|
|
Member
Posts: 16
Location: New London, WI | im going to be in the market for some mapping software for my lms-480m(lowrance) this year. I'm leaning towards http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.j...
anyone use this or similar and how do you like it? |
|
| |
|
Member
Posts: 16
Location: New London, WI | nobody uses mapping software? everyone pulls out hot spot maps or relys on websites for info??? |
|
| |
|
Member
Posts: 2393
Location: Waukesha Wisconsin | Most of us use mapping software but I'd guess that over 90% use Navionics software. You're asking about a new and/or repackaged software that has not been released yet, so no one has practical experience using it. Pretty hard to give advice on something that has not been used yet.
Fishing Hot Spots had problems a few years ago with accuracy. This new "elite" software may have corrected the problems but who knows until it's released.
I've been very happy with the Navionics chips. But I also believe that if Lowrance is putting their name behind any software it must have value.
Too early to tell. If you buy it, you should report back to us. |
|
| |
|
Member
Posts: 1314
Location: Menasha, WI | As far as I can tell, this is a Navionics product. My guess is that Cabela's is marketing it as Lowrance to avoid confusion over compatibility issues.
From the Lowrance site:
http://www.lowrance.com/Mapping/Navionics/hotmaps.asp
If I understand it correctly, Navionics/Hotmaps has changed the content division of their mapping software from individual states (i.e MN = Region 10, WI = Region 9) to broader regions. More coverage and fewer chips = reduced cost to the consumer.
Edited by Viking 2/1/2005 9:01 AM
|
|
| |
|
Member
Posts: 2393
Location: Waukesha Wisconsin | I think you are confusing "HotMaps" with "Hot Spots". HotMaps are a Navionics product and Hot Spots is not. I think they are two different software programs.
Check out the following Lowrance web page for clarification:
http://www.lowrance.com/Mapping/default.asp
Edited by Sunshine 2/1/2005 12:32 PM
|
|
| |
|
Member
Posts: 1314
Location: Menasha, WI | I believe they are now one-in-the-same if the Lowrance description is accurate: "Navionics electronic Fishing Hot Spots® HotMaps™ "
http://www.lowrance.com/Mapping/Navionics/hotmaps.asp
Also, according to the Navionics Product page, the Premium HotMaps incorporate FHS (Fishing Hot Spots). See the 'key' on the left of this lake list. The key identifies the source of the data and "HotSpots" is one of several sources of the data for "HotMaps."
http://www.navionics.com/PremiumLakeList.asp?RegionID=25&Classic=0&...
It is a bit confusing   I am in the market to purchase an MMC Chip for my IFinder Pro so I've been trying to sort all of this out in order to make an informed purchase.
Edited by Viking 2/1/2005 1:02 PM
|
|
| |
|
Member
Posts: 1314
Location: Menasha, WI | A little more searching turned up some more information on HotSpots Maps. While they still exist, apparently they discontinued their Digital Map Series CD software and only offer hard copy maps. I am guessing they licensed their name and data to Navionics for inclusion on the Hotmaps Premium MMC Chip.
http://www.fishinghotspots.com/fhsinet/
On a side note, I own the HotSpots CD for Winnebago and their are some very frustrating bugs in the software. I suppose that is one reason they are out of the software business. |
|
| |
|
| Hot Spots fishing maps are a Garmin item. that's why i prefer Garmin to anyone. they're the best in GPS, and their stock is hot! always coming out with new models. i'm buying the Garmin 60CS color map. i've seen it demo'd to me in Milwaukee. it's awesome. with 58 meg of internal memory, you can download the whole Wi hot spots maps, plus a lot of topographic info onto the gps. Garmin sells an East, Central and Western states version of Hotspots, which also includes hundreds of contoured lake maps in the various states. the cd is 116 bucks, but to have for instance, all the midwestern states from canada to the gulf in that cd, is a real treasure. nothing like Garmin, buds.  |
|
| |
