Down image vs 2d sonar

I upgraded my sonar at the beginning of this year. I’ve found that I like the down image more than 2d sonar. You can almost count the fish. It’s also easier to tell game fish from a bait ball. The bait balls just looks like clouds instead of individual fish. Anyone else having similar experiences? This is a pic from today for reference.

I use both pared together on split screen. I agree it is easier to tell what is going on with DI though and you can literally count the fish. After a few years of using it, I have gotten very confident at driving around with split screen and being able to say "there is a little school of white bass" or "there is a little school of hybrids" based on the size of the dots. Game changer! Incorporate SI to help scan far and wide for fish and develop your own approach and things start coming together for sure.

Seeing images like this makes me confident there has always been something wrong with my Helix. I haven't seen that many fish total in the 6 months I've had mine. Much less in one spot.

When used side by side, you can sort out the schools of fish from the trees. Don't drop a slab on a tree or you will be sorry.

Awesome graph shot. So happy humminbird got it figured out. DI on the 1100 series graphs before helix was terrible.

I've had the same problem with my Helix.

I feel like Hummingbird has side image figured out and Garmin has down image and 2d figured out.

I have a Garmin 93 uhd and am happy with it. Looking at buying a 12” unit and can’t make up my mind if I want to stay with Garmin or try a hummingbird out.

Guys, I recently bought a used boat with two Helix 7s installed. I couldn’t see squat until a member sent me a PM with some settings changes that improved what I could see 1,000 %. The Helix is capable, just have to tweak the settings. There are some YouTube vids out there also that might help.

I’m gonna make it with my Birds until next year at which time I’m thinking I’ll switch to a Garmin at the console and use the Helix 7 for a gps at the bow. I like the 93sv that’s hooked to my Livescope much better.

One thing to remember with the current helix 7 mega si units is the di is computer generated (composite,blended some may call it) from the si beams overlapping each other to create the down image. This was also the deal the first gen Helix si units and all si units prior (except for the onix) that were not dedicated down imaging units.

Any Humminbird mega si unit with this transducer will have the computer generated Di
https://humminbird.johnsonoutdoors....al-spectrum-chirp-wtemp-transom?id=20971

I've always run mine side by side, it helps

I have a helix 12 mega SI gn2 at the bow. I got a good deal on a helix chirp 2d gps. The helix 7 has great screen resolution . I networked the helix 7 with the helix 12 mega SI and i am able to get the mega output on the helix 7. The picture is great. Both units run off the same Mega transducer. The blue screen pic is the helix 7 2d networked with the helix 12. As you can see in the bottom left corner it says 1.150 - 1.275 MHz which is mega. I love the setup. My down imaging is good as well.

Modern technology moving ahead to catch fish. Good set up.

That's what I found as well. 2D will show a big blob on the bottom, I switch to down imaging and then I see it's a tree will algae or shad or gobs of fish. I use it so much I put another one on the front of the boat with a separate transducer under the Minn Kota Terrova. I even use the dwn imaging to find scattered shad when I am catching bait in the middle of the day and they are not in a tight school. All those dots are fish.

Was that on the di, and si or the 2d? I can't get my 2d to pick up anything in the water column. It does great at bottom contour, and structure though.

Side imaging was what I was mainly referring to.

Drycreek, care to share the settings that the member sent to you ? Might be helpful to others also.

I’m no expert and I don’t have a Garmin, but this looks to me like your sensitivity on the 2D needs to come down. One of the benefits of chirp is that it should separate targets better. But even without being on chirp seems like this is a really washed out picture so to speak. Your down imaging looks great though.

You are probably right about the sensitivity. I will say that the fish were stacked though and it doesn’t usually look like that with 2d.