Lowrance Elite series

[SlowPoke]

They look like nice affordable and capable units but WHY CHANGE THE CARD FORMAT?

Every other GPS uses SD but now the Elite series is using Micro SD. I thought the Elite series was a nice unit for those that didn't want or need to bend over for and HDS but if they have to replace thier $200 map chip, they might as well go with the more expensive unit.

Okay, the obvious answer is weight savings.. probably shaving 1/5th of a gram.

[Terry]

and that is why they did it

everyone is using their old chips on new units

now you must buy a new chip and money is made

[Guest Johnny Bass]

Thats capitalism for you.....

[Roy]

and that is why they did it

everyone is using their old chips on new units

now you must buy a new chip and money is made

 

If they were just changing for the sake of changing, from a marketing perspective, that would be a monumental blunder. I'm quite certain that that didn't happen. I see this as a bid to bring new GPS users on board.... people who don't already have the old chips.

[scugpg]

I was checking out an Elite 5 at Angling Outfitters the other day - its crazy how much mapping is included with them!

[SRT8 smoker craft]

I was checking out an Elite 5 at Angling Outfitters the other day - its crazy how much mapping is included with them!

 

I was told that unless you want to upgrade to a platnium card you don't need a chip for those units becuase they come with what is simalar to a gold navionics card and can be purchased with different areas on them.

[The JAY]

Not familiar with the format of the cards, but from my experience with Garmins and their cards, converting formats, especially SD to mSD isn't a big hassle...

[DRIFTER_016]

Not familiar with the format of the cards, but from my experience with Garmins and their cards, converting formats, especially SD to mSD isn't a big hassle...

 

Actually it is.

Putting a micro SD card into a machine that takes full size SD is not a big deal as there are adapters available.

But there are no adapters that will shrink a full size SD so it will fit into a Micro SD slot.

[The JAY]

Ummm... Yeah... My point was that the price on flash storage is so low right now, and the capacity has increased to the point where transferring data from SD to mSD isn't a difficult or expensive task.

[toca]

unless you cut it the right way

[SBCregal]

are the SD map chips a read-only thing? couldnt you copy the data from the SD to the mSD?

[Roy]

are the SD map chips a read-only thing? couldnt you copy the data from the SD to the mSD?

 

I've never heard of a Navionics card being copied...I'd never try it. Not worth it cause I think they'll send you a new card, at a nominal fee if you send them your old card. But hey... that's just my opinion.

[SBCregal]

i wasnt asking about it so that it could be pirated, and i didnt know about them exchanging it. just thought that maybe once you bought it you would be able to use it in more than one machine. sorta like making mp3 or cassette copies of a cd you bought.

 

ryan

[ohhenrygsr]

We usually sell the Elite-5G which comes with the gold card. For people that don't need the Side-imaging it's a great unit. The navionics card that comes with the Elite-5G does come with the adapter for SD slots. It's worth buying the Elite-5G over the 5X or the 5M price point wise

[Roy]

I understand that Dunner...just saying that I don't know of any easy way of transferring the data to another format or data carrier.

[SBCregal]

gotcha.

[Guest gbfisher]

Not sure if it'll help any but I had an older card that didnt work in the newer units and Lowrance transfered the info to the newer card. It was for my H20c hand held.

They did it for free.

[SlowPoke]

and that is why they did it

everyone is using their old chips on new units

now you must buy a new chip and money is made

 

I'd buy that arguement if Lowrance was the beneficiary but Navionics is the company that stands to gain the most.

[Terry]

that's true

[Billy Bob]

I'd buy that arguement if Lowrance was the beneficiary but Navionics is the company that stands to gain the most.

 

Lowrance keep changing their units all the time just to make it look like it's New & Improved but sometimes it's not.

 

IMHO I also think Lowrance keeps changing units every 2 or 3 years is because when you have close to $1000 in a unit from them and it's 5 years or older and now it's not working, they will say they no longer have parts for that unit but if you want we can give you our newest unit with a nice discount off the regular price. This keeps money flowing to them and you don't change to Humminbird.

[SlowPoke]

Lowrance keep changing their units all the time just to make it look like it's New & Improved but sometimes it's not.

 

IMHO I also think Lowrance keeps changing units every 2 or 3 years is because when you have close to $1000 in a unit from them and it's 5 years or older and now it's not working, they will say they no longer have parts for that unit but if you want we can give you our newest unit with a nice discount off the regular price. This keeps money flowing to them and you don't change to Humminbird.

 

This is typical of most if not all electronics. I'll tip my hat to Lowrance for continuity; they've offered solutions to integrate older systems into newer systems. Not in all cases but I like knowing that if I want to upgrade my dash units to HDS, I can still use my LMS units fore and aft with the NMEA bus and ethernet. They just gouge you on connectors!

 

Scugog makes a good point on the built in software. You may not need your old card since the mapping is so good on the newer units. I might just have another peek today for curiousity sake.