# Lowrance Elite 4x HDI vs 4x DSI



## rustyfish

Can someone explain the difference in the DSI and the HDI (or even the 4X for that matter). Same price, which on is better or could be better for kayaking. I have no clue when it comes to fish finders. There are also options on the transducer that have me lost. 

Any tips on other or better choices for $100- $200.


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## Jmsteele187

The DSI is just down scan imaging, where the HDI does down scan imaging and broadband sonar imaging. The sonar imaging is just your traditional sonar. You can run both at the same time too. The elite 4 also has chart plotting GPS, where the elite 4x does not. I'm hoping to pick up the elite 4x HDI when my tax return comes in.

It also looks like the model for $169, only does the broadband sounding. Unless you were to upgrade your transducer down the road, you wouldn't get the down scan option.


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## Northern1

Russ, the GPS feature is not included in any of the Elite "X" models. So the 4's will have the GPS chartplotter and the 4x's will not have GPS.

Also the DSI is down scan imaging and the hdi is hybrid dual imaging. So, HDI is going to be slightly more high end than DSI because the DSI is only one dimension scanning, and that's down. The HDI has traditional 2D sonar in addition to the DSI. So it incorporates Downscan imaging (like the DSI) and it also includes the ability to overlay broadband scanning over that DSI so you get a much better picture of what's really down there.

Hope that helps.


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## nyall86

I would get the HDI. It's the updated version of the DSI and includes traditional sonar and has a larger screen.


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## rustyfish

Ok so I looked into to it some more.

See if I have this right?

4x DSI only comes with one type of transducer. It gives very good detail but has a very narrow beam of 2ft-4ft at 20 feet deep. Which makes it less practical for my needs.

4X HDI has multiple transducer options. 
No transducer	$149 
83/200 $169 (Basically just an Elite 4X) 
83/200 455/800 $199  (Hybrid Wide veiw sonar + Narrow detaild view) 
50/200 455/800 $299 (Improved from the $199)

So there is no reason to get the $169 HDI correct? Is the 169$ HDI still better than the $169 4X?


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## Jmsteele187

I believe the hdi is an upgrade from the 4x, that is now discontinued. Now it has broadband sounding and advanced signal processing. The ASP basically makes it so you don't have to make a bunch of adjustments to get a good image.


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## rustyfish

But you still have to be nuts not to spend the extra $30 for the hybrid transducer tight?


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## Jmsteele187

rustyfish said:


> But you still have to be nuts not to spend the extra $30 for the hybrid transducer tight?


Yeah, I haven't even been considering the option for $169. Not when, for $30 more, I can get sonar and down imaging.


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## Brad45005

Lol, I am lost. I went to bass pro over the weekend to start researching the electronics. I have never used one and never been in a boat with one. So I am very green with the electronics.

My idea was to quit looking on the internet and get advice from the guy who worked the counter kind of hands on if u will, boy was that a mistake. He was a really nice guy but he knew nothing about the fish finders at all!.could not even go threw the options on them..

I was trying to compare the lowarance 5 strictly fish finder with the Garmin and hummingbird 5hd. ...I got no where...although the hummingbird 5hd had an awesome picture about the best out of all, very detailed. But he could not go through the setting and show me everything it did...I left very discouraged. Maybe next time I go hopefully a little bit more knowledge will be behind the counter...

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## Brad45005

So the 455/800 is the transducer range? As in How far...what is the 80/200 stand for?......

Sorry for intruding rustyfish although I've been looking as well and still very confused. 

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## Jmsteele187

Brad45005 said:


> So the 455/800 is the transducer range? As in How far...what is the 80/200 stand for?......
> 
> Sorry for intruding rustyfish although I've been looking as well and still very confused.
> 
> Sent from my LG-E980 using Ohub Campfire mobile app


83/200 & 455/800 are the kHz or wave length the transducer operates at. The HDI unites use a hybrid (2 in 1) transducer. The 83/200 is for your sonar and the 455/800 is the down scan imaging.


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## Brad45005

So the 455/800 means better clarity on the screen?...

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## Jmsteele187

Brad45005 said:


> So the 455/800 means better clarity on the screen?...
> 
> Sent from my LG-E980 using Ohub Campfire mobile app


The down imaging will give you a view that is a bit more like a picture of the bottom. So weeds look like weeds and sunken trees look like trees.


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## Jmsteele187

On the left is traditional sonar. On the right, down imaging.


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## Brad45005

Yeah that's pretty sweet...I looked at the hummingbird hd. No GPS.. best view I thought. Vs. Lowarance 5hdi

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## Brad45005

Thanks.

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## rustyfish

Its cool Brad I'm pretty much just pretending I understand this stuff at this point.


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## rustyfish

Ok so I know now that I want dual scan with DI. But I have to pick between the 3.5 inch color screen and the hummingbirds 5 inch HD grey scale screen. Big or color?

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## Jmsteele187

rustyfish said:


> Ok so I know now that I want dual scan with DI. But I have to pick between the 3.5 inch color screen and the hummingbirds 5 inch HD grey scale screen. Big or color?
> 
> Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Ohub Campfire mobile app


The elite-4x hdi has a 4.3in screen. Last years elite models had the 3.5in screen but, they've made them larger this year.


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## rustyfish

Jmsteele187 said:


> The elite-4x hdi has a 4.3in screen. Last years elite models had the 3.5in screen but, they've made them larger this year.


Thanks! I think I have made up my mind.


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## Jmsteele187

rustyfish said:


> Thanks! I think I have made up my mind.


Which one do you think you're going to get? My wife said I couldn't buy a fish finder. Instead, she wants to get it for me for my birthday in April. She should be picking up the elite4x hdi either today or tomorrow. Bass pro has a triple crown bonus this week, because of the spring fishing classic. It includes free 3 yr coverage and a few other things that don't really matter to me.


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## DLarrick

Jmsteele187 said:


> Which one do you think you're going to get? My wife said I couldn't buy a fish finder. Instead, she wants to get it for me for my birthday in April. She should be picking up the elite4x hdi either today or tomorrow. Bass pro has a triple crown bonus this week, because of the spring fishing classic. It includes free 3 yr coverage and a few other things that don't really matter to me.


i just picked up that same model yesterday. cant wait to get it rigged up and see what it can do.


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## Yakphisher

Reason why I like my HB as it does more and its less messing around with. Lowrance are nice but I certainly don't want to spend half a day adjusting all the features on it but merely to fish. 

If you got the money to blow then get the 5" screen as you can see them better.


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## rustyfish

Im getting the 4x HDI

I figure it will do every thing I need and more and is right at the top of what I told myself i could spend. Another $50 would not have hurt but I just didnt find anything worth it. The next ones that I would have wanted are almost $400 Seems like there is a big gap in that $200-400 range with not much offered between or much difference in the ones that are.


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## strongto

I have the 4x hdi with the 4.3 inch screen and its pretty nice, clear picture and easy to see screen. I have only used it once but so far I like it. For the price I am quite satisfied.


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## DLarrick

has anybody on here used the DI feature shooting through the hull of the kayak? i have read that is degrades the quality some but would like to know to what extent. I know about it not reading temp as well but not as worried about that. any imput about that would be great.


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## Jmsteele187

DLarrick said:


> has anybody on here used the DI feature shooting through the hull of the kayak? i have read that is degrades the quality some but would like to know to what extent. I know about it not reading temp as well but not as worried about that. any imput about that would be great.


I think Stuhly run a 4x dsi and used to shoot through the hull. He just made up a transducer arm, this winter, to actually have the TD in the water. If he's actually had it on the water, maybe he'll chime in here.


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## rustyfish

4x hdi is on thex way. Lost control of myself a little when I decided to tag on a few spinner bait to my bass pro order. They have them on sale and before I knew it I had an extra $70 in the cart. Luckily I was able to trim it down to $40. Now its time to hurry up and wait.

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## Jmsteele187

I'm pretty sure my wife went and picked mine up for my birthday last week. However, I have a feeling she got me the one w/o dsi. I'll have to wait till the tenth to find out though. So I here you on the hurry up and wait thing.


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## DLarrick

Got my setup ready to go for this weekend. Ill let you guys know how it worked out. 


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## rustyfish

Just got home to find a package from BP.








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## rustyfish

Well crap! Do they not come with the mounting base?

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## Stuhly

There should be some type of base in there to use ! All of my Lowrance units
that I have bought did


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## Lostleader

how are you going to connect the TD to the yak? I got a ride 115 and have been pondering this for some time.


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## rustyfish

I have a Mad Frog Liberator transducer transducer arm that I used with my old fish finder

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## strongto

I have the same exact fishfinder and mine came with a base mount.


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## DLarrick

Lostleader said:


> how are you going to connect the TD to the yak? I got a ride 115 and have been pondering this for some time.


i have this same unit and i shot through the hull. Have had it out once and seemed to work good...although i didnt test it straight in the water to have something to compare it too. I didnt want to have to worry about it getting caught on something or hitting a rock and tearing it up. if i lose some sensitivity in water temp readings so be it.


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## Lostleader

DLarrick said:


> i have this same unit and i shot through the hull. Have had it out once and seemed to work good...although i didnt test it straight in the water to have something to compare it too. I didnt want to have to worry about it getting caught on something or hitting a rock and tearing it up. if i lose some sensitivity in water temp readings so be it.


Is that all you lose is the temp reading? Seems the graph wouldn't come back clear. The only thing I have to compare it to is shooting threw the ice. I never had much luck but it was a old unit.


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## DLarrick

I have read that the down imaging gets degraded a bit, but I think thats mainly for larger boats and not kayaks that are shooting through a thin piece of plastic. When I had it out Saturday I was getting some pretty clear shots of trees and submerged structure. Like I said I dont have anything to compare it to but I was happy with the way the picture looked. 
I know the biggest thing is making sure there are no air bubbles in the epoxy between the TD and the hull. If there are bubbles then you get distortion. Just a guess but maybe that is why the readings werent the best through the ice...air bubbles in the ice? Im a newbie when it comes to sounders so its trial and error for me.


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## Lostleader

Yeah same here. Any way I could get a picture on what the set up looks like. I got a BPS gift card so I'll be making a investment soon


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## DLarrick

This is how my setup is. I traced and cut out some foam to put the TD in. Used a silicone to fill the foam then pressed the TD in trying to squeeze out any air bubbles. My seat fits over this section so you really don't see it. I ran my wires under the lip were the tape measure is. Battery box is secured inside in front of my feet. I was pretty happy with the way it came out. 


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## Lostleader

Nice. Thanks for the idea


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## LimaFlyMan

You'll get a little more surface clutter shooting through the hull of a yak. I've used Lexell (silicone) and duct seal, both of which work pretty good when shooting through the hull. You can make a reservoir and put a little water in it using duct seal.


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## Jmsteele187

So my birthday was yesterday, and my wife did get me the elite 4x hdi. But, she got the wrong transducer option. She got it with just the broadband sounding. I'll have to go this weekend and get the right one. I had a feeling she'd do that. Oh well, at least she tried.


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## dustball3k

I'd this unit still good? Would you buy it for $80 new?


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