Looking at a HDS 12 gen2, the copyright on the 'about' screen is 2013. I didn't realize the HDS gen 2 was around that long ago.
Looking at a HDS 12 gen2, the copyright on the 'about' screen is 2013. I didn't realize the HDS gen 2 was around that long ago.
Either 2012 or 2013.
Thanks. What was the last year, or when the Gen3 began.
Not that familiar with Lowrance, can’t pull hours like a ‘Bird.
Any known problems with the Gen2 to look for in a used model?
They are great units, but i suggest Gen3’s because you get fish reveal and chirp. $300 or $400 more but for me well worth it.
I try to drive as if my 16 year old Grandson is following me
Speak as if he is listening and act as if he is watching
Just keep in mind when buying used, if it breaks, you’ll be throwing it in the trashcan. No repairs with Lowrance, so make sure the price is really good.
I’m still running 2 gen2 12’s, no issues with them to speak of. They might die tomorrow and I can’t really complain about mine.
HDS G2T was launched in 2013.
They where good units, for their time very good as they had several features well ahead of their time. Known issues are mostly the same as with all units that has seen years of «wear and tear», like buttons sticking and corrosion in the ports on the back.
Keep in mind that HDS Gen 3 is a bit of milestone when it comes to networking. Older units will not network well with Carbon and Live, so buying a Gen 1/ Gen 2/ Gen 2 Touch or a module from the same era means it should not be put in ethernet with newer units.
Guy wants $850, mount and power cord only, no transducer.
I'm trying to put two transducers to one head unit, so I don't have to put the external transducer on the running pad. I want to have the SI (Lss1 or 2) mounted higher on the boat for protection, and have a glassed in for high speed running.
Can this be accomplished with the LDS Gen 2? Would I need anything other than the two transducers? How would the head unit recognize the different transducers? Would I need an external GPS receiver (point1), Structure scan box?...need some technical help. Tried Lowrance....so I come here.
(I tried to do this with a Hook12, but it didn't turn out well).
Not concerned about interfacing two units. I have a Hook12 at bow and I'm happy with map card installed in unit.
Really looking for what is needed to run a Lowrance unit at console, to use two transducers with one head unit... 1 external, 1 glassed in, and whatever is needed to allow the head unit to read the two transducers.
Thanks for any helpI
This will do what you want, providing you expect that the transducer glassed into the bilge is a 2D sonar.
You will set it up this way.
1) an LSS2 transducer mounted to your jack plate. It will provide side scan and downscan when off plane. It connects to the black 9 pin connector on the unit. No SS module required.
2) A sonar transducer connected to the 5 pin blue connector on the unit.
3) you will not need an external GPS antenna, it is built in. The Point-1 is an upgrade because it also has a built in compass to communicate which way the boat is pointed but this can be added later if desired.
All HDS units has Ethernet and NMEA2000 Networking capability. You don’t care for it now but it gives you considerable flexibility if you ever want to add another unit.
I try to drive as if my 16 year old Grandson is following me
Speak as if he is listening and act as if he is watching
I believe the gen 2 non touch will need a structure scan module for the LSS transducer. Good luck.
Wes
This Is true but there is no HDS12 non touch.Originally Posted by H-D Dad
Non touch is 7, 8 and 10
Touch is 7, 9 and 12.
I try to drive as if my 16 year old Grandson is following me
Speak as if he is listening and act as if he is watching
Thank you. That’s what I thought, but I’ve heard various versions with added pieces needed. I wanted to know what is required, not what is desirable over and above the requirements.
My question: How does the head unit distinguish between the two transducers? Is this done within the head unit, or do I need to manually select which transducer will read??
If I have to select, what do I need to do to select? I assume there would be a screen or function in the unit to allow me to switch between transducers if the unit does not “understand” which to read?
(I’m familiar with the h’bird y-cable that “tricks” the head unit into using 2 transducers as 1, splitting the 2D from the SS wires within the y-cable/splitter.)
By having two transducers connected directly to the head unit with Lowrance, does that, in effect, serve the same purpose as the y-cable with H’bird?
If I am off pad, do I have down image and side image? Does that come from reading the LSS2, or does the unit recognize both transducers when off plane, giving sidescan off the LSS2 and down image off the glassed in transducer?
Thanks for patience, I’ve asked all of this to the lowrance support staff and I have received too much conflicting information. Seems they are not well-versed in either understanding or explaining their technology.
Ok, some clarity for you (hopefully). You can only have ONE 2d sonar transducer and 1 lss transducer into a gen2 or gen 3. There is a single port for each transducer style.
If you want 2 2d transducers into 1 graph, you’ll need a Carbon or Live model.
2d will read at most speeds if mounted properly. The SI/DI will pretty much only read at idle to high idle, it won’t read while on plane, you’ll just have a black screen on the graph in the SI/DI panel.
Last edited by grout-scout; 08-03-2020 at 02:09 PM.
The best way to think of this is that each icon on the screen represents a separate module each driven by separate firmware and each physically connected to it’s appropriate input device. The Sonar module is reading the blue connector, the structure scan module is reading the 9 pin black connector and the chart icon is reading the internal GPS antennae.
Touching the sonar icon on the screen will bring up the sonar module full screen and it will be reading from the glassed in sonar transducer. The same for the structure scan icon or chart (GPS) icon with each displaying processed information from their appropriate input device.
You build the split screens to suit your boating/fishing situation by dragging and dropping the module icons into a blank template (shown at bottom of list on right of screen). Each custom screen you build is stacked on the right of the home screen and can be selected by touching the icon.
I try to drive as if my 16 year old Grandson is following me
Speak as if he is listening and act as if he is watching
Thanks for the help. I understand the screen/pages and what to do to get the display for each transducer on the screen.
When I talked with RMP, and I'm not bashing, was told I'd have to have NMEA backbone and connections to run two transducers (LSS2 and bullet or round puck glassed in), plus a point 1 to make this work. And he also said I'd have to install a Structure Scan box to read the two transducers. (I don't want two DI transducers, just the glassed in).
That didn't make sense to me. He told me that although you plug two transducers directly to the head, it would not read both transducers without NMEA and point 1.
The people online with Lowrance gave me so many conflicting answers I just gave up.
So bottom line, this is what I understand:
I CAN run both without NMEA, structure scan box or a point 1, just plug the transducers to the unit. It's really that simple.
Head unit- Lowrance HDS gen2, power cord
LSS2 external transducer
Bullet/skimmer transducer glassed in boat
Connect transducer leads to head unit
Go fishing.
That's all I need.
You are getting close, but still are mixing some issues which is confusing you.
If you are going to use a Point-1, you must install a NMEA 2000 network for it to work. A Point-1 is a very valuable addition to your boat. This network also allows you to use temperature sensors and other types of data, and lets you share waypoints through the NMEA network. It is not necessary if you only want to use the internal antenna for GPS.
You can use two different types of sonar transducers on the HDS as explained above. One is what we call "2D Sonar" which is the traditional sonar you are used to seeing. You have one blue port on the back of the HDS (2 on Carbons and LIVES 9 and 12" units). to install this transducer, which is usually a puck or a pod, and can be epoxied in the hull for high speed use.
The LSS2 transducer is referred to as StructureScan, which provides both SideScan, and DownScan. This is the long transducer that must be externally mounted, and this does not provide 2D sonar. It plugs directly into a black 9 pin connector, directly to some HDS units or to a box on others. It is in addition to the 2D Sonar, and has its own port connection. Multiple HDS units can share this information, and the 2D sonar information, if an ethernet cable is installed between units, or between a black box and the units. This is an ethernet network (separate from a NMEA 2000 network). This also lets you share map cards between units, and it shares AND synchronizes waypoints between connected units.
HDS units take both transducers to collectively provide 2D, DownScan, and SideScan images; all at the same time. The HDS unit runs them all together, or separately.
What you can't do (without a Carbon or LIVE 9" or 12") is run multiple 2D transducers at the same time, or multiple StructureScan transducers at the same time. This is where you are confusing the info received from others...they are talking apples and you are thinking oranges...hopefully this clarifies things?
Last edited by Marc Marcantonio; 08-04-2020 at 12:46 PM.
ciao,
Marc
^
Yes it helps, although I already understood everything you said. I am familiar with humminbird. I’ve had boats with networked units and I understand what they share and what advantages there are to using a shared network. However, I have no plans to spend thousands of dollars to use electronics. I’ve purchased a hook2 12 for the trolling motor. It’s all I need and all I desire.
I do not want to put a hook2 12 at the console, as I would have to mount the triple shot transducer at pad level to get on plane sonar. I cannot run two transducers with one hook2 head unit. I tried it based on assurance from Calibri that it would work. It didn’t, and it fried the hook2 unit that I had that worked perfectly prior to trying to put two transducers through the lowrance “splitter” cable. Lesson learned.
So I started looking at elite Ti/ti2 and HDS. For the sole purpose of running two transducers, one glassed in for hi-speed and an external for SS and DS. So the reason for this is simply to be able to achieve sonar at running speed without mounting a transducer on the pad level of the boat.
I just don’t want to go purchase a unit and then later on find out it cannot achieve the goal as stated. Or to find out I need to purchase hundreds or thousands of dollars of “extras” to achieve my goal.
I guess I’m trying to “measure twice, measure again, cut once”. Just didn’t know it would be this confusing.
I bought a boat with no electronics. Bought the hook2 for the 12 inch screen. Price Point was very good ($650 Academy flash sale)
Wanted to stay with same brand for ease of use and transferring waypoints from one unit to the other.
Sorry for confusion. I’ll buy a HDS unit, two transducers and go fishing.
Well, hang on little buddy. The hook might not transfer wypts. You’ll need nmea or Ethernet for them to transfer, I don’t believe the hook has Ethernet.
I can transfer waypoints through the external card and the card reader. I’ fine with having to do it manually.
Reply With Quote
