Side imaging or down imaging?

[softcraw]

I have been looking at the humminbird units and they sell the 788hd si combo for $700. It has side imaging but not down imaging. They also sell the 597ci HD di unit for $650 that has down imaging but not side imaging. I wished I could spend more but $700 is my limit. I was wondering if someone who had a unit with both could help me out and tell me which one would benefit me more? Thanks for any help!

[Embrey]

the side probably gets the nod here, but they are both very useful...

[bigrod]

Here is my opinion for what it's worth. I would if I was in your shoes and had to decide which one to go with, hands down it is the bird. I say this only because if you have a problem they will stand behind their product and lowrance will not! If you don't believe me all I will say right now is do your research and you will see. I have Lowrance in my boat now but when I upgrade it will be with Birds unless Lowrance gets their **** together.One other thing is if you don't know how to read them they will not help you catch any more fish than now.

[smuckey41]

i would ask and see but i have the 1197si and it didnt have down imagine and i had to do is get a sd card and down load the new version for the unit and i was able to get the down imagine. so i bet that you can register the unit and download the new version to get down image like i did. the 800 series and the new 1197 units are just all ready updated with both side imagine and down scan so im pretty sure you can do it with the 788.

[Cobra_Joe]

The 788 HD DI. Is a new model that only has DI. Smuckey is correct that with the 798, 800 and up series that had SI, Hummingbird came out with a download to give you DI after Lowrance came out with DI. It was a competitive offering by Hummingbird. You will not be able to get SI on the 788 DI.

While DI is cool, in my opinion the SI is awesome. I would spend the extra to get it. I cannot tell you how many honey holes i have found 100'-150' off the side of my boat that I would of missed because I would never have gone over that spot.

[softcraw]

The 788 HD DI. Is a new model that only has DI. Smuckey is correct that with the 798, 800 and up series that had SI, Hummingbird came out with a download to give you DI after Lowrance came out with DI. It was a competitive offering by Hummingbird. You will not be able to get SI on the 788 DI.

While DI is cool, in my opinion the SI is awesome. I would spend the extra to get it. I cannot tell you how many honey holes i have found 100'-150' off the side of my boat that I would of missed because I would never have gone over that spot.

In the basspro marine 2011 catalog on page 14 humminbird has a 788ci HD si combo offered. They do not show a picture of it but at the bottom of the description it has what the unit does and side imaging is on it but does not have down imaging. The price is $699,maybe I am reading this wrong if someone could check it out that would be great!

[Bass Addict 170]

In the basspro marine 2011 catalog on page 14 humminbird has a 788ci HD si combo offered. They do not show a picture of it but at the bottom of the description it has what the unit does and side imaging is on it but does not have down imaging. The price is $699,maybe I am reading this wrong if someone could check it out that would be great!

The new BPS Marine and Master catalogs have some typos from the printer...the 788 HD DI does NOT have SI, just Down Imaging...as does the 597 DI. The cheapest model with Side Imaging is the 798 HD DI, which includes both SI and DI. Other Humminbird SI/DI units include the 898, 998, and 1198. Older units, i.e. the 1197 and 997, should have updates available for the DI, since they have SI included. HOWEVER, previous non-DI units (788ci, etc) are not DI upgradable (as of yet) due to a different transducer requirement.
If looking for simply a DI unit to save some money, H-bird has four new units available: 570 DI & 596 DI (no GPS), and 597 ci DI & 788 HD DI (GPS combo units). Hope this clears up some confusion...