[Oahe MrL]

I had one of my units set at a faster screen scroll and the image became distorted. If you've sped this up, try setting it back to normal speed.
Oahe MrL

[bowhunter99]

looks like it could be interferance are you running any other sonars... or i your transducer could be shot...mine was doing the same

[Satisfied]

Thanks, guys.

I've played with the scroll speed and that definitely made it worse.

I didn't know you could set the sensitivity to negative. I'll give that a try.

Also, the transducer could very well be shot. I didn't install the new ducer that came with the HDS and used my existing HST-WSBL that I was previously using with my lcx-26. I assumed that when the transducer went bad, it just stopped working.

[Jim Carroll]

Originally Posted by bowhunter99

looks like it could be interferance are you running any other sonars... or i your transducer could be shot...mine was doing the same

I agree 100%.

All those vertical lines in the display are "noise" of some kind. It looks to me like you have another sonar unit pinging a transducer at the same frequency in close proximity.

To evaluate, put the boat in the water and shut EVERYTHING OFF (other sonar, engines, pumps, etc) except the HDS unit. If the display still looks as bad as it does in your picture, replace the transducer.

Jim Carroll NPAA #13

[Satisfied]

I have another 200/50 KHz transducer back there, but the display does not improve when its turned off, or when everything is turned off for that matter. Looks like its time for a new transducer.

[Satisfied]

I would like to point out that its not the blue vertical lines that concern me, its the fact that the pixels look so large, like its a low resolution screen. Is this still a transducer issue?

[Jim Carroll]

Originally Posted by Satisfied

I would like to point out that its not the blue vertical lines that concern me, its the fact that the pixels look so large, like its a low resolution screen. Is this still a transducer issue?

Two transducers pinging at the same frequency off your transom at the same will not. Your problem isn't screen resolution, it's noise caused either by the other transducer or a transducer that is going bad.

Since you already have another transducer installed you could try and swap them to see if that clears up your screen on the HDS. Transducers can do some weird things as they start to fail.

Jim Carroll NPAA #13

[Hawker]

Originally Posted by Satisfied

I didn't know you could set the sensitivity to negative. I'll give that a try.

Tap the soft key under the sensitivity, then using the left/right function on your scroll wheel you can adjust it up or down, same thing for your colorline! Give that a try, it will defiantly help some, but after looking a little (lot) closer at the pic you posted, I gotta agree with Jim that you are getting interference from somewhere, OR, indeed the transducer is going south on ya!!