Solix SI+ G2 Sonar Recording Issues

[SLYDoggie]

I recently replaced my Solix 15 SI G1 with a new Solix 15 SI+ G2 unit. I'm still working to get it tuned in but so far the Mega+ has been a huge improvement over Mega. The G1 Mega just didn't have the range for the depths I fish. That doesn't appear to be the case with the G2 Mega+.

I do have one issue that has me stumped. I like to create recordings with the Solix so I can later replay them to see what settings tweaks will help improve the images for my next outing. I created a couple of recordings with the new Solix 15 SI+ G2 and the recordings are very "jagged". The recordings are saved to my AutoChart Live Zero Lines Card in Slot 2 while in Mega+ mode on SI and DI. The recordings I have from my previous G1, as well as the Onix before that, play just fine on the G2 so I'm assuming is is an issue with the recording process and not the playback process... I'm only seeing this issue with the newly created G2 recordings.

I have included 4 pictures of the screen. The two smooth ones (one of the entire screen and one with a close up of one section) were taken from the "real time" screen while I was in recording mode. The two "jagged" ones (one of the entire screen and one with a close up of one section) were taken while playing back the recording. By the way, the top of the bridge is 93 feet deep and the original river channel is 120 feet deep. No way could I have gotten this kind of image at this depth from the G1 with Mega frequency.

I have only included images of the DI but the SI and 2D is just as jagged. I am running direct power from a dedicated battery and am at the latest SW version.
I posted this issue to a couple of Facebook groups and received some suggestions which I have tried but none of the suggestions had any impact.

Here is what I have tried so far:

1. Tried a different high speed SD card
2. Tried Slot 1 rather than Slot 2
3. Tried it with AutoChart Live both on and off
4. Tried it with changing the Sonar Max depth (in the Chirp Sonar settings) from Auto to 160 feet
5. Tried it with no motor running and sitting still
6. Tried it with Water Column Sensitivity at Negative 3, Positive 3, and Off

None of the above changes had any impact on the recording. I may have found a bug but am open to suggestions... Any thoughts?

[bobcoy]

Have you tried using a wider frequency sweep? All I see are at a narrow frequency range.
So what the heck are we looking at above the bottom? Bridge and rails?

[Wayne P.]

Have you tried using a wider frequency sweep? All I see are at a narrow frequency range.

The frequency range should be the default unless the transducer is changed that has a different default range.

[bobcoy]

I don't have a + unit. Would the sweep of 1.075 Mhz to 1.175 Mhz be the default sweep for setting Max DI? Bob

[Wayne P.]

I don't have a + unit. Would the sweep of 1.075 Mhz to 1.175 Mhz be the default sweep for setting Max DI? Bob

The default frequency range for a DI+ unit is 1.100-1.200 MKz with its standard transducer.
The default frequency for DI with a SI+ unit is also 1.100-1.200 MKz with its standard transducer.

The default frequency for DI using the Built-in MDI transducer is 1.075-1.175 MKz

[bobcoy]

10/4 Thanks. Sorry for the interruption SLY. Hopefully you will get an answer. Looks like noise but I sure don't know. Bob

[SLYDoggie]

10/4 Thanks. Sorry for the interruption SLY. Hopefully you will get an answer. Looks like noise but I sure don't know. Bob

No problem. I do have the Chirp settings at the default but there is an option with the Mega+ for "higher detail" or "more range" and I have opted for the "more range" option. When you make these selections, it does change the frequency range. I think the "higher detail" option does have a wider frequency range.

[SLYDoggie]

Have you tried using a wider frequency sweep? All I see are at a narrow frequency range.
So what the heck are we looking at above the bottom? Bridge and rails?

Yes, it is a bridge that just had a guardrail on top of a concrete side barrier. The guardrail was round but has ridges at the connectors... That is why it looks like it has "bumps". The bridge was actually damaged in the construction of the lake and you can see a section dipping down on the left side of the bridge over the middle of the original river channel. The top of the bridge is in 93 foot of water and the bottom of the original river channel is at about 120 foot.

Again, this was my first outing with the new Mega+ Solix so I don't have the image perfectly tweaked but there is a huge difference between what I'm seeing on the screen while recording vs what the recording replay looks like.

[bobcoy]

I don't want to hear that! So far I am sticking with my G1 and non networked Onix. I suspected the bridge was damaged right over the channel. Looks like broken concrete where that bow is. Pretty amazing! Bob

[SLYDoggie]

I don't want to hear that! So far I am sticking with my G1 and non networked Onix. I suspected the bridge was damaged right over the channel. Looks like broken concrete where that bow is. Pretty amazing! Bob

I also still have an Onix but broke from it when the software updates "broke" the networking with the Solix G1. I'm a techno geek and can't stand there being a software update with additional function and fixes which I don't have so I had to move on.

My poor Onix is now relegated to being used on my canoe and I traded in my Solix G1 for the Solix G2. I also resisted moving from the Solix G1 to the Solix G2 but I really needed more range out of Mega. The Mega+ on the G2 is definitely giving me that extra range I needed.

[SLYDoggie]

I made actual screen captures through the Solix rather than snapping a picture of the screen. Here are the two actual screen captures from the unit... one taken during the recording and one of the recording playback. The recording playback is very jagged. I've done quite a bit of testing and posted the various things I've tried in the original post but haven't found any settings or tweaks that have had an impact.

[bobcoy]

That needs to go to HB! If someone else can do that same exercise it would let you know if yours is broke or the G2 is defective in that regard. HB should be able to duplicate that if it is systemic. Bob

[skid00skid00]

Did you have display speed set at a very high speed while actually fishing, then slowed down the -replay- a bit? If the unit doesn't have time to ping, receive, and update the screen, it might leave out processing to make the image 'prettier', such as smoothing pixel blocks.In a moving boat, with your eyes moving in relation to the screen, and a high display speed, and 4-6 feet away, you'd not be able to see the blockiness, but could still see the fish and bottom contour. That would be a very intelligent design decision.Having less sharpening when replaying could also cause this effect.

[SLYDoggie]

I have tried everything I know to try on this and nothing has worked. The playback of recordings is very "jagged" and is nowhere near the quality of the live image. Has anybody else tried making and replaying a recording using the Solix SI G2 with the latest 3.640 software?

I'm hopeful that this will work better in the next release (which I would think will be coming in the not to distant future) but don't even know if Humminbird realizes there is a problem.

[exx1976]

Did you have display speed set at a very high speed while actually fishing, then slowed down the -replay- a bit? If the unit doesn't have time to ping, receive, and update the screen, it might leave out processing to make the image 'prettier', such as smoothing pixel blocks.In a moving boat, with your eyes moving in relation to the screen, and a high display speed, and 4-6 feet away, you'd not be able to see the blockiness, but could still see the fish and bottom contour. That would be a very intelligent design decision.Having less sharpening when replaying could also cause this effect.

The units don't discard data, nor do they actually duplicate it (when sped up) - they simply omit it from the display or duplicate it on the display. The actual raw sonar data is recorded unmolested, as it was received.

Or at least this is how the helix works. I would find it difficult to believe that the more expensive big brother would do something different (and arguably, incorrect).

[G48]

That needs to go to HB! If someone else can do that same exercise it would let you know if yours is broke or the G2 is defective in that regard. HB should be able to duplicate that if it is systemic. Bob

I have similar problem..reefmaster playback.

Screenshot (11).png

[SLYDoggie]

I have similar problem..reefmaster playback.

Screenshot (11).png

Thanks for letting me know. At least I know I'm not the only one having this issue. You can see from the initial post that I've tried all kinds of setting tweaks but nothing has any impact on the playback quality. I don't know if the recordings themselves are bad or if it is a problem with the playback process. Unfortunately, I don't think there is any way to view the recordings outside of the Solix unit.

[exx1976]

Thanks for letting me know. At least I know I'm not the only one having this issue. You can see from the initial post that I've tried all kinds of setting tweaks but nothing has any impact on the playback quality. I don't know if the recordings themselves are bad or if it is a problem with the playback process. Unfortunately, I don't think there is any way to view the recordings outside of the Solix unit.

You can view the si data using AutoChart pro. There is another app that can show you all of it, but I don't recall the name of it.

[SLYDoggie]

You can view the si data using AutoChart pc. There is another app that can show you all of it, but I don't recall the name of it.

There is an old app called HumViewer which was used to view recordings but it doesn't support the current Humminbird technology and the developer is no longer updating or supporting the product.

[exx1976]

There is an old app called HumViewer which was used to view recordings but it doesn't support the current Humminbird technology and the developer is no longer updating or supporting the product.

Yes, that's the one! It can be made to work though. There's a post about it on another forum that I ran across. There was a new datastream humminbird added to them after development on that app ceased. That datastream is what causes the problem. I don't recall all the details, but the fix to open the files and view them was supposedly as simple as renaming one of the sonar recording files so the app didn't try to read it.

I'm sure some work on Google will turn up the post.