Humminbird Side Imaging Forums

Side Imaging Forums => 798c SI => Topic started by: g-comm on June 17, 2010, 07:38:48 AM

Title: Humminbird compared to the Lowrance Structure Scan
Post by: g-comm on June 17, 2010, 07:38:48 AM
Hi Guys,

We were wondering if any of you have been able to compare the Structure Scan to any of your Humminbird products and keen to know how they compare.

All feedback would be appreciated.
Title: Re: Humminbird compared to the Lowrance Structure Scan
Post by: sonar2000 on June 17, 2010, 07:55:52 AM
If you are talking about the 2d images, I prefer the Lowrance for that.  DI and SI is fine with HB.

I use the slg converter to take the HB scan and play it on the lowrance viewer.

Chuck
Title: Re: Humminbird compared to the Lowrance Structure Scan
Post by: g-comm on June 17, 2010, 09:08:57 AM
Hi Chuck,

Thanks for the reply.

So you happen to have both.
If you had to live without one, which would it be?

Title: Re: Humminbird compared to the Lowrance Structure Scan
Post by: RzorbackAngler on June 17, 2010, 09:56:20 AM
g-comm,  I went with HB units due to their excellent customer service.  I have friends that use Lowrance products and swear by them.  However, their customer service has not been satisfactory lately. 

Both products are fine.  I would go to a store and compare them.  I did and picked the HB units.  I understand that you have to pay extra for the structure scan module.
Title: Re: Humminbird compared to the Lowrance Structure Scan
Post by: sonar2000 on June 17, 2010, 11:21:40 AM
I would guess it would be HB.   Lowrance is being run by navico since Darrell sold his part.
Customer service sucks and phone help is non-existant. 
quality has gone downhill.

Remember that navico makes sonar and may be buying out lowrance to shut down the lowrance system.  Dont know for sure.

At least HB is USA made.

Customer service is a pleasure

Chuck
Title: Re: Humminbird compared to the Lowrance Structure Scan
Post by: Jolly Roger on June 19, 2010, 11:25:24 AM
What do my eyes see? G-Comm???

Welcome to the forum Ian! I hope you visit more here in the future  ;). Best regards to Anne!

@chuck: Talking about customer service. G-Comm is the shop where I got my HB and they did an excellent job when I needed assistance with it (which was rare).

Regards from Lake Constance / Harry
Title: Re: Humminbird compared to the Lowrance Structure Scan
Post by: stillbear on June 19, 2010, 07:48:53 PM
I am a Lowrance and Humminbird customer.I don't think it would be fair to compare HB with
Lowrance at this time. Give Lowrance a year or two to get the bugs out then compare them.
I personally think its great we have them to choose from.I personally think the Side imaging
is more important than any other view.They just help idenify the target.IMHO   Gary
Title: Re: Humminbird compared to the Lowrance Structure Scan
Post by: g-comm on June 21, 2010, 04:49:06 AM
What do my eyes see? G-Comm???

Welcome to the forum Ian! I hope you visit more here in the future  ;). Best regards to Anne!

@chuck: Talking about customer service. G-Comm is the shop where I got my HB and they did an excellent job when I needed assistance with it (which was rare).

Regards from Lake Constance / Harry

Close Jolly Roger,

It is the G Comm you are talking about but it's not Ian.

I am the web developer at G Comm now responsible for maintaining the site and making it resourceful.
Sadly, I don't know everything about the marine equipment available and this is why I wanted to see people's opinions on two very talked about products/brands.

I have passed on your regards to both Anne and Ian.
We do intend to appear more within the forums and hopefully be able to pass on the customer support.

Regards,

James
Title: Re: Humminbird compared to the Lowrance Structure Scan
Post by: Jolly Roger on July 03, 2010, 02:22:54 PM
Great James!
Thanks for passing the greetings. Unfortunately I'm not able to get out for scanning, mainly because the deepest water I've seen here in Kabul was a swimming pool  ;) .
Hopefully I'll be back in business beginning of August.

Regards from AFG
Harry
Title: Re: Humminbird compared to the Lowrance Structure Scan
Post by: dizzyfish on July 03, 2010, 06:22:54 PM
Interesting remark regarding support. Up until last year - support for the HB units in the UK was fantastic - and one of the main reasons for purchasing HB units for alot of people over here in the UK. However, now the marine electronics side of HB UK has moved to Italy - this effectively means that UK HB customers have to send their units back to Italy to be repaired if they get a problem - I am in the midst of doing this right now (my HB 987 SI has a fault). I have been told that currently this takes about a month - so as you can imagine,  I am a bit upset about being without my beloved 987 at probably the best time of year for fishing in the UK  ???

I cannot comment on Lowrance units - as I do not own one - so I don't know if support in the UK is any better for them.

I also had very positive experiences for G-Comm in the UK - and would be interested to know from them if the move of HB UK MEL to Italy has negatively affected thier sales of HB units in the UK.

You chaps in the States don't knwo how lucky you are - or perhaps you do  ;D
Title: Re: Humminbird compared to the Lowrance Structure Scan
Post by: g-comm on July 12, 2010, 06:33:21 AM
Hi guys,

Sorry for the delay in replying to the forum, i've been so busy adding more products to the web site.

With regards to Humminbird, yes the European distribution did move to Italy and there was a period of time where customer service did lapse for a period of time.
It seems to have picked up a considerable amount now though. Fortunately.

The biggest downside we have seen as a company is that we used to be able to walk to the Humminbird distribution before the move to Italy - We were only over a bridge away.

Now when we don't have items in stock we have to order the products for our customers and then wait for around 4 working days to receive them. This isn't too bad if the customer hasn't put off ordering something until the very last minute.

Back to Lowrance's Structure Scan, we are currently looking to see if anyone would be interested in providing us with a review of the item? Perhaps sending us some images etc. I would like to feature this as a product review within our blog http://www.g-comm.co.uk/blog/ (http://www.g-comm.co.uk/blog/) - another one of my tasks. :P

If you are interesed in providing a review please e-mail me on james.edmonds@gardlinecomms.com
Title: Re: Humminbird compared to the Lowrance Structure Scan
Post by: keizerh on July 12, 2010, 08:31:05 AM
G-Comm did a great job for me as well.
Now I switched over to an other brand, to have all functions I need in 1 system.

hendrik
Title: Re: Humminbird compared to the Lowrance Structure Scan
Post by: john h on July 13, 2010, 08:08:42 PM
I was pointed to this comparison on another site and I'd be interested on people thoughts

http://www.fishtec.co.za/downimaging%20and%20downscan.htm (http://www.fishtec.co.za/downimaging%20and%20downscan.htm)
Title: Re: Humminbird compared to the Lowrance Structure Scan
Post by: skigill on July 13, 2010, 10:11:10 PM
Was a huge thread on bbc forum, look and see. He had very poor HB images.
Title: Re: Humminbird compared to the Lowrance Structure Scan
Post by: RGecy on July 13, 2010, 11:14:49 PM
Depends on what he had the DI width set to.  Narrow will give the best detail in the water column.   That may be why the tree is not showing up as well.

I will say this, the Structure Scan does have a dedicated transducer for DownScan, so the Lowrance Image is going to be clearer.  Especially since the test was done in 800khz.  Since Humminbird does not have a dedicated transducer for the DI, at 800khz it is not covering quite as sharpe as the 455khz does because it is hitting the very edge of the side lobes at 800khz.  It is 100% coverage, just not as good as at 455khz.

Chuck and I got to have this very conversation with the amazing technical guru from Humminbird who actually developed the SI and DI.  David is an absolute genious and some of the conversation went right over our heads.

Robert
Title: Re: Humminbird compared to the Lowrance Structure Scan
Post by: john h on July 14, 2010, 02:12:36 AM
Was a huge thread on bbc forum, look and see. He had very poor HB images.

bbc forum?
Title: Re: Humminbird compared to the Lowrance Structure Scan
Post by: g-comm on July 14, 2010, 04:02:47 AM
Hi,

I would be interested if you knew the address for the BBC Forum and maybe even the address of the topic?

Thanks
Title: Re: Humminbird compared to the Lowrance Structure Scan
Post by: keizerh on July 14, 2010, 11:04:37 AM
http://www.bbcboards.net/zeroforum?id=280 (http://www.bbcboards.net/zeroforum?id=280)
http://www.bbcboards.net/zeroforum?id=279 (http://www.bbcboards.net/zeroforum?id=279)
http://www.bbcboards.net/zeroforum?id=13 (http://www.bbcboards.net/zeroforum?id=13)
hendrik
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