So what's the big Humminbird news?

[12poundbass]

I was just wondering if anyone knew what the big Humminbird news was today? 

[J Francho]

No clue what you're talking about....

 

But here's their press release page:

http://www.humminbird.com/PressRoom/

[pawpaw]

Looks like Mega frequencies on the Helix line

http://www.humminbird.com/Freshwater/Lifestyle/HELIX_FW/

For now.

Doubt that's the big news though.

[Wayne P.]

If you look at the posted SI images with the 1200 kHz CHIRP you may be surprised.

 

[Glenn]

Garmin, Huminbird, and Lowrance have all recently announced new features and product rollouts.  Seems these happen about every 4-6 months now. 

It's like computers these days - the moment you buy the latest one, it's obsolete.

[pawpaw]

20 minutes ago, Wayne P. said:

If you look at the posted SI images with the 1200 kHz CHIRP you may be surprised.

 

They are great images. But on the Helix line?

[Wayne P.]

It is a Helix G2N model that produced those screen shots.

[J Francho]

Perhaps I'm dense.....where are the images?  Google, BIng, DuckDuckGo give me nada....

[pawpaw]

http://www.humminbird.com/Freshwater/Lifestyle/HELIX_FW/

[J Francho]

Thanks!  <banging head on desk> You actually have to click "Freshwater" from the home page, lol.

[12poundbass]

45 minutes ago, Wayne P. said:

If you look at the posted SI images with the 1200 kHz CHIRP you may be surprised.

 

I just looked at Doug's images he has and they're awesome!!! It's pretty amazing what they've been able to do! Big question now is going to be how's the pricing going to be?

[pawpaw]

17 minutes ago, 12poundbass said:

I just looked at Doug's images he has and they're awesome!!! It's pretty amazing what they've been able to do! Big question now is going to be how's the pricing going to be?

I have a feeling they're gonna be proud of them.

I have a Humminbird unit and I use their SI on occasion. I was under the impression that the majority of the Humminbird guys vastly favored 455khz over 800khz for it's increased range. It almost seemed like they had very little use for 800 and didn't really need the detail all that much. Now for Humminbird to go this direction is kind of odd to me. Are the Humminbird guys now going to be heading in the detail over range direction?

[Wayne P.]

18 minutes ago, 12poundbass said:

I just looked at Doug's images he has and they're awesome!!! It's pretty amazing what they've been able to do! Big question now is going to be how's the pricing going to be?

From what I have seen, the G2N models will be $100 more than current models or the G2 models.

14 minutes ago, pawpaw said:

I have a feeling they're gonna be proud of them.

I have a Humminbird unit and I use their SI on occasion. I was under the impression that the majority of the Humminbird guys vastly favored 455khz over 800khz for it's increased range. It almost seemed like they had very little use for 800 and didn't really need the detail all that much. Now for Humminbird to go this direction is kind of odd to me. Are the Humminbird guys now going to be heading in the detail over range direction?

SI Range has been increased also.

[pawpaw]

Do you know much increase in range in 1200 over 800?

Does 1200 have a different degree of coverage area than 800?

Is 1200 range no longer depth dependent like 800?

[Wayne P.]

58 minutes ago, pawpaw said:

Do you know much increase in range in 1200 over 800?

Does 1200 have a different degree of coverage area than 800?

Is 1200 range no longer depth dependent like 800?

I only know what has been posted for G2N SI range between 455 kHz and 1200 kHz

400' for each side with 455 kHz and 125' for each side with 1200 kHz and both were for 180 degrees of coverage.

 All the new specs have not been posted.

[pawpaw]

2 minutes ago, Wayne P. said:

I only know what has been posted for G2N SI range between 455 kHz and 1200 kHz

400' for each side with 455 kHz and 125' for each side with 1200 kHz and both were for 180 degrees of coverage.

 All the new specs have not been posted.

Well if 1200 is 180 degree coverage that is awesome. Thank You

[12poundbass]

This makes my decision extremely tough. Go with the good Black Friday/cyber Monday deals or hold out for the gen2n's to be released? Wayne you're the Humminbird wizard what's your input?

[pawpaw]

I can't help but wonder why this new Mega Imaging didn't come out on the Onix instead. I mean how long do you think it would have been until the Helix was a legacy model. I thought Helix was basically a 9 series renamed. Is Helix now their flagship line? Or is it possible that Mega Imaging is coming to Onix too? I don't get it.

[Rick Howard]

4 hours ago, Glenn said:

Garmin, Huminbird, and Lowrance have all recently announced new features and product rollouts.  Seems these happen about every 4-6 months now. 

It's like computers these days - the moment you buy the latest one, it's obsolete.

Makes a fella keep waiting to buy one. 

[Wayne P.]

57 minutes ago, 12poundbass said:

This makes my decision extremely tough. Go with the good Black Friday/cyber Monday deals or hold out for the gen2n's to be released? Wayne you're the Humminbird wizard what's your input?

If you want the simplest version of the Helix and at a close-out sale price that would be your choice.

If you want the lastest technology with more bells and whistles at MSRP plus $100 for the G2N that would be your choice. Going by what I have seen, I would choose the new stuff. The G2 models in the 5 and 7 series have more capabilities than current Helix models. The G2N's do even more.

There have been requests for the Helix 7 series to have Ethernet capabilities (good flush mount size) and that will happen with the G2N version. The first version and G2 do not. 

I have the Helix 12 CHIRP SI GPS and the new units are more powerful.

 

56 minutes ago, pawpaw said:

I can't help but wonder why this new Mega Imaging didn't come out on the Onix instead. I mean how long do you think it would have been until the Helix was a legacy model. I thought Helix was basically a 9 series renamed. Is Helix now their flagship line? Or is it possible that Mega Imaging is coming to Onix too? I don't get it.

The first issue of the Helix units are now legacy models. That happens when the new stuff is announced.

Not everything has been announced from what I have seen implied. That is supposed to happen tomorrow.

[J Francho]

Wayne, if I were to get a new unit, do I have to any transducer exchange?

[Wayne P.]

57 minutes ago, J Francho said:

57 minutes ago, J Francho said:

Wayne, if I were to get a new unit, do I have to any transducer exchange?

 

No simple answer since you did not state what sonar technology or which version. There are 2D Helix models, there are  DI Helix models, and there are SI Helix models.

The Helix 9, 10, and 12 G2N SI models have a different transducer than the other versions. There is nothing to exchange to. Those are the Mega imaging units with a dedicated DI crystal like the ONIX SI transducer.

The Helix 5, 7 and 9 G2 SI models come with the Compact SI transducer and that is what is exchanged for the HDSI transducer that the Helix 10 and 12 current SI models have.

If you get a DI model and want the transducer on the trolling motor, then you exchange the transom version for the trolling motor PUCK.

[J Francho]

Just now, Wayne P. said:

The Helix 9, 10, and 12 G2N SI models have a different transducer than the other versions. There is nothing to exchange to.

That answers my question, thanks!

[pawpaw]

13 hours ago, Wayne P. said:

 

 

The first issue of the Helix units are now legacy models. That happens when the new stuff is announced.

Not everything has been announced from what I have seen implied. That is supposed to happen tomorrow.

That makes more sense.

Thanks agsin

[Goose52]

I haven't read up on the improvements over what is now the Helix legacy units so I don't know if they are all hardware-based or whether any of the new or improved features might trickle down to my Helix 10 legacy unit via software upgrade and possibly a transducer upgrade ???