Email from Garmin

Garmin has announced the live scope package for ice fishing. Almost 3 k for the nine inch screen and the lvs32. OUCH

That’s what new tech costs.

Did they incorporate the black box/software into the head unit or is it mounted somewhere in the case? Would be interesting to see how they have it all rigged up in there.

Wonder if it will be an AS model or how difficult to convert

Neither Panoptix or Panoptix LiveScope are inexpensive. The Panoptix ice bundle, if you can find one, retails for $1,899 and the LiveScope runs $1,499 plus sonar unit and Garmin Ice Kit. What many anglers realize, however, is these units are not just dedicated ice units, but provide the same performance in open water, which means buying just one unit for both seasons – and that makes pricing more attractive.

I have been using the old tech panoptix for a few years now. On the ice and on boat. My ice rig is a 92 echomap chirp. Paired with a PS 22 panoptix transducer.

I used a leaky 5-gallon bucket as my unit mount. fabricated my own deployment gizmo for the PS 22. All together have just south of a thousand dollars. Used money I saved to invest in 20AH lithium battery.

As far as finding fish I can’t see the livescope being any better. Granted it is a prettier picture. I base this on head to head comparison on trip last winter.

If you can afford @ 1K . Incorporating the older panoptix into your ice fishing will make your finding fish on the ice a lot faster and easier. Just make sure to get the PS22 as it will read both down and forward.