Topic: Navionics+ (Navionics Plus) - First (and Second) Impressions

[MTBob]

As background, I must confess I am a novice fish finder/chart plotter user - BUT I am a "seasoned" computer jockey.  I've seen a lot of software in the past 30 years and Navionics website and Navionics+ software deserves a few comments.  After being mislead and/or ripped off too many times by software vendors, I suppose I'm a bit of a critical customer.
Here are some observations about Navionic's products:
- The website and product offerings are confusing.  After spending much too much time trying to figure out the differences of the various map products they offer, I finally had to call Navionics and have them attempt to explain it to me.  Silly me, buried in their less-than-user-friendly website is a "compatibility" PDF download that offers some level of comparison.  Perhaps I'm too old... or have come to expect a better website product offering as so many other companies seem to achieve these days.  Anyway, I was (and still am) mostly baffled by the contrast and comparison of the various map products that Navionics offers.
- More specifically - Navionics makes a big deal of their "Community Edit's feature in the Navionics+ product.  But... buyer beware ... only a very few chart plotters can apparently utilize this feature.  Making this even more maddening - prior to purchasing the Navonics+ map, I called Navionics to have them explain the map products, I specifically told the Customer Service Rep what unit I had, a 998c SI.  He stated that the Community Edit feature was usable on my unit.  NOT SO - buried in the link to "compatibility", this downloadable PDF reveals that very few - say 10% - of the fish finders can utilize this feature.  That was confirmed by my second call to Navionics this morning.
-  The information about how the Navionics+ map system works is sorely lacking.  Apparently I can record depth readings on my 998 unit and then upload those to Navionics.  However, it is very unclear if, or how, Navionics uses that data.  I thought that the "Community Edits" feature was for that purpose - BUT NO - based on what the CSR told me, "Community Edits" apparently allows users to put in non-navigation information (notations, phone numbers, comments... or something like that). 

There are other less important website / software cliches that I'll defer discussing.  One thing is very clear to me - Navionics company has a major communication / design issue with their mapping software.  As I told the CSR this morning, I feel like I have once again been duped by misleading over-hyped, vague, software marketing.  Navonics seems like a good company (and the Sonar displays are fantastic), it's too bad their product information is presented so poorly.
Bob

[Gimp]

What he said. Even with the one year free updates, I quit updating mine a few months ago as I didn't see the point. As far as cost goes, it really wasn't worth it.  A lot of good intentions talked about on the website, it's just not carried thru to the software.

[ITGEEK]

Well,
If you live on the East-Coast, and want detailed lake mapping,
there really isn't anything else to choose from.

I thought that community edits allows people to map lakes and send in the sonar recordings, and Navionics would add that to their maps.

[bobcoy]

With humminbird you will use "Sonar Charts". Not "Community Edits", That is for Lowrance products. You can send in your recordings and they will combine with the "Sonar Charts" mapping. On the lakes I use my Navionics + there is more detail to begin with than the standard charts. I have not sent in recordings as I am happy with what it offers. There was confusion for me to pick a product off the site. With some research I was able to figure it out. I do like that I can look at the actual product on the Web app and decide if will work for me. Nobody else lets you look before buying.
Bob

[rpmjr]

I am in complete agreement, bought card last year towards end of boating season.  this spring decided to update before starting fishing.  website told me no my 12 month of free updates were no longer good, because I hadn't logged in within 2 months of buying card, wth??  yes its there in small print, but you better be looking for it.  so I said my fault, i'll just buy an annual renewal, yeah right, 199$ for a one year update, hope Humminbird is looking for new partners and new cards for next generation of finders.  love my HB but if Navionics is only cards I can buy might be a deal breaker on my next purchase.

[MTBob]

I thought I would offer a follow-up to my original posting, after using the mapping system for a few weeks.  First, I found the sonar maps to be very useful - AND more important, helped me catch more fish.  I was able to look for, and stay in, old river bed channels, targeting fishing hanging on the channel edge.  Plus, it kept me out of trouble by giving me advanced warning of potential shallow areas (before I saw it on the sonar).
But... I must say (again) the software interface and operation reminds me of a 1980's clunky, second rate program. 

Specifically:
- The program offers "Download" and "Update" functions, but gives no indication of what lakes will be downloaded or updated.  To figure this out, you have to zoom in on a particular area that is highlighted on the map and feel around for what has been downloaded or updated (though I'd say it's virtually impossible to tell what data has been updated or refreshed). 
- There is no calendar dating on any portion of the "download" or "update" functions to indicate when either activity has happened.  For instance, I have downloaded a wide region of Montana and Idaho and have no way of knowing what the effective date is for the data that has been downloaded or updated in my card.
- There is no indication of what bodies of water have been refreshed with owner supplied sonar updates.
- Oddly, I've noticed that in certain regions that obscure high mountain lakes will have sonar readings, while nearby major bodies of water remain uncharted.
- And as I may have mentioned earlier, the "Community Edits" feature doesn't work on my newly purchased (2013) HB 998c SI.  Only a very few units can utilize this feature.
- Finally, it is rather amusing and clever to see that Navionics has essentially provided a customer driven "Sonal Log" packet upload system.  This feature allows map owners to record their own sonar readings and upload them to Navionics for free - and then Navionics turns around and charges it's customers for the map data provided by its customers.  This is type of community based networking occurs in other internet programming as well, though none that I know of charge their customers for use of the customer uploads.  Navionics should offer a financial incentive to its customers for providing sonar readings that enhance Navionics maps.  Why should I take the effort of recording sonar readings and give them to Navionics who then charges for the use of the data?
Bob

[rpmjr]

Hey Bob

Check out my new post, was pleasantly surprised with Navioinics response over last 24 hours. still agree with your assessment of their website, but they are responsive, and tech I talked to was very knowledgable, not just reading off of some script

[MTBob]

rpmjr - that's really good news, perhaps there is indeed hope for the company.
Bob