How could I hook up a remote LCD display for my Fishfinder/GPS?

star18

Seaman Apprentice
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Aug 9, 2010
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I was looking at the new Lowrance HDS fishfinders and noticed you can connect multiple units via ethernet connection. That's super but could a person connect a seperate LCD monitor to the main fishfinder to display what's on the screen? Here's a link to the HDS-5 specs: http://www.lowrance.us/Products/Mar...-5-FishfinderGPS-Chartplotter/Specifications/
If not possible with the Lowrance, is there another type, Humminbird maybe, that it can be done with?
Ideally, what i'd like is to have a single, good quality GPS/Fishfinder mounted at the console with a much cheaper ($25-$50), small LCD screen mounted up on the front deck instead of having to buy two seperate $600 units. Make sense?
 

Silvertip

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Sep 22, 2003
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Re: How could I hook up a remote LCD display for my Fishfinder/GPS?

It makes sense -- to a point. You cannot simply parallel two head units off one transducer. It simply is not designed to work that way. However, you can buy a switch box that lets you switch one transducer between two head units. You CANNOT operate both of them at the same time. If you can find a PinPoint 75xx series locator, they can be networked but I don't see them anymore. Since basic locators are so cheap anyway, why not just by another and use the transducer that comes with it.
 

NYBo

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Re: How could I hook up a remote LCD display for my Fishfinder/GPS?

I'm by no means an expert in this area, but I believe you can in fact connect another NMEA 2000-compliant display. But I don't you're going to find a cheap fishfinder that will be NMEA 2000 compliant.
 

Fl_Richard

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Re: How could I hook up a remote LCD display for my Fishfinder/GPS?

It makes sense... But they want you to buy 2 heads. Now if they only had an app for that..... It's already IP data... hmmm
 

lime4x4

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Re: How could I hook up a remote LCD display for my Fishfinder/GPS?

I have the hds-10 and the hds-5x. I have the structure scan module and the 83/200 transducer connected to the hds-10 unit. Both units are connected to a nmea 2000 network and both units are networked together. Both head units can and will view the sonar data even thou i only have one transducer. The hds units have a feature called network sonar. Which means any hds head unit can view the sonar data in real time. In other words it will share the sonar among many hds units
 

Fl_Richard

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Re: How could I hook up a remote LCD display for my Fishfinder/GPS?

Yea the problem is he doesnt want to buy two heads. He's wanting a video output from his existing head to pipe to a remote cheepo video screen.
 

lime4x4

Lieutenant Junior Grade
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Re: How could I hook up a remote LCD display for my Fishfinder/GPS?

There is no video out option on the hds unit
 

jhebert

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Jul 24, 2005
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Re: How could I hook up a remote LCD display for my Fishfinder/GPS?

I'm by no means an expert in this area, but I believe you can in fact connect another NMEA 2000-compliant display.

While not an expert, either, I do not think that NMEA-2000 protocols are able to transport video display information. Whether or not a device supported NMEA-2000 likely has very little influence on its remote display capabilities.
 

NYBo

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Re: How could I hook up a remote LCD display for my Fishfinder/GPS?

While not an expert, either, I do not think that NMEA-2000 protocols are able to transport video display information. Whether or not a device supported NMEA-2000 likely has very little influence on its remote display capabilities.
I was thinking of the chartplotter/fishfinder data, not video per se. But any other unit would need the ability to process the data, even if such data transfer is supported.
 

star18

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Aug 9, 2010
Messages
34
Re: How could I hook up a remote LCD display for my Fishfinder/GPS?

So somebody should make an adapter with a video-out jack and make a boatload of money (look at all the HDS systems out there)! It's a crock that the manufacturers can't give you that ability after spending $600+ on a unit and require that buy another one to have this "luxury".
 
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