Software Updates

[TNBronzeback]

So im confused. Adrian mentioned on another post that his Lowrance issue was fixed by doing a software update. Im probably gonna have to do the same thing. No biggie.
But my question is, how/why does a piece of electronic equipment that has no connection to anything require "software updates" it makes sense on a cell phone as they are new improvements. But with my Lowrance, the depth goes crazy and it freezes. Am i to believe that when lowrance programmed that unit, they essentially put an experation date on it to where it just stops working properly? Why would an update fix the problem? Why would it just start acting up?
I dont have to do updates on my tv's, vehicle, or other electronics.
Or is that just fish finders ways of sneakily fixing problems they dont make public knowledge.
I will do all the updates, im just posing the why questions for my own information.

[Adrian]

Here's a thought...

Well it is a computer, and much like your hard drive on your PC, it gets fragmented the more you add to it, like waypoints, networks, screen captures, sonar logs, customized screens, etc... Maybe the bugs don't show up until the hard drive is compromised by so much additional data. Just a Theory!

[notorious]

Originally Posted by TNBronzeback

So im confused. Adrian mentioned on another post that his Lowrance issue was fixed by doing a software update. Im probably gonna have to do the same thing. No biggie.
But my question is, how/why does a piece of electronic equipment that has no connection to anything require "software updates" it makes sense on a cell phone as they are new improvements. But with my Lowrance, the depth goes crazy and it freezes. Am i to believe that when lowrance programmed that unit, they essentially put an experation date on it to where it just stops working properly? Why would an update fix the problem? Why would it just start acting up?
I dont have to do updates on my tv's, vehicle, or other electronics.
Or is that just fish finders ways of sneakily fixing problems they dont make public knowledge.
I will do all the updates, im just posing the why questions for my own information.

Hey John,

I'll weigh in here, Yes Lowrance does utilize Planned Obsolescence (PO) just like SONY and HP, HP products will never be owned by me again, SONY at least sent me a patch. PO activated on my X55 after I was out of town for a few years...simply did the screen flashing fading bit and then became completely unreliable and died with very few hours on it. I called and spoke with tech and they simply suggested forget it and buy another that it was obsolete...all within 4 years. I wire my sensitive electronics directly bypassing the engine electronics so I am reluctant to believe there was power interruption that may have caused my failure. I have expressed my concern with Lowrance in the past...I believe they are attempting to correct their PO with updates to prevent brand fatigue. In contrast, I do perceive there have been numerous user errors during installations that may have lead to unit problems. The competition right now in the marine electronics is unbelievably even stacked and a few problems in any category can seriously harm a brand and with Lowrance having so many options out there coupled with the mapping software company(s) and other internal divisions they have the most to loose and the other guys are ready to gobble up the customers.

[TNBronzeback]

That would make sense, and that may be the case, but since i installed it on my boat, its stayed on DI 99.9% of the time. Ive done very very minor setting adjustments and have 2 waypoints saved.
I will still download any neccessary update(s). It just doesnt make sense to me how it works, or im just missing the simple explanation. Lol

[Alphahawk]

Any electronic device made today in all probability has firmware that is buggy. As a matter of fact I will tell you it is all buggy. Depending on your use, or lack of use of a particular feature you may not ever notice the bugs....yet for another individual he will use the feature that is buggy and he gets really ticked. Some bugs will affect everyone. My advice on sonar units is if your unit is working to your liking leave it alone. The new firmware I can guarantee you will be buggy too. It may fix a known bug in the unit but you have now added more bugs which may....or may not show up in use depending how you use the unit. Plus when you update the firmware there is a chance you could "brick" your unit.......meaning it is the same as a brick...just a piece of concrete...because it will never work again. If you want to upgrade the unit I suggest keeping a copy of the old firmware in case the new firmware makes the unit worse than before....then if you want you can go back to the old version. I am no guru on this but was in the missile/radar field for 38 years. In 1980 I had to learn to program in machine language.....I hated it. But it is the basis for all software. No one writes code in machine language anymore as code is written in much higher languages now but then is eventually translated back to machine language for the unit to use. Software is our friend...but it is also our enemy. When a sonar unit is considered obsolete by the company that made it no matter how many bugs are left in that unit there will be no more updates. My HB 899 became obsolete in less than 2 years. I installed latest update but it was more buggy than the update before it...so I put the next to last version back in it. I hope I haven't confused you more...LOL.

Regards

[TNBronzeback]

No ya didnt confuse me more. Lol. It makes sense.
But now im worried about the possible "brick" factor.
Im not sure what software came installed on it as ive never done an update. Oh man im gonna be livid if this units update makes it worse after i install it.
Lowrance will get to know my name and number by heart when i call and harass them non stop. Lol

[commdd]

tnbronzeback i had the exact same line of questioning as you did as to how could a unit require an update when it doesnt communicate with anything but itself. I think Alpha summed it up best, its all got bugs. I love to fish more than anything but there is no way i could spend $1000 to $2000 dollars on a unit that will expire in two years. I really want to upgrade what i have but at a loss as to what to do. thanks everyone for a good thread.

[commdd]

let me ask you guys a question? What feature or features is/are most important to you, SI, DI, Mapping? what screen size is the most effective on a cost benefit basis?

[TNBronzeback]

I guess it all depends on your fishing method.
I for example do a crap ton of vertical fishing. Whether its jigging brush on JPP or jigging the river for saugers , walleyes, cats, bass, ect. So for me, i keep my bow unit on DI 99% of the time. I dont want to see a big blob on the screen, i want to see individual limbs and if there is fish hiding amongst them. When in the river, i need to see my jig 30-40 even 50ft down to make sure im putting it in the right spots, avoiding snags and sometimes even watching fish hit my jig.
My new Garmin unit has DI and SI....the SI is used when im looking for new brush piles or bottom content changes in new sections of river. At the time i purchased my garmin, 7" was the biggest they made in my model...now you can get the 9" for just a little bit more.
Mapping would be nice sometime, but not required for me. I can still set waypoints, i can make routes/tracks.....so thats all i need personally.

[Alphahawk]

I use mine to find fish....bluegill bedding areas. I do use mapping and tracking feature. It comes in handy being out on a lake you don't know....just follow the track back in case you get disoriented. A 7 inch screen is about the best bang for the buck if one is on a really tight budget. The 9 inch and above screens make using di...si....and mapping so much easier. Many folks get really ticked when someone calls them a "fish finder". While you can locate structure...channels.....creeks and so on, but make no mistake it is a fish finder.....more so today than ever before with di and si. When I start out on one of the lakes I fish I can eliminate barren water real quick. While I do look at the 2d sonar at times the majority of my use comes using the di and si. Of course if one is vertical jigging the 2d sonar comes in very handy being able to see your jig and keep it at the depth where the fish are at. My last trip out down at Pickwick I checked a wing wall for white bass with my di and si.....nothing there...I didn't even make the first cast. I headed down river....pulled into a spot I thought looked promising and as I went from the current to slack water my di lit up with 100's of fish. Pulled into slack water...put trolling motor on spot lock....cast to the current break and proceeded to catch around 100 white bass and largemouth. One thing I do is believe in what my sonar is showing me....they don't lie. One certainly doesn't need a sonar to catch fish but it sure helps a lot.


Regards

[commdd]

Great thread, thanks for the replies!

[TNBronzeback]

Your right on the finding fish using the fish finder.
Ive gotten pretty good at figuring out what im looking at on the side imaging. My biggest hurdle was the scale difference between down/sonar vs side image. Ive learned to keep my side image setting pretty narrow. Hardly going over 50ft to the side. I can then adjust my contrast to really highlight the different features im seeing.
I would see a full tree in say...40ft of water on DI then switch to SI and would barely see a little twig till i adusted my side distance to 50-75' from 200' due to the auto adjust feature going over deep water.
I love it. Money well spent.