What features do you value ? and what features would you like to have on a FIshfinder?

[Slade House]

2 questions 

1.  what 3 features are most important to you when choosing a fish finder

 

2.  what features would you like to see on a fish finder that arent on one now?

 

[Jig Man]

1.  (in no particular order) good clear 2d sonar, gps, down scan, side scan, 2 card slots

3. 3D

[Sprocket]

1.  Ease of operation

2.  Good mapping

3.  Clear standard and downvu sonar

 

SE Kansas grass grower

[Wayne P.]

1. Clear Side Imaging, large display, ease of operation

2. An array imaging transducer that scans with no moving parts or doesn't have to move to scan

[MFBAB]

I'd like to see more viewing options on SI, like the ability to look at the readout as it it were being seen from the side, not the standard view from above, it that makes sense. 

Like, if you took a screenshot of an SI image, printed it out, and folded it in the middle where the water column part is sticking up, like an upside down paper airplane,  that would be a nice viewing option.  There's a YouTube that shows this better than I explained it  

[Rick Howard]

I have been looking hard at depth finders for months.  Planned to buy one in the spring.    So I can't really comment on features I like but, from all the reading and all the videos I've watched, 360 degree scanning seems the most intuitive.  Especially mounted I the front of the boat.  If I could fish and see everything around me, that feels like a huge help.  

Viewing from multiple angles would be nice also.  A birds eye view is very telling but being able to rotate your view point be incredible.  

[Scott F]

I'd like it if you could use side scan and down scan while running on plane. Features that are now standard on almost all units that are important to me are temperature read outs, and color displays

[eddallen]

1. Clear Display

2. Target Separation

3. Able to Move the Cursor Around a piece of Structure

What I would like to have is Forward Looking sonar. I'm not talking about something like 360 or SpotlightScan, but true forward looking sonar.

[Wayne P.]

2 hours ago, eddallen said:

1. Clear Display

2. Target Separation

3. Able to Move the Cursor Around a piece of Structure

What I would like to have is Forward Looking sonar. I'm not talking about something like 360 or SpotlightScan, but true forward looking sonar.

Forward Sonar:

That was and is available now--Garmin Panoptix and the discontinued Bottomline Side Finder.

[Ohio Archer]

The Helix 7 and HB 999 I have more features than I'll use.  The displays are crisp, 2D, side and down scan are really good (didn't know I needed SI/DI until I got the Helix).

The best feature I could imagine would be to have the units run without interference from digital trolling motors.  I have a new MK Terrova that I'm putting on my boat.  I haven't got it completely installed yet and haven't run it with the two birds.  But, based on all the problems people have been posting, I figure I'll have to deal with that when I do get everything completed.  Transducer cables should already come with extra shielding instead of customers having to buy "upgrades" or add filters.

[Slade House]

Ok what features do u not care about ? 

And how often would u say you have bought a new sonar setup ?

[Wayne P.]

12 minutes ago, Slade House said:

Ok what features do u not care about ? 

And how often would u say you have bought a new sonar setup ?

1.CHIRP, RADAR, touch screens

2. A new one this year, a new one last year, three years earlier two new ones and the year before that a new one. It depends on what new features are introduced that I may want.

1 minute ago, Wayne P. said:

1.CHIRP, RADAR, touch screens, camera connection

2. A new one this year, a new one last year, three years earlier two new ones and the year before that a new one. It depends on what new features are introduced that I may want.

 

[eddallen]

22 hours ago, Wayne P. said:

Forward Sonar:

That was and is available now--Garmin Panoptix and the discontinued Bottomline Side Finder.

Yes and it is also available in Simrad. For trollers like myself I believe the Simrad is more suiting.

[Ohio Archer]

6 hours ago, Slade House said:

Ok what features do u not care about ? 

And how often would u say you have bought a new sonar setup ?

Radar, engine data and Bird's eye chart view all come to mind.

Had 2 LCR units in the 80's and 90's.  A Lowrance and an Eagle starting in '99-'00.  Used the Eagle again '07-'12.  Just got a new Helix 7 followed by the 999 when I got back into fishing last Sept.

[Slade House]

Ok then , thanks for the input ,  and if you think of anything else please post it cause alot of these thoughts and ideas are going straight up to my CEO.