Bird rant!

**Bill Sellers** · 02-09-2015, 05:12 PM

Well, they’ve finally done it, after many years of being a true Humminbird owner I maybe switching over to Lowrance.

If folks don’t already know, the entire 9 series(per Bird customer service) including my recently purchased 859 DI unit has a contour mode and demo mode glitch when connected to the 360. As I quickly found out after trying two different head units, without first visiting with customer service, the option of selecting contour mode on or off is kaaaput! Also, my specific 859 DI does a complete reboot after a given period in the demo mode or when options are selected. With that said, I contacted humminbird and went through the typically hoops. It was determined that there is a software glitch and they (the engineers) are currently working on it.

Here is where it gets sticky for me and why I’m trying to pass this info on….After a series of phone conversations with customer service(4-5 different people, including managers), which totaled approx. 2hrs. and 10 min. of my own time, they are in no way wanting to compensate me for my equipment malfunctions or my time discussing the issue. Basically, Humminbird has indicated that a software release will be coming “soon” to correct the issue, but no current compensations or discounts on future products are available.

Ok, here is my statement….in all honesty I am person who would recommend humminbird products to anyone anytime although, I feel that I basically paid (1,750$)for a product that doesn’t fully work. Now I totally understand software glitches occur and can/will be fixed in the future, but my point is that I’m currently paying for a product that doesn’t fully work and during this “meantime” I should be compensated. If nothing else, how does a company expect a customer who is paying for broken equipment, to want to purchase future equipment, with no incentive? So basically, in my own description I am paying for a 4 wheeled car that only has 3 wheels, and they will get my 4th wheel to me at a later date, meanwhile, to bad so sad, “but there is nothing we can do”. Well, that doesn’t set to well with me and that doesn’t encourage me to go out and purchase additional Hummibird products.

Thanks for reading…

**BobB** · 02-09-2015, 07:20 PM

What software rev do you have?

I was pretty near to going over the edge myself, but recently I have seen some evidence that they may be starting to get their act together with the software.....and I have stepped back and am watching to see where it goes from here.
The number of software problems they have had the last couple of years IS totally unacceptable.

Maybe you can give them a little longer.....after all, if you go to anyone else .... you won't have a 360 to mess things up.

**Bill Sellers** · 02-09-2015, 08:05 PM

Originally Posted by BobB

What software rev do you have?

I was pretty near to going over the edge myself, but recently I have seen some evidence that they may be starting to get their act together with the software.....and I have stepped back and am watching to see where it goes from here.
The number of software problems they have had the last couple of years IS totally unacceptable.

Maybe you can give them a little longer.....after all, if you go to anyone else .... you won't have a 360 to mess things up.

I have the latest of both…859= 7.4 something and 360=2.0 something.

Yah, they have us between a rock and hard spot, don’t’ buy Humminbird equals no 360 and someone like myself could really use this product.

My issue still stands that this is bad business and that is what is unexceptable. More importantly I wanted to let everyone that wasn’t aware of this issue know that this problem exists.

**Redge** · 02-09-2015, 08:15 PM

I agree BSellers! I am hoping HB gets back on point, it gets extremely frustrating!!
Problem is I can't even think of anyway they could compensate me. Well maybe 50 % off on 2 onix would make me feel better! LOL

**BobB** · 02-09-2015, 09:51 PM

Originally Posted by Bill Sellers

I have the latest of both…859= 7.4 something and 360=2.0 something.

Yah, they have us between a rock and hard spot, don’t’ buy Humminbird equals no 360 and someone like myself could really use this product.

My issue still stands that this is bad business and that is what is unexceptable. More importantly I wanted to let everyone that wasn’t aware of this issue know that this problem exists.

Did you have the problems before the latest rev, or did you get it when you went to that rev?..... just asking because I had not heard of this before

**rnvinc** · 02-09-2015, 10:15 PM

Is your demo mode issue in the "Point of Sale" demo mode or the Forced Simulator mode ...??

Rickie

**Bill Sellers** · 02-09-2015, 10:17 PM

Originally Posted by BobB

Did you have the problems before the latest rev, or did you get it when you went to that rev?..... just asking because I had not heard of this before

Both versions, the 7.0 and 7.4 seem to have the problem. The 7.0, oddly enough would be sporadic about the contour mode issue. With the 7.4 the contour mode never worked…? Also, the 7.0 version would cause the 859 DI to reboot every time the DI view was changed to the 360 view and visa versa. Neither version allowed for the demo mode to be utilized. The 7.4 causes a reboot when the demo mode is selected while the 360 is attached. Once again this was on two separate head units.

Additionally, I would like to mention that customer service stated several times they would call me back on a particular date, to continue discussing the issue, which never occurred and consequently I would have to re-contact them (ex. 5 business days after they said they would call me) in order to continue the process . Absolutely ridiculous that a customer has to call to remind a company that they needed to call the customer in the first place.

Thanks for all the replies everyone, this kind of stuff needs to be addressed.

**Bill Sellers** · 02-09-2015, 10:21 PM

Originally Posted by rnvinc

Is your demo mode issue in the "Point of Sale" demo mode or the Forced Simulator mode ...??

Rickie

Forced simulator mode, if I stated this correctly.....after warm-up and from the setup menu I select simulator, then all heck breaks loose. This isn't really important to myself, just added it to my comments for the fact if someone spends x amount of dollars on a product it should work to it's full potential.

**BobB** · 02-09-2015, 10:35 PM

Do you have an Ethernet Switch, or is the Ethernet connected directly from the 360 to the 859?

**Bill Sellers** · 02-09-2015, 10:40 PM

Originally Posted by BobB

Do you have an Ethernet Switch, or is the Ethernet connected directly from the 360 to the 859?

Directly

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