Topic: I-pilot and Humminbird 999 together is AWFUL

[Hjalmar]

I usually try to remain positive but the interface between the I-pilot link and my Humminbird 999ci HD has been horrible.  I purchased two 999 units and the I-pilot system together in December of last year. I spent two months trying to get the bugs ironed out. After shipping the I-pilot head to Minnkota twice and spending many hours on the phone with both Minnkota and Humminbird I was able to get the system up and working.  It was fantastic through the spring crappie season.  I took a few months off during the hot weather and now the system is not working. 

After three hours of being on hold and speaking with Humminbird yesterday I was told to upgrade my software from a version 7.46 to version 7.650.  I did the update and the Humminbird unit took the upgrade. Now the I-pilot will not connect at all.  I can deploy the motor and my remote will operate the trolling motor but it will not communicate with the Humminbird unit. It was communicating prior to doing the 7.650 update.

I have tried to update the software on the I-pilot from version 2.140 to 2.150 but if it will not connect to the unit it will not upgrade.

When the system works its great.  It is too full of bugs and software glitches to be productive. It is endless frustration.

[rnvinc]

See this ...

http://www.humminbird.com/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=7141

Does any of those instances pertain to your versions ... ??

Rickie

[Hjalmar]

My HB is a 999ci HD. It came with version 7.450 preloaded on it. My I-pilot came from Minnkota with version 2.140 on it. According to the directions from HB, I loaded the new version 7.650 onto the 999 unit first. After the download, the I-pilot link quit connecting to the HB unit. 

After deploying the motor about 7 or 8 times it did finally connect to the HB unit. Once it connected the remote for the trolling motor indicated the motor was not found. It took 2 attempts to get the motor to "learn" and the remote is now communicating with the motor.

I inserted the SD card with the new 2.150 version software in the HB unit. After waiting about 5 minutes the I-pilot did not detect the new software. I tried using the remote to search for new software and it indicates no new software found.

Have checked the SD card on the computer and it does have the software on it. I deleted the software from the card and downloaded it again. Repeated all the above steps to no avail.

TOO MANY BUGS!!!!!! I am pretty computer savvy. I have double-checked all my electrical connections and they are good. This product would be impossible for some of the "old timers" to use.

[Hjalmar]

Tried again today. For some unknown reason, the I-pilot connected on first try. The software updated without incident. Only difference was I put just the I-pilot upgrade on the SD card. After it loaded, I removed the I-pilot update and installed the remote update on the card.

Glad to get it done but it should not have to be so frustrating.

[rnvinc]

Tried again today. For some unknown reason, the I-pilot connected on first try. The software updated without incident. Only difference was I put just the I-pilot upgrade on the SD card. After it loaded, I removed the I-pilot update and installed the remote update on the card.

Glad to get it done but it should not have to be so frustrating.

It seems I have read of this very solution from another forum ...

I'll have to see if I can find that thread ...

Rickie