Humminbird Greg

[Travis Blankenship]

I am currently making my order list for new electronics. I am gonna get a Humminbird 898and 858. What all will I need to hook this up together. I am also wanting a shoot thru hull transducer for high speed depth readings.

Is there a setting on the unit on which transducer to use or will it automatically use the one that has the best signal?

898 and 858 di

I would like them to be hooked together to where I can use waypoints and all other info possible.

Also a shoot thru transducer for high speed reading.

What all cables should I need.



Also I have found the humminbird factory outlet store to be the cheapest on the prices. Is this part of the humminbird store or are these rebuilt? They say they r new. I just want to make sure I get new top quality stuff. Thanks in advance.

 

[Rob LaMoy]

Travis,

I asked Greg this question a month ago. The unit will automatically know to use the thru the hull ducer for 2D high speed running only and the side imaging ducer will run for down imaging and side imaging only. You just need a Y splitter. You can ethernet link the two units to share waypoints. Both are parts you can get from Humminbird.



I just need to find a bracket now for mounting my side imaging ducer to my jackplate!

 

[Travis Blankenship]

Thanks.

I am just sitting here thinking. What would be best. Buy the 898 and 858 or just buy the 1198? Don't know what I really want to do. I could either buy the 2 smaller units (one on bow and other on console) or just go ahead and buy the big boy. Lol

You guys that r just running the one unit how do y'all like it? Just don't know how good it would be having to turn the unit around every time u get in the trolling motor? I have a 587 right now on the console so I could just put it up front. What do u think

 

[Ken Sabin]

I recently purchased a 788 ci si. Although I havent had it long, so far, Im not impressed. The images on the screen look NOTHING like you see in the magazine ads. Im hoping as I get more familair with it I can get more out of it. If I had it to do again, I would pass.



I have trolled by by huge rock piles, and on side scan, it looks like a smooth transition from rock, to no rock. I personally think the screen scrolls too slow for my preference. And I have adjusted it to the fastest setting possible.



And to think I spent over $1000, and it didnt come with an owner's/operations manual. Had to download it from their website. That was totally unacceptable in my mind. Sure, it comes with 2 dvds, but who has a dvd player on the boat? After printing it, all 169 pages, I can now look at it on the boat.

 

[Jeffry Skidmore]

Travis B.



If I had my druthers, I druther get the 1198. Having said that, your point about turning the unit around is a valid point. I have a 998 @ console and 798 @ the bow. The 798 is non-HD, so no ethernet capabilities. I use a media card to save/transfer waypoints. An ethernet cable would allow you to use one GPS antenna if you went the 858-898 route, plus you could use it to transfer waypoints. Keep in mind tho, if you use only one antenna, some of your way points will be less than accurate.



Rob, I have a Tranducer Sheild with L bracket and 1.5 inch extender that fits the bigger HB SI/HD transducer. It was attached to a RapidJack jackplate, but I don't believe thay are necessarily application specific. It's listed in the swap/sell.



Ken, sorry you aren't real happy. The girls in the SI Swimsuit Edition don't look that good in real life either. There are alot of variables that enter into the images quality, including but not limited to proper installation. You may try restoring to factory defaults and checking for the latest updates. My *new* 798 was loaded with software version 5.4; I just upgraded to version 5.8, and I only bought it at the first of this month.

 

[Wayne P.]

Jeffry, you can use INTERLINK to share GPS data between your two units and not have to do the SD card thing.



If you had two Ethernet capable units, you would have to do the SD card thing to get the same GPS data installed in both unit's memory. Ethernet does not transfer data, it just displays data from another unit in a different color.

 

[Jeffry Skidmore]

Thanks Wayne! I was under the (mis)impression that ethernet was used to transfer data between units.(?) I knew I could use Interlink, but I figure I can buy a few SD cards for what an Interlink unit would cost. To me, it's not that big a deal to do it using cards.



So, can he use the ethernet to link both units to one antenna? Or does he need two antennas? The 898 and 858 combos both come with antennas, yes? So then he would have an extra antenna (or backup if needed?)

 

[Wayne P.]

Ethernet lets you choose what data to display where. That includes the GPS antenna. It doesn't make any choices of one source over the other. The user chooses what data to display. Review the Ethernet manual.

Yes, both of those units come with an external GPS antenna. It is wise to locate the antenna above the transducer location for the best waypoint accuracy based on sonar returns. Since the GPS produces as good as 2' EPE, that should be taken advantage of.



The L bracket is jackplate brand specific and for your transom design to get the proper transducer attitude for scanning. The procedure to get the correct L bracket is to call Transducer Shield and Saver then give them your setup. If you got the extra spacer, that is what Skeeter boat owners use to get the transducer low enough so it can "see" past the hull sponsons.



Ken, you could have called Humminbird and asked for a paper manual-they would have sent you one. If you are trying to use that technology beyond its capability, you need learn how to use it properly. I get the best and sharpest images with my 798ci SI on either end of the boat.

This is a creek channel with vehicle tracks that were made during lake construction.

It was when I had the 798ci SI on the trolling motor while fishing an electric-only lake.

 

[Jeffry Skidmore]

After re-reading one of Rob's posts, he's got a 798 also, so he would be in the same boat as me.:lol: Unless he has a different transducer than I do.

 

[Jeffry Skidmore]

Ken S, maybe this will help




http://Humminbird Side Imaging Settings - How and Why:http://www.youtube.com/user/im...wXTY0

 

[Mad Kayaker]

Hey Travis - not sure if you made your purchase yet, but there is one thing that nobody ever thinks about - maintaining the unit(s) after 4 or 5 years. I would tell you from experience that the depreciation is about 20% per year - meaning that after 5 years, they are worth $0.



I purchased my two Humminbird units when side imaging first came out with side imaging. They were $2500.00 each. I liked them then and I still like them now and I would never tell you that Humminbird is a bad company. Their customer service is top notch.



My issue is that the units I have are no longer supported - meaning that there are no longer firmware upgrades. If you have a problem and need to send them in, you will have to pay a pretty hefty price. If you are paying close to $1500 (I believe the 8 series lists for that much), you are thinking of keeping them for quite a long time, right?) the chances are that over the course of time, something will break down and you will need them repaired as they are not bullet-proof yet.



For the 7 series and 8 series, there is a difference in the operating system within the unit. This is a big deal for longer term support. You probably won't be able to network a newer unit with an older one as time goes on. If I wanted to replace one, I'd have to buy two in order to have them communicate as I have mine doing now.



I had sent one of my units in for repair previously for $300 dollars and I just sent the other one in yesterday and the starting cost to repair that one is close to $500.00. Thankfully, knowing I was an early adopter and having had positive contact over the issue, I am getting a little bit of a break.



Going forward, I won't spend more than $750/unit for a GPS and Side-Imaging Unit unless I win the lottery and more than likely, it will be a Humminbird.



Again, just to be clear, Humminbird units are great. it's just the heartache of having a repair once they are no longer part of their supported family which like any product, will happen within a 5-year time span.



Anyway, I wanted to add this different point-of-view for you to consider. Lastly, if you have any questions about compatibility or the cost for repair now or downstream in 5 years, just contact Humminbird Technical Customer Support or even Lowrance for that matter.



Bill, the MadKayaker

 

[Wayne P.]

Bill, at least Humminbird will do repairs on the old units and not try to sell you the latest version instead of fixing it like Lowrance does. This is the difference in Made in USA and Made in Mexico.

Humminbird will have software updates for any unit until any new features take more processing power than the unit has. That is common in the electronics industry.

 

[Jeffry Skidmore]

Bill,



I think that you have raised a valid point. However, I also think if someone is waiting for an electronic unit with unlimited upgrade capabilities, don't hold their breath.



As you pointed out, all electronic products have an extremely limited period of technology. As soon asyou save up enough to buy a certain product, the latest and greatest comes out, making the unit you've saved up for obsolete! That sucks! Not to mention when that happens, you probably only have half as much saved up to cover the cost of the new unit, so you keep saving until you have enough for that. then 6 months later a new product comes out!:huh::huh:

 

[Mad Kayaker]

Jeff and Wayne - I hear what you are saying on both accounts. My point, though, wasn't to say to wait for the latest and greatest but to take into account that whatever you get will someday no longer be supported and knowing that, do you really want to spend mad money (having done that myself).



My advice is to not buy the best you can afford and want but to buy one that can get you by and that you really need. The 5-series is actually a pretty good product line and they have units with SI and high detail. I will probably buy an equivalent of the 597ci HD DI when my two can no longer be repaired. That unit is $650 list compared to the 898c SI Combo at $1500 list - I could buy two of them and hopefully network them. You get what I mean, right?



Not looking to stir anything up and I like Humminbird and will stay with them for my primary fishfinder. Again, just wanted to give Travis something else to think about.



Bill, the MadKayaker

 

[Jeffry Skidmore]

Yeah, I understood what you meant.



It's really just a matter of how much you want to spend. I think in your situation, we can say you have "grown" by your experience. I, on the other hand, have not reached that level of maturity, and continue to salivate over the prospect of owning 2 1198s, even tho the set-up I have now is perfectly fine.