Suggestions for a new FF w/ GPS

[abelfisher]

I have a little bit of money left after buying my boat.  Now I need to buy an additional FishFinder.  I'd like to get a decent one with GPS for around $500-$700.  Any suggestions?  Not real knowledgeable about any other features I may need.  Any help with this is appreciated.

Thanks!

[Nick_Barr]

Here is a Great New sonar/GPS Combo and its a recorder with 480 pixels. It a Lowrance LMS 334

http://www.basspro.com/servlet/catalog.TextId?hvarTextId=74147&hvarDept=200&hvarClassCode=1&hvarSubCode=1&hvarTarget=browse&cmid=PP_P0_2&cmCat=CROSSSELL

[5bass]

Eagle (made by Lowrance) Fishelite 480 is a bargain at under $400

[RoLo]

I know very little about combination units, but I'd just like to remind you

that if some reason the unit ends up in the shop, you'll be without two electronics.

IMO, I think you're probably better off with a Garmin handheld GPS and an Eagle Depth Sounder,

which is the Lowrance freshwater division. I'm pretty sure you can keep costs within your price range.

With regard to depth sounders there are 4 basic display technologies: Digital Graph - LCD CRT.

Digital sounders are unexcelled for rapid data processing but are not very efficient

with bottom readings and fish signals, a big No-No! Graph sounders display the most resolute details

but are poorly suited for rapid data interpretation. In my view, this narrows the choice down to

CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) and LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), which both offer very good graphic detail.

The CRT is the same technology used in TV screens, and LCD is the same technology used in watch dials.

CRT affords high contrast in low light but tends to washout in direct sunlight. Therefore CRT sounders

are only advised when they're covered or out of direct sunlight, which I feel gives the nod to LCD.

Roger

[Master_Hunter_1977]

I just went through the same thing but I was up grading mine.  With all the researh I did I found that the new humminbird 787C2 was the best buy for your buck.  They aren't as well known but if you do research then you will find the awards they have won over lowrance and you know that they don't just give these awards away.  So give them a look.

Scott

[RoLo]

Scott, I realize that one case in point is almost worthless, but this has been my own experience.

I've owned two Humminbirds in my lifetime, and both of them were disappointments.

The first one corroded internally and the second one malfunctioned to the point

where the cost of repair was slowly overtaking the original cost. Okay, that was a long time ago,

but it left a bad taste in my mouth. I have a short fuse with product dysfunction,

something like two strikes and you're 'out' (blackball list). Lowrance on the other hand

has never disappointed me. I've owned several lowrance units for both fresh and saltwater use,

and I stand by Lowrance. Of course, there's an equal and opposite opinion for every negative report,

but that's my two cents.

Roger

[Master_Hunter_1977]

Rolo I'm sorry for your bad experience with humminbird.  I have owned one it was a 400TX I should say that i own, because I still have it.  This unit was purchased about 6 years ago and I have had no problems with it.  I just want one with a GPS and like the looks of the 787c2.  And your different oppinions.

Scott

[basser89]

Eagle (made by Lowrance) Fishelite 480 is a bargain at under $400

I'm with fivebass on this one!

[TN_Basser]

I went through this recently when upgrading my console electronics.  I decided to go with the Eagle Fish Elite 640C.  It's a color unit w/640V pixels and 480H pixels.  I attended a BassMaster University class w/Mike Auten and he said the number one priority in electronics was the pixel count.  This unit sells for $599 at BPS.  

www.basspro.com/servlet/catalog.TextId?hvarTextId=73424&hvarTarget=search&cmCat=SearchResults

It's been on back order, but has been shipped to me in the past 2 days.  I'll post again once I get it mounted and have used it a little.  

Good luck.  

Mike C. in West TN

[abelfisher]

I agree the 480 looks good, i am just wondering if I shouldn't go for color.  What are your opinions on color vs: grey scale?

[TN_Basser]

Make sure you check the availability of the 480.  In December, I bought the display unit (Eagle FishElite 480) at BPS in Memphis.  I started to put it on my boat in January and I hadn't received the GPS module.  I called BPS and they not only didn't have any more 480's, but they were not going to stock that unit anymore.  That's why I ended up spending more money on the color Fishelite 640.  Another feature that I liked was an internal or external antenna.  

Good luck.

Mike C.

[MadGator]

I am torn between getting the Eagle Fishelite 502c or the Eagle Fishelite 642c.  Other than $150.00 price differnece, the only difference is 640V x 480H pixel resolution  vs. 320V x 240H pixel resolution for the 502c.  I am a computer geek so I know that that is a pretty big difference, I haven't really had a chance to compare the two side by side.  I also feel like if I just get the 502c I really won't even know the difference, I suppose this is the same thinking as if I were to just get a b&w, I would never know how much better color was.  Any thoughts on this, should I just forget it and spend the extra $150?  Should I take the excrutiating pain of trying to justify $150 extra to my wife?

[Nick_Barr]

COLOR IS VERY IMPORTANT, I have a Friend JEFF BOYER who fished the Bassmaster classic and one of his major sponsors is Lowrance and he does all these seminars on electronics. COLOR MATTERS, with Eagle and Lowrance you can see if its a Baitfish, Gamefish, weeds, timber or rock by the Color, IT REALLY HELPFUL!