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  1. #1
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    Garmin, Humminbird, or Lowrance?

    I haven't shopped for marine electronics in years; so, consider me a newbie.

    I need electronics for my 1995 461VS. Recognizing this will likely not be my last boat, I don't won't to spend a fortune on the latest and greatest.

    With Black Friday approaching, it appears there may be some deals available on marine electronics.

    I'm sure each manufacturer has there strong points; but, I'm not sure what they are. I've had Lowrance electronics in the past; but, I've not been overly impressed by them or their customer service. I really don't know anything about Garmin or Humminbird; though, I've read Humminbird customer service is excellent.

    Anyway, I'm looking for two units, one for the bow and one for the console. I would like them to have downward and sideways looking sonar. I would like them to be able to talk to each other. And, I would hope to spend $500 - $600 per unit.

    I saw a sales flyer that listed the Garmin Echomap Plus 93SV for $599. That appears to be a steep discount on this unit. However, I know nothing about Garmin electronics. In particular, I've read the maps available on them may not be the quality of the Navionics maps. On the other hand, I've read where the Humminbird maps are one of their strong suits.

    Could someone give me some basic guidance on which units I should be looking at from these manufacturers?

    Thanks

  2. Member
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    #2
    The Echomap Plus is really easy to navigate through the different menus. It is also Livescope compatible if you ever decide to add that. This is from website concerning mapping: Preloaded LakeVü g3 Maps

    These highly detailed freshwater maps with integrated Navionics data cover more than 17,000 U.S. lakes, rivers and reservoirs with up to 1’ contours. LakeVü g3 gives you excellent detail of underwater features, plus Shallow Water Shading allows you to designate a minimum depth. It also shows interstates, general roads and bridges, designated fishing areas, boat ramps, marinas and campgrounds.



    To find out about your particular lakes go to: https://lakes.garmin.com/

    SE Kansas grass grower


    ROCK CHALK

  3. Member
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    #3
    So, how do the preloaded g3 maps compare to the maps one would use on a Humminbird or Lowrance unit?

  4. Member
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    #4
    They are pretty good. Garmin owns navionics now. The g3 maps added navionics contours and was a huge improvement over the previous maps. Some guys say the navionics maps are still better. I don't see much of a difference on the lakes I fish.

  5. Member
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    #5
    If you are only interested in down/side imaging, you may be served better by the others. Garmin will eventually step up to the plate on their side/down imaging but it’s not up to par with the competition IMO. I’m not sayin it’s horrible, just not running with the pack. Garmin doesn’t have the incentive to invest in Improving it due to the popularity of Panoptix. I hear some are happy with the Navionics sourced Garmin mapping but it’s a hot mess on the few lakes that I’ve had the unfortunate occasion to use them. I had the same lakes on my Lowrance/Navionics chip and I don’t remember them being that jacked up. The Garmin mapped lakes have been good so far.
    If I looked good in spandex and my boats paint had glitter, I’d fish for bass.
    Luckily the Crappie, Stripers and Tuna don’t seem to care.............. BigBry

  6. Member
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    #6
    Quote Originally Posted by ranger461vsinga View Post
    I haven't shopped for marine electronics in years; so, consider me a newbie.

    I need electronics for my 1995 461VS. Recognizing this will likely not be my last boat, I don't won't to spend a fortune on the latest and greatest.

    With Black Friday approaching, it appears there may be some deals available on marine electronics.

    I'm sure each manufacturer has there strong points; but, I'm not sure what they are. I've had Lowrance electronics in the past; but, I've not been overly impressed by them or their customer service. I really don't know anything about Garmin or Humminbird; though, I've read Humminbird customer service is excellent.

    Anyway, I'm looking for two units, one for the bow and one for the console. I would like them to have downward and sideways looking sonar. I would like them to be able to talk to each other. And, I would hope to spend $500 - $600 per unit.

    I saw a sales flyer that listed the Garmin Echomap Plus 93SV for $599. That appears to be a steep discount on this unit. However, I know nothing about Garmin electronics. In particular, I've read the maps available on them may not be the quality of the Navionics maps. On the other hand, I've read where the Humminbird maps are one of their strong suits.

    Could someone give me some basic guidance on which units I should be looking at from these manufacturers?

    Thanks
    Well, that's pretty obvious, still - they all have their strengths.
    I've been using the echoMap Chirp 93sv for about a month and it seems to work pretty good. I am in freshwater, mostly < 50 ft, so it's not really a test of the sonar's range. The mapping in the area I have used it is excellent. Customizable depth shading is really useful if you're trying to follow a range of depths. The interface overall is user friendly The transducer is relatively compact for having side/down/traditional and I had no problem mounting it. (my brother have a similar one and his feedback is also very good)
    Before that I've used a Lowrance, an older Elite 5. Great - yet little - unit. From my experience, Garmin is much easier to use and better in the gps. It's also more expensive (and if this deal is not over yet - then I'd go for it if I was you). The Lowrance, on the other side, has better fish finder and sonar capabilities.

    I have too limited Humminbird experience to add anything, though brother of mine really likes his finder. Not sure which model he uses, but I'll ask him later if you need.
    Last edited by jeremy_w; 12-08-2019 at 09:05 PM. Reason: additional info

  7. Member
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    #7
    I've not seen the discussions/debates over which brand is better actually be that productive. There are so many models of units and transducers and even differences within a specific brand. Take 2d as an example. It's near impossible to get an apples to apples comparison that would point to one being better and why. Is it the unit, the software, the particular transducer or the users settings? Very often a person will think one is better than another because the one has a wide transducer cone and the other a narrow cone and the wide cone shows a fish that the narrow cone doesn't. That really has nothing to do with brand. To catch that fish though will require knowing with some precision the direction and depth. The wide cone that caused one to think it was better is now useless. The fish may be East and you cast West.

    As you get into identifying all the things that contribute to knowing with precision the direction and depth of the fish, then you move to side and down imaging. Of the two down imaging is more precise on that. Side imaging answers the direction question but doesn't give you a clue as to depth. Leaves floating on the surface 30 ft away look just like a school of crappie that may be holding just off the bottom. There is only one sitting on the top of the throne of distance, direction and detail. That is Garmin Panoptix LiveScope.

    You just might want to consider a Garmin echomap Plus 93sv.
    My wife asks if I'm going to fish every day. I can't fish every day. Some days I might be sick.

  8. Member MonteSS's Avatar
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    #8
    In your price range the Garmin 93sv plus is what you want.

    I prefer a HB Helix but those are double the price.

  9. Member
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    #9
    We just sold Two Garmin Echomap Plus 93SV Units (CV52 Transducer) Paid $600 last year for them as well discounted from $1000
    We have heard the GT52 Transducer, that comes with this years deal, is a better transducer as it has an individual downvu crystal or whatever in the transducer.

    If Cost and utility is important to you.... The Garmins might not be a bad option.

    $1200 Into the Units
    $10 Ethernet Cable
    $15 SD Memory Card (Any Brand)
    If Garmin keeps improving on the Force, you buy the trolling motor and you're ready to go, wifi connectivity between the Unit and Trolling Motor.
    If you want panoptix, read what others are saying, its supposedly greatest thing since sliced bread.

    You are ready to go. No $125 Dollar Map card, No $100 Card so you can draw your own maps, No $100 Ethernet Cable that is proprietary with adapters and such.
    If you buy Helix, you need to buy DOUBLE the cards if you want units to have similar mapping.

    They are Touch Screen, they are easy to navigate, the active captain app is very helpful once you learn the ins/outs of it.
    The Networked Units share all sonar images with eachother, they share the entire map with eachother, including the Quickdraw you are mapping live and in the moment. Both Units will read data off the one $15 card in the unit.

    The 2d sonar is perfect. Works Well. The Side Imaging Left us wanting a lot more though.... We never ended up using it, it was just a blur on those units, most the time.

    We wanted better Side imaging and are debating on keeping the two Helix 10 Mega SI,DI G2N units we bought. However those Need:

    $1000 Unit
    $1000 Unit
    $100 Network Cable
    $125 Lake Master x 2 ?!
    $100 Auto Chart Live card x 2 ?!(Or whatever Hbird calls their map creation)

    And then, if you want to share those maps between units, It cannot be done.
    If you want an ultrex with follow the countour ... It will cost you as much as the Force

    $215 Ethernet Switch Box
    $60 Additional Ethernet cable to run to one of your units from the Switch Box


    To Summarize, its very hard to look where you might end up a few years from now, that is what we are trying to do, and determine what you want as an end result, and what you are willing to pay to get there.
    Garmin is strong. Their customer support is also strong.

  10. Charger Boats Moderator TOUCH OF CLASS's Avatar
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    #10
    I need to see fish don’t care if they are holding on rocks brush docks sunken boat make no difference and the garmins show fish very good .

  11. Member
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    #11
    I also have a pair of 93sv+.

    I'm selling one of them and going back to Humminbird. Gonna leave 1 at the bow for the livescope.

    Here are my reasonings.

    The contour scan of my home lake isn't as good as Navionics Hotmap Preminum and I had high hopes of it. I have the Ultra Map chip and my local lake is suppose to be one of the HD scan. If I didn't have any experience with the Navionics, I probably wouldnt know any better though. It just showed points better, more accurate depths and contours. Made it easier to see dropoffs and ledges.

    Another this is, the 93sv+ does not show the DI, SI, and 2D at the same time if you're rotating through the different views. So if you're just in 2D and went over something and you wanted to see it in DI. You switch to that view and it'll only start displaying from the time you switched views, not what you've already ran over. Maybe there's a setting somewhere but I didn't see it. I've only use these displays for 2 months.

    I bought a Humminbird G2N and eventually plan on getting a G3N for the bow.

  12. Member
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    #12
    Quote Originally Posted by BoatNoobie View Post
    ..... the 93sv+ does not show the DI, SI, and 2D at the same time....
    If you create your own combo screen you can create a 3 panel screen and display these at the same time.
    My wife asks if I'm going to fish every day. I can't fish every day. Some days I might be sick.

  13. Member
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    #13
    Quote Originally Posted by BoatNoobie View Post
    I also have a pair of 93sv+.

    .......

    Another this is, the 93sv+ does not show the DI, SI, and 2D at the same time if you're rotating through the different views. So if you're just in 2D and went over something and you wanted to see it in DI. You switch to that view and it'll only start displaying from the time you switched views, not what you've already ran over. Maybe there's a setting somewhere but I didn't see it. I've only use these displays for 2 months.

    ........
    same complaint here, also another similar one is if you are on the combo screen (2D, DI, SI) and see something past need scroll back, you can only rewind on one particular view not all 2D, SI, DI screen together as at the time you touch the whatever view to scroll back, it just have that view maximized the whole screen. Lowrance's scroll back function on combo screen is pretty good.
    Tangrine Orange Key 16604126S1

  14. Member ifishinxs's Avatar
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    #14
    I have 93’s and mapped my local lakes with quick draw. Not a big deal. My 93’s must be unicorns because down and side imaging work great and I just came out of birds. Although with Panoptics I don’t use side imaging much.
    2024 Phoenix 818, Mercury 175 (3B414035) Trick Steps, 3 Garmin 106 SV,s, LVS 34. BoatEFX dual bow mount. Ionic 12V 125AH, 2 12V 100 ah LiTime’s for the TM. Minn Kota 345 PCL charger,

  15. Member
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    #15
    Quote Originally Posted by ifishinxs View Post
    I have 93’s and mapped my local lakes with quick draw. Not a big deal. My 93’s must be unicorns because down and side imaging work great and I just came out of birds. Although with Panoptics I don’t use side imaging much.
    I think you do have unicorns..... What birds did you have? Helix Gen 1?