READ before buying GARMIN(UPDATED GARMIN WINS SUIT!!!)

[WTM]

i know some had been following my thread on these units and i had explained the legal issues that Garmin had with Navico, the parent comapny of Lowrance. it seems like its going to be round 3 between them as they were fined 37 million for still using a downward facing crystal in their transducers. long story short, Garmin liscenses sidvu technology from Hummingbird. for the downview they hired 3 former Navico engineers to design their downvu tech. navico didnt like that so they sued them and Garmin supposedly fixed that issue by changing the angle of the crystal to scan a few degrees off 90 degrees. Navico still didnt like that so they sued again and Garmin answered with a totally different transducer called clear vu, CV40 and CV52 i believe. this transducer HAS NO down facing transducer and uses a few degrees of sidevu returns to create a downvu(downscan) image. the problem is that they did not tell their dealers or customers what they had done.

my unit that i bought last year has the GT52 transducer(the 2nd gen with true downvu) and is colored black. the new ones are CV(clearvu) and are grey in color. the first gen GT50 also have the downvu crystal. if you have one of the original 73sv or 93sv with those transducers i would not do a software update as they can disable the transducer and use software stitching for downscan.

i do not know why Garmin just does not pay Navico a liscensing fee for using the down facing crystal like Hummingbird and all the rest has to but my guess is that it would double the price of those entry level units. anyhoo hope this is clear as mud and only affects the downscan function on the newer transducers. i only wish id bought a 93sv when they had them on clearance at the first of the year for 650 bucks to go with my 7sv.

lowrance is capitalizing on this with a video comp, but what i can tell is that Hummingbird and Garmins sideimage still clearer than Lowrance and 2d chirp is way better as compared to the all in one transducers of the Elite totalscan series.

http://www.scout.com/outdoors/wired2fis ... nst-garmin

 

[bluball]

Re: READ before buying GARMIN

Have to disagree on si being way better.At least humminbird,my fishing partner has helix 12's gen 1,my old partner has helix 12 mega,and I have hds 10 gen 2 at the console.I have scanned over 60hrs in all three boats since Feb 1 and their all pretty close in my opinion,yhe only one with the advantage is the helix 12 mega.The only thing I think the mega does better is structure is alittle crisper,structure shows alittle brighter white return.It also shows fish better,but not worth the extra money in my opinion.Most people that have spent time on either unit can scan on 455khz and they will find all the structure they want.I will say this also on a drove steak bed sometimes you want see it even on the mega,sometimes the angle you scan by makes all the difference.Had my buddy argue this for awhile,he has since changed his mind cause he has found out first hand.

Sent from my SM-S903VL using Tapatalk

 

[RUGER]

Re: READ before buying GARMIN

Wow, I just thought I was confused before I read that again. :?

 

[WTM]

Re: READ before buying GARMIN

blueball,
i was referring to the lowrance elite ti and totalscan units and i have changed that in my post. the HDS units have much better processors in them compared to the cheaper models as i outlined in my original review. you can have the best designed transducer in the world but when you have to use a lower power processor to cut costs, it cant process the data from the transducer as well as the upper line units.

my intention was from a dollar for dollar/price point review as compared to the other units and not from a who is better than who, so to speak. but now after what garmin has done, i couldnt recommend the newer units with clearvu.

sad actually, because it was a more for your dollar kind of deal. ie, look at the 2 units in the video, that is a 7" lowrance vs a 5" garmin(compare screen size). it would have been a better comparison if they had used the 7sv or 73sv and compared the side image and 2d sonar as well.

 

[bluball]

Re: READ before buying GARMIN

blueball,
i was referring to the lowrance elite ti and totalscan units and i have changed that in my post. the HDS units have much better processors in them compared to the cheaper models as i outlined in my original review. you can have the best designed transducer in the world but when you have to use a lower power processor to cut costs, it cant process the data from the transducer as well as the upper line units.

my intention was from a dollar for dollar/price point review as compared to the other units and not from a who is better than who, so to speak. but now after what garmin has done, i couldnt recommend the newer units with clearvu.

sad actually, because it was a more for your dollar kind of deal. ie, look at the 2 units in the video, that is a 7" lowrance vs a 5" garmin(compare screen size). it would have been a better comparison if they had used the 7sv or 73sv and compared the side image and 2d sonar as well.

I haven't used the elite ti or been around garmin.My only experience is with humminbird and lowrance,have owned a sidescan unit since 2009.I was running a hds10 gen2 at the console and touch 9 and 7 gen 2 at the bow.I just sold the 7 touch from the bow and I'm adding a helix 10 di gen 1 and a humminbird 360[emoji3]

Sent from my SM-S903VL using Tapatalk

 

[WTM]

Re: READ before buying GARMIN

yeah thats a smart move and would come in handy for crappie and panfish. maybe i can get one when i get big ,lol ,but momma says no for now.

which 360 mount/transducer are you getting? trolling motor or transom.

 

[Snowwolfe]

Re: READ before buying GARMIN

Good lord, For the last year been trying to figure out everything my Helix 10Si with GPS does. Don't confuse me, lols

 

[bluball]

Re: READ before buying GARMIN

yeah thats a smart move and would come in handy for crappie and panfish. maybe i can get one when i get big ,lol ,but momma says no for now.

which 360 mount/transducer are you getting? trolling motor or transom.

Bow 360,but I have a electric steer trolling motor,that means I get to build a mount or my use the one of fishing specialities mounts.

Sent from my SM-S903VL using Tapatalk

 

[bluball]

Re: READ before buying GARMIN

Good lord, For the last year been trying to figure out everything my Helix 10Si with GPS does. Don't confuse me, lols

Don't know where your located,but there's a guy in Pickwick that does on the water training on humminbird units,he's reasonable also,pm if interested and I will give you his number

Sent from my SM-S903VL using Tapatalk

 

[WTM]

UPDATE:

Garmin has beat Navico(lowrance) in Federal court. seems Navico's patents were a spinoff of a previous sonar technology.

Garmin is now once again able to import any transducer or unit they desire.

http://newsroom.garmin.com/press-releas ... nt-dispute

the striker 7sv is now anywhere from 360 bucks to 449 bucks and it is the GT-52 ducer, a very good deal IMO.

 

[RUGER]

UPDATE:

Garmin has beat Navico(lowrance) in Federal court. seems Navico's patents were a spinoff of a previous sonar technology.

Garmin is now once again able to import any transducer or unit they desire.

http://newsroom.garmin.com/press-releas ... nt-dispute

the striker 7sv is now anywhere from 360 bucks to 449 bucks and it is the GT-52 ducer, a very good deal IMO.

Awesome man, thanks for the update!
Will it tell on the box if it has the GT-52 ducer?

 

[WTM]

yes it should list which transducer in included in the box. but who knows now, i imagine that Garmin will go back to replacing the CV transducers with the GT-52 transducers per customer requests now that the ITC ruling has been reversed.

i also made a mistake when i said that Humminbird used dedicated down imaging crystals, only in the MEGA transducers do they use those crystals. the other SI and HDSI transducers use the side image crystals to stitch the down image view. this is what Garmin was forced to do with the CV(clear vu) transducers.

 

[WTM]

i might add that this ruling will be interesting as to what Humminbird and Raymarine does as they have been paying royalties to Navico for using down imaging on their units due to the invalid Navico patent. i wonder if they will sue for the return of royalties.

one thing is for sure, we will be seeing some newer and better units coming out from those 3 manufacturers (as far as downscan goes) and competetive pricing. i see it as a win for everyone, well, maybe not Navico lol.