Topic: universal mania

[soillbassin]

Went ahead and ordered my 898c si from universal mania and everything went great.  Would definately order from them again.  They had it for $1209.99 no shipping and no tax.

[Double Digit]

Yep totally agree I will order from them again....I got my 998 from them arived perfect condition at my house in 3 days 1699....No tax Free shipping...cant be beat...   

[gramps50]

I heard about them but when I was looking at the 597 cu HD DI I ended it up getting it cheaper at Amazon

[hairtrigga]

just ordered a 798ci HD SI Combo from them.
I was a bit annoyed at being charged an extra $105 for post.
I dont really understand why they cant show the actual postage cost on the item page or when checking out?
It says free all the way through the checkout & payment process and then you get an email requesting extra.
Still a great price and if it operates how it should i'll be happy.

[flatcat_auz]

just ordered a 798ci HD SI Combo from them.
I was a bit annoyed at being charged an extra $105 for post.
I dont really understand why they cant show the actual postage cost on the item page or when checking out?
It says free all the way through the checkout & payment process and then you get an email requesting extra.
Still a great price and if it operates how it should i'll be happy.

That's because they live in the US. International costs more. I own a 798CXI HD SI and payed $1275 with 2yrs Warranty-bought it in Australia. What's did you pay?

[hairtrigga]

$850 + the $100 for post.
If i had've known i was going to be slugged the extra hunge after i had paid i probably wouldnt have taken the risk of an OS purchase.
I understand it costs more to post from US but surely they can say that somewhere in the description, shipping details or at least in checkout.
It cant be that hard to to update the postage calculator so it shows the actual postage cost?

[flatcat_auz]

You wait to you find out that you need to buy the quadrabeam transducer to get the 'best' performance. I would have thought spending $1200+ it would come as standard. 

Goes great with Duel beam + atm. Will eventually reluctantly one day purchase the 'quadra'.

[Humminbird_Greg]

You wait to you find out that you need to buy the quadrabeam transducer to get the 'best' performance. I would have thought spending $1200+ it would come as standard. 

Goes great with Duel beam + atm. Will eventually reluctantly one day purchase the 'quadra'.

The 798 units (US and International) should come with the Compact Side Imaging (CSi) XNT-9-Si-180-T transducer falatcat_auz.  What is this about the DualBeam and QuadraBeam transducers?   

[flatcat_auz]

The 798 units (US and International) should come with the Compact Side Imaging (CSi) XNT-9-Si-180-T transducer falatcat_auz.  What is this about the DualBeam and QuadraBeam transducers?   

I was informed by the distributor in Australia that if I wanted to use the complete capabilities of the unit(particularly in water depths deeper then 20mt+) I would need to upgrade to the quadrabeam.
When u compare the DB and QB tech info they both appear to have the same capabilities.

So I am still unclear as if the unit would provide more detailed images with a transducer upgrade. Given this image I picked up last night in water with moderate turbidity (from 40kms daytime wind) and a 15km ENE wind, how much better can it get?

[Humminbird_Greg]

I think that there is some confusion going on here (and maybe it is not me who is confused this time…):
 - The standard CSi transducer has 2D, Si and Di sonar capabilities (as does the 798ciX HD Si unit).
 - The DualBeam (200/83kHz) transducer has only 2D sonar capabilities.  It can be used with the 798 unit but the unit will than only have 2D sonar capabilities [it can also be used in conjunction with a splitter cable or switch in combination with a Si transducer and would then have added sonar capabilities].
 - The QuadraBeam transducer is basically the same as the DualBeam (200/83kHz) transducer with the addition of two down-and-to-the-side pointing 2D sonar beams.  When used with the 798 units you normally will only have 2D sonar capabilities.  The QuadraBeam Side Beams are shaped differently than the CSi transducer’s Side Beams and they do not extend as far to the sides or give as good of detail as do the Side Beams of the CSi transducer.  About the only way that the QuadraBeam transducer can outperform the CSi transducer is in high-speed sonar readings from the Side Beams and this is only due to its Side Beams being less thin (front-to-back) and the fact that it can be epoxied inside-the-hull of a fiberglass hulled boat.

Now if you want to upgrade the Si/Di sonar in your 798 unit you could use the larger and more expensive HDSi transducer that the 800/900 and 1100 series Si units use (XHS-9-HDSi-180-T).  While your 798 will not be able to make use of the 800kHz Si sonar; the longer Si elements in the HDSi transducer will allow for finer detail in the 455kHz Si sonar – though not everyone can see this on the smaller display of the 798 units.

[flatcat_auz]

Correct me if I'm wrong but you're saying the the DB+ does not produce 455kHz??

Yet the specs state (pge 179):
Operating Freq: 445kHz, 200kHz and 83kHz Duel beam plus.

Areas of coverage:
Side imaging: 86@-10b in 455kHz (180 Total Coverage)
Duel Beam PLUS: 60@-10dB in 83kHz
                            20@ - 10dB in 200kHz


Confusing? Nah it's as clear as mud 

For the record I am a fan of HB and actively promote the brand(often post screen pics from unit to my FB profile). If the product requires a different transducer to receive the same images as promoted on the packaging it should state this upfront. Didn't even know the quadrabeam existed till I get it home and  start to read the operating instructions.
And could you also let the dickhead/s who had this genius idea to let the customer print their own operating instructions acutally realise how hard it is to manage an A4 size, 200+page document on the open water? Not sure if they do 'cause if they did, they would still come with the manual

[Humminbird_Greg]

Yes, I am saying that the DualBeam Plus transducer (XNT-9-20-T) by itself, does not produce the 455kHz frequency.

The specifications are correct as the unit is normally packaged with the XNT-9-Si-180-T Compact Side Imaging transducer that does produce the 200kHz and 83kHz 2D sonar (DualBeam Plus) signals as well as the 455kHz Si sonar signal.  The 200/83kHz portion of this transducer is the exact same as the DualBeam (XNT-9-20-T) transducer.

The unit will work as stated on the package with the standard XNT-9-Si-180-T Compact Side Imaging transducer.  There are other “optional-purchase” transducers mentioned in the operations manual and they are just that: “optional-purchase”.

[flatcat_auz]

Thanks for the clarification Greg. As long as the image/s on the promotional purchasing literature can be produced by the OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer   )supplied at purchase I'm OK. It's only when you read the promotional purchasing literature on the Qudrabeam, well it got me thinking.

I'm of the opinion that the XNT-9-Si-180-T is no different to the Quadrabeam other then the software used by the head unit to communicate to said transducer. Obviously the only way to confirm this is to disassemble the units side by side and compare (not something I'm keen on doing just yet  ).

Just to let readers aware that the above is my opinion and I'm not seeking for anyone to 'confirm or deny' as it were. As stated before for I'm a bloke who has no experience with this equipment at all, to self install and get results like above speaks volumes. I recomend it's purchase and other HB products.
The difficulty I have is I live in a economy were you either earn a lot (read mining and it's related industries) or nothing. Given I sit on the other end on nothing, so when I spend money I like to be mindful of where I'm spending. I'm hoping to get at least 5-10yrs out of my 798HB (or any product I spend $1000+)after owning it for 2 months have clocked up 80hrs 

Thanks again and G'Day from Down Under