# Hds5 or elite 5 hdi



## chris rab (Jan 4, 2012)

Looking to get an opinion on which unit to get. Is the hds better?


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## large6er (Sep 1, 2013)

Chris, I installed an elite 7 HDI last fall on my boat and I have mixed emotions about the unit. On the positive side it is awsome having the GPS/sonar/down imaging on the same page and the DI gives you an incredible picture of the structure below you.

Now the negitive. Right now I am going through the growing pains of the unit and I have placed several calls to lowrance about my issues. I troll most of the time and I am having issues with the GPS losing signal for a few seconds at a time and my over ground speed display bounces all over the place from .6 to 7mph. I called Lowrance and they told me the unit doesn't read well at lower speeds so I need to buy their point 1 antenna and it should fix the problem. From further research I guess the processor on the elite 5/7 is not the fastest. So I spent the $200 extra for the antenna but found out that it's not a plug and play unit. I need to purchase the NMEA 2000 starter kit now for an additional $70 just to install the antenna. So if you are planning to spend the $700 for the Elite-7HDI plan on about $300 extra to make it work, then you can buy the the hot maps pro card for another $100 to really make your unit sing. 

Now don't get me wrong I still think the unit is perfect for my application of fishing and man I hope, hope, hope the antenna does the trick. I just wish Lowrance would have been honest with their customers and sold the complete kit with the $1000 price tag on it.

Just remember to use all the features of the HDS units you need to purchase and annual membership through lowrance. Thats one reason I didn't go with the HDS. Although I may be rethinking my desision and spent more time looking at the HDS


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