Good advice. I'll also check the wire size coming from the batts. Here are some DS pics. Not perfect but >>>>> CD

And a couple of SI pics. Not there yet. Yet !! CD

I need to peek at some of you guy's settings because that looks awesome and I haven't gotten my HDS10 to look like that yet....

Cap, these fellas are right about the battery, the HDS doesn't really pull that much juice. If you have a gen 2 HDS then the software (1.1 something)you have is most likely the new one, they did have a new update from the original version but if yours works good leave it alone. The 4.1 was for gen 1's only.

Josh, you know I'm not an expert but do have the experience on the 8. I'm on 4.1v and I can tell you all my settings via phone for starters. I'll be glad to walk thru the other menus and operating shortcuts if we can get our schedules to match. And help with the ducer placement. Just let me know.

+1 I would love for someone to show me around the units I have on my boat.

Transducer placment help, here is some pics of the back of my boat. I will try to get some better ones tomorrow, but from this where should i place the ducers? I have the shield and saver still mounted where my humminbird ducer is at, which one should I put in that spot?

Looking at the lowrance website at the install instruction for the lss, it says that the yellow wire is for connecting to a switch. Does the lss contstantly draw power or is that just an option if you want to connect it throu a switch?

Move your transducer aft and up...out of that trough.

Well, I don't know squat about it but the single best thing I did was make sure the ducer was level with the bottom when I was at trolling speed. Couldn't get it to work worth beans before that. I don't care about on a plane. Both ducers are mounted on the jack plate. One on the right, one on the left. Both are now level when trolling. Also my sens was way too high and the SI distance too short. I left surface clarity low and the noise reject high. hope that helps. I appreciate the info about the batt. It will get there. CD

I connected both yellow wires together and the +/- on both units together thenn ran the + to a switch. That way when I turn off the switch there is no voltage going to either unit. That works good for me. CD

Great thread. I'm still reading it but I want to put my question here before I logged for the evening.

I am about to buy my first boat and I want to get my sonar bought and installed when they ready my new ride. My preference would be to get an HDS-10 at the console and something else at the bow but I'm not sure if my budget can take it. If you had up to 3k to spend on sonar alone, what would you do?

I would get a 8 and 7 and Ethernet them to each other

The 7 and 8 are slightly different, in the way they operate. I would stick with one or the other. 8&10 or 7&5. Jmo

I have a 7 & 10 and I guess I'll agree that there is quite a difference on how each operates. If it were me (and I havent priced them in awhile) but I think I might go with 2 HDS 8's, the soft keys are quite a bit easier to navigate through. The 10 is nicer in the 4 screen split but boy they are def gonna set you back.