What electronics should I buy?

[Rangerbill1]

I have a 2008 Ranger 520.  Gen 2 Humingbird electronics.  I would like to get Garmin LVS 34 on the front, but having brain overload trying to decide on Chartplotter/GPS.  I fish Lake Guntersville primarily.  Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Bud Kennedy]

I have a 2008 Ranger 520.  Gen 2 Humingbird electronics.  I would like to get Garmin LVS 34 on the front, but having brain overload trying to decide on Chartplotter/GPS.  I fish Lake Guntersville primarily.  Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Rangerbill1, Wayne P on this site will be able to guide you towards what you need and how to do it. 

[caddyjoe77]

i too fish Guntersville primarily. 

i have a G2 Helix 12 at the console
G2 Solix 12 at the bow w/360
Garmin 126 with a LVS34 at the bow.

method is find school on helix, look at them with 360/livescope -- 360 is a necessity IMO for the hard edges of the grass lines here.  livescope i dont have enough time on the water yet with it to make the determination one way or the other around grass.  However, open water is amazing.   

both these are rigged to a precision mount, a bit heavy but solid as a rock. 

if you are thinking an upgrade will get you a better picture, sure it will to a point.  However, the best investment i made was a dedicated lithium and clean power (8 gauge).  Literally, it looks like the demo mode now.

so thats what i use when i fish guntersville

[coldfront]

However, the best investment i made was a dedicated lithium and clean power (8 gauge).  Literally, it looks like the demo mode now.

there's a hidden gem of advice!  thanks CJ!
is there any discussion about choosing company based upon map quality?  Lakemaster versus c-map vs ?
know folks who swear by C-map.  I have a huge confidence in lakemaster (and am waiting on my new premium vx chips)...

[caddyjoe77]

i have always been a lakemaster guy.  Ive always liked the depth highlight and smart strike.   The smart strike doesnt necessarily tell you exactly where to go but it gives general guidance and more often than not, assuming you pick the right settings and dont forget (because it defaults to spring -- dont ask me how I know  ) -- it puts you in the right general area. 

I would be open to another mapping software but am also interested in the VX as well....the thing i am concerned about is sometimes bird has been known to be buggy for a generation from my experience

[coldfront]

sometimes bird has been known to be buggy for a generation from my experience

guess we're gonna find out... they're tough to find (these premium vx chips) but I 'did' and it's on the way.
are you running PC software for the maps as well?  for a 'bit' I think the 'smart strike' was not available... but seems to be 'back' again... just for a 'price'...

[caddyjoe77]

sometimes bird has been known to be buggy for a generation from my experience

guess we're gonna find out... they're tough to find (these premium vx chips) but I 'did' and it's on the way.
are you running PC software for the maps as well?  for a 'bit' I think the 'smart strike' was not available... but seems to be 'back' again... just for a 'price'...

No, not running the PC software although I did mess with it before.  I think, if i am not mistaken they had some smart strike thing that was lake specific for a while and you had to buy "the lake" every year for 30 bucks.  It was app based, and about 30 bucks a lake.  In my mind I didnt need all that.  Also, I think, again if memory serves me -- that there was some other thing that annoyed me about the humminbirdPC -- i believe it was not reading industry standard waypoint files so I wrote my own code to fix that problem.   

Im not anti humminbird, i just get annoyed when a company doesn't do what i feel is "due diligence" before releasing software and letting the user base be their test bed -- probably common with all and I might be biased because I have only run humminbird but it seems like this happens more with them -- but again i might be wrong and have a very narrow lens.   Sorry -- didnt mean to go down a rabbit hole    I still use their products obviously.  Partly because its what i have and i don't want to spend a whole lot of cash just to end up in the same spot 

Let me know what you determine on the VX

[caddyjoe77]

and of course, the new VX will work with my solix but not the G2 Helix. 

So, perhaps I will get either a newer G4 helix for the console or move the solix back to the console and get an APEX for the front(because 360 in full HD would be awesome!)...  and now we are back at the "am i going to get pissed off because the APEX software is buggy for the next 6 months" question 

[Wayne P.]

sometimes bird has been known to be buggy for a generation from my experience

guess we're gonna find out... they're tough to find (these premium vx chips) but I 'did' and it's on the way.
are you running PC software for the maps as well?  for a 'bit' I think the 'smart strike' was not available... but seems to be 'back' again... just for a 'price'...

The Lakemaster legacy mapping was available in the models=Lakemaster, Lakemaster Plus, and Lakemaster Smart Strike. The Lakemaster Plus satellite overlay and Smart Strike software only work at HD surveyed bodies of water. You could also purchase single bodies of water and add several layers such as several years of satellite overlay, USGS map, and Smart Strike software. The single lake purchases downloaded to a memory card do NOT expire. The single lake purchases and the FishSmart App have been discontinued and will be replaced by regional purchases and the One-Boat-Network App. The new Lakemaster VX map cards have two models, both models have the Smart Strike software, the difference is the Premium VX has Shaded Relief and Satellite Overlay. Older units won't read those map cards. The Shaded Relief is not as detailed as the same thing with Navionics.
This is Lakemaster Shaded Relief:


This is Navionics:

[Wayne P.]

Have not seen any details about the One-Boat-Network App but it will be a subscription and speculation is it will be like Navionics Freshest Data Updates. The purchase of a VX map card will have a coupon for that subscription.

[coldfront]

wayne:  thanks!
one thing I appreciated in the navionics/lowrance approach was ability to put together a custom pallette with regard to depths/ranges.  HB has that too... just on a much more limited number.

think the VX premium version will address this...

with regard to the differences you see on the 'shaded relief' between the two products.  do you have thoughts around just 'how useful' the Navionics would be relative to the Lakemaster?  I'm trying to think through this... it's really 'cool'... but most of my research, work revolves around maps with contours ...

[Wayne P.]

wayne:  thanks!
one thing I appreciated in the navionics/lowrance approach was ability to put together a custom pallette with regard to depths/ranges.  HB has that too... just on a much more limited number.

think the VX premium version will address this...

with regard to the differences you see on the 'shaded relief' between the two products.  do you have thoughts around just 'how useful' the Navionics would be relative to the Lakemaster?  I'm trying to think through this... it's really 'cool'... but most of my research, work revolves around maps with contours ...

The VX mapping has Shallow Water Highlight, and four different ranges for Depth Highlighting like this. Each of the ranges have several color choices.



It also has 5 different base color pallets.
It has three different customizable favorite setups.
The Shaded Relief is "cute" but not functional for fishing or navigation.

[caddyjoe77]

thank you Wayne!! Appreciate the answers!!

Do you happen to be running an APEX and did you notice a difference with Mega 360 detail wise?  Or, in your opinion do you think it is better to get a 15 Solix G3 for example, specifically for Mega 360?

[Wayne P.]

thank you Wayne!! Appreciate the answers!!

Do you happen to be running an APEX and did you notice a difference with Mega 360 detail wise?  Or, in your opinion do you think it is better to get a 15 Solix G3 for example, specifically for Mega 360?

No I do not have an APEX. The APEX series has a higher pixel count display so the images will be crisper compared to similar size displays of Helix and SOLIX. The SOLIX and Helix 15" have a low pixel density compared to the 12" models so I prefer to use a 12". The 16" APEX has a higher pixel density than the H12 and S12 so if you want quality images in a larger display, that would be a good choice if that fits your budget. The 13" APEX has about 10,000 more pixels per square inch than the H12 and S12, that would be the MACK DADDY of image quality.

[Wayne P.]

This is a Helix 15 and Helix 12. I have the H15 backlighting turned down to reduce the amp draw---

[coldfront]

The 13" APEX has about 10,000 more pixels per square inch than the H12 and S12, that would be the MACK DADDY of image quality.

a guy just can't 'win' in the electronic arms-race... 


i run a couple of helix 12's now...  but it just isn't something you can 'sit on' and wait out.the H12's I have though, sure are nice!

really appreciate your thoughts/insights on electronics as always Wayne!

[caddyjoe77]

Higher pixel count -- exactly -- HD.  Should be sharper -- hence the question.  I was hoping someone had done a video on it

thank you for your thoughts

[coldfront]

Higher pixel count -- exactly -- HD.  Should be sharper -- hence the question.  I was hoping someone had done a video on it

thank you for your thoughts

just for reference:  HD is not 4K...

[caddyjoe77]

Higher pixel count -- exactly -- HD.  Should be sharper -- hence the question.  I was hoping someone had done a video on it

thank you for your thoughts

just for reference:  HD is not 4K...

I do understand that.  APEX is 1920 x 1080 (Classic "HD") whereas the Helix and Solix is 1280 x 800

by HD --> im referring to "1080p"  which is not 4K (which is 3840 x 2160)

im saying, more pixels should equal a finer picture.  What I am most curious about, for the Mega 360 in particular is --> can the Mega 360 Push that many pixels without distortion.  I am assuming this, based on Waynes earlier post -- MACK DADDY of image quality

[coldfront]

im saying, more pixels should equal a finer picture.  What I am most curious about, for the Mega 360 in particular is --> can the Mega 360 Push that many pixels without distortion.  I am assuming this, based on Waynes earlier post -- MACK DADDY of image quality

the mega 360 I run on my helix 12 seems good to go.  tough to say without a side by side comparison.  for what it's worth, they all look pretty good until you start to zoom in...


but CJ, sometimes I have a hard time telling if it's a pixelation issue or my old fuzzy eyesight...

[caddyjoe77]

im saying, more pixels should equal a finer picture.  What I am most curious about, for the Mega 360 in particular is --> can the Mega 360 Push that many pixels without distortion.  I am assuming this, based on Waynes earlier post -- MACK DADDY of image quality

the mega 360 I run on my helix 12 seems good to go.  tough to say without a side by side comparison.  for what it's worth, they all look pretty good until you start to zoom in...


but CJ, sometimes I have a hard time telling if it's a pixelation issue or my old fuzzy eyesight...

roger mine looks ok as well (G2 Helix) -- but how good COULD it look in a higher resolution with dual processors which should help the refresh rate

im getting old too, need that bigger screen 

[caddyjoe77]

well, it appears the APEX has no issues and crisp would be an appropriate word.  Asked around a bit.