Mega Live

[Big Iron]

Brand new to this forward sonar game. I'm running with Mega Live/ Helix 12 combo & was figuring out this weekend in the boat.

After experimenting with the settings- I am able to track my bait once it get's within 40 LF of the boat.

Is that as good as it gets with Mega?

Is Garmin able to track baits out to 70 LF?

Do I continue to tinker with the settings and try to gain some more distance?

Thanks

 

[Weekender]

Do you have the most current update installed on it? I've heard that the recent update that came out helped a lot with lure tracking for Mega Live.

 

[Big Iron]

yes, latest updates are in.

I also have the tape "mask" on the transducer.

 

[Bauer]

With my LVS34, I am able to confidently track a larger bait like a #9 jigging rap, or a 1/4oz Jig and paddle tail out to 100'. I have not had any experience with the Mega Live to be able to offer up any comparisons.

 

[Sum1]

I’ve heard of the three garmin is #1, Lawrence #2 and the hummers are #3.
For some reason I musta watched the wrong videos on YouTube and went with the Lawrence. I have buyers remorse. Should went with Garmin. The difference is pretty substantial.

 

[Sum1]

To answer your question though on my Lawrence messing with the settings is a big part of it. Adjusting the gain and adjusting the depth settings to get the best pictures

 

[Big Iron]

Guess not many Mega Live users out there.

Thanks for the info on Garmin and Lowrance.

 

[SLE]

I have been using Mega live for the last two seasons and will be this season. I can echo your experiences. Bait tracking more than 50ft out gets pretty tough and I have not had much luck with it. If you turn the sensitivity way up you end up with a lot of reflection and noise on your screen and it masks the bait and fish, so it is a fine line of not having too much clutter but still being able to get decent definition. I'll find out this summer if the new G3N Solix's with the latest updates are any better than my G3N Helix's.

The biggest reason to choose Mega-Live is if you are already a Humminbird user and want to keep compatibility with a One Boat Network (trolling motor, graphs, live scan, 360, talons, etc.). I'd be lying if I said I've had second thoughts not adding a stand alone Garmin 1243 with live-scope to the new boat instead of a full Bird/Johnson one boat network. It's something that could still happen by next season as there is no doubt Garmin is leading the way for live sonar.

 

[buckhunter24_7]

I have a lvs 34 also and can also track my baits pretty much as far as I want. I never have to mess with the settings for the most part. I put the gain at around 70% and it’s good to go

 

[wslayer]