Mega Live 2

[CrowMan]

Looks like Humminbird may have leap frogged Garmin in the FFS arms race. From what I've heard so far, the technology seems pretty impressive.  I hear Lowrance has a game changer in the works too..

[Spiel]

I have lined up the local Humminbird Rep to come out to my club (Stelco Fishing Club) meeting in January to discuss all things new for Humminbird in 2025 CM.

If you're interested I can keep you and those interested posted on the details. Everyone is welcome to attend. 

[CrowMan]

Please do...thanks.

[Terry]

They are saying it’s a leap forward in sonars

but I can’t find anything concrete 

but you have to buy a whole new fishfinder to run the new ffs sonar.  So sounds very expensive 

I will be wanting to to see what it looks like when the pros start showing it off 

[limeyangler]

Thanks Crowman, I’m just getting into this whole FFS thing and have been a bit bummed out that everything I love about the Humminbird set up on my boat would mean a compromise in when it came to ffs, hopefully it’s all that it’s promising to be, having ffs hooked into iPilot Link would be deadly.

[limeyangler]

On 11/26/2024 at 10:25 PM, limeyangler said:

Thanks Crowman, I’m just getting into this whole FFS thing and have been a bit bummed out that everything I love about the Humminbird set up on my boat would mean a compromise in when it came to ffs, hopefully it’s all that it’s promising to be, having ffs hooked into iPilot Link would be deadly.

I forgot to say I’m currently using a Lowrance Active target, the older version.

[petersaban]

On 11/26/2024 at 9:47 PM, Terry said:

They are saying it’s a leap forward in sonars

but I can’t find anything concrete 

but you have to buy a whole new fishfinder to run the new ffs sonar.  So sounds very expensive 

I will be wanting to to see what it looks like when the pros start showing it off 

I just read that my Solix G3, which is currently mounted at the front of the boat, is compatible. Might be running Mega Live 2 at the front and my Livescope portable at the back of the boat. 

[BillM]

I hope HB comes out with something like my buddies HDS12.  I'm a HB guy, but that thing blows the Solix (Which is supposed to be it's competitor) out of the water.   I'd love if they brought touchscreen to the Helix line.

Keep us in the loop Chris!!

[BassMan11]

I'd say Garmin is still king and everyone else is still trying to catch up.

If every pro had to "buy their own" FFS. They would all be Garmin. 

I am glad Lowrance and Humminbird are stepping up their game... competition is good. Mega 2 is all beta testing version at the moment, and doesn't look any better than the LVS34. Plus you most likely have to buy a new unit..... tough sell.

 

[BillM]

I'm not interesting in FFS at all, I just want a better unit then the Helix and the Solix definitely isn't it.   The new Xplore units look interesting!

[AKRISONER]

On 11/26/2024 at 2:49 PM, CrowMan said:

Looks like Humminbird may have leap frogged Garmin in the FFS arms race. 

Honestly, after what HB came out with in their first iteration, Ill believe it when I see it lol.

I have one factoid  that is of interest to our members here

Mega Live 2 will not be supported on the helix line of HB products. 

It will be exclusive to solix and Xplore

 

Lets be dead serious here guys, you can get into Livescope + right now with a 10 inch screen for $3200, you cant even come close to beating thar pricing under any manufacturer. 

I got to fish with a lowrance active target on and HDS 12 this summer and honestly I still like my old junk LVS32 better than what lowrance was offering.

Lowrance's mapping system is certainly better than garmins, but when it comes to live imaging no one is touching garmin...yet

[CrowMan]

31 minutes ago, BillM said:

I'm not interesting in FFS at all, I just want a better unit then the Helix and the Solix definitely isn't it.   The new Xplore units look interesting!

There is the top-of-line Apex from Humminbird.

It looks like the Xplore will be the new mid-range unit...the specs look like a definite improvement over the Helix.

Like all tech, it's a moving target and sometimes difficult to know when to pull the trigger.

[BassMan11]

36 minutes ago, BillM said:

I'm not interesting in FFS at all, I just want a better unit then the Helix and the Solix definitely isn't it.   The new Xplore units look interesting!

Don't get started. Its all down hill from there Bill. But if your looking for a new unit and has the capability for the best FFS, The Garmin Ultra 106sv right now is $1400 at Cabelas right now... which is a screaming deal. 

[BillM]

57 minutes ago, BassMan11 said:

Don't get started. Its all down hill from there Bill. But if your looking for a new unit and has the capability for the best FFS, The Garmin Ultra 106sv right now is $1400 at Cabelas right now... which is a screaming deal. 

I've already got two Helix 12s, the sickness started years ago!!!  lol! 

[CrowMan]

I guess Wheeler wants to cover all the bases..or just can't decide

 

Edited December 3 by CrowMan

[AKRISONER]

1 hour ago, CrowMan said:

I guess Wheeler wants to cover all the bases..or just can't decide

 

Zaldain has the same deal going on his boat too, hds 12, apex 12 and a GPS map.

I do have to say, wheeler's set up is horrific and giving me an aneurism. He clearly should have called up the guys at Geigertech but I have to assume he has some deal with Boat logix.

Here's probably the wildest electronic's set up on the planet, although he swapped one of the garmins on the bow for an NBT during the season.

Here you can see his bow set up at the final st lawrence event.

https://www.bassmaster.com/takumi-ito/video/taku-ito-moving-into-the-top-10-at-st-lawrence/

 

New bassmaster rules now make Taku's set up illegal. Perhaps the biggest impact it will have is that "crappie brakes" are now illegal and no one is allowed to run livescope deucers off of their jackplate anymore. I could see this quickly changing though, someone is going to release an all in one deucer for sure in the near future. The idea of side scanning in live time makes complete sense. I also think that this LVS XR and LVS 34 will just be combined into one deucer with multiple frequency selections. I think thats basically where this stuff is headed in the near term. Especially because they are only allowing one FFS deucer on Bassmaster now.

 

Dont even get me started on MLF..their zany weird rules are ridiculous.

[petersaban]

 

[Spiel]

Here's a link to our club's January guest speaker's YouTube channel who undoubtedly will be talking about all things new with Humminbird including Mega Live 2.

https://www.youtube.com/@stevechiassonfishing5876/videos

[AKRISONER]

good news for the h-bird boys they are finally getting decent FFS...just catching up though, nothing groundbreaking yet.

 

[CrowMan]

It looks like the ball is in Lowrance's court now....I hear Active Target 3 is coming out next autumn..

Competition is a wonderful thing !

[AKRISONER]

improvements will simply be range and target separation for the next bit IMO, the fact that Garmin has 2 transducers for different ranges...someone is going to fix that with the swiftness. Be it a frequency function change, or perhaps just a transducer that is a little wider with a cone selection, similar to choosing your frequency for side imaging for more range...or just figuring out how to stitch all of that together.

[CrowMan]

Can't wait for the underwater drone technology...like launching little Hunter Killer subs...😁

Seriously though...the tech has no limits...at some point are the regulations (fish & game act) going to limit the tech ?

[Terry]

17 minutes ago, CrowMan said:

Can't wait for the underwater drone technology...like launching little Hunter Killer subs...😁

Seriously though...the tech has no limits...at some point are the regulations (fish & game act) going to limit the tech ?

the future here 
 

https://www.amazon.ca/GLADIUS-Underwater-Drone-Camera-Flight/dp/B09C1P7SHK/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?adgrpid=65146651190&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.2bcyIqlbZBEYWkXuPN3-Lfiq2_csMoLJnzGeu872NND2Yw6az1GeHQSBfULwhUAK0lc3l5hIjjB7n0kTVQRu64_dRzkdIxVQA3F-Kqz2LkHz-u_U7zixNc500PGQmwDFG4puTkuCNrfTB5uIJM2wifWGQt9-1qFx6vLiFm2W4irAqjTEqP1dD7-mAx3Op-C-ToDjh_NuOmJEqgzjac9BKA.yOd3l8Jk48nOhub9kJDCEXi8oXTPjV-jOufa1Uwm6XM&dib_tag=se&hvadid=602939444793&hvdev=m&hvlocphy=9000801&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=12212217319422485455&hvtargid=kwd-299164230449&hydadcr=3948_13242227&keywords=underwater+drone&qid=1734448663&sr=8-3

[CrowMan]

1 hour ago, Terry said:

the future here 
 

https://www.amazon.ca/GLADIUS-Underwater-Drone-Camera-Flight/dp/B09C1P7SHK/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?adgrpid=65146651190&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.2bcyIqlbZBEYWkXuPN3-Lfiq2_csMoLJnzGeu872NND2Yw6az1GeHQSBfULwhUAK0lc3l5hIjjB7n0kTVQRu64_dRzkdIxVQA3F-Kqz2LkHz-u_U7zixNc500PGQmwDFG4puTkuCNrfTB5uIJM2wifWGQt9-1qFx6vLiFm2W4irAqjTEqP1dD7-mAx3Op-C-ToDjh_NuOmJEqgzjac9BKA.yOd3l8Jk48nOhub9kJDCEXi8oXTPjV-jOufa1Uwm6XM&dib_tag=se&hvadid=602939444793&hvdev=m&hvlocphy=9000801&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=12212217319422485455&hvtargid=kwd-299164230449&hydadcr=3948_13242227&keywords=underwater+drone&qid=1734448663&sr=8-3

Now put FFS in the drone and have it communicate back to your screen, and you can cover the entire lake without leaving the dock...LOL

When does it stop being fishing and just become a video game ?

I'm curious if there's anything in the reg's about using this tech ? I know for hunting, drones are absolutely forbidden...but fishing ?

[petersaban]

The processors in the HB units are powerful enough to run Mega Live 2 without requiring a black box 

Edited December 17 by petersaban