Humminbird 997c etc and computer recording

[Bryan]

Another question - this time on hardware.

Has anyone used/evaluated the new Humminbird 997c? Any comments?

Does anyone know if you can hook Humminbird side looking devices up to a computer and take in the images continuously?

Bryan

[ChrisPreece]

Humminbird 997c etc and computer recording

This is a fairly interesting title for a thread.....but you have had 22 views and no replies to date, which probably means,.....no,.....or, I don't know,.....or, I haven't got one yet!

I do have (along a good few others) a 981c and there is (a far as I can make out) no facility for continuous recording. Indeed the screen freezes when you press the screen capture button, which may allude to a processor capacity problem.

[Bryan]

Is Hummingbird computrer-compatible for data collection?

I asked a fellow who knows much more about manufacturer's mumble-jumble when quoting specifications and capabilities - about what Humminbird 997c might be capable of. Here is what he said,

"I haven't been able to dig up much info on the hummingbird interface
beyond hummingbird's own docs. The sonar definitely has the hardware
needed to do it. The Ethernet interface would provide enough bandwidth.
The rest is a matter of software in the unit. Unfortunately it's up to
hummingbird to provide this functionality.

Maybe it's an unadvertised feature, and/or a proprietary protocol for their own hardware, if it exists.

As Chris mentioned it's possible that the unit's processor/memory buss
etc. doesn't have sufficient speed to handle this extra task. Or it may
simply be a matter of company policy to not support this capability,
maybe to protect other higher priced units designed for this task.

These days it might even be that it is the US government on
export units."

Bryan

[rgecy]

The 997 is going to be nice. The 600khz transducer has a higher resolution than the 455khz and it will also reach up to 150' depth. The 997 will have recording capability to SD card with playback on the unit. It will certainly be a nice feature for running a survey and being ableto go back and look at everything without having to make waypoints for every image.

As for recording to a computer, I posed this same question a while back with 987. What I was hoping is some software that would read from the transducer. Maybe tap into the wires and bring the feed into a laptop.

Its beyond my skills, but I was wondering if someone knew how to do it.

By the way, if you have a 987, they will be releasing a software update in April that will add the recording capabilities to it as well.

Robert

[Bryan]

data streaming from a 987

Bob:

Here is a part of my friend's response that I clipped out. I wasn't comfortable about mentioning it but since you have brought it up, here's what he said

"If the data is available on a remote display for example. it's possible
to intercept or emulate the display. But without documentation that may
be a challenge. And without the hardware to play with, it's all guess
work right now."

Neither he nor I have a 987 and so we can't do what he is suggesting. I know he is capable of a good run at the problem. But maybe someone else is out there who has both the 987 and can decode.

Bryan

[Unregistered]

Humminbird 997c

I have looked at the specifications and so far I see nothing that shows an ability to transfer sonar images directly to a PC or other device,
there does seem to be an interface that allows you to download waypoints and edit them at home. also I see a standard NMEA interface that allows you to say connect up a radar or a chart plotter display to exchange gps maybe depth, speed, temp but nothing more complex.
I have a 987c and would love to have a seemless recording of what my sidescan sees.
I would also love to have the ability to overlay the scans onto an area map so you can see how they relate to surface objects.
brad

[Rickard]

Array length?

Hello,

I've tried to find out the length of the array inside the sidescan transducer for the 981 and 987 models. This length and frequency sets the horizontal beamwidth and thus the horizontal resolution of the system. I'm trying to make up my mind about purshasing one of the last exemplars (the dealers want to make room for the new 900 models so prices are much nicer now) but I hate to buy something without full information on the most critical parameters. Humminbird presents no specifikation on this so, please, can some owner of a transducer simply measure and report the length of the transducer housing?

Regards
Rickard

[ChrisPreece]

Array Length

The resolution for the 900 series systems (probably at the higher frequency of 455kHz....under ideal conditions), was quoted as 2.5 inches (that's going to be about 63/65mm)). What it is actually I don't know but.....I can see the individual links on anchor chain......big chain links, I have to say....but I still think it's fairly good.

The array itself is some 14.5 cm long overall but the effective length of the array can't really be any more than 11cm.....that's the length of the flat side portion of the transducer.

Chris

[Rickard]

Thanks Chris!

Assuming a continous 11 cm long array the -3dB horizontal beam angle should be about 1.4 degrees at 455 KHz. This is wide for a transducer at such high frequency but still narrow enought to give good resolution at moderate range. So, theory supports what some of you already know from practical experiance ! I definitely think I have taken one step further in my decision process...

I have looked through many screenshots from 900 models presented at the forum and elsewhere. I have noticed two interesting phenomena. First, on some pictures one can see stripes on the bottom close to the transducer. Such stripes can be caused by the beam pattern of an array of circular piezos.

Second, when scanning "up-hills" towards the shore, wide stripes appear close to the shore. This sometimes gives the impression of a staircase-like structure, parallell with the shore, that is really just an artifact. I'm not sure about the explanation. Maybe the pattern is caused by reflections between bottom and surface or maybe circular piezo elements have something to do with it. I recognize both these effects from my tests with my home-built fishfinder array.

I guess nobody has slaughtered his transducer to find out what's inside...


Rickard

[Rickard]

Thanks Chris!

Assuming a continous 11 cm long array the -3dB horizontal beam angle should be about 1.4 degrees at 455 KHz. This is wide for a transducer at such high frequency but still narrow enought to give good resolution at moderate range. So, theory supports what some of you already know from practical experiance ! I definitely think I have taken one step further in my decision process...

I have looked through many screenshots from 900 models presented at the forum and elsewhere. I have noticed two interesting phenomena. First, on some pictures one can see stripes on the bottom close to the transducer. Such stripes can be caused by the beam pattern of an array of circular piezos.

Second, when scanning "up-hills" towards the shore, wide stripes appear close to the shore. This sometimes gives the impression of a staircase-like structure, parallell with the shore, that is really just an artifact. I'm not sure about the explanation. Maybe the pattern is caused by reflections between bottom and surface or maybe circular piezo elements have something to do with it. I recognize both these effects from my tests with my home-built fishfinder array.

I guess nobody has slaughtered his transducer to find out what's inside...


Rickard

[Francisco Xavier]

Hello Rickard
Or somebody that works in health area can ask to perform an XRay picture of the transducer.


Francisco

[penneyd]

Charts...

I live in Canada (Newfoundland) to be precise. Can the charts in this unit be changed? or are they world charts? North American charts ?...etc.

thanks
Dean

[Unregistered]

997c work

We recently purchased a 997c for our dive rescue boat at the Boise Fire Department. I am in charge of finding out how this thing works. If you have any suggestions or results I would be interested in hearing them. Meanwhile I have to go read the manual and figure it out. [email protected]

[soretoe]

We recently purchased a 997c for our dive rescue boat at the Boise Fire Department. I am in charge of finding out how this thing works. If you have any suggestions or results I would be interested in hearing them. Meanwhile I have to go read the manual and figure it out. [email protected]

You should try to contact the Bartow County, Georgia Rescue unit. They have three 997 and have used them in search and recovery.

Here is a starting point;

http://georgiawildlife.dnr.state.ga....ry=enforcement