Garmin vs Lowrance

[GetReel]

Alright, this year I installed a pair of Lowrance HDS9's on my boat to work alongside my Garmin 7610's. I wanted to do this because I run a GT52 ducer and it has never been that good at showing wood very well at all, and I also got the spotlight scan on the trolling motor so I could use it with my panoptix. Really, All im trying to do is get best of all worlds.... Anyhow.... I have only been out 1 trip so far with everything being rigged up and so far..... ya, not impressed as of now.... the traditional sonar on the Garmins is stupid better!, mapping is better on the Garmins, and as far as I can tell, the structure image is better on the garmins, (just dont get great returns off wood....) and the Garmins reach way better off to the sides! If I cant dial this Lowrances in to fill the void of reading wood better.... I'll just do without...
Maybe I just need a different ducer for the garmins?

[LWINCHESTER2]

David. I think you'll find the GT50 will do a slightly better job; both on detail and distance.

[TroyBoy30]

i have a personal gt50 still if youre interested

[GetReel]

whats the benefits of the 50 that the 52 is lacking? or maybe I should ask.... how are they different? I can read the specs but doesnt really explain in terms of how the images are displayed back to you.

[LWINCHESTER2]

On the SideVu, I get a little better detail and stronger return which translates to more distance. I wouldn't say a big difference. This is more of a subjective comparison than objective. There are so many variables when making comparisons. The specs say the GT50 is better and I believe, at times, I see the difference.

[FishFish]

Looks like Garmin is in trouble?http://www.scout.com/outdoors/wired2...against-garmin

[LWINCHESTER2]

WoW!!! I bet the price Navico wanted for the rights to sell DownScan just went up too! Way up!!!

[TroyBoy30]

garmin is worth north of 10 billion. they won't even blink

[Riccochet]

Was my understanding that the GT50 and 51 would provide better detailed images, but the 52 would have better soft returns for fish.

[TroyBoy30]

thats it in a nutshell

[Larry3215]

Looks like Garmin is in trouble?http://www.scout.com/outdoors/wired2...against-garmin

This time, an Administrative Law Judge determined not only that Garmin has infringed Navico’s patents but also that there was evidence of bad faith. As far as we know, the recommended fine is the largest ever, so it is clear that the Administrative Law Judge found Garmin’s disregard for the cease-and-desist orders particularly troublesome.

They have the same attitude towards their customers that they do towards their competition.

[coachallen]

They have the same attitude towards their customers that they do towards their competition.

When are rich the little people just don't seem to matter.

[GetReel]

Dont turn this thread into a "OMG Garmin did this.... Garmin did that.... Navico... Lowrance...."................. Just Stop.

There are other threads to talk about that.... this one is not one of them.....

[pab1981]

You don't like the detail of the gt-52 and wood or you don't feel like it is showing up at all? Assuming sidescan and not downvu.

[Riccochet]

I see wood just fine with my GT52. I'm more interested in seeing if there is fish on that wood though.

[LWINCHESTER2]

Looks like Garmin is in trouble?
itc-suggests-37-million-fine-against-garmin

A 37 million fine and they still have no rights to downscan. Makes me wonder if it would have been cheaper just to pay Navico to start with and have the rights and have avoided all this calamity. Of course, we never know that kind of info.

[coachallen]

who gets that Money???

[GetReel]

You don't like the detail of the gt-52 and wood or you don't feel like it is showing up at all? Assuming sidescan and not downvu.

I see fish and rock good with the 52, just not wood... don't get me wrong, I can sometimes pick it up and most of the time see the shadows but I have idled by large stumps and not had them shown.

[GetReel]

I see wood just fine with my GT52. I'm more interested in seeing if there is fish on that wood though.

Im not the best at fine tuning settings. Maybe I just gotta spend more time on that.

[shelfish]

GetReel
I have a hard time seeing brush piles with SI they tend to look like a very faint whitish haze if that helps