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HIGH DEFINITION | NETWORK DISPLAY
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
HDS-12 Gen 3 | Standard Features
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.
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®.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
HDS-12 Gen 3 | NMEA 2000 Connections
*Reference: Team Colibri
Capabilities | HOOK | Elite-Ti | HDS Gen3 | HDS 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
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 |
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+) |
Tide Tables | Yes |
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 |
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 |
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 |
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 |