Topic: Sd Card ,Software Download, Lake Map Questions (Helix 5 SI Unit)

[JSI]

Hello all,  Another new question from me.  Thanks for patience and help to everyone esp Ritchie.  My questions for day are as follows.
1.  I just bought a EMTEC 16 GB  Gold Memory card.  I see some forum articles about what SD cards to use in units. Isnt a SD card an SD card and usable in my unit?  Do these units only work with specific brands/sizes of cards? Dont want to open it until sure its ok to use.
2.  I am going to buy a specific lake off the map section on HB site.  If I load this on this or any card  do/can I then download the map to the unit or do I have to keep the SD card in reader to override the stock GPS program?  If so then how would you use the map AND record at the same time?  Does unit allow you to do so as long as SD card has the capacity to do so?
3.  Can you put multiple lakes,  updated software to download and recordings all on same card and install/use them all or do I need separate SD cards for each use?

I really appreciate the help.  I dont want to skrew up unit even before I get on water with it!  Still looking at ice on lake here in NW Indiana but its fading fast.  This week not going to help though as its chilly!  Looking forward to trying out my 1st SI unit on the water and this forum is really helping in my efforts to figure this thing out!  Joe

[Bob B]

That is a class 10 SD card, and will probably be OK ..... but I haven't used that specific brand......There have been reports of some SD cards causing issues .... I have hear Pny causing issues more than anything else.

I got several Scandisk Extreme SD cards on sale a while back and have always used them.

[ckd022]

Remember that the Helix uses a micro SD card, not the standard one most HB units use.

Kevin

[Humminbird_Greg]

JSI,
1. An SD card is not always an SD card.  We design our products to meet the guidelines set forth by the SD Association.  Not all SD card manufacturers follow those same guidelines.  When they do not; their product may not work in our product, although through the years we have made modifications to our unit software for some of these we cannot guarantee that all will work.  We do recommend the SanDisk brand.  SandDisk was one of the founding members of the SD Association.  The HELIX5 units should work with the Micro sized SDSC and SDHC memory cards (up to 32GB).

2. To view the map you have to keep the mapping card in the unit.  This goes for any type of mapping card as the unit reads the information from the SD card and does not download or store the mapping information.

With units that have only one card reader/writer you have to make the choice whether to view the map or make a Sonar Recording/Screen Snapshot.

3. The ChartSelect maps are one to a memory card.  You should not put other data on these memory cards or you may risk the map card files.  Personally, I would use a single SD card only for software downloads and not have any additional files on it – but then I am paranoid that way.

[JSI]

Thanks for help to all.  Greg,  do you have to erase card every time  I download an update or does it write over existing download thats on card? 

[Bob B]

I would move the download that is on your card to your computer and download to a clean card.

[Humminbird_Greg]

+1 to what Bob B said.

[JSI]

Ok maybe its just me but I put card in computer then try to upload it to humminbird pc and it  wont.  says have not picked gpx file.  can I just delete the update file with humminbird pc?  If not, any idea on why I cant upload it to the program from the card?  As always,  thanks a bunch to all!  Joe

[rnvinc]

HBPC will not store software versions from the SD Card ...

HBPC is strictly for waypoint, route, and track management ...

To store your software versions on your PC ... Create a new folder on your PC ...(mine is on the Desktop) ...

*Then insert the SD Card into your PC Card reader ...
*In the next popup choose "Open to view files" ...
*In the next popup ... Drag and drop the .bin file to your newly created folder ...
(The .bin file is the software version) ...
*Do not rename or change the .bin file ... Just store it in the new folder for future use ...
*You cannot open the .bin file because it is a file type that windows cannot open ...

Once you have safely transferred the .bin file to your PC ... Format the SD Card for its next use ...

Rickie

[Tigersix]

Hi,

I just came home with a newly purchased Helix 5 si combo and was very happy until I read this thread (which I obviously should have made before the purchase).

Together with the unit I bought a Navionics Gold map on a SD card and almost the whole card is still free. And you say that this empty space can't be used for recordings?

I don't understand how humminbird want to do such a unit where you need to switch cards these days. The price tag couldn't be that much higher for adding a slot (or even better, enable both reading and writing on the same card.

What about waypoints and saving tracks, is that not possible either while having the Navionics maps mounted?

//Magnus

[Humminbird_Greg]

Welcome to the Humminbird Side imaging Forums Magnus.

Yes, you can still make and save Waypoints and Tracks as these are saved to the unit’s internal memory – not the MicroSD card.

Allowing the unit to write to a mapping card could put the map card data in jeopardy of being corrupted.  This was allowed many years ago with unfavorable results.

[Tigersix]

Hi Greg,

And thank you.

Ok, that makes me a little happier. But I still don't see why writing to a separate folder on the card could be that dangerous. And I guess it should be possible to have a safe backup of the map data.

But now I know, and the price tag for the unit is truly attractive and I guess you can't "get it all".

//Magnus