Screen resolution

[TOUCH OF CLASS]

Ok so I put a memory card with kids dog family etc pics on it ,what blows my mind is how clear these pics are .I would say as good as my 50 inch plasma and maybe better.So this tells me the 1042 -1242 has the resolution to produce super sharp pics so it has to do something more with the transducer and software than the monitor.

[alpine4x4]

Thats not really how it works. Resolution is the measure of pixels displayed vertically and horizontally on the screen. Take your 50" screen and reduce its resolution from 1080p (or whatever it is) to the same resolution as your graph and you will see the difference. The larger the display or the more the display is zoomed the more resolution effects the image to the naked eye. On a smaller screen like a graph a higher resolution will transmit minute details and smaller objects much better. Regardless of the software or transducer, the monitor can only display what it can display. Compare a 4k TV to a 1080 TV, HUGE difference.

[Chief Brody]

Yup, and the distance from the screen matters. Look up retina distance.

[TOUCH OF CLASS]

I do know as close as Iam to the garmin it’s clear but my tvs the closer I get the worst it gets .I still say it’s in the transducer/software of every brand that makes it look grainy.Iam sure there’s a program that will show better returns but maybe that still a few years before anyone releases this.Why not have a fish symbol on side scan or would the computer be picking up objects that are not fish?I Guess the other factor is the speed and if the transducer was going perfectly straight down the lake as even a camera would be blurry at that point.

[alpine4x4]

I do know as close as Iam to the garmin it’s clear but my tvs the closer I get the worst it gets .I still say it’s in the transducer/software of every brand that makes it look grainy.Iam sure there’s a program that will show better returns but maybe that still a few years before anyone releases this.Why not have a fish symbol on side scan or would the computer be picking up objects that are not fish?I Guess the other factor is the speed and if the transducer was going perfectly straight down the lake as even a camera would be blurry at that point.

The transducer can only input what its hardware allows it. The difference is if the transducer is inputting a clear detailed image it can only be reproduced as well as the screen can reproduce it. So if the transducer and processor can produce an image that does 1920x1080 if you were to put it on a 1024x768 screen it would downscale it. Yes it will appear clear, but you have lost all those pixels of detail by using a less pixel dense screen. The same is happening with our graphs. The transducers are inputting a high quality signal and the monitor is displaying the best it can. This is why high resolution is important for screen clarity and seeing details.

[alpine4x4]

I can clearly see the difference between my two HDS units. One is a Gen 3 9" that has 800x480 resolution while my other is a Carbon 9" with a 1280x720 resolution. The difference is night and day in the clarity and contrast on the screen.

[TOUCH OF CLASS]

I can clearly see the difference between my two HDS units. One is a Gen 3 9" that has 800x480 resolution while my other is a Carbon 9" with a 1280x720 resolution. The difference is night and day in the clarity and contrast on the screen.

but is that todo with the transducer,watch the lowrance video on the new active transducer or what ever they call it .He runs different transducers on 2 units side by side there’s a big difference

[alpine4x4]

but is that todo with the transducer,watch the lowrance video on the new active transducer or what ever they call it .He runs different transducers on 2 units side by side there’s a big difference

No it is due to the screen resolution. Yes different transducers can produce different signals, but transducer being the same a higher resolution monitor will produce the better image. My carbon is hooked to a totalscan and my gen 3 to a LSS2 which both use the same SI/DI element setup.

[TOUCH OF CLASS]

[charg295]

Has anyone ever got their unit set were it will produce images as clear as the simulator mode.

[SamMule]

This is the conclusion I have come to with my testing.
I think it is a combination of the three. You just have to determine where the "bottleneck" in performance is on your unit.
The transducer is "dumb" so to speak. It doesn't have anything to do with the interpretation or display of the image. It only sends and receives the sound waves. However, the beam angle, frequency, and power do have an effect on target separation & clarity.
I think the sonar module inside of the unit is the key. It is the part that drives the transducer and interprets returns to be displayed on the screen. If the sonar module can only display at 800x600, then a higher resolution screen will not give you any benefit. Just like displaying 720p on a 4ktv. Likewise, sending a high resolution signal from the module to a 800x600 screen will give the same grainy image. Like plugging a 4k movie into a 720p tv.
Of course, the software used for image interpretation is important as well, but (generally) more complex software requires better hardware to run it.
So, at the bed of the day, screen resolution is important, but is worth nothing without the other components to support it.

I feel like this explains the substantial price jumps between EM+, EM Ultra, and GPSmap series units as well
The old adage "you get what you pay for" rings true.

[BassTracker175]

Most stuff is right. We need a balanced system. A GPSMAP with a crappy transducer won’t deliver good images either.

Maybe we can say another item: the new Echomap UHD series is not real UHD, since the display for the series is still 800x480. I believe Garmin engineers know this much better than us, when they design the product.

That being said, since HB Helix Mega+ 10 has only
1024x600, I don’t expect better stuff than that.

This is the conclusion I have come to with my testing.
I think it is a combination of the three. You just have to determine where the "bottleneck" in performance is on your unit.
The transducer is "dumb" so to speak. It doesn't have anything to do with the interpretation or display of the image. It only sends and receives the sound waves. However, the beam angle, frequency, and power do have an effect on target separation & clarity.
I think the sonar module inside of the unit is the key. It is the part that drives the transducer and interprets returns to be displayed on the screen. If the sonar module can only display at 800x600, then a higher resolution screen will not give you any benefit. Just like displaying 720p on a 4ktv. Likewise, sending a high resolution signal from the module to a 800x600 screen will give the same grainy image. Like plugging a 4k movie into a 720p tv.
Of course, the software used for image interpretation is important as well, but (generally) more complex software requires better hardware to run it.
So, at the bed of the day, screen resolution is important, but is worth nothing without the other components to support it.

I feel like this explains the substantial price jumps between EM+, EM Ultra, and GPSmap series units as well
The old adage "you get what you pay for" rings true.

[Chief Brody]

I can clearly see the difference between my two HDS units. One is a Gen 3 9" that has 800x480 resolution while my other is a Carbon 9" with a 1280x720 resolution. The difference is night and day in the clarity and contrast on the screen.

does this translate to seeing more fish?

[alpine4x4]

Those are two VERY different transducers, that is why they are creating different images. Transducer being the same a high resolution screen will output a better image.

[alpine4x4]

does this translate to seeing more fish?

Yes it does. Target separation and shadows are much better on my Carbon vs my Gen3. It not only shows me more fish, it shows me more minute structure details such as smaller objects on the lake floor or helps me interpret what it is I'm really seeing down there. Again this is using two different transducers, but ones that use the same exact elements so there is no difference in the signal being sent to the unit. This all has to do with the unit processing the data, furthermore the resolution the data is output at.

You can actually do a real comparison with the Lowrance units using the Structure Scan 3D module. The 3D module is doing all the processing of the image, so everything given to the unit is the same across all generations. The only difference is the screen output resolution. The internal processor of the unit is not interpreting the sonar data, the box is. You can clearly see the image difference between a Gen3 and a Carbon. Higher resolution screens will show clearer more detailed data.

[Chief Brody]

How long has the Carbon been out and youre the first person Ive heard mention this difference.
I even asked about the better resolution on the Carbon when the unit wasnt in stores yet and couldn’t get an answer.
Thanks

in more clearer terms, since im not great at making points sometimes, i was looking for real world benefits of Carbon's higher resolution.

[alpine4x4]

How long has the Carbon been out and youre the first person Ive heard mention this difference.
I even asked about the better resolution on the Carbon when the unit wasnt in stores yet and couldn’t get an answer.
Thanks

Most guys peddling this stuff barely understand the unit they're using let alone screen resolution and its implications. You can believe what you want, but a better resolution means a better image so long as the source can output and process to it. Images of a Carbon and a G3 on the same color palette. I'll let you judge for yourself. I wish the G3 picture was closer to show the difference, but I've honestly never been over impressed with the images I've been able to produce with it. If resolution wasnt such a big deal no one would buy 4k TVs

[LWINCHESTER2]

I'm not disputing your claim but you would make a better case for it if both were set to the same range and if you took the picture from the same distance from the unit. Not really a fair comparison.

[alpine4x4]

I'm not disputing your claim but you would make a better case for it if both were set to the same range and if you took the picture from the same distance from the unit. Not really a fair comparison.

I'm well aware of that and stated that, but again, never been impressed with the G3 image so I dont have any and we're relatively iced up. Beyond that its just plain fact a higher resolution produces a higher quality image. More dots per inch (DPI). The Carbons resolution is much better than the G3 and its clearly visible. Take my word for it or not. I can pull images later this year as I added another Carbon to the mix and will have the G3 and Carbon side by side.

[TOUCH OF CLASS]

So looking at the lowrance it’s really no better than the garmin or others .Its strange as some guys have posted a few really nice screen shots but the majority are grainy and just ok.And that goes for all brands.Iam still not convinced it’s a resolution problem it’s every other thing from the transducer to the angle to the water clarity to the software Imo.
I guess we are getting to the point that the manufacturers are going to have to step up their game to please us.The only real advance I have seen is scope that actually makes one say wow that’s pretty cool.
To me the garmin side scan is fine ,it does show structure and fish and I have no plans of switching as I am probably going to order a 8610 and sell my 1242 or 1042.I really like the non touch and this is what is holding me back on pushing the buy button.