Getting a new fish finder

[dankitch]

Next week I am going to buy a new fish finder. I have an Eagle FishMark 480. I am looking at the Eagle SeaCharter 640 DF. http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_90974_200001003_200000000_200001000_200-1-3 Does anyone know anything about this one. I would like to hear any pros or cons about it. I would like to get this with a 7" screen. Anyone know if I can find one like that? Any help is appreciated.

[Mr.T]

You really don't need the dual frequency model. The 4000 watt advertised power of the 640DF *probably* applies only to the 50kHz side of the transducer - I'd advise reading up on it a bit more to make sure; the 200kHz transducer is probably limited to 1500 watts, just like the 480 and the FishMark 640. So you're really not getting anywhere.

If it was my money, I'd look at buying a Lowrance LCX-15MT or LCX-17MT (both are discontinued models that may still be available if you look for them), or maybe the X135. These are all monochrome models. If you want color, consider the X510C.

The Lowrance will cost more than the Eagle, but I'd rather have the higher-power of the Lowrance units. I've owned both, and while they come from the same factory and share most of the same features, I've concluded that the Lowrance brand is higher quality from end to end.

[jim]

Totally agree with Ts' assessment.Go Lowrance but first go to the website and reseacrch what you are getting.Then you can play with the emulators and actually see how it works.:smile2:

[JHow]

Are you going to sell your old one? (the Eagle FishMark 480) I'm in the market for one.

[dankitch]

You really don't need the dual frequency model. The 4000 watt advertised power of the 640DF *probably* applies only to the 50kHz side of the transducer - I'd advise reading up on it a bit more to make sure; the 200kHz transducer is probably limited to 1500 watts, just like the 480 and the FishMark 640. So you're really not getting anywhere.

If it was my money, I'd look at buying a Lowrance LCX-15MT or LCX-17MT (both are discontinued models that may still be available if you look for them), or maybe the X135. These are all monochrome models. If you want color, consider the X510C.

The Lowrance will cost more than the Eagle, but I'd rather have the higher-power of the Lowrance units. I've owned both, and while they come from the same factory and share most of the same features, I've concluded that the Lowrance brand is higher quality from end to end.

I am going to buy either a Lowrance or an Eagle only. I want at least 4000 watts of power. I would really like to have a color screen that is at least 7". The GPS, I don't have to have, but would be nice. I looked at a couple of places for the LCX-15MT and the 17MT but I couldn't find them. I'll keep looking.

[savage308]

Try Reeds Sporting Goods off of the net. A member hooked me up with them a couple months ago and that's where i bought mine.

[jim]

The 15s and 17s are mono not color but absolutely superb machines.The 17 is the more updated version.If you get one turn it on and see what version of the database it has.The latest upgrade is 3.7 I believe and lots of folks never bother to do the free download and upgrades to their units as they come out.If you have a Lowrance you need to check the free upgrade list frequently.:smile2:

[Mr.T]

GPS is an absolute necessity as far as I'm concerned. If you've never used one, you don't know what you're missing!

[JAYNC]

I say go garmin all the way, they have hands down the best gps and mapping capability especially with their new bluechart G2 which has actual satelite images of all the surrounding land, plus all the things like wrecks and bouys and every little marker. There are pages for marinas with the phone numbers and restaurants, basically like a streetpilot for the water. I saw some of the new garmins at west marine yesterday and I was totally amazed. As far as their sonar they are really good, I can see everything on mine. I have the 178c which they just stopped making but I love it. For some reason it seems like most people on this site use lowrance but all I can say is that west marine has almost 200 stores and garmin is their leading seller and their favorite brand. I would have to write for five hours to be able to explain all the features they have.

[troyedm]

jaync...............just got my garmin back from the factory. will try it in two weeks. its only a 160 but works good for me. cost:::$79.00 included repair, new software upgrade, and freight charges back to me. can't beat that price for a basically new unit with a 90 day warranty

[Mr.T]

I say go garmin all the way

Garmin is so far behind the curve that it's amazing to me that they remain in the sonar/gps market.

Now, I won't argue with you that they have, undoubtedly, the best GPS mapping solutions in the industry. But Lowrance leaves them in the dust when it comes to sonar/gps combo units or stand-alone sonar.

Their "top-of-the-line" combo unit boasts only a 5" screen with 234x320 resolution and works *only* with Garmin proprietary mapping data cards. Sure, it has 500W RMS (4000 W peak-to-peak) which is on par with Lowrance units. But with that much power, you need far more screen resolution to be able to separate targets and get a real idea of what you're looking at.

Lowrance, on the other hand, has units with huge color screens, much higher resolutions and they work with a huge array of 3rd-party mapping vendors.

Garmin will never be a major player in the stand-alone sonar or sonar/gps combo market unless they make some serious advances soon.

If all you want is a GPS, go with Garmin. Otherwise, go with Lowrance.

[JAYNC]

Garmin is so far behind the curve that it's amazing to me that they remain in the sonar/gps market.

Now, I won't argue with you that they have, undoubtedly, the best GPS mapping solutions in the industry. But Lowrance leaves them in the dust when it comes to sonar/gps combo units or stand-alone sonar.

Their "top-of-the-line" combo unit boasts only a 5" screen with 234x320 resolution and works *only* with Garmin proprietary mapping data cards. Sure, it has 500W RMS (4000 W peak-to-peak) which is on par with Lowrance units. But with that much power, you need far more screen resolution to be able to separate targets and get a real idea of what you're looking at.

Lowrance, on the other hand, has units with huge color screens, much higher resolutions and they work with a huge array of 3rd-party mapping vendors.

Garmin will never be a major player in the stand-alone sonar or sonar/gps combo market unless they make some serious advances soon.

If all you want is a GPS, go with Garmin. Otherwise, go with Lowrance.

Is that why almost 90% of all the offshore tournament boats down here have garmin???
People like that dont buy sub par equipment

[Mr.T]

Is that why almost 90% of all the offshore tournament boats down here have garmin???
People like that dont buy sub par equipment

Garmin fish finders? Or Garmin GPS units?

I already said that Garmin has the best GPS solution anywhere. But you couldn't give me one of their sonar or combo units.

[JAYNC]

and what sonar unit have you tried, have you tried one lately. All I can say is that I bought a lowrance x107 last year and had to bring it back to the store three times for a replacement because it shorted out from rain. One of them actually had water pouring out of it. I only bought lowrance because of all the good ratings people gave it on this site and my boat came with a lowrance unit, so all I had to do was attach the head unit. After three x107's in a row I bought a garmin 178C and it has worked flawlessly, and the sonar and gps is top notch, and that is just a mid range unit, I'm sure their higher end units are even better. Its just like everything else, some people like chevy's and some people like fords, they both do the job but some people prefer one for different reasons, and I had my reason to leave lowrance where it belongs,----- ( in a box) Until this garmin fails I will continue to use it, and when it fails I will just go get another one, they are the easiest user friendly marine electronics to use and they are the number one seller for a reason.

[dankitch]

and what sonar unit have you tried, have you tried one lately. All I can say is that I bought a lowrance x107 last year and had to bring it back to the store three times for a replacement because it shorted out from rain. One of them actually had water pouring out of it. I only bought lowrance because of all the good ratings people gave it on this site and my boat came with a lowrance unit, so all I had to do was attach the head unit. After three x107's in a row I bought a garmin 178C and it has worked flawlessly, and the sonar and gps is top notch, and that is just a mid range unit, I'm sure their higher end units are even better. Its just like everything else, some people like chevy's and some people like fords, they both do the job but some people prefer one for different reasons, and I had my reason to leave lowrance where it belongs,----- ( in a box) Until this garmin fails I will continue to use it, and when it fails I will just go get another one, they are the easiest user friendly marine electronics to use and they are the number one seller for a reason.
First let me say that I am a Ford man. And second, I have always used a Lowrance/Eagle. That is why I am going to stay with them. I am not knocking Garmin by any means.

[RiverKing]

You really don't need the dual frequency model. The 4000 watt advertised power of the 640DF *probably* applies only to the 50kHz side of the transducer - I'd advise reading up on it a bit more to make sure; the 200kHz transducer is probably limited to 1500 watts, just like the 480 and the FishMark 640. So you're really not getting anywhere.

If it was my money, I'd look at buying a Lowrance LCX-15MT or LCX-17MT (both are discontinued models that may still be available if you look for them), or maybe the X135. These are all monochrome models. If you want color, consider the X510C.

The Lowrance will cost more than the Eagle, but I'd rather have the higher-power of the Lowrance units. I've owned both, and while they come from the same factory and share most of the same features, I've concluded that the Lowrance brand is higher quality from end to end.

The wattage is in the unit, not in the transducer..If you have a dual freq finder, running a single freq 200 KHZ transducer will not cause you to lose wattage..Some of the Lowrance's you can buy, you can choose between a single freq and a dual freq, no matter what transducer you go with, you will still have the peak power that the unit boasts of..If you buy a 4000 watt dual freq fish finder, and run a single freq transducer, your unit will still be pushing 4000 watts..I was in the same situation, wanted at least 4000 watts of power, I found a lowrance that I had my choice between the single or the dual freq, called Lowrance, talked to them for about an hour, and was assured that I would be loosing no power by choosing the single freq transducer. I think actually most of the higher end lowrances are compatable with either transducer

[catman fl]

I have the x15 mt & lorance will not fix it. no parts available. the 200mhz is for water depth above 150. I love mine but I am going to look in to other models when it goes out.

[chambers bd]

Hi Folks,
I got a hummingbird 161 for my grizzly and it is really a nice fish finder, gps, h2o temp and speed.
Im still learning it and it has a lot of neat things like birds eye view, mapping, flasher, charting, and two way map. Give it a try.

brian