HDS- Gen 2 - TOUCH

[Lunkerhunter]

just saw this on the lowrance website.... hds gen 2 touch screen units.... prices just went up again. haha

 

http://www.lowrance.com/Products/HDS-Gen2-Touch/

 

anybody seen these yet?

[Terry]

the side/StructureScan seems to be built in so the price is about the same

[mistaredone]

Sweet!

[Dan668]

Rather keep my non touch hds gen 2's. And yes the side scan is built in.

[craigdritchie]

Seen it, and used it. And, couldn't talk about it till today due to confidentiality agreements. Good job lunkerhunter, it only became public knowledge this morning.

 

AMAZING product. The touch screen is incredibly clear, and in my opinion it's easier to use than the previous version with its pull-down menus. The touch screen works like an iPad or an iPhone. You swipe, enlarge the image, etc with the same movements we're all now familiar with, so operating it is really easy and intuitive. It's also very fast. You can do split screens to have GPS/sonar, or GPS/down scan/side scan, for example, and control each one independently. Very cool.

 

The physical box is a bit smaller than the original Gen 2 version, mainly because you no longer have the knobs and controls to fit onto the edge around the screen. So the new touch screen one is a little more compact than the older versions.

 

I got to play with the seven-inch screen version (HDS-7). The one to buy is the nine-incher (HDS-9). Unless you have a big boat, in which case go whole hog and get the 12 inch model, but that will be big bucks.

 

Navico's GoFree wireless module and app works with the new touch screens, so you can download the GoFree Wireless app for iPhone, iPad or Android to remotely view and control the thing from anywhere. You don't even have to be on the boat. It's pretty awesome.

 

Even more awesome, Lowrance is also launching a new web-based application called Insight Genesis that works with the new HDS touch screens. In a nutshell, it lets you use your graph to produce your own high-def charts. So you go to a new lake and can't find a chart for it? No problem - now you can make your own. It's freaking awesome!!!!

 

Prices on the website are MSRP. No one pays that. Retail will be less.

 

I'm in Louisville, Kentucky this week at a boating industry trade show. LOTS of new stuff coming out, including new electronics like the HDS touch screen.

 

 

Here's the HDS press release, cut-and-pasted for your convenience:

 

LOWRANCE EXPANDS HDS® GEN2 LINE WITH NEW WIDE-FORMAT, TOUCHSCREEN MULTIFUNCTION DISPLAYS

 

OCTOBER 1, 2012

 

Tulsa, Okla. – Lowrance, a world-leading brand in marine electronics since 1957 and GPS navigational systems since 1992 — announced today that it has expanded its HDS® Gen2 range, with the new wide-format, touchscreen HDS Gen2 Touch. Delivering the same award-winning benefits that made the HDS High Definition System the world’s top-selling multifunction display series, Gen2 Touch models incorporate new easier-to-use, wide touchscreens in 7-, 9- and 12-inch sizes. The new Lowrance lineup — an addition to the current HDS Gen2 series — also features the best, built-in fishfinding technologies on the market — the Broadband Sounder™ and StructureScan® HD — as well as powerful chartplotting capabilities and seamless integration of Lowrance’s comprehensive range of performance modules including the award-winning Broadband Radar™, SonicHub® marine audio server and LWX-1 Sirius® satellite weather/radio receiver.*

 

“The new HDS Gen2 Touch combines all the superior fishfinding and navigational technologies Lowrance customers love, in a sleek easier-to-use touchscreen multifunction system that includes our largest display ever, the new 12-inch HDS-12 Gen2 Touch," said Louis Chemi, chief operating officer, Navico Americas. “The revolutionary integration capabilities of the Gen2 Touch paired with built-in Broadband Sounder and StructureScan HD help our customers get the most from each on-the-water experience.”

 

Easy-to-Use, Touchscreen Control: Featuring high-bright, sunlight-viewable displays, HDS Gen2 Touch models provide the flexibility to customize and configure personal screen views with up to four panels at once, and have the added advantage of a new three-panel, vertical-page view. Effortless touchscreen operation makes panning and zooming fast, responsive, and most of all, easy to learn with its intuitive icon-driven menu. The HDS Gen2 Touch also provides five push-button options, allowing users to easily remain in complete control in any boating situation.

 

Cutting-Edge, Built-in Fishfinding Technology: HDS Gen2 Touch fishfinder models feature both a built-in Broadband Sounder and StructureScan HD. Anglers will enjoy legendary Lowrance sonar and sonar imaging performance with greater sensitivity, peerless echo clarity and underwater definition proven to find more targets. Built-in SideScan and true DownScan Imaging™ sonar signals offer full panoramic displays for best-in-class, clear picture-like views of underwater structure to the left, right and directly beneath a boat. The systems also feature Lowrance’s premier TrackBack™ functionality, allowing anglers to scroll-back through recorded sonar history to review and zoom-in for a closer look at bottom structure or fish targets, and pinpoint locations with a waypoint. To avoid losing important sonar data, HDS Gen2 Touch continues recording through the use of TrackBack to ensure valuable readings are not lost. All HDS Gen2 Touch fishfinder models are available with a 50/200 kHz Skimmer® transducer for deep-water coastal and Great Lakes applications, or a 83/200 kHz Skimmer option for inland fishing. The units are also compatible with Airmar® in-hull or thru-hull transducers for up to 1 kW operation.

 

Powerful Navigation: HDS Gen2 Touch displays feature a highly accurate, internal 1 Hz GPS antenna with an external 5 Hz GPS antenna option, and are pre-loaded with Insight USA™ inland and coastal cartography.** All models include a standard SD card slot and are compatible with Lowrance Insight HD chart cards; Navionics® Platinum+, HotMaps Premium and HotMaps Platinum with Freshest Data; and Fishing Hot Spots® Pro. The displays provide an option to simultaneously view Lowrance and Navionics mapping data.

 

Now with a new 3D perspective view for built-in Insight USA, and optional Insight HD and Fishing Hot Spots Pro cards, the Gen2 Touch allows control of the viewing and rotation angle for customized views of a boat’s position and surrounding landmarks. Navionics Platinum+ and Hotmaps Platinum are viewable in 3D perspective, as well. Also compatible with 3D perspective, a StructureMap display feature allows users to scan and overlay underwater StructureScan HD images directly on a chart in real-time — or create saved StructureMap views of their favorite boating, fishing or diving areas to display on or off the water — without the aid of a computer.

 

In addition, HDS Gen2 Touch works with Lowrance’s new Insight Genesis™ — a web-based application feature that allows users to generate their own high-definition bathymetric contour maps from personalized sonar log recordings.

 

Unparalleled Networking and Integration: NMEA 2000®, NMEA 0183 and Ethernet compatible, the HDS Gen2 Touch series allows multiple displays to be networked and share all data ensuring the ultimate in flexibility and cost savings. When networked with other HDS Gen2 fishfinder/chartplotter models, chartplotter-only displays easily become full-functioning combo units. In addition, 9- and 12-inch Touch models feature dual Ethernet ports for greater expansion options without the additional cost of a separate network-hub. They also feature two SD card slots, plus a video input for underwater or onboard cameras.

Wireless Connectivity: Navico’s GoFree Wireless module and app for Lowrance, Simrad Yachting and B&G displays are scheduled to be available for use with the HDS Gen2 Touch in early 2013. This innovative add-on hardware option provides wireless connectivity of multifunction systems, and fully interfaces with engine data, fuel information sensors and transducers, to name a few. When paired with the wireless module, users can download the GoFree Wireless app on their iPhone and iPad, or Android devices to remotely view and control their HDS Gen2 Touch displays.

 

Available from authorized Lowrance dealers and distributors throughout the United States and Canada, the Lowrance HDS-7 and HDS-9 Gen2 Touch multifunction displays will be available for purchase in October 2012, and the HDS-12 Gen2 Touch in December 2012. Minimum advertised prices range from US $1,299 for the HDS-7M Gen2 Touch Insight USA chartplotter to $3,249 US for the HDS-12 Gen2 Touch Insight USA fishfinder/chartplotter model. Lowrance HDS Gen2 Touch multifunction displays are protected by a two-year limited warranty, and are supported by the five-year Lowrance Advantage Service Program. For more information on the Lowrance HDS Gen2 Touch series, the entire Lowrance line of marine electronics or to locate an authorized Lowrance dealer, please visit www.lowrance.com.

 

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Edited October 1, 2012 by Craig_Ritchie

[SlowPoke]

I'm happy with my GEN II so this is great news for me. I can add another one to my boat at a well discounted price by next spring... Bring on the rebates!!

The new unit looks good but I'm put off by touch-screens.

[kickingfrog]

I've got a warm feeling in my special place.

[Terry]

I've got a warm feeling in my special place.

 

your wallet?

[Brander]

That looks awesome! Start saving now!

[gino]

your wallet?