LiveScope models

Okay, I am finally at the point where I am seriously considering a Live system. At this point, I haven’t completely ruled out the Mega Live, most feedback seems to favor the Garmin setups, but it’s difficult to find unbiased opinions. I feel I should point out that this would be a HUGE expense for me, but I have a disability that limits my activities. Fishing is one of a very few things I can still enjoy, and this would likely improve my fishing success (or at least help me find and learn fish), so I am strongly considering it.
I would initially buy it for ice season, but need to be able to use it for open water as well, though I won’t be buying an open water mount right away. And this needs to be a purchase that will last many years. I don’t want to wish I had gone with another model three months from now. I want to love it for many years. My primary issue aside from cost, is that I can’t decipher the model differences. I own Humminbird electronics, and have never researched the Garmin products. I’m not sure what the difference is between PanOptix and LiveScope even.
Could someone explain what the differences are and what they offer, and perhaps a recommendation. Using actual model numbers would be a tremendous help.

Guys know a lot more than me since I have yet to take mine out of the box. Pantoptixs was the first version if you will and very much like playing Atari. Livescope with the LS32 ducer is way better, now a couple years ago the LS34 is better by a decent margin from what I understand. As far as head units I have a 93uhd and plan to use that. I have heard there are other more expensive better units that would look a little better. Megalive a buddy has and have only seen it in action a couple times. From what I hear Garmin is better, however if you know birds you might consider sticking to that especially if you own a unit it would work with.

For the record I purchased the LS34 and like I said plan to pair it to the 93UHD I already have.

I would consider attending this event on Friday 11/17 in EP. You will be able to learn quite a bit, and also an opportunity at a great package price:

https://www.scheels.com/p/eden-prairie-scheels-garmin-93sv-livescope-lvs32-ice-bundle-seminar/40011005056-EN-GARMIN.html

I would definitely consider signing up for that event, but first I would want to know if the unit they are offering is a model I want to invest in. That is what I am wanting to find out from IDO users with experience.
Black Friday is next week, and with ice fishing sales starting to kick in, I would suspect there should be some great deals showing up soon.

My .02
I bought a garmin lvs32 system from reeds before vid inflation hit. My wife liked
it so much in the xover at ID lakes that she ok’d buying another one for myself to hole hop We both like it better than 10 aquaveiw. You can see fish all over see what direction they are coming in at observe their behavior on lure presentation and you can more than not tell what species +_. The second unit we got is a LVS34 and on the correct settings is cleaner than the 32. Of course I don’t tell my wife that. Reeds had some great ice combo units with the 93 head and good pricing point back then Reeds also gave me a credit on the garmin ice pole from their kit and I purchased the summit fishing pole set ups. I use the unit on the boat as a stand alone unit but it can be set up on the boat during warm weather. Summit fishing pole has a sleeve adapter so the pole can be mounted to a ram ball on the rail in bow or back. Great units both. I have seen the other two manufacturers on boats of buddies but not thru the ice. Garmin is better I my experience. Good luck

Mojo,

I just was in your position. Sold my boat last spring and told the wife I would do that only if I could buy a live imaging unit before ice season. I have always been a hummingbird guy but ended up finding a couple on FB that won a Garmin LV 32 Ice Fishing Bundle and bought it new in the box at a slight discount. I was in scheels the other day and saw my same set up for $2,099. The bundle runs off the 93 SV unit which is touch screen.

Garmin is better than Hummingbird with the live imaging but if you are running lake master mapping then you may want to stick with hummingbird. The LV 32 is not as good as the 34 BUT if you don’t fish in super deep water then I don’t think you will be upset with the 32. The 34 will be clearer in deeper water detecting your bait deep and you will have more clarity at say 70-100 feet in forward mode but the LV32 is a good unit and I am happy with mine but only had in water 3 times so far and still learning it.

The package comes with everything you would need to fish. For $25 I made a DIY pole system that attaches to side of boat for summer use. Only thing I am going to buy is a new battery as the one that comes with the units is a lead acid. I will use that as back up if for some reason my new one goes dead.

I have always bought units you can use year round and live imaging is no exception so yes it is more pricey but you get use all year round. Can mark waypoints for summer and winter. I had the Helix 7 MSImaging and don’t miss it. For Ice Fishing I do have a couple other flashers I will use to hole hop once I find fish.

Pull the plug if you can. You won’t regret it.

Jay Seimens created a great video of all 3 side by side – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wM9PNOx37Y&t=1207s

I own a Garmin System, it’s the best of the 3 imo…it looks like MegaLive 2.0 is on the horizon, but if you keep waiting for the next best thing, you’ll never have one…

If price is your #1 focus, I’d look for a LVS32 and a Echomap93UHD setup… BPS will have several sales next Friday and you can piece together a full system online cheaper than buying a Bundle kit..if interested, go look in the Garmin section of IDO, I posted several buying guides…

I have Livescope (LVS34) and Mega Live on my boat. Garmin is better in my opinion.

If you choose Garmin, get the LVS34 transducer for sure. You can run it on any compatible Garmin screen and it will work great. Some will say that you should buy the biggest screen you can afford, but I’ll offer that if you’re using it exclusively for livescope the Echomap 10″ is ideal from a cost vs. benefit perspective. That said, the GPSmap 86XX series is Garmin’s premiere display. I run mine on an 8610 for non-livescope reasons. It’s exceptional, but costs substantially more than the Echomap.

If your budget allows I would get a Garmin LSV 34 and build your own ice bundle. This video is a couple of years old, but the guy does a good job explaining the different models. Garmin has come out with some newer models since this video but the naming is similar. The image with the chart is from the video. If I was going start from scratch I would build my own ice bundle buying the pieces as JoeMX1825 recommended. During the black Friday sales you should be able to get a Echomap Ultra 106xsv for about $1000. I think that is the best bang for the buck with better Display Resolution and small enough to fit in the ice bundle.

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This sale price is good if you want to just buy the bundle with a 9″ screen.

https://www.scheels.com/p/garmin-echomap-uhd-93sv-livescope-plus-lvs34-lithium-ice-fishing-bundle/75375928500.html?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA9dGqBhAqEiwAmRpTCx16gAhrsiRcDmx64jQB74tKAYly_qQQne6Yh8ynrawlttN_npJhAhoCYIIQAvD_BwE&src=hardlines

If you are looking at Garmin, I just got the BPS Black Friday catalog. They have the Echomap Ultra 106 for $1000 and listing the Livescope LVS 34 setup for $1700. They also listed Humminbird MegaLive for $1000 if you already have a compatible Humminbird graph.

Tlazer wrote:

If you are looking at Garmin, I just got the BPS Black Friday catalog. They have the Echomap Ultra 106 for $1000 and listing the Livescope LVS 34 setup for $1700. They also listed Humminbird MegaLive for $1000 if you already have a compatible Humminbird graph.

That ad is what actually got the gears turning in my head and made me come here to figure out what I should be looking for.

Thanks for all the replies, great help so far.

Also, I would like to clarify that while the cost is important, I would much rather spend more initially, than to spend less and be disappointed – especially if there are some Black Friday deals to be found.

Coming from a Mega Live owner, get the Garmin LVS 34 with the 9 or 10″ screen. Mega gets the job done, but that Garmin is better.

mojo wrote:

Also, I would like to clarify that while the cost is important, I would much rather spend more initially, than to spend less and be disappointed – especially if there are some Black Friday deals to be found.

My 0.02.. LVS34 as mentioned a couple of times & if you can swing it a bigger screen. the 9″ screen works great (it’s what I have) but if you can swing a 10″ screen, the upside is better picture / resolution (and a bit more weight to lug around).

Do ensure you get a lithium battery for optimum run time.

I purchased my Ultra 106 two Black Friday’s ago with a bunch of coupon codes (look online for them) and then immediately sold the GT-54 for $150, so it ultimately cost me about $650…it’s an awesome unit…but its heavy in an ice bundle..it also eats 3x the battery power compared to the Echomap 93UHD1

if money is not a factor then get the LVS34, it’s about 20% better all around vs the LVS32. Build your kit, don’t buy a bundle…

I am leaning toward the LVS34 with the Ultra 106 unless there are other suggestions or reasons not to go that route.
Even with the Black Friday sales, it’s more than I want to spend, but it sounds like that might be the minimum to avoid buyers’ regret later on.
What is required to switch back and forth between the LiveScope and the standard transducer for open water use? Can both be connected at the same time so that changing between them is a matter of changing a setting?
How does the Ultra 106 compare to the Helix MSI as a side imaging unit? I would consider the GT-56 for SideVu unless the GT-54 was included free.
I appreciate all the info.

I have the EchoMap 93 sv with the GT-56 transducer and also the Livescope 32. You can have both hooked up at the same time. It is just a matter of switching to either the Livescope or transducer on the main screen. The Livescope hooks to the GLS 10 black box which is Ethernet connected to the 93SV. For winter I used the summit shuttle, but I’m sure other shuttles will work just fine. I bought extra power cables and the base for the 93 so when I switch over from the boat to ice fishing I don’t have to rip everything apart. I take the gls10 and the lvs32 Livescope off the boat and install on the shuttle for ice fishing. Kind of a pain but until a super deal comes along where I can get another Livescope unit cheap I will continue to switch back and forth as the season change. Hope this helps.

go check out the Garmin page here, it has all the info on what’s needed…

I have both the 32 and 34 the 32 is on a 93uhd Benefits easy to carry . The 34 is on a 106 , it is heavy . Both units are rigged to be portable . Ice fishing or boat . Definitely would need a sled to pull the 34 around hole hopping . Both have good imaging but the 106 is better .

I’m still using my 93 plus with the lvs32 from 2019. Haven’t skipped a beat and still going strong. My two boys love fishing with it and I don’t see a need to buy another. I also use it on my boat and friend’s boat. I pieced it together and total came to about $2k.