Hummingbird 598ci HD SI

[StriperFan]

Does anyone have experience with this unit? Mostly I'm interested in its Side Imaging capabilities. I have read some reviews that say the screen is updated too slowly for accurate detail when going more than 1 mph. And other reviews which state the screen is just too small for this function. Most of the other reviews are positive. If the side imaging isn't worth it for this unit, I'm going to go with the Lowrance Elite-7 HDI, and put side imaging off for sometime in the future for now.

[Jim]

I have not used this specific unit, but I have had a hummingbird 797 for about 3 years and it works very well. It looks almost exactly like this unit. The screen size is small and bigger is better, but not $1000 or $2000 better. The sidescan let me see all kinds of stuff and identify shad schools and other fish. The 797 works well and is really impressive.

If the issues about software refresh rate and things like that are true, then it may not be a very good unit. For sidescan, you go somewhere between 2 and 5 mph usually to get the best picture. It is useless at high speeds.

Hope that helps,
Jim

[StriperFan]

Thanks Jim,

The one review I read about it said it took 45 seconds to fully paint the screen on its fastest setting. It also went on to compare with the higher priced units, which only took 20 seconds and 12 seconds. I was hoping this might have been fixed by a software update or hardware fix since that review was made.

[Alphahawk]

For almost a year I have been reading....researching....and going to Academy Sports.......Bass Pro....playing with a lot of sonar units to see which one to put on my kayak. The model you are talking about does scroll slow...but the major issue with it is in marking a spot if you happen to have an Navionics SD in it. You have to pull the Navionics out and put in a blank SD card. That is a pain in the rear. The 500 and 700 series are no longer being made by Humminbird. You can still buy them but the 600 series is replacing both of those model lineups. I am looking at the 698 ci HD SI. To get a bigger screen I would have to go up to the 899ci HD SI....but that is a thousand bucks! Not saying I won't do that but right now it is looking like the 698 for me. The guys at Bas Pro are very helpful and the ones I have talked with are very knowledgeable. I was told a few months back to wait until both Lowrance and Humminbird had their new units come out...glad I did. For me being a Gill fisherman I want a side imaging unit so bad I can taste it....LOL. You can see Gill beds out in deep water that folks have no clue they are there....and you can even see the Gills if they are on the bed. Bottom line is to get the best screen one is going to have to pony up with the money. It is hard for me to spend more for a unit than what I spent on my kayak but there is no other way. I am afraid this is just the way it is. Lowrance is no different when it comes to price. I know some folks swear by one brand over the other but I have owned both and never had any issues with either one...of course that was about 10 years back when I had a boat...LOL.


Regards

[Transplanted Sportsman]

Thanks Jim,

The one review I read about it said it took 45 seconds to fully paint the screen on its fastest setting. It also went on to compare with the higher priced units, which only took 20 seconds and 12 seconds. I was hoping this might have been fixed by a software update or hardware fix since that review was made.

I do not know about this specific unit but I think the screen is on the small side, but I do know its a newer model than mine, I bought a 798 with side imaging last year and I really like it, I still need to learn what I'm looking at so i can tap to most of it's capabilities, I have never owed one or never even held one on my hands until this one, (maybe Merv can take me out one day to show me what this thing can really do) but one of the things I learned about the scrolling on a side imaging is get the chart speed properly set, to get the clearest picture yuo can get you need to match the chart speed with the boat speed as much a possible when you are prospecting, and you have to be moving in order for this thing to update, they say 1 to 3mph is good with the best being around 2mph, this is something you can change on one of the menu tabs, look over on you tube, there is gentleman by the name of Doug Vahrenberg that has a bunch of videos on how to properly set up these units depending on what you want to see, hope this helps

[Alphahawk]

I do not know about this specific unit but I think the screen is on the small side, but I do know its a newer model than mine, I bought a 798 with side imaging last year and I really like it, I still need to learn what I'm looking at so i can tap to most of it's capabilities, I have never owed one or never even held one on my hands until this one, (maybe Merv can take me out one day to show me what this thing can really do) but one of the things I learned about the scrolling on a side imaging is get the chart speed properly set, to get the clearest picture yuo can get you need to match the chart speed with the boat speed as much a possible when you are prospecting, and you have to be moving in order for this thing to update, they say 1 to 3mph is good with the best being around 2mph, this is something you can change on one of the menu tabs, look over on you tube, there is gentleman by the name of Doug Vahrenberg that has a bunch of videos on how to properly set up these units depending on what you want to see, hope this helps

Marketing is an amazing thing...LOL. While the 600 series replaces all 700 series the prices of the 700 series still on the shelves have not come down at all...yet. Your model for instance has a higher pixel count even though the screens of the 600 and 700 series are same size. It makes one wonder why they did not have the same pixel count in the new series that was replacing the old ones. You are right about the setup of one of these....one can get it screwed up if you don't learn the system. Either way I am looking at dropping $700 or $1000. I have got have the side imaging....LOL.


Regards

[StriperFan]

Thanks again guys. My head is spinning after researching these for the last week or so. As said, Hummingbird has discontinued the 700 and 500 series for Side Imaging. I found some of the 600 series for around the same price, but was leaning towards the 500 because of the higher pixel count, but don't want to get stuck with a unit with too slow of chart speed. I have contacted Hummingbird tech support for more info on the difference in SI processing between 500, 600, and 700 series units.