Is the Hummingbird 360 really worth it?

I have a new Ranger Reata with Humminbird’s on bow and console. They have side view and they’re networked together. The view is incredible but was watching some YouTube’s and was wondering about real world opinions on the 360. They all say the side scan is what you’ve already passed over while the 360 lets you look ahead of you. Thanks for your help and advice.

Its actually a Humminbird product, here are some good screen shots with good explanations of what being viewed


http://www.bbcboards.net/showthread.php?t=871521

Sorry. I wasn’t thinking. I’ll correct it

360 is basically a spinning SI. Your boat does not need to be moving to get readings and it continually refreshes from two side of the screen view as the line passes. You get a 360 view not just straight ahead. Works well with SI as it makes it easier to locate that structure that you just passed. It is really good at seeing laydowns or other things that you had never noticed before. It takes some time to get used to reading. Some people like it others don't. I recently added it to my boat and have been very happy with it. Isn't always needed, depending on how you fish but is nice to have when it is. I've already found tons of things in areas that I have fished for years. I would normally just pull up and start fishing then after adding the 360, I found better areas that were 10 or 15 feet further out than I normally fish.

I like it to stay on rock piles or brush piles etc after I find them with my down or side.

The picture quality is very low compared to todays standards, Im hoping theyll improve it soon.

The image quality cannot be as clear as SI since stuff is scanned at different rates depending on the distance-faster as the distance increases.

Agreed... ditched my 360 two years ago for panoptix, love it. Of course, adding a Humminbird now for the mega sideimaging. SI is garmins achillies heel, pretty bad. Would be awesome to have one unit that does it all...but not the case.