My dad just retired and I’m planning on getting Panoptix for the boat for this spring as a surprise for him.
I‘be watched the videos of this but am really confused on what “bundle” or what I need to buy to get this on the boat. I don’t have Garmin now so would need the head unit as well.
Does the Panoptix transducer also do down and side imaging or do I need another transducer for that? If two transducers are needed, can they hook up to the same head unit?
There are a few different transducers for panoptix. There are the down that is the PS30. I have that transducer. I love it and use it all the time. There are also the front looking transducers that generally mount on a trolling motor. Good for looking for weed structure in front of the boat. I have never used one of those. I also have live scope with a solid mount on the transom. Really useless for the way I fish. The beam is so tight it doesn’t work well for me at all. The SI is a different transducer that would include DI and standard sonar. You can buy a transducer to include anything you want it to have or not have. Garmin really gives you an unbelievable choice of options, so you only pay for what you want. A single head unit can run multiple transducers. You can also add another head unit and it will share all information between units as long as both can be connected via an ethernet cord.
Retailers may “bundle”, but with the exception of the ice kits you are really buying a head unit (Echomap+, Echomap Ultra, or GPSMap) that will come bundled with different transducer and mapping options.
I don’t have experience pre-Livescope but the unit most popular as an entry point for Livescope is the 9″ Echomap + (93SV+). This unit will come with a 3 in 1 transducer (GT52) of ok quality covering 2d, SI, and DI. It also comes with US maps without having to buy an extra chip. As mentioned above Garmin provides A LOT of different options, but that also can be a bit confusing.
Echomap Plus – entry level
Echomap UHD – similar to Plus, “upgraded” transducer
Echomap Ultra – better screens, faster, etc. vs. entry level options
GPSMap – better units, higher cost. Available in touch & non-touch screen
Livescope (LVS32) is available and is sold with a black box to handle a lot of the image processing required. The PS30 and others mentioned by mojogunter don’t require the separate box.
Also, Garmin just announced a $200 rebate on all of their Livescope offerings. Good time to buy but also likely means an update is coming soon.
Thanks guys; final question.
If I get the Echomap 93SV, can I use the transducer that it comes with and the separate Panoptix transducer at the same time on the same screen? Could I toggle between side imaging and Livescope by going through the different views or is that not how it works?
Yes to all. Garmin lets you fully customize what you’re looking at and resize each source as you wish. You do run out of screen real estate very fast, however. For what it’s worth, I rarely use another transducer source at the same time as Livescope. I typically use SV (SI) for searching with the big motor and troll or anchor with Livescope.
You buy a head unit with the side and down option panoptix is another transducer. The standard panoptix will view farther and deeper Vs the live scope the live scope will allow to more detail and sometimes the ability to know what type of fish and or size but loose the distance. I have both both have there place the standard definitely nicer for seeing fish off to the side.
Mike do you have your livescope transducer on a trolling motor? It is worthless to me mounted solid on the transom. I have been looking at different mounting options, but none I have seen would work well for me.
the transducer you get will depend on the SV/CV model you get. clear view is down and side view is side imaging. one ducer is the GT22 (down) and GT52 (side and down)
the panoptix is its own animal that can be run simultaneously.
ducers for that are the PS21 – out in front or the PS22 – both down and out in front.
livescope is once again its own animal as well.
no i have it on a swivel arm so i can swing it around and then when on spot lock still able to view all directions. thought about the trolling motor but in spot lock only will look one way. traxtech makes awesome system for this. New this year well built and stows nice.
Ok good, I will look at traxtech. Everything had looked at to this point looked questionable. I am running traxtech for my track system, so that would work out well. Thanks, Charles
no i have it on a swivel arm so i can swing it around and then when on spot lock still able to view all directions. thought about the trolling motor but in spot lock only will look one way. traxtech makes awesome system for this. New this year well built and stows nice.
Ok good, I will look at traxtech. Everything had looked at to this point looked questionable. I am running traxtech for my track system, so that would work out well. Thanks, Charles
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Mike Klein wrote:</div>
no i have it on a swivel arm so i can swing it around and then when on spot lock still able to view all directions. thought about the trolling motor but in spot lock only will look one way. traxtech makes awesome system for this. New this year well built and stows nice.
I found for using spot lock it is a bit frustrating on the bow mount but I still ended up liking it better than off the side. What I do like is running the terrova in legacy auto pilot so as the boat moves it is still aiming in the same direction.
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