Side Image Units
 

so i hate to open this debate AGAIN, but lowrance has thier new TI Elite series units out. The 5" unit is right at $500, just like the 5" humminbird.
I havent been able to find much info aboutnthe TI Elite unit, and too be honest, i dont understand too many of the nuts and bolts about the units. I have no interest in linking units, nor do i have a fancy trolling motor to link it with.
Essentially i want a reliable unit that shows a good clear SI picture. I had first hand real time experience when Juice brought his sauger fishing and that was pretty slick! i will be running the unit on the console and a 5" unit will be all that will fit without mounting it outside of the windshield which doesnt really interest me for ease of use.
anybody know/heard anything good or bad about the TI Elite units?
i understand it boils down to me liking what im seeing, but some good company backing with some advanced controls is always a bonus.

No 1st hand experience with the new units, but with any SI unit, you want the biggest screen you cannot afford to see the detail in the screen. Just like a tv or computer screen. If you have settled on the 5" screen, then you'll probably have to reduce the scan range down to 40-50' on each side or just the left or right side to get enough detail showing. Split screen mode will be hard as well.

You won't be happy with a 5" screen and side scan. Get at least a 7" screen.

I don't have any experience with the TI units but I did have an Elite unit. I liked everything about the Elite unit except how slow the chart populated. I would move faster with my trolling motor than the chart could refresh on the screen. I would suspect the processor in the TI is still not as fast as the processor in the HDS units. I would hope they are faster than the Elite units. Something you might want to check on if you are planning on using the mapping (which I couldn't imagine not using).

I replaced my 7" Elite at my trolling motor with a (used) 7" HDS Gen 2 unit I bought from eBay. I kept my HDI transducer so I could still have down scan on my HDS unit at the trolling motor. I have never had an issue with the chart refresh on the HDS unit.

im all for the biggest screen i can get no doubt, however my financial advisor (wife) has given me a fairly strict limit. LOL. i may be able to chip away on that number though and bump me up to at least the 7" but im not thrilled with my only mounting location for the bigger screen. if i could get in inside the console behind the glass, i dont think i will have much wiggle room for turning and tilting the unit.
i most certainly want to use the mapping feature and i remember you saying the Elite has a slow processor, so that alone may lean me toward Humminbird, which is fine, i have no preference either way.
seems like the 2 brands are turning over units so fast, by the time you do your research on what you can afford, allocate your funds, by the time you go buy it, its being closed out and something "new" is taking its place. lol.

You won't like anything smaller than a 7". I honestly think the 7" is almost to small to run side scan effectively. When I am using mine especially on the kayak I spend a lot of time bent over trying to get as close to the screen as possible. Humminbird did not help them selves when they put the readouts on the side of the screen and when you remove all of them it still blocks off that area from being useful. When Jimmy and I fished Saturday he caught a nice crappie trolling so I turned around and scanned the area and you could see the cloud of crappie hanging right on the ledge of the drop off.

Some good advice here. A seven inch screen is what I would consider the smallest that one should go. I have no problem with a seven inch screen but I want bigger and I am probably going with the new Helix 12. You can remove the readouts on an HB but only in the side imaging mode....see pic. IMHO having an si unit lets one eliminate dead water at just a glance. Many will tell you they are only looking for structure using si but if I scan structure...a dam wall....lock wall....really anywhere and I don't see fish I move on and don't make the first cast. I may own an HB unit but I have no preference for brand. Lowrance does use a dedicated di transducer on their units as to where HB uses a composite signal from the two si. But I have to tell you I have no problems producing a good di image....but any unit with a dedicated di transducer will produce a sharper image. I get all pumped thinking about getting on the water to use the si.

Regards

yeah ive heard all you guys say to go with the biggest screen you can get, then go one size larger.
im gonna do some price checking as it looks like everybody is having some version of their spring fishing sales so i will see what i can find. i wont be buying anything till the tax-a-clause shows up anyways, but you guys seem to be pretty happy with your HB units so i think that may be where i end up getting mine from.
Mapping/GPS on the HB units.
how fast is it? I dont light the water on fire by now means, but i top out about 32-34...will the mapping keep up or will i smash a bluff before it refreshes? . i know that you shouldnt use that in replace of common sense, but are they fast and accurate if im heading down JPP at night? Do they show marker buoys? i have a spot light but it has its limitations as well. Again, i know nothing is pinpoint but within a reasonable distance i dont think is unrealistic in 2016.

From what experience I have with the mapping it's useless without a map chip. Not all lakes are covered on the chip though. Alpha do you run the HD transducer or the stock one that comes with the unit? I am not super impressed with the SI images I am getting with the stock transducer on my bird. I adjust the setting everytime I get on the water to make them read the best I can.

so i should consider getting the better/faster/HD transducer outside of what comes in the box?

I don't have a map card either.....but since getting the boat will get one. The internal mapping is pretty much as you say. That is another issue with any of these units...no matter the brand...do they have the "good" maps of the lake you want? I do have the HD transducer but rarely run it in HD mode...meaning I rarely ever use 800kHz. The reason for this is 455kHz will scan out at 180 degrees and the 800 kHz will not....not sure of the degrees but it is less than 180. But the reason for having the HD transducer is you will get a better image using the 455kHz with an HD transducer over the compact transducer due to the size of the piezo chrystals in transducer being larger. Take a look sometime at a Lowrance Structure Scan transducer....much larger compared to a HB HD si transducer....thus the Lowrance will give a slightly better image. I'm happy with my images...I just need a larger...brighter screen...as the Helix 12 is. I do make adjustments most of the time I go out.

Regards

I would certainly get it. It will give you better images.


Regards

ok cool! when looking/buying a unit....what exactly should i be looking for?
will it be something additional outside of the contents of the box or find a box that has that transducer?

I am thinking about getting the HD traducer for mine for the crisper images. I do see a difference in the Lowrance images compared to the standard Transducer I have, Hoping the HD helps that out. I change my settings every time I fish but do you have a recommendation for sensitivity/Contrast to show fish better? I like 10-11 Sensitivity and usually 13 Contrast, but that does change.

I know Lowrance models can be purchased without the transducer but I don't know about H-Bird.

The lower and mid line si units from HB will come with a compact transducer. If you want an HD transducer they have an exchange program and you can swap it out for the compact transducer that came with the unit...make sure you don't even take the transducer that comes with the unit out of the wrapping....it has to be new. Once you mount it they will not exchange....and I think the exchange price is 95 bucks. I would decide which size unit I wanted and then go and do a comparison of different brands when you have it down. You will see a lot of picture quality images.....but just so you know HB...Lowrance....all of them, use their high end units to display those images for marketing. As long as you stay with a 7 inch size screen or bigger I don't think you will go wrong no matter the brand you buy.


Regards