Auto Chart, Auto Chart Pro & Auto Chart Live Information Resource

[Doug Vahrenberg]

You need to set the unit to read the Auto Chart LIVE Data for it to display on the 859. Just inserting it will not read until you turn on that layer.

[Bob B]

You need to set the unit to read the Auto Chart LIVE Data for it to display on the 859. Just inserting it will not read until you turn on that layer.

Thanks, that's good to know Doug ...... It sure would be nice if they would allow the Autochart PC program to read the Autochart live data though.

[Robertl69]

On a unit such as the helix 10, can you at least run AC live, to have immediate results, simulataneously making a sonar recording? I assume if you could and were using a map card from navionics also that you would have the nav card in a slot, a blank card for sonar logs in the other and have the AC live data going to memory while in the water, then swap in a zlc in one of the slots afterward for it to move the AC live data to from internal memory? And likewise pull the card with the sonar logs on it when ready to compile on a pc with autochart and write to yet another zlc. Then when back out on water if still using the nav card you choose which of the two zlc's (AC built or AC live built) to use for the overlay data?

[Bob B]

On a unit such as the helix 10, can you at least run AC live, to have immediate results, simulataneously making a sonar recording? I assume if you could and were using a map card from navionics also that you would have the nav card in a slot, a blank card for sonar logs in the other and have the AC live data going to memory while in the water, then swap in a zlc in one of the slots afterward for it to move the AC live data to from internal memory? And likewise pull the card with the sonar logs on it when ready to compile on a pc with autochart and write to yet another zlc. Then when back out on water if still using the nav card you choose which of the two zlc's (AC built or AC live built) to use for the overlay data?

Sounds like a good thing to try.

[Robertl69]

I will if no one else knows for sure. But I JUST got my Helix 10 SI from James today and have not broken the seal after finding out just what a farce AC Live is (that's no reflection on James at ALL, he has been fantastic!) But if it won't at least do this I may have to rethink HB as my choice/sole choice all together. To be honest were it not for 360 I *probably* already would have.

[Bob B]

Well......They all have their good and bad points.......but so far, i like Humminbird's faults the best ..... It's just a matter of knowing what they are and how to deal with them

[Robertl69]

Just a quick follow up for now. After a great deal of education from Wayne, more from James, posts from both of them plus Doug and Bob, et.al.....

This was not as bad as it appeared, to me, and I want to apologize to you all for my rant. In very short for now terms; yes, some of it is still a little nickel and dime but that's kinda to be expected considering the base cost of the units beat the competition by a pretty wide margin in most cases (I did my own verification here, not just what I was told). The rest of the feature set is also pretty hard to beat IMHO. Most all of the things I was wanting to do and expected to be able to do can indeed be accomplished without much additional headache and at smaller additional costs that appeared at first. Lastly, some of the few restrictions that are in place do in fact make a lot of sense in regards to protecting licensing rights and such that I had not thought about.

Once I have both my units in place and give all of my ideas of what to do a full test run I will create a new thread with some detailed information, explained in a format for us newbie's, all in one place, on all these functions, results, etc. for the next person with my specific concerns......if there are any more that nuts! :) May be a while before I get it all together but I will make sure I do this at some point.

Thanks again to everyone! - and SPECIAL Thanks to Wayne!!!

[Tundah]

You need to set the unit to read the Auto Chart LIVE Data for it to display on the 859. Just inserting it will not read until you turn on that layer.

As I noted, I was searching the Chart menu for that function as I have done in the past with setting the Base Layer to AC...however in this situation, that menu option did not exist. Again I hope I'm doing something wrong because it would be great for ACL maps to work on core units.

[Bob B]

Just a quick follow up for now. After a great deal of education from Wayne, more from James, posts from both of them plus Doug and Bob, et.al.....

This was not as bad as it appeared, to me, and I want to apologize to you all for my rant. In very short for now terms; yes, some of it is still a little nickel and dime but that's kinda to be expected considering the base cost of the units beat the competition by a pretty wide margin in most cases (I did my own verification here, not just what I was told). The rest of the feature set is also pretty hard to beat IMHO. Most all of the things I was wanting to do and expected to be able to do can indeed be accomplished without much additional headache and at smaller additional costs that appeared at first. Lastly, some of the few restrictions that are in place do in fact make a lot of sense in regards to protecting licensing rights and such that I had not thought about.

Once I have both my units in place and give all of my ideas of what to do a full test run I will create a new thread with some detailed information, explained in a format for us newbie's, all in one place, on all these functions, results, etc. for the next person with my specific concerns......if there are any more that nuts! :) May be a while before I get it all together but I will make sure I do this at some point.

Thanks again to everyone! - and SPECIAL Thanks to Wayne!!!

We all have to do a little ranting once in a while ..... at least I do.....Also, the learning process can be very frustrating sometimes. It is pretty complex to try to master all the facets of this stuff ........ AND you are exactly right about Wayne, I don't think there is anyone on the net who is more knowledgeable or helps as many people as Wayne.....Which is pretty amazing since he has no affiliation with Humminbird other than being someone who uses and has mastered their products......and has decided to make it a hobby to help as many people as he can.

[sfw1960]

Not me!!!!!!!

[Bob B]

Not me!!!!!!!

First thing you know you will be trying to sell us a bridge...

[Doug Vahrenberg]

Thanks, that's good to know Doug ...... It sure would be nice if they would allow the Autochart PC program to read the Autochart live data though.

That's a great idea. And I will share to see if it is possible. One of the things that I recommended when the ONIX first was given the AutoChart LIVE Feature.

[Doug Vahrenberg]

I will if no one else knows for sure. But I JUST got my Helix 10 SI from James today and have not broken the seal after finding out just what a farce AC Live is (that's no reflection on James at ALL, he has been fantastic!) But if it won't at least do this I may have to rethink HB as my choice/sole choice all together. To be honest were it not for 360 I *probably* already would have.

HELIX and AutoChart LIVE is not different than the ONIX with AUtoChart LIVE that has been out for over a year. You have always had 8 hours of storage in the Unit to try and use the feature. But if you want to keep it permanently you have always been told you need a Zero Line Card. My actually recommendations is to look at AutoChart PC because you get a ZeroLine Card with that and you get the Bonus for not much more to use sonar recordings to create AutoChart PC Maps too on the same ZeroLine Card that you can use for AutoChart LIVE or AutoChart PC. Get more opportunities for a little bit more investment.

[sfw1960]

First thing you know you will be trying to sell us a bridge...

You want the one "Up North" or the one "Down South"???

[fishfood]

HELIX and AutoChart LIVE is not different than the ONIX with AUtoChart LIVE that has been out for over a year. You have always had 8 hours of storage in the Unit to try and use the feature. But if you want to keep it permanently you have always been told you need a Zero Line Card. My actually recommendations is to look at AutoChart PC because you get a ZeroLine Card with that and you get the Bonus for not much more to use sonar recordings to create AutoChart PC Maps too on the same ZeroLine Card that you can use for AutoChart LIVE or AutoChart PC. Get more opportunities for a little bit more investment.

Doug can the maps made with AC software be loaded to multiple ZL cards. Robert is wanting to map lakes and use them both bow and stern.

[fishfood]

Not me!!!!!!!

Me either......

[Doug Vahrenberg]

Doug can the maps made with AC software be loaded to multiple ZL cards. Robert is wanting to map lakes and use them both bow and stern.

Yes they can be exported to as many Zero line Cards as you want. I know a group of 6 guys that went to Canada and lake had no mapping each had ZeroLine Card with one version of AutoChart PC and they would import their data nightly and export to each ZeroLine Card and over a weeks fishing pretty much got the lake mapped from the multiple users.

[Tundah]

Here is an email response from HB as it relates to AutoChart Live versus AutoChart (Standard/Pro):

"AutoChart Live maps created using your Helix 9 cannot be viewed on any other unit unless it is stored on a ZLC and the ZLC is being using in another AutoChart Live compatible unit (core units and Helix 5/7 are not AutoChart Live compatible).

AutoChart Live data on a ZLC cannot be utilized in the AutoChart Pro software. This data is different from the data you would load into the AutoChart Pro program. When doing AutoChart Live you are recording live mapping data. AutoChart Pro is recording depth data that is recorded as a .dat file that is loaded onto the AutoChart Pro program on your computer. The Live data is not the same type of file so AutoChart Pro software won't it."

As mentioned by I think Robertl69, the next test is to see if the Helix units allow AutoChart Live mapping and sonar recording simultaneously. That would be the best solution to the product compatibility issues and solve the need to map twice.

[Robertl69]

Great info Tundah, thanks! As mentioned I intend to test all these exact scenarios on dual Helix 10 units in the future and post a detailed review but that may be a while. As to the being able to run AC Live and Sonar recordings simultaneously, AND with a map card such as Navionics at the same time actually; Wayne has told me in a PM that does work. That said, I am pretty sure he has Onix units so that is only 99% confirmation. And I agree, that would appear to be the best way to eliminate the need to do it twice, barring better cooperation between AC Live and AC Software.

I have my first Helix 10 in hand now and will be starting on the install this weekend. As soon as it is installed and functioning I will definitely do the test with simultaneous Nav Card, AC Live and Sonar recording. If that appears to work I will very shortly after purchase AC Pro and see what all it will read, do, etc. and then take the results back out on the water, see what I have for overlay options, still doing more AC Live and sonar recordings, etc. etc.

Great thread, great info!

[Tundah]

Since AutoChart Live is using the resources of the head unit, my guess is it is using a modified, less resource-intensive algorithm to create the mapping on the fly compared to the PC version that has more time and resource advantages. This would explain the difference in file types.