Question for Jason Halfen

[Shellback]

A friend interested in an H/B side scan unit was asking me about screen size and detail. Too make a long story short, he was wondering if a 798 scanning right at 75 feet, would show as good a detail as a larger unit scanning left and right. Meaning the 798 is using the whole screen for just one side and the 898 was only using 1/2 screen for that side. Thanks!

[Jason Halfen]

That's a bit of a challenging question to answer, because there is so much more involved in generating a high-quality Side Image than just the size of the screen, including: transducer mount (in my mind, the most important factor in producing a clear image), correlation between boat speed and chart speed, depth, bottom composition, etc etc etc. However, if a guy tried to compare apples to apples...

My guess is that a unit like the 898, running L and R Side Image, is going to AT LEAST equal, if not regularly outperform, the 798 running SI on only one side.

We could probably convince ourselves of that if we look at the horizontal pixels of each unit, and do a rough calculation of the average size of an individual pixel on each unit, and then consider how many pixels would be used to display a small object....like a fish. Then we would need to consider how visible that small number of "illuminated" pixels would be on a small screen (798) vs a larger screen (898). Whenever I've used a 798 (mostly in customer's boats), I've invariably found myself with my nose an inch or two away from the image, trying to pick out the small details. On a larger screen unit, those small details are simply easier to see...whether you have young eyes or a set that is beginning to age, like mine.

Let's also not forget that your experiment is, in a way, rigged....you've limited the comparison to 798 on one side vs 898 on both sides. If there is something small that looks interesting on the 898, I can always quickly switch to looking at the data on only that side; the switch-over is instant, which means I can immediately see that small object with "full-screen" resolution, rather than waiting for the screen to get refreshed on that side with only new data. On the 798, if I'm running on one side already, there is no way to get an even closer look at that interesting object without using the zoom function (which, as you know, can start getting pretty grainy, pretty quickly, particularly at high zoom levels)

My recommendation, whether it's during a seminar that I'm presenting or when I'm working with a customer on an individual basis, is that you should consider buying a unit that "hurts (the wallet) just a little". I can't tell you how many people I've worked with, who have purchased a smaller unit that is a good fit for their budget (whether that's the 798 or one of the larger units), only to sell that unit after a year in order to upgrade by one or more screen sizes. These are not guys who have "screen envy".....these are guys who have put that 798 to the test for a year, and decided that, based on their on-the-water experiences, a larger unit is needed to extract the most information on a real-time basis, from their electronics.

Having said that...the 798 packs a LOT of value into a smaller unit!

Does that answer your question??

[Shellback]

I think so. I know there's no substitute for the larger screen. My friend is interested in a leftover 798, which are selling in the $750 range. Next size up, the 898 is quite a bit more. That's why he'd like to know if he could get by with the smaller screen. He won't be splitting the screen for GPS, so that helps. I am a new 798 owner myself. I was restricted due to physical size for placement on my dash. I always run a separate GPS unit too. I haven't had my unit long enough, nor seen bigger units in operation to offer any advise myself. I've noticed in most of your videos, you are always using the larger units. Would they be helpful for getting the most out of my 798? Thanks, Ron!

[Jason Halfen]

I have experience with most of the units. I am currently running units from the 385ci all the way up to the 1198. On my boat, I have an 1198, an 1158DI, and an 858. I use the 385ci as my primary ice fishing unit, backed up by traditional ICE 55 flashers.

My first units were a 797 (which would have been ~ 6-7 years ago) followed by a 997. I put the 997 on my Ranger at the console, and got tired of getting up from my trolling position at the transom to go stare at a small detail on the 997.....so I upgraded to the 1197 (and now 1198) to get that ease of visibility from a distance. Likewise, I upgraded the 788 I was running at the bow with an 858 to ease of visibility. This year, the 858 will platoon with the 1158DI at that position.

I am a strong proponent of larger screen Side Imaging units. It really is the ability to see those small details that make the difference for me. I rely strongly on my electronics to help me select fishing spots, and if I don't see evidence of fish in Side Imaging, I rarely if ever stop to fish.

[Shellback]

Okay, thanks!

[Lundexp]

Myself I have a 997 and I want to upgrade to the 1198. . . . That being said, no way I'd be happy with the 798. . .

[outdoorguy1]

I cannot imagine using SI on anything smaller than a 997/998. Maybe that's just my eyes showing their age ?

[Shellback]

I can't imagine spending 2 or 3 thousand dollars on electronics! If I did that I'd have to give up the 60 or 70 days per year I spend on extended fishing trips. I love being retired, just gotta spend my money on what gives me the most bang for the buck. Two or three trips to Canada to fish, or a bigger screen? No brainer! Florida next month!