Anybody using this? I'm sure it's great around major ports and bigger recreational areas, but what about remote marsh and swamp? Does the satellite imagery zoom in anywhere like google maps does? I'm interested in getting one of the combo units that is for marine and automotive applications to use in my mud boat and my truck like the 620 or 640. Any help is appreciated.

Are you still mounting the dome to your boat?

Still planning to, but that's radar, not GPS. Just starting to explore options for having a full complement of electronics. Gonna start with the radar and VHF (likely with built in GPS) for sure, but wondering if I should get a chart plotter too. Only want it though if it'll give satellite images when my phone won't pick up. The VHF will give me GPS numbers and transmit them for distress calls. The chart plotter would be more of an aid to navigation than a safety precaution.

I'd love to find a GPS/chart plotter that shows satellite images. That's all I use on iPhone

Check out Navionics Platinum cards for Lowrance.
It isn't Garmin, but it does have satellite imagery.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3W-_zDnJo1M

Also, Standard mapping has cards. The only downside is you will need multiple chips for different areas. They card covers the exact area their traditional map covers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a58xfIFX7eE

Just tire kicking on the chart plotter at the moment. Radar is coming off my big boat, so why not use it somewhere. VHF is just something I've stupidly operated without.

I like the look of that Lowrance unit, but let me ask one thing: In the second video, he's using a chip that is purchased separately on the Lowrance. Is he also using a purchased chip on the Garmin unit or is that just the standard map that comes stored on the unit? Is he really comparing apples to apples or is he skewing the video in Lowrance's favor? I'm not sold on Garmin by any means. I like the look of the Lowrance a lot. Just trying to do a fair comparison here and very price conscious here. Obviously I'm not depending on this stuff offshore in this case.

Im also curious about the g2 vison...

I had the platnum plus in my lowrance HD unit, and it was very good. Much better than the stock charts in the garmin 740s. I asked about it in West marine, and they felt that the G2 vision wasnt worth the cost.

I just want something better than bluechart maps in the unit. Comming from the platnum + , it dont compare....

Had 3 lowrances, problems with 2 of em. The last one was an HDS unit....Worked well, not problems

I can tell you, lowrance with Plantim + chip was much better than the Garmin bluecharts installed. What i cannot tell is if the vision chip compares to the Platnim +. Thats what im wondering...

Ok
Garmin blue charts and blue chart g2 vision r 2 totally different things.
In the last year I had a 798, hds7 and a garmin.

Lowrance has better imaging than humming bird and garmin
Hummingbird has better imaging than garmin
I'm talking transducer downscan sidescan 3d imaging. On my nitro u can see ur spinnerbait on the chart

With that being said,
Garmin has the very best gps. Lowrance with platinum plus is just like google maps, provided the lowrance is 3d capable.
Garmin uses their own software, it doesn't use navionics like humminbird and lowrance
Their 3d imaging is incredible
Don't take my word on it tho. Google screenshots of garmin and lowrance. This is the what is better gtr r prodrive of the bass fishing world. And most everyone is bias. Honestly they both will suit u well.

I just installed a garmin n my mudboat. I don't plan on using vision. My neighbor has a really expensive garmin unit and its incredible. It'll even show u under the water n 3d. But make no mistake, lowrance with platinum plus is very nice too. I would have bought an hds but for my area garmin has a much better base map

Yep, I agree with the base maps garmin wins. My problem is I keep getting mixed reviews on the "vision" card. I might run to west marine and play with it and see...

Gotta add too, the user interface is 100% better on the garmin!

The only thing bout garmin is if u get a cheap one, and zoom n the satellite goes away unless u spending mondy

If h buy one of the cheaper model garmin GPS, and run g2 vision, when u zoom n the salt elite imaging goes away. If u get an expensive unit like a 8 r 10" it doesn't go away. On a good unit the g2 vision blows my lowrance hds 7 with platinum plus out of the water.

The g2 vision will also show underneath the surface n 3d.

Let me see if I got this right:

With the cheaper units, the Lowrance HDS with Platinum + is better than Garmin with G2 Vision.

With the more expensive, bigger units, the Garmin with G2 Vision is better than the Lowrance HDS.

Can anyone tell me where the dividing line is in the Garmin products? Is the difference between the 640 and the 720? They've got about fifty eleven different models...

Remember, I'm only trying to compare satellite imagery. I probably won't even put a transducer or sonar on it.

I have a 740s, I noticed west had the g-2vision in the cheaper 420 or so unit and did say it didn't work well. I will see if they can set up a demo 740s and show me before I buy...

tc talk to the girl there, she knows her shit! she will set u up if u ask politely. thats exactly what im saying coot. the lower model garmins r nice, but once you zoom in soo far the satelite imaging goes away. this is with the vision chip, the g2
i personally bought the garmin because the base map is much better than lowrance, and i already have a platinum plus card in my other boat, i didnt wanna buy another. the base map garmin is way more than u need to navigate in a mudboat that can already go whever u want to.

i do not know where the line is, but my neighbor's garmin with g2 vision absolutely blows my hds7 with platinum plus out of the water. it is no comparison. but im betting he spend a lot of money on it. i dont know the model but the screen is probably 10". its truly like comparing a basemap lowrance against a platinum plus. with all of this beat to hell and back, if u not spending a bunch of money and dont wanna buy a 200 dolloar card buy a garmin. if u plan on buying a 200 dollar card anyone, but still dont wanna spend 1k on a unit buy the lowrance and platinum plus.

the g2 vision is awesome, on the top of the line garmins, way better than platinum plus. thats what im saying. unless ur buying a cheaper model garmin, in which case i would buy a lowrance because even with the g2 vision on a cheap model if u zoom in too much the imaging goes away. but even the cheaper garmins have overlay like the hds units.

i bought the garmin because the base map is really good in my area. way better than a lowrance with a gold chip. so i bought a garmin gps less than 500 bucks and dont have to buy a g2 vision or platinum plus card. thats y i bought the garmin. it has satelite imaging without a card, until u zoom in to a certain point then the satelite imagin goes away. but the one i have came with the inland lakes map, the marsh is perfect, exactly like google maps, but everything is yellow instead of green. its good enough for what i need

Knows her shit, and is kinda hot! Maybe she will demo on boat!!! Haha

I guess I just need to go play around with them (the Garmin, the Lowrance, and the sales girl) and see what "fits me" best...

" west marine customer looking at GPS accused of sexual harassment "
Lol

So where did you end up on this? Reading the thread everyone comments on the satellite imagery loss when zooming in, but in my experience you don't really need the satellite, just the outline of the waterway..

I have broken out the Phone with Google Maps, and turned off the satellite and it works well to figure out where you are. Problem is, you can't see in daylight or with polarized sunglasses on. (phone, not the chartplotter). Not ideal for actual navigation.
Wonder if you could use one of the large format phones, or maybe a small tablet.. then you get Google Maps.. updates are free. Higher res..

I still haven't gone to demo them yet. If a tablet would work, then my phone would work, but neither will in areas with no service. In my experience navigating marsh, the satellite imagery view is far better than the standard view especially when the tide is low because potential sandbars can be seen in the images as shallow water.

Good point about the cell reception, but if you are using GPS does that matter. I would have to try it. As far as the satellite, I need it more for navigation and direction.
Post your findings when you figure it out.
Thx