Novice - Solix 10 DI - Very grainy Down Imaging .. Looking for advice!

[bwallis59]

Very new to this .... transducer is Mega DI in a Terrova 80 .... this picture is very grainy ... not close to what I have seen on this board and others .... Any suggestions?

snp0920205337.jpg

[Wayne P.]

1-800-633-1468

[bwallis59]

1-800-633-1468

Thanks ... Is that Humminbirds number?

[Wayne P.]

Thanks ... Is that Humminbirds number?

Yep

[puhlw]

Is there an option for transducer selection in the unit? Maybe its set to the wrong type/brand/model?

[bwallis59]

There is ...but there is only one option and that is for the DI transducer in the TM ... that is the only transducer on the boat at this point.

Is there an option for transducer selection in the unit? Maybe its set to the wrong type/brand/model?

[bwallis59]

Hey Wayne

I was asked by Humminbird to restore the sonar settings and retest. I went out this evening and did that with same grainy results.

Also, when I purchased this DI Control Head Only, I also purchased a Solix 10 SI combo which I have not yet installed (thought I’d get this one working first). So I decided to give the SI control head unit a try on the same transducer and same power connection. I got exactly the same grainy results using the SI Control head. That sort of makes me suspicious that the culprit is not the head unit, but perhaps the transducer. Does that make sense? Or could the power supply be causing this? I installed this unit and the trolling motor myself. I never really thought to check that the trolling motor is "square" ... If it weren't could that make the transducer in the trolling motor not level? and would that potentially cause what I am seeing?

[tweakjr]

Let's see a picture with the boat moving about 2mph and chart speed around 4.

[bwallis59]

Let's see a picture with the boat moving about 2mph and chart speed around 4.

I will get one maybe later today if it stops raining! Here's a side by side with 2d at 1mph.

Example2.jpg

[Dogfish_Jones]

They both do not look that bad, I would do some fine tune adjustments but more to my liking than anything. Your first picture in this thread looked horrible...

[bwallis59]

They both do not look that bad, I would do some fine tune adjustments but more to my liking than anything. Your first picture in this thread looked horrible...

Thanks Dogfish ... I feel kinda bad calling you Dogfish . That second pic ... I am expecting more definition on the DI ... Maybe I have unrealistic expectations ...
I guess with all you can see in the 2D, I would think you would see more in DI..

I have turned sensitivity and contrast up pretty hot ... still not getting the detail I thought I would get based on pictures Roy posts! (Go Roy!) ...

I've only been out twice ... so I am gonna relax, fish and learn! But I want some of those Roy pictures!!

[skid00skid00]

You need perfect water conditions, AND great knowledge of your unit, AND proper setup, from power, to cable routing, to transducer alignment, to get great pics.

The last image you posted looks great to my eyes. If you are comparing to another brand or model, everything from pixel size to signal processing will give different appearance.

True detail is when you get single pixels showing up for tiny objects in the water.

[bwallis59]

You need perfect water conditions, AND great knowledge of your unit, AND proper setup, from power, to cable routing, to transducer alignment, to get great pics.

The last image you posted looks great to my eyes. If you are comparing to another brand or model, everything from pixel size to signal processing will give different appearance.

True detail is when you get single pixels showing up for tiny objects in the water.

I installed myself ... can you offer your perspective on power and cable routing???

[Dogfish_Jones]

The fine tuning I would do is adjust just a little down to get rid of the little bit of the haze at the bottom of your DI and unless what you are over is grass, then that would be about normal.
On the Sonar just adjust a bit more to tighten up those fish markers where they start showing some gaps in between the clusters.
You are about as close as you are going to get. Maybe adjust the noise filter up to around 4 maybe 5 and see if that looks better.
What I have done on the power cable and transducer cables is to make sure they are not next to one another. Keep them as far apart as possible. You might get some feed back from the power over to the transducer cable.
Plus, it seems to me anyways that the Mega DI G3 looks worse than the G2 DI, just my opinion on that end.

[bwallis59]

Thanks Dogfish! I am on G2 ... so good for me...

[Wayne P.]

Thanks Dogfish! I am on G2 ... so good for me...

Since there is no G3 SOLIX, you could only compare with a first generation SOLIX.

[JDS723]

Turn your DI to 455 instead of mega and you will see more. It won’t have the fine tune detail mage will have but it’s much easier to see the fish.

[Dogfish_Jones]

Since there is no G3 SOLIX, you could only compare with a first generation SOLIX.

Dang-it Wayne ...there you go correcting me again, I had a lapse there, I was thinking Helix series and not Solix. It's good to have you correct my boo boo's