Hummingbird Communications 600 Series User manual

532173-1EN_A
678c HD, 678c HD DI, and 678c HD XD
Operations Manual
678c HD, 678c HD DI, and 678c HD XD
Operations Manual

Thank You!
Thank you for choosing umminbird®, the #1 name in fishfinders.
umminbird® has built its reputation by designing and manufacturing
top-quality, thoroughly reliable marine equipment. Your umminbird® is
designed for trouble-free use in even the harshest marine environment. In the
unlikely event that your umminbird® does require repairs, we offer an
exclusive Service Policy - free of charge during the first year after purchase,
and available at a reasonable rate after the one-year period. For complete
details, see the separate warranty card included with your unit. We encourage
you to read this operations manual carefully in order to get full benefit from all
the features and applications of your umminbird® product.
Contact our Customer Resource Center at 1-800-633-1468 or visit our Web
site at humminbird.com.
WARNING! This device should not be used as a navigational aid to prevent collision,
grounding, boat damage, or personal injury. When the boat is moving, water depth
may change too quickly to allow time for you to react. Always operate the boat at very
slow speeds if you suspect shallow water or submerged objects.
WARNING! Disassembly and repair of this electronic unit should only be performed
by authorized service personnel. Any modification of the serial number or attempt to
repair the original equipment or accessories by unauthorized individuals will void the
warranty.
WARNING! This product contains chemicals known to the State of California to cause
cancer and/or reproductive harm.
WARNING! Do not travel at high speed with the unit cover installed. Remove the unit
cover before traveling at speeds above 20 mph.
N TE: The illustrations in this manual may not look the same as your product, but your
unit will function in the same way.
N TE: To purchase accessories for your fishfinder, visit our Web site at
humminbird.com or contact our Customer Resource Center at 1-800-633-1468.
N TE: The procedures and features described in this manual are subject to change
without notice. This manual was written in English and may have been translated to
another language. Humminbird® is not responsible for incorrect translations or
discrepancies between documents.

R HS STATEMENT: Product designed and intended as a fixed installation or part of
a system in a vessel may be considered beyond the scope of Directive 2002/95/EC of
the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 January 2003 on the restriction of
the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment.
600 Series™, Down Imaging®, DualBeam PLUS™, Fish ID+™, umminbird®, Real Time Sonar™,
RTS™, RTS Window™, Structure ID™, SwitchFire®, Total Screen Update™, WhiteLine™,
X-Press™ Menu, and Xtreme Depth Series™ are trademarked by or registered trademarks of
Johnson Outdoors Marine Electronics, Inc.
Adobe, Acrobat, Adobe PDF, and Reader are either registered trademarks or trademarks of
Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries.
Baekmuk Batang, Baekmuk Dotum, Baekmuk Gulim, and Baekmuk eadline are registered
trademarks owned by Kim Jeong- wan.
© 2013 Johnson Outdoors Marine Electronics, Inc. All rights reserved.
N TE: Some features discussed in this manual require a separate purchase,
and some features are only available on international models. Every effort has
been made to clearly identify those features. Please read the manual carefully
in order to understand the full capabilities of your model.
A EN ION IN ERNA IONAL CUS OMERS: Products sold in th U.S. ar
not int nd d for us in th int rnational mark t. Humminbird® int rnational
units provid int rnational f atur s and ar d sign d to m t country and
r gional r gulations. Languag s, maps, tim zon s, units of m asur m nt,
and warranty ar xampl s of f atur s that ar customiz d for
Humminbird® int rnational units purchas d through our authoriz d
int rnational distributors.
To obtain a list of authoriz d int rnational distributors, pl as visit our
W b sit at humminbird.com or contact our Custom r R sourc C nt r at
[phone].

i
Table of Contents
Power On 1
How Sonar Works 2
DualBeam PLUS™ Sonar (DualBeam P US™ models only [678c HD]) ........................ 4
Down Imaging® Sonar (Down Imaging® models only
[678c HD DI, XNT 9-DI-T Transducer]) ........................................................................ 5
Xtreme Depth Sonar (Xtreme Depth Series™ models only [678c HD XD]) .................... 6
Dual Beam Ice Transducer (optional-purchase XI 9 20 Ice Transducer only) ................ 7
What’s on the 600 Series™ Control Head 8
Key Functions 9
POWER/LIG T Key ................................................................................................ 9
VIEW Key ................................................................................................................ 9
MENU Key ............................................................................................................ 10
4-WAY Cursor Control Key .................................................................................. 10
VIEW PRESET Keys .............................................................................................. 11
EXIT Key ................................................................................................................ 11
What’s on the Sonar Display 12
Understanding the Sonar Display........................................................................ 14
Real Time Sonar (RTS™) Window ...................................................................... 14
Sonar Colors and Bottom View............................................................................ 15
SwitchFire®............................................................................................................ 17
Freeze Frame and Active Cursor .......................................................................... 17
Instant Image Update .......................................................................................... 17
What’s on the Down Imaging® Display
(Down Imaging® models only [678c HD DI]) 18
Understanding the Down Imaging® Display ...................................................... 20
Interpreting the Display........................................................................................ 20
Down Imaging® Sensitivity .................................................................................. 21
Freeze Frame and Active Cursor .......................................................................... 21

Views 22
Sonar View............................................................................................................ 24
Sonar Zoom View.................................................................................................. 25
Split Sonar View.................................................................................................... 27
Big Digits View...................................................................................................... 29
Down Imaging® View (Down Imaging® models only [678c HD DI]) ............................ 30
Circular Flasher View .......................................................................................... 31
Down/Sonar Combo View (Down Imaging® models only [678c HD DI]) .................... 36
he Menu System 37
Start-Up Options Menu 38
Normal .................................................................................................................. 38
Simulator .............................................................................................................. 39
System Status ...................................................................................................... 39
Self Test ................................................................................................................ 40
Accessory Test ...................................................................................................... 40
X-Press™ Menu 41
Main Menu 42
Quick Tips for the Main Menu ............................................................................ 43
Note for all Menu Settings .................................................................................. 43
User Mode (Normal or Advanced) ...................................................................... 44
Sonar X-Press™ Menu (Sonar views only) 46
Sensitivity.............................................................................................................. 47
Upper Range (Advanced: Sonar, Split Sonar, Circular Flasher,
Big Digits, and Down/Sonar Combo Views only) ...................................................... 47
Lower Range ........................................................................................................ 48
Chart Speed .......................................................................................................... 49
Zoom Level (Sonar Zoom View only) ........................................................................ 49
Bottom Lock (Sonar Zoom View only) ...................................................................... 50
Bottom Range (Sonar Zoom View only when Bottom ock is On)................................ 50
Table of Contents
ii

Down Imaging® X-Press™ Menu
(Down Imaging® Views only [678c HD DI]) 51
Down Sensitivity .................................................................................................. 52
DI Enhance............................................................................................................ 52
Upper Range (Advanced)........................................................................................ 53
Lower Range ........................................................................................................ 53
Chart Speed .......................................................................................................... 54
DI Colors................................................................................................................ 54
Flasher X-Press™ Menu (Circular Flasher View only) 55
Sensitivity.............................................................................................................. 56
Upper Range (Advanced) ...................................................................................... 56
Lower Range ........................................................................................................ 57
Color Palette (Circular Flasher View, Ice Fishing Mode only)........................................ 58
Zoom Level (Circular Flasher View, Ice Fishing Mode only).......................................... 58
Alarms Menu ab 59
Depth Alarm.......................................................................................................... 60
Fish ID Alarm ........................................................................................................ 60
Low Battery Alarm................................................................................................ 60
Temp. Alarm (with optional-purchase Temp/Speed only) ............................................ 61
Alarm Tone ............................................................................................................ 61
Timer Setup .......................................................................................................... 61
Start Timer ............................................................................................................ 62
Stop Timer (with the Timer running) ........................................................................ 62
Sonar Menu ab 63
Beam Select .......................................................................................................... 64
Imaging Frequency (Down Imaging® Views only [678c HD DI]) .................................. 66
Surface Clutter...................................................................................................... 67
SwitchFire®............................................................................................................ 67
Fish ID+™ ............................................................................................................ 68
Fish ID Sensitivity ................................................................................................ 69
iii
Table of Contents

Real Time Sonar (RTS™) Window ...................................................................... 69
Sonar Colors (Sonar View, Sonar Zoom View, Circular Flasher View,
Big Digits View, and Down/Sonar Combo View) ...................................................... 70
Bottom View.......................................................................................................... 70
Zoom Width .......................................................................................................... 71
50 k z Sensitivity (Advanced, XD Sonar only [678c HD XD]) ...................................... 71
83 k z Sensitivity (Advanced, DualBeam P US™ Sonar only [678c HD]) .................... 71
455 k z Sensitivity (Advanced, Down Imaging® Views only [678c HD DI]) .................. 71
Depth Lines (Advanced) .......................................................................................... 72
Noise Filter (Advanced) .......................................................................................... 72
Max Depth (Advanced) .......................................................................................... 73
Water Type (Advanced) .......................................................................................... 73
Digital Depth Source (Advanced, Down Imaging® models with
optional-purchase transducers only [678c HD DI]) .................................................... 74
DI Pings (Advanced, Down Imaging® View only [678c HD DI])...................................... 75
Ice Fishing Mode .................................................................................................. 76
DI Colors (Down Imaging® Views only [678c HD DI]) .................................................. 76
Setup Menu ab 77
Units - Depth ........................................................................................................ 78
Units - Temp (International only).............................................................................. 78
Units - Distance .................................................................................................... 78
Units - Speed ........................................................................................................ 78
User Mode ............................................................................................................ 78
Language (International only) .................................................................................. 79
Triplog Reset.......................................................................................................... 79
Restore Defaults .................................................................................................. 79
Select Views (Advanced) ........................................................................................ 79
Select Readouts (Advanced, Sonar View only).......................................................... 80
Depth Offset (Advanced) ........................................................................................ 81
Temp. Offset (Advanced, with Temp/Speed only) ...................................................... 81
Speed Calibration (Advanced, with Temp/Speed only) .............................................. 81
Digits Format (Advanced)........................................................................................ 81
Table of Contents
iv

v
Table of Contents
Sonar .................................................................................................................... 82
Demonstration ...................................................................................................... 82
Sound Control ...................................................................................................... 82
Maintenance 83
roubleshooting 85
Fishfinder Doesn’t Power Up .............................................................................. 85
Fishfinder Defaults to Simulator with a Transducer Attached .......................... 85
Display Problems .................................................................................................. 86
Finding the Cause of Noise.................................................................................. 87
Specifications 88
Glossary 92
Contact Humminbird® 96
N TE: Entries in this Table of Contents which list (International Only) are
only available on products sold outside of the U.S. by our authorized
international distributors. To obtain a list of authorized international
distributors, please visit our Web site at humminbird.com or contact our
Customer Resource Center at [phone].
N TE: Entries in this Table of Contents which list (with Temp/Speed only)
require the purchase of separate accessories. You can visit our Web site at
humminbird.com to order these accessories online or contact our Customer
Resource Center at 1-800-633-1468.
N TE: Some features discussed in this manual require a separate purchase,
and some features are only available on international models. Every effort has
been made to clearly identify those features. Please read the manual carefully
in order to understand the full capabilities of your model.

1
Power n
Follow the instructions below to power on your umminbird® control head.
1. Press the POWER/LIG T key.
2. When the Title screen is displayed, press the MENU key to access the
Start-Up Options Menu.
3. If a functioning transducer is connected, Normal operation will be
selected automatically, and your Fishfinder can be used on the water.
See Start-Up ptions Menu for more information.
• If a transducer is not connected and you wait too long to select a
Start-Up Option, the system will default to whichever menu is
already highlighted.
• You can also select Simulator to learn how to use your control
head and save settings in advance for later use.
4. Quick Setup: If this is the first time the unit has been powered on (after
installation or after restoring defaults), the Quick Setup dialog box will
display on the screen. Use the 4-WAY Cursor Control key to set the
Language, Water Type, and Max Depth. Press the EXIT key to close the
dialog box.
N TE: The Quick Setup settings can be changed at any time. See each menu
option in The Menu System for details.
678c HD itle Screen
Power O

2
How So ar Works
How Sonar Works
Sonar technology is based on sound waves. The 600 Series™ Fishfinder uses
sonar to locate and define structure, bottom contour and composition, as well
as depth directly below the transducer.
Your 600 Series™ Fishfinder sends a sound wave signal and determines
distance by measuring the time between the transmission of the sound wave
and when the sound wave is reflected off of an object; it then uses the reflected
signal to interpret location, size, and composition of an object.
Sonar is very fast. A sound wave can travel from the surface to a depth of
240 ft (70 m) and back again in less than 1/4 of a second. It is unlikely that your
boat can “outrun“ this sonar signal.
SONAR is an acronym for SOund and
NAvigation Ranging. Sonar utilizes precision
sound pulses or “pings“ which are emitted
into the water in a teardrop-shaped beam.
The sound pulses “echo“ back from objects
in the water such as the bottom, fish, and
other submerged objects. The returned
echoes are displayed on the LCD screen.
Each time a new echo is received, the old
echoes are moved across the LCD, creating a
scrolling effect.

3
When all the echoes are viewed side by side, an
easy to interpret “graph“ of the bottom, fish, and
structure appears.
The sound pulses are transmitted at various
frequencies depending on the application. Very
high frequencies (455 k z) are used for greatest
definition but the operating depth is limited. igh
frequencies (200 k z) are commonly used on
consumer sonar and provide a good balance
between depth performance and resolution. Low
frequencies (83 k z) are typically used to achieve
greater depth capability.
The power output is the amount of energy
generated by the sonar transmitter. It is commonly
measured using two methods:
• Root Mean Square (RMS) measures power
output over the entire transmit cycle.
• Peak to Peak measures power output at the
highest points.
The benefits of increased power output are the
ability to detect smaller targets at greater distances,
ability to overcome noise, better high speed
performance, and enhanced depth capability.
How So ar Works

4
DualBeam PLUS™ Sonar
(DualBeam PLUS™models only [678c HD])
Your 678c D Fishfinder uses a 200/83 k z
DualBeam PLUS™ sonar system with a wide
(60°) area of coverage. DualBeam PLUS™ sonar
has a narrowly focused 20° center beam,
surrounded by a second beam of 60°, expanding
your coverage to an area equal to your depth. In
20 feet of water, the wider beam covers an area
20 feet wide.
DualBeam PLUS™ sonar returns can be blended
together, viewed separately, or compared side-
by-side. DualBeam PLUS™ is ideal for a wide
range of conditions - from shallow to very deep
water in both fresh and salt water. Depth
capability is affected by such factors as boat
speed, wave action, bottom hardness, water
conditions, and transducer installation.
How So ar Works

Down Imaging® Sonar
(Down Imaging®models only
[678c HD DI, XNT 9-DI-T Transducer])
Your 678c D DI Fishfinder uses Down
Imaging® technology. The Down Imaging®
transducer scans the water with razor-thin,
high-definition beams. The beams are wide
(side to side) but very thin front to back.
The Down Imaging® beams can be
operated at two frequencies: 455 k z (75°)
or 800 k z (45°). Select 455 k z for the
best overall image quality and depth.
Select 800 k z for the sharpest image. See
Sonar Menu Tab: Imaging Frequency for
more information.
The transducer also uses conical beams to
provide data in traditional 2D format (see
What’s on the Sonar View). Select 455 k z for
a narrowly focused 16° center beam, or select
200 k z for a wider 25° beam (see Sonar
Menu Tab: Beam Select).
Depth capability is affected by such factors
as boat speed, wave action, bottom hardness,
water conditions and transducer installation.
75 Degree Total Coverage
16°
75°
25°
455kHz
200kHz
455kHz
45° 800kHz
5How So ar Works

6
Xtreme Depth Sonar
(Xtreme Depth Series™ models only [678c HD XD])
Your 678c D XD Fishfinder uses the XD
transducer to provide extreme depth coverage
with DualBeam PLUS™ technology.
The Xtreme Depth sonar beams can be operated
at two frequencies: 50 k z (74°) and 200 k z
(20°). The wide, 50 k z beam transmits at a low
frequency to provide greater depth coverage, up
to 2500 ft (762 m). The narrow, 200 k z center
beam transmits at a high frequency to provide
maximum detail at shallower depths.
The DualBeam PLUS™ technology allows you to
view the sonar returns blended together,
separately, or side-by-side (see Sonar Menu
Tab: Beam Select and Views for more
information).
Depth capability is affected by such factors as
boat speed, wave action, bottom hardness,
water conditions and transducer installation.
How So ar Works

7
Dual Beam Ice Transducer
(optional-purchase XI 9 20 Ice Transducer only)
The XI 9 20 Ice Transducer provides selectable
dual-frequency sonar with a wide area of
coverage. Selectable dual-frequency gives you
the option of two beams, and both beams will
cover the bottom and provide high definition.
The 20° center beam provides the highest
definition, while the 60° beam provides wider
coverage. Depth capability is affected by such
factors as bottom hardness and water
conditions. Whether fishing in shallow or very
deep water, selectable dual-frequency is ideal
for a variety of conditions.
N TE: Visit our Web site at humminbird.com to
determine which accessory transducers are
compatible with your Humminbird® Fishfinder, or
contact our Customer Resource Center at
1-800-633-1468.
Ice transducer
How So ar Works

8
What’s on the 600 Series™ Control Head
Your 600 Series™Fishfinder interface is easy to use. A combination of keys and
special features allows you to control what you see on the display. Refer to the
following illustration, and see Key Functions for more information.
Screen
VIEW
MENU
EXIT
1
MENU key
4
EXIT key
5
2
3
4
1
VIEW PRESET keys
6
VIEW key
2
4-WAY Cursor Control key
( EFT, RIGHT, UP, or DOWN Cursor keys)
3
7
5
POWER/ IGHT key
7
6
The Co trol Head

9
Key Functions
Your Fishfinder user interface consists of a set of easy-to-use keys that work
with various on-screen views and menus to give you flexibility and control over
your fishing experience.
P WER/LIGHT Key
The POWER/LIG T key is used to power the Fishfinder on and off.
You can also use the POWER/LIG T key to adjust the backlight
and contrast of the display.
Power On: Press the POWER/LIG T key to power the unit on. When the Title
screen is displayed, press the MENU key to access the Start-Up Options Menu.
Power Off: Press and hold the POWER/LIG T key for 3 seconds. A message will
appear to indicate how many seconds there are until shutdown occurs. To
ensure that shutdown occurs properly and any menu settings will be saved,
your Fishfinder should always be turned off using the POWER/LIG T key.
Adjust the Backlight or the Display Background
Color: Press the POWER/LIG T key to access the
Light and Background submenu. Use the 4-WAY
Cursor Control key to select Light or Background,
and then use the LEFT or RIG T Cursor key to
change the settings. Press EXIT to exit the Light
and Background submenu.
Turn Sonar On or Off: From the Light and Background submenu, use the 4-WAY
Cursor Control key to select Sonar. Use the LEFT or RIG T Cursor key to change
the setting. See Setup Menu Tab: Sonar for more information.
VIEW Key
The VIEW key is used to cycle through all available views. Press the
VIEW key to advance to the next view. Repeatedly pressing VIEW
cycles through all views available. Views can be hidden to optimize
the system to your fishing requirements (see Views or Setup Menu
Tab: Select Views).
N TE: Press the EXIT key to cycle through the views in reverse order.
Key Fu ctio s

10
Key Fu ctio s
MENU Key
The MENU key is used to access the menu system. See The
Menu System for more information.
•Start-Up Options Menu: Press the MENU key during the power up
sequence to view the Start-Up Options menu.
•X-Press™ Menu: Press the MENU key once in any view to access the
X-Press™ Menu, which provides frequently-used menu settings that
correspond with the current view or navigation mode.
•Main Menu: Press the MENU key twice in any view to access the Main
Menu, which is organized under tabbed headings to help you find a
specific menu item quickly.
4-WAY Cursor Control Key
(LEFT, RIGHT, UP, or D WN Cursor keys)
The 4-WAY Cursor Control key has multiple functions, depending
on the view, menu, or situation.
•Menu Selection: Press the DOWN or UP Cursor keys to highlight a
menu option, then press the RIG T or LEFT Cursor keys to change a
menu setting. The changes will be activated and saved immediately.
•Freeze Frame: In Sonar View and Down Imaging® View, press any arrow
on the 4-WAY Cursor Control key to freeze the display and move the
active cursor to a location on the screen. A cursor dialog box will display
to show the depth of the location you choose.
•Active Cursor: Press any arrow on the 4-WAY Cursor Control key, and
the active cursor will appear on the screen.
N TE: In either Freeze Frame or Active Cursor mode, you can also make the
cursor move diagonally by pressing in between two of the arrows on the
4-WAY Cursor Control key.

11 Key Fu ctio s
•Circular Flasher View (Ice Fishing Mode: On): Press the UP or DOWN
Cursor keys to move the Depth Cursor. Press the RIG T or LEFT Cursor
keys to adjust the Zoom Range (see Views: Circular Flasher View).
VIEW PRESET Keys
The VIEW PRESET keys are used to save your three favorite views
for quick retrieval. Instead of using the VIEW key to cycle through
all the views to find the one you want, you can program the VIEW
PRESET keys to display a specific view immediately. See Views
for more information.
EXIT Key
The EXIT key has multiple functions, depending on the situation:
•If an alarm is sounding, press the EXIT key to cancel the alarm.
•If a menu tab is selected, press the EXIT key to exit the menu mode and
return to the view.
•If a menu is active, press the EXIT key to return to the previous level in
the menu system.
•From any view, press the EXIT key to cycle through the available views
in reverse order.
•If Freeze Frame is active, press the EXIT key to return to a scrolling
display.
•If the Cursor is active, press the EXIT key to remove the cursor from the
display.
•If Down Imaging® Zoom is active, press the EXIT key to remove the
magnification box from the display and remove the cursor.

12
What’s o the So ar Display
What’s on the Sonar Display
The 600 Series™ Fishfinder can display a variety of useful information about the
N TE: Entries in this view that list (with Temp/Speed) are available if the accessory is
Depth - Wat r d pth can b s t to alarm wh n
th wat r b com s too shallow.
Temperature - Wat r surfac t mp ratur .
Timer - Elaps d tim withT mp/Sp d Acc ssory.
Distance - Distanc trav l d with T mp/Sp d
Acc ssory.
Average Speed - Av rag sp d r ading with
T mp/Sp d Acc ssory.
Second Sonar Return - Wh n th sonar signal
bounc s b tw nth bottom and th surfac ofth
wat r and back again. Us th app aranc of th
s cond r turn to d t rmin bottom hardn ss. Hard
bottoms will show a strong s cond r turn, whil soft
bottoms will show a v ry w ak on or non at all.
Thermoclines - Lay rs of wat r with diff r nt
t mp ratur s that app ar at diff r nt d pths and
diff r nt tim s of th y ar. A th rmoclin typically
app ars as a continuous band of many colors
moving across th display at th sam d pth.
Speed - If a T mp/Sp d acc ssory is attach d,
th Fishfind r can display th sp d of th boat
and can k p a Triplog of nautical or statut
mil s trav l d.