Lowrance HDS Gen2 Touch

[KevinS]

Lowrance introduced the "Touch" versions of its HDS Gen2 models this month. I've been wanting to upgrade from my current single Mark 5X to having new units in the bow and console. This system looks tempting. I still need to save $$$ for any upgrades, but there might be deals on the "old" Gen2 models as the Touch Gen2 begin selling. Hope the Touch is demonstrated at the Washington Sportsman Show this January in Puyallup.

You Tube has some Touch vids available and here's the Lowrance link to their Touch units:

http://www.lowrance.com/en-US/Products/HDS-Gen2-Touch/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Kevin

[Amx]

Way too costly for me to even think of one, and yes I've thought about it. Come spring I'll be getting a regular down scan one, maybe even sooner.

[Bodofish]

The one downside that I see with any touch screen device is, finger prints and smudges. They drive me nuts on the touch screen computers and even my touch screen phone to some extent. The way I see it when I'm going to be looking at a screen and trying to analyze it, the last thing I want to seeing is all the %$#*&@*^% fingerprints from anyone fingering it.
I do think touch screens have their place, they work for phones and they're great for POS terminals but not something I will want to look at for an extended period of time, like watching TV with grubby prints all over the screen......

PS they're even worse when the sun is shining on it!

[KevinS]

Yes, the Touch models are expensive, but they have structure scan built-in. When you bundle SS with the older Gen2 units, the Touch models start looking better. I'll keep telling myself that

As for finger prints, one YouTube video's introduction shows noticeable finger streaks when the screen is black:

http://youtu.be/OHGMrq0Hh1U" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

There is a product called Wave Away that's made for cleaning sonar and GPS screens. Might keep the streaks manageable, but I haven't used it.

I wonder if other models like the Elite could also get "touched." That would make things interesting when deciding what to buy.

Anyway, I'll be waiting to see if any complaints from Touch owners point out any glitches before buying.

[Bodofish]

Good planning, over the years I've found it best to be at the leading edge. Leave the bleeding edge for those that like to bleed.

[G-Man]

It was mentioned that the gen 2 touch screen models would have built in structure scan, if that is the case I would definitely recommend waiting for a while before purchasing a model with that many frequency outputs. I push my first gen HDS7 model pretty hard and it heats up something fierce on warm summer days to the point that I put a damp towel on it to keep it cool. I fear that adding a couple more outputs to the mix would create too much heat for the unit to disperse, or that performance (especially ping rate) would be reduced when running multiple frequencies.

[basspro]

I'm in agreement with Bodofish on this one-hate smudges on my screen, will always be wiping off with Wave Away. I'll stick to my Gen 2, works just fine.