The upgrades.....

[1bluemcm]

Kind of crazy, to me anyway, that Carbons are old hat already.

My boat has been laid up with restoration work. I bought Carbon 9s about 2 years ago, probably, actually hard to remember at this point, as ridiculous as that is. Just getting everything set to get back on the water this summer. So none of my electronics have seen use yet. Nice to look at on a boat, and that's it. With so many other things going on, I haven't paid much attention to electronics. I am going to just run with I have at this point, just excited to get back on the water, but I wanted to ask how much improvement there is in transducers compared to what I have now.

Mainly in regard to the totalscan unit I was planning on using. Back when I got the carbons, one just came with and I figured I'd run it rather than the LSS2 I have. I also have an Airmar P79 in the floor of my bilge area. On the TM, I just have a HDI.

I see some of the images from SS3D equiped boats and they are amazing, and it also looks like a lot of fun to use equipment like that. I guess what I'm getting at is how aggravated might I get with the totalscan? I'm certainly planning on and willing to work at it. With my carbons, if a guy could get a SS3D unit and transducer for $5-600, worth it and good to go for a while?

Also, with the head units, what's the status on updates right now? Where should they be with regard to updates? I doubt they are current.

Thanks

[MichaelJ3]

Have a look at this thread:

SS3D - Anything on the Horizon or time to buy

[1bluemcm]

Yes sir, I saw your post from 6/15 with the really nice images and got me thinking, is my stuff going to come anywhere close to that?

We have several lakes with striped bass that lay on the bottom, just like walleye. And some lakes do have walleyes too, or maybe they are saugeyes. In any case, being able to image like that would be really useful actually. And I just like stuff like this, I'd probably have to force myself to get up and fish at times rather than sit and fool with electronics! Since my boat has been out of commission, I've been going with a friend that uses a guide and he runs new 'Bird electronics, and the imaging like that is really good, especially on the stripers.

[1bluemcm]

Think I'd be better off with the LSS2 I have over the total scan, for DS/SS obviously? From reading around here, sounds like some people like the DS/SS from the LSS2 better.

[1bluemcm]

I just realized I put this in the image interp forum, that was a mistake. If it could be moved to the regular Lowrance forum, I'm fine with that. Sorry....

[MichaelJ3]

Sam couple things.

if you want to use fish reveal, you need to have a 2d sonar transducer set at the exact same depth as your structurescan transducer, and ideally within 18” of it horizontally.

I think LSS2 is better than Totalscan.

Another thing to note...you have 2 transducer inputs in each carbon. You’ve mentioned 3 transducers thus far, HDI at the bow, P79 in the bilge, and zone of your two structure transducers will go on the transom somewhere. So, if you were to want to use another 2d next to your LSS2 on the transom, you would use up all your Sonar Channels.

SS3D gets you structureScan on the network, no sonar port used. But, I’d probably see what the SS3D with Active Imaging is all about at this point and not buy SS3D right now.

[Team Colibri]

Think I'd be better off with the LSS2 I have over the total scan, for DS/SS obviously? From reading around here, sounds like some people like the DS/SS from the LSS2 better.

LSS-2 and TotalScan give the same StructureScan. If you want to upgrade, StructureScan 3D is the way to go.

[1bluemcm]

Thanks all. I have a HDS9 at the bow for the HDI, forgot to mention that.

So is a totalscan to a AI 3-in-1 more of a lateral move, or somewhere between going from totalscan to SS3D

[jbrunix]

3-1 is better than Total Scan and the general thought here is that ss3d is better than 3-1. I am running 3-1 on TM and ss3d on back and I personally think the 3-1 image quality is better. Since you have a carbon you can run the 3-1 and it is cheaper than the ss3d and does not require a separate box.

[moetorola]

LSS-2 and Totalscan are identical when it comes to SS. The ONLY difference is the built in 2D in the TS ducer.

If you want an improvement for StructureScan over the above two.

Active Imaging 2n1 SS transducer is a great upgrade over LSS-2.
I would go 2n1 vs. 3n1 since you have an great existing 2D transducer.

SS3D is also a great upgrade but, much more expensive than Active transducer.

[funsunfish]

2019 Icast is two weeks away, I have handed the wife the Credit Card till I know more about whats coming this fall.

[1bluemcm]

LSS-2 and Totalscan are identical when it comes to SS. The ONLY difference is the built in 2D in the TS ducer.

If you want an improvement for StructureScan over the above two.

Active Imaging 2n1 SS transducer is a great upgrade over LSS-2.
I would go 2n1 vs. 3n1 since you have an great existing 2D transducer.

SS3D is also a great upgrade but, much more expensive than Active transducer.

Thanks for this, good food for thought. I'd love to have a 12" unit, going with a 2-in-1 would make that easier than a SS3D system would.

[1bluemcm]

Is the 2-in-1 for sure compatible with Carbon units?

[yupitsme]

Is the 2-in-1 for sure compatible with Carbon units?

Yes... Had it on mine and took it off because of poor down scan. 19.1 may have cured that I don't know. I had a NIB SS3D solution setting on the bench so for me it was a no brainer to install the 3D solution. I might have been happy with the 2-in-1 down scan if I had to buy the 3D set up.