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Lowrance HDS-12 Gen 3

Lowrance HDS-12 Gen 3

Brand: Lowrance
Category: Chartplotters | Fishfinders
  • Screen Size: 12" Brilliant SolarMax™ Display
  • Input Type: Touch Screen | TouchPad Control
  • Charts: C-MAP - Insight USA
  • Chart Card Slots: 2 - microSD | 32GB
  • Wifi: Yes
  • Sonar: CHIRP | Broadband | StructureScan

Lowrance HDS-12 Gen3 - Price

 


 

Key Facts | Full Specs | Manuals | Videos

Highlights:

Lowrance HDS-12 Gen 3

HIGH DEFINITION | NETWORK DISPLAY

 

Lowrance HDS-12 Gen3 - Review

Lowrance HDS-12 Gen 3 | Review

 

Easy to see | Easier To Use – The Lowrance HDS-12 Gen 3 has a 12″ LED | 1280 x 800 widescreen display with a nicely improved interface. The faster processor and integrated CHIRP Sonar, StructureScan® HD, DownScan Imaging™ and TrackBack™ make it a pretty good value.

HDS Gen 3 units are chart ready and cartography options include, Insight Genesis®, C-Map and Navionics. Getting charts is easy using the GoFreeShop for downloads and chart sharing plus dual-chart view are nice features.

Lowrance® High Definition System – The HDS-12 Gen 3 combines a brighter/1200 nits, multi-touch screen, enhanced processor, with leading-edge Lowrance fish finder technologies plus their latest advances in navigation and user interface.

The internal 10Hz GPS, dual microSD-card slots, touch-plus-keypad operation and built-in wireless connectivity make it a very easy-to-use multi-function unit.

EASE-OF-USE – The improved interface with multi-touch screen or full keypad control provides lightning-fast, fingertip access to all of the HDS Gen 3 features.

 

Lowrance HDS-12 Gen3 Touchscreen - Controls

HDS-12 Gen 3 | Touchscreen Controls

 

 

QUICK ADJUSTMENTS – With a faster processor and intuitive user-interface, features like scrolling menus, cursor assist, snap-to setting markers and innovative preview panes with quick-touch slider bars are a breeze to use.

 

Lowrance HDS-12 Gen3 - Home Screen

HDS-12 Gen 3 | Home Screen

 

MORE ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY – This appears to be a pretty big step forward in multi-function design for Lowrance.

Wireless connectivity and Bluetooth along with the excellent fish finder technology that lowrance is known for, built right in – CHIRP Sonar, StructureScan HD, DownScan Imaging, StructureMap and TrackBack.

 

Lowrance HDS-12 Gen3 Built in Sonar

CHIRP | StructureScan | DownScan

 

Built-in CHIRP & Broadband Sounder™ – Improved target separation and screen clarity. Detect individual targets, even when they are close to the bottom.

CHIRP ranges include: 40-60, 85-145, 130-210kHz (transducer dependent) for improved target separation and screen clarity. CHIRP provides better target separation and a clearer sonar screen over previous Broadband Sonar.

 

Lowrance HDS-12 CHIRP - Broadband

HDS-12 Gen 3 | CHIRP  Broadband

 

STRUCTURESCAN™ HD – True Left/Right/DownScan Imaging, the only sonar-imaging solution with dedicated side, and down-looking views for the best possible picture around and below your boat.

 

Lowrance HDS-12 Gen3 - StructureScan HD

HDS-12 Gen 3 | StructureScan HD

 

MORE IS BETTER – Plug-and-play compatibility with Lowrance® performance modules. Easily, add Broadband Radar™, SonicHub® Marine Audio, SiriusXM® Marine Weather and Music, Class B AIS and DSC VHF.

Include industry-leading autopilot technologies, such as SmartSteer® control for MotorGuide PinpointGPS and the Lowrance® Outboard Pilot.

 

Lowrance HDS-12 Gen3 - Included Features

HDS-12 Gen 3 | Standard Features

 

Lowrance HDS-12 Gen3 - Add on Accessories

HDS-12 Gen 3 | Addon Features

 

STAYING CONNECTED – GoFree™ cloud enabled integrated wireless connectivity. Use the Lowrance® GoFree™ Control and Shop Apps to view and control select HDS® Gen 3 displays wirelessly using supported tablets and smartphones to download / upload maps and new software.

Connected like no other… NMEA 2000, Ethernet, Wireless, Bluetooth with upgrade options like Broadband Radar™, SmartSteer® for Outboard Pilot and PinpointGPS, SonicHub® and complete engine connectivity.

 

Lowrance HDS-12 Gen3 Wireless

HDS-12 Gen 3 | Go Free – Wireless App

 

Navigation – 10 Hz, internal GPS antenna. Built-in Insight USA® or Navionics® cartography, with real-time StructureMap ™ overlay capability.

Compatible with Insight HD™, Navionics Platinum+ and Freshest Data, and Fishing Hotspots PRO® and C-MAP. Create personalized maps, using sonar logs from favorite areas with Insight Genesis®.

 

Lowrance HDS-12 Gen3 Mapping

HDS-12 Gen 3 | Navionics Mapping

 

MULTI-VIEW/ CHART SHARING – View Lowrance® and Navionics® mapping data simultaneously. Or, any combination of compatible third party mapping products.

Lowrance® Ethernet enables chart sharing that shares maps across network of HDS Gen 3 units, saving high cost of additional chart-cards.

 

Lowrance HDS-12 Gen3 - Chart Sharing

HDS-12 Gen 3 | Chart Sharing

 

Rear Connections

1 – NMEA 2000 | data input / output
2 – ETHERNET | High bandwidth data ( radar, sonar chart)
3 – POWER – 12v input & NMEA 0183 | Optional video-in via adapter
4 – SONAR – CHIRP & Broadband Sonar
5 – STRUCTURE – StructureScan HD Sonar

 

Lowrance HDS Gen3 Touch - Rear Connections

HDS-12 Gen 3 | Rear Connections

 

Connecting directly to a single device – The ethernet port is auto sensing, meaning that the unit can connect to one network device directly, without the use of a crossover cable or switch.

 

Lowrance HDS Gen3 - Single Device Connection

HDS-12 Gen 3 | Single Device Connection

 

Connecting to multiple devices – If connecting more than one ethernet device to a HDS-9 display, or two devices to a HDS-9 or HDS-12 display, use the optional network expansion Port (NEP-2).

If the number of Ethernet devices exceeds the number of available ports on the NEP-2, it is possible to link two or more NEP-2 modules together to provide the required ports. The NEP-2 modules are fitted with 5 Ethernet ports.

 

Lowrance HDS-12 Gen3 - Connection to Multiple Devices

HDS-12 Gen 3 | Basic Network

 

NMEA 0183 device connection – The HDS Gen 3 display has an NMEA 0183 serial port, providing both an input and an output.

The port uses the NMEA 0183 (serial balanced) standard, and can be configured in the software for different baud rates up to 38,400 baud. The NMEA 0183 cable shares the same plug as the power cable.

 

Lowrance HDS-12 Gen3 - NMEA 0183 Connection

HDS-12 Gen 3 | NMEA 0183 Connection

 

NMEA 2000 device connection – All HDS Gen 3 models are equiped with a NMEA 2000 connector, which allows the receiving and sharing of a multitude of data from various sources.

 

Lowrance HDS-12 Gen3 - NMEA 2000 Connection

HDS-12 Gen 3 | NMEA 2000 Connections

 


 

Lowrance – HDS Gen 3 vs HDS Gen2/Gen2 Touch

 

  • Gen 3 Sonar Output – 500w | Gen2 Touch – 500w | Gen2 – 250w
  • Gen 3 is StructureScan 3D compatible
  • Gen 3 can display charts from 2 sources at the same time in split screen like Insight Genesis & Navionics.
  • Gen 3 comes with a newer faster processor.
  • Gen 3 can display 2D CHIRP & StructureScan – both DownScan & SideScan at the same time in splitscreen.
  • Gen 3 includes 2 MicroSD slots | Gen2 are full SD slots – 2 slots – 9″|12″ & 1 slot – 7″
  • Gen 3 includes CrossTouch – both touchscreen & buttons for all navigation to be handled by both.
  • Gen 3 has multitouch – 2 fingers for pinch & zoom
  • Gen 3 has Bluetooth & built-in WIFI
  • Gen 3 is only available with BOTH sonar and chartplotter | x- and m-models are not available
  • Gen 3 Video-in option on all models | Gen2 only 9″|12″
  • Gen 3 Built-in Structurescan in all models | HDS Gen2 Touch yes but HDS Gen2 no
  • Gen 3 Better screen, glass glued to plastic instead of plastic glued to plastic.

 

*Reference: Team Colibri


 

HOOK vs Elite Ti vs HDS Gen 3 vs HDS Carbon

CapabilitiesHOOKElite-TiHDS Gen3HDS Carbon
CHIRP Sonar
DownScan Imaging
Structure Scan HD
Structure Scan 3D - opt.
Touch-screen (single touch)
Touch-screen (pinch to zoom)
Wireless | Bluetooth
Sonic Hub - connectivity
SmartSteer Control (Xi5)
SmartSteer (Outboard Pilot)
Engine/data sensor
Radar - connectivity
Video input - with opt. cable
Wide View Display
Multiple Network Sounder
Dual Channel Chirp

 


 

Resources:

Lowrance | HDS-12 Gen 3 – Help & Support

TheHullTruth.com

 


 

Lowrance HDS 3 Brochure

Lowrance HDS 3 Brochure

 


Key Facts:

Lowrance HDS-12 Gen 3

 

  • Multi-touch 12″ Widescreen
  • 1280×800 | Brilliant SolarMax™ Display
  • Full Control | Touchscreen or keypad
  • Built-in CHIRP/Broadband Sounder
  • Built-in StructureScan™ (with StructureScan™ transducer)
  • Simultaneous CHIRP & StructureScan™ capabilities
  • Built-in 10Hz GPS/GLONASS
  • Built-in Wireless connectivity
  • Autopilot control via Lowrance SmartSteer™
  • Screen brightness | 1200nits
  • Dual microSD card slots
  • Optional video input via adapter cable
  • Out-of-the-box networking via Ethernet and NMEA 2000®
  • Compatible with StructureScan™, Broadband Radar™, SonicHub™ and more
  • Wide selection of cartography options
  • Same flush mount cutout and bracket as HDS-12 Gen2 Touch

 

Lowrance HDS-12 Gen3 - Price

 


 

 

Specs

General

Model HDS-12 Gen 3
Physical dimensions 8.85" x 12.92" x 3.47"
224.7mm x 328.1mm x 88.2mm
Weight 6.5lb (2.95kg)
Water rating IPX7 with card door closed
Display type Touch | TouchPad
Display size 12" diagonal
Display resolution 1280 x 800 pixels
Display - Brightness 1200 nits
Power consumption 2.0A @ 13VDC with backlight on full
Supply - 12v DC (10.8-17VDC)
GPS Antenna Built-in 10Hz GPS/GLONASS | 16 Channel
GPS Receiver DGPS, WAAS
Mounting options Gimbal Bracket | Flush Mount

Maps & Memory

Model HDS-12 Gen 3
Accepts data cards 2 microSD
Waypoints 3000
Routes 100
Track log 100 Trails - 10,000 points per trail
Preloaded Maps Insight USA (AMER models)
Navionics basemap (AMER and ROW models)

Supports:
Insight, Navionics (Gold, NAV+ Platinum+)
C-MAP (MAX N, MAX N+)

Outdoor Recreation Features

Tide Tables Yes

Chartplotter Features

Model HDS-12 Gen 3
Radar compatible 4G & 3G (Broadband), TX06L-1 (6kW HD Digital)
Sonar compatible Integrated: CHIRP | Broadband | DownScan | StructureScan
Compatible: SonarHub | StructureScan | StructureScan3D
Supports AIS Class B AIS
Weather SiriusXM via WM-3 (USA only)
Supports DSC - GPS Data / VHF Yes
Supports FUSION-Link SonicHub | SonicHub2 | FusionLink
Black Box sonar support Yes
Planning Software Compatible Yes - Insight Planner
App-Control Compatibility Yes - Lowrance GoFree™ Control
Remote Input Device - compatible No
Alarms Navigation
Anchor
Radar - when connected
Sonar
Weather - when connected

Sonar Features & Specifications

Model HDS-12 Gen 3
Transmit Power 500W
Dual-frequency (50/200 kHz) sonar capable 50/83/200kHz (Broadband)
Dual-Beam Sonar (77/200 kHz) capable 455/800kHz (StructureScan)
CHIRP sonar technology Low/Mid/High CHIRP
ClearVü | Down DownScan Imaging
SideVü | Side StructureScan Side Imaging
Forward View No

Connections

Model HDS-12 Gen 3
NMEA 2000 compatible 1x Micro-C
NMEA 0183 input ports 1
NMEA 0183 output ports 1
Marine Network Ports Ethernet | 2x 100Mbit
Video input ports 1 - Composite video RCA
Video output ports No
Wireless connectivity Yes
BlueTooth connectivity Yes

Additional

Model Lowrance HDS-12 Gen 3
SEE PRICE »» Lowrance HDS-12 Gen 3 - Price

In The Box

In The Box HDS-12 Gen 3 Unit
Mounting Bracket | Knobs
HDS Connector Caps
HDS Fuse & Holder
Power|NMEA 0183 Cable
HDS-12 Bezel& Door Pk Asy
HDS-12 Gen 3 Sun cover


Manual

Downloadable PDF:


 

Lowrance HDS 3 Manual

Lowrance HDS 3 Manual

 


 

Videos

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