have a chance to get the electronics i think i need. Which is better or why do you perfer one over the other?

Some will say Lowrance. Others will say Humminbird. Your best bet is to go to a store where they have both brands on display, and hopefully a sales person can explain the differences and will allow you to tinker around with them. Both should have a demonstration mode where you can play with the features of both.

One thing you need to be aware of beforehand, while the prices seem comparable for similars size displays, the transducer does not come with the Lowrance, or it didn't the last time I looked. That will add a few hundred bucks to the price of the unit to make it operable.

Some will say Lowrance. Others will say Humminbird. Your best bet is to go to a store where they have both brands on display, and hopefully a sales person can explain the differences and will allow you to tinker around with them. Both should have a demonstration mode where you can play with the features of both.

One thing you need to be aware of beforehand, while the prices seem comparable for similars size displays, the transducer does not come with the Lowrance, or it didn't the last time I looked. That will add a few hundred bucks to the price of the unit to make it operable.

thanks man i'm kinda leaning toward the Lowrance but still dont know yet

Not sure how much this is worth, but the Lowrance uses a dedicated transducer for its downscan images. The 'bird uses software to accomplish it.

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Long Mike you almost got it right.

The Lowance uses a dedicated Down Scan Crystal in the LSS tranducer for the Down Scan images. It has a left and right Structure Scan crystal also. The 2D sonar is a different transducer that comes with the HDS unit.

The Humminbird Side Imaging transducer has the left and right Side Imaging crystals and the 2D crystal. The Down Imaging is software generated using the two Side Imaging crystals.

ive never owned good electronics to be honest and thanks Mike i thing i will go with the HDS! Just hope the unit will help me quiet a bit finding fishing.

Humminbird all the way easy to use and dont have to buy extras to get all the bennies

I enjoy the fact that the 'birds have an easier interface, much less button pushing to get from screen to screen, menu to menu

Don't know if this will make a difference to you but HB and Minnkota and now Lakemaster are all part of one parent company. The new tech that is coming out (ipilot ilink) that utilizes all three of these things together looks amazing. Obviously you may not need all this available tech but just thought I make you aware of this before you plunk down your hard earned cash. I know I'm looking forward to the ilink and that's one of the reason I leaned towards HB