So my Sea Hunt BX22 currently has a HDS 5 installed at the helm, but after a few months of usage I have realized that it is just not large enough, too hard for me to see while driving at speed in rough water, and the screens are super small when split between another screen. Anyways, after doing some research I have decided to go between the HDS10 gen 2 with structure scan or the new HDS9 touch with structure scan. Wondering if anybody here has some experience with any of the touch models and/or suggestions on which route to go.
Don’t have experience with the touch, but they look awesome. I think the 9s screen is a large screen. The touch 7’s is far bigger than my HDS 7’s screen.
Send me your 5 when your done with it… I’ll put it on my little boat.
Once you use them, you will never want to go back to buttons only…
The touch’s screen is brighter and sharper, and touch is EXTREMELY easier to use/operate vs figuring out sequences of buttons and holding down cursor keys to navigate through stuff.
I have used the NSS touches quite a bit, and I prefer them now to the more powerful NSE units. The NSE units have more features, but the NSS touch screen interface makes operation much easier and smoother for me. Same is true with Simrad’s little brothers (lowrance).
The touch 9 is about the same width screen as the HDS10, but the 10’s screen is about 1.5-2" taller.
Both have built in GPS antenna and broadband sonar, but you get the structurescan built into the touch units also. You can get the older LSS-1 ducer fairly cheap online now, or you can go with the LSS-2 if you have room (the ducer is significantly longer so could be a problem if your boat doesn’t have a pocket at the back of the hull to mount the LSS-2 forward of the engine a little.
You are going to be able to see the touch’s screen easier in sunlight, but the HDS10’s screen will give you a better view of standard sonar as it has more height than the touch 9.
Glad I saw this post…looks like some cool stuff. A little vid from Simrad. Have not looked at the cost tho. I would love the touchscreen over all the buttons as you said Wes. Are you putting a Simrad on Mojo?
CaptEd, that is a good point that you brought up, and one of the reasons I even considered the 10 inch gen 2. Otherwise from all of the videos I have seen the touch seems to operate a lot faster, along with me being able to change through all of the pages a lot faster than the gen 2 as phin stated. From what I have found the units themselves are not priced very differently, except that the touch will need a structure scan ducer or I can get a bundle for the 10in. Both of you guys have given valid points and kind of left me where I was before. Haha. I am leaning towards the touch because of the ease of use but still wanting to think on it for a week or so.
I put the HDS10 Gen2 on my Pioneer and couldn’t be happier. It’s as fast as I’ll ever need, reads bottom well at speed. It’s easy to use, takes about 5 minutes to figure it out. After 2 or 3 years I still had to got to the manuals on my old Raymarine system. You can get a bundle that has the SS already in it.
They came out with the touchscreen right after I outfitted my boat. Wish I had had the opportunity to look at them as well. Oh well I’m adding a second screen at some point down the way.
Mark
Pioneer 222 Sportfish Yamaha F300
Yeah, but do you consider a dog to be a filthy animal? I wouldn’t go so far as to call a dog filthy but they’re definitely dirty. But, a dog’s got personality. Personality goes a long way.
“Life’s tough…It’s even tougher if you’re stupid” John Wayne
Saltydog, if the touch screens were out when you were outfitting your pioneer do you think that you would have gone with one of those? Or stick to the proven method of buttons. The screen size seems to be about the same(with the 10 obviously being 1" larger) but the widescreen on the touch seems to make it seem larger to me, but then again I have not seen a 10" gen 2 mounted on a console. Does anybody have any pictures of that?
Bass Pro Shop had the 7 touch on display as of last friday, BUT he wasn’t sure if it would be there when I arrived, because they are selling so fast. I will probably make a trip up there in a week or so and would love to see the 9 inch in action as I think if I am going to upgrade might as well make it worth while.
Glad I saw this post…looks like some cool stuff. A little vid from Simrad. Have not looked at the cost tho. I would love the touchscreen over all the buttons as you said Wes. Are you putting a Simrad on Mojo?
“Simrad stuff everywhere. Will be hooked up right in front of the flux capacitor right?”
Quote from Phin is above…lol
Hey Phin,
I did see a DeLorean at a traffic light the other day (reallly did) but could not catch him (like it just vanished into thin air) to ask him if he had one for the boat I could get from him…
On a more serious note. You help alot of people out and I just want to say Thank You for helping me out!
Saltydog, if the touch screens were out when you were outfitting your pioneer do you think that you would have gone with one of those? Or stick to the proven method of buttons. The screen size seems to be about the same(with the 10 obviously being 1" larger) but the widescreen on the touch seems to make it seem larger to me, but then again I have not seen a 10" gen 2 mounted on a console. Does anybody have any pictures of that?
Yeah, I probably would have taken a hard look at the touchscreen. I was looking at the Simrad NSE and NSS prior to going Lowrance, they just had way more features and costs than a part timer like me would ever use. Like others I was concerned about fish slime, bait juice and bug spray/sunscreen on those touch screens but not enough for it to make up the decision. I’m very pleased with the system. Let me know and you are more than welcome to come take a look at it, gives me another reason to go play in the boat.
Mark
Pioneer 222 Sportfish Yamaha F300
Yeah, but do you consider a dog to be a filthy animal? I wouldn’t go so far as to call a dog filthy but they’re definitely dirty. But, a dog’s got personality. Personality goes a long way.
“Life’s tough…It’s even tougher if you’re stupid” John Wayne
I am leaning towards the touch 9 but I would like to play with it first, at least the 7" before purchasing it. Now to find somewhere a little closer than charlotte that has one on display. I am actually heading down to charleston this weekend to do some trout/red fishing, does anybody know of anywhere in Charleston area that has one on display? I appreciate the offer Saltydog, I will probably take you up on that offer. I really enjoy using the HDS gen 2, it just seems a little difficult because of the size of the screen. If I leave it on one function only on the screen it works great, just curious if the 10 inch gen 2 would be the same.
the west marine in columbia doesn’t have it and the sportsmans here in columbia doesn’t either. To be honest I’m not sure that they even knew of such a thing as touch lowrance. haha. I will try and swing by the west marine in west ashley this evening once down there.
I am leaning towards the touch 9 but I would like to play with it first, at least the 7" before purchasing it. Now to find somewhere a little closer than charlotte that has one on display. I am actually heading down to charleston this weekend to do some trout/red fishing, does anybody know of anywhere in Charleston area that has one on display? I appreciate the offer Saltydog, I will probably take you up on that offer. I really enjoy using the HDS gen 2, it just seems a little difficult because of the size of the screen. If I leave it on one function only on the screen it works great, just curious if the 10 inch gen 2 would be the same.
No, the 10" is big enough to run split, tri or quad screens and see, at least on my boat. The HDS10 is a big unit and way more than my Raymarine ever was.
Mark
Pioneer 222 Sportfish Yamaha F300
Yeah, but do you consider a dog to be a filthy animal? I wouldn’t go so far as to call a dog filthy but they’re definitely dirty. But, a dog’s got personality. Personality goes a long way.
“Life’s tough…It’s even tougher if you’re stupid” John Wayne
I came down to charleston this weekend and was going to run by a West Marine but the ones that I called didn’t have one for me to go play with! Guess I will be making the trip to Charlotte to play with the 7" Touch Gen 2.
