Digital sonar comparisons

[3300]

marcum digital:
 i keep thinking other sonar companies (there's not many of them) would get on the same track, but they are falling behind with the times. they loose big time and can only sell to those who are followers or have little choice at the store or are convinced by the mass amount of analog sonars (on ice and forum talk), that that must be the way to go. go with the "mass's" purchasing.
i do like humminbird and lowrance trying some what, but not happy with how there approach has been. being they make open water units and want the ice water income. so they sell options for them to allow you to use it for ice. it's not designed for ice, so many features seem to be missing. besides HUMMINBIRDS HORRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE, i wouldn't and don't care to watch their market any longer, although i see talk about it here.
so i hope lowrance comes out with real ice gear designed for ice, not open water gear with ice accessories already included. the cone angles for open water are so wide.  ice angles are much narrower. then there's the interference rejection factors. then the display getting cold and slowing down factors.

what are the thoughts of those who have the digital marcum and other digital units to do hands on comparisons?

[Old Goat]

Once you get to marking bottom, fish and jig the rest isn't all that important.

[3300]

thank you!
this means only one sonar should have been built for ice fishing.

[mjmeyer]

I use a 385ci Ice unit. Came with the Ice Transducer, battery, caddy and case. Also have a portable transducer with a suction cup to attach it to my Kayak or Canoe. It performs VERY well on the ice and have not noticed any interference. Finds the bottom, marks fish and pinpoints fishing spots with the GPS so I can return to them. I couldn't ask for more. I do not use the flasher mode because I prefer the graph. Dual Transducers at 20° and 60°. Since I most often fish shallow water it works for me.
Mike

[RapShack]

Whether one cone angle is better than another is purely personal preference, I actually prefer the bigger cones.  As far as screens getting sluggish from the cold it's more or less a non issue.  It only effects LCD screens, which are getting rarer and rarer these days.  One of my finders has one and if it sits in the garage on a really cold night it will have some ghosting and be a little bit sluggish but after a couple minutes it's fine.  Most of the new finders have TFT screens, which I have one as well, and they are not negatively impacted by the cold at all.  About the only complaint I have about most of the open water units I've looked at is that you need to enter a menu to adjust the sensitivity.  As far as features most of them aren't missing much, Lowrance, Humminbird and Garmin all have units under $200 bucks with color screens, amplitude scopes, split screen, zoom, etc., etc.   Where the open water units fall a bit short in my experience is the interference, my Bird is usually fine but the Lowrance doesn't play well with others.   About the only really ground shattering feature that the LX7 has above your average finder IMO is the "Target Adjust".  That's a really nice feature and I'm not sure why other companies haven't copied it yet, but someday I'm sure they will.

[Old Goat]

thank you!
this means only one sonar should have been built for ice fishing.

              they all were made back then for open water       some you had to build yourself   Heathkit or they showed how to.

[3300]

i still have heath kit equipment. not modern in anyway. functional tho.
most of it is 2-way radio test equipment.
i didn't know they made sonars.

[mvanhank222]

I have never had a screen speed problem due to cold with either a HDS or Helix. Tightening up the cones would be a nice option but I do like the extra features especially on the HDS. Analog is very durable but for the price you can get so much more with digital.

[Fisherman 1]

Some people are overwhelmed by the hype that you have to look at a rotating rainbow to be able to catch fish.  Keep looking at it and keep convincing yourself.  The rest of us know better.

[matzilla]

marcum digital:
 i keep thinking other sonar companies (there's not many of them) would get on the same track, but they are falling behind with the times. they loose big time and can only sell to those who are followers or have little choice at the store or are convinced by the mass amount of analog sonars (on ice and forum talk), that that must be the way to go. go with the "mass's" purchasing.
i do like humminbird and lowrance trying some what, but not happy with how there approach has been. being they make open water units and want the ice water income. so they sell options for them to allow you to use it for ice. it's not designed for ice, so many features seem to be missing. besides HUMMINBIRDS HORRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE, i wouldn't and don't care to watch their market any longer, although i see talk about it here.
so i hope lowrance comes out with real ice gear designed for ice, not open water gear with ice accessories already included. the cone angles for open water are so wide.  ice angles are much narrower. then there's the interference rejection factors. then the display getting cold and slowing down factors.

what are the thoughts of those who have the digital marcum and other digital units to do hands on comparisons?

Man, you have more posts about HB's customer service than anything else on this board lol! Humminbird and Lowrance make great sonars for ice...Garmin too.

What is the difference between using an open water unit on ice vs having a "designed for ice" sonar? What features specifically make something designed for ice?

Narrow angles....I've never had any issues using 16*, 20* or 23* works just as well as the narrow angles in the water I fish
Slow Screens....Color screens don't slow down like old grayscale - I've had both, the difference is night and day
Interference....There are lots of ways to avoid or filter cross talk - This is the nature of the beast, some units are better at filtering than others

[Duncan77]

is the Lowrance X67c a digital unit? My brother purchased one in 2004 or 2005 and he still uses it. It was sold as an ice fishing unit.

[3300]

Man, you have more posts about HB's customer service than anything else on this board lol! Humminbird and Lowrance make great sonars for ice...Garmin too.

What is the difference between using an open water unit on ice vs having a "designed for ice" sonar? What features specifically make something designed for ice?

Narrow angles....I've never had any issues using 16*, 20* or 23* works just as well as the narrow angles in the water I fish
Slow Screens....Color screens don't slow down like old grayscale - I've had both, the difference is night and day
Interference....There are lots of ways to avoid or filter cross talk - This is the nature of the beast, some units are better at filtering than others

thanks for your thoughts and info!
i am hoping to get a list with people's info who have or had both to explain their expertise on the matter. it should be handy for every one to know here.

as far as manufacture posts, i would say i have much more marcum posts than humminbird. i have a lot of good experience with marcum, so i will talk it up.

i only mention humminbird when some one thinks they want to buy one, in particular the ice 35 to 55 analog sonars. as you obviously know by now, i have been burned bad by humminbird and i don't want to see any fellow members have the same experience as i have. if i don't speak up about it and they get burned, what good is an open forum to talk about products/manufacturer? that's what this section, at least, is for.

it would be a nice thing if i only had to say it one time, but too many times new people or people ready to change want to know about humminbird, so i voice what i know.
i do the same for any thing i have knowledge in, not just manufactures/products.

i know it gets old for you to reread the same thing i have to say, it gets old for me to take the time to help them, but to me it's worth it as i would "hope" others would do for me if i asked.

a buddy of mine once told me "you will be able to tell if some one is lieing because they have to remember the lie once told." you can tell it's no lie when i mention humminbird.

[Gillgrabber]

I bought a Marcum LX6 a few years ago and really like it.  I love the digital format and the ability to change screens.  I know it sounds silly, but on slow days when the fish just aren't biting it's nice to be able to change the screen and look at something different.  I also like the fact that it's upgradable. 

[Townie]

is the Lowrance X67c a digital unit? My brother purchased one in 2004 or 2005 and he still uses it. It was sold as an ice fishing unit.

Lowrance Ice Machine has been a staple on the ice for years. I see no need to upgrade from mine: rugged little unit