Big News from Marcum

[Random guy]

Maybe I can answer a few questions.

Battery life is solid. With no moving parts battery run times benefit. The screen heater is controlled and only used as needed still drawing way less than a motor constantly rotating in sub zero temps.

The screen you see is actually a computer generated image as the real deal is pretty cool but those images are yet to be released. Trust me the real deal is mind blowing.

As for why does it have a circular and Showdown style graph? …well it has much more than that and you can pick between multiple screens. Just a flasher, just a graph, Showdown style or Showdown with Showdown zoom on the other side in a split. Showdown with zoom split with circular in the middle or even a standard graph such as you see in the summer. And all of this is offered in a multitude of color palettes including grayscale for those with color blindness. The list of combinations and displays will suit just about anybody's preference.

As for the Sonar Footprint the unit constantly gives you a reading of just how much bottom you are seeing in relation to you cone size. Now you know whether you are looking at a 3 foot circle or a 20 foot circle on the bottom.

Target separation. The dynamic depth function that always maximizes your display screen allows for a larger canvas or full display achieving target separation up to 1/2”.

The unit comes USB compatible and with no moving parts so upgrades will come right from your home PC.

As for the cable getting pinched Marcum has taken a hard look at the design of the shell and housing and made some awesome upgrades to that.

Durability…Guides and pro staff notorious for trashing gear where given the opportunity to answer “just how will you break this” and Marcum listened.

All in all Marcum has unleashed one cool animal onto the ice fishing world.

[Northlander]

I CANT WAIT! Hey Jonny how about you send me your test model and Ill see if I can break it?

[toughguy]

Jonny,

Any chance it has a GPS and web browser built in?

[TruthWalleyes]

Thats all a fair improvement, kinda sounds like more of a bundle package than anything new.

How bout some of the technology that we see on the latest and greatest fishing graphs, like down and side imaging. I'd like to see a transducer that sends out a signal in 360 degrees to generate an image when seaching for fish...I could see that cutting down on the number of holes necessary to find fish.

I certainly don't see the benefits of this unit vs what i've already got, but it is a step in the right direction...especially upgrades via your computer.

[Random guy]

One major step at a time I guess. Trust me everytime us guides/staffers talk to the boys at Marcum we bend their ear about our dreams and wishes.

[LMITOUT]

Dovetailing off what dtro mentioned about integrating an underwater camera, wouldn't it be the ultimate package if you could plug in a camera and then have the ability to show not only video side-by-side with the sonar or full screen, but also picture in picture?

Add a GPS with SD card support for lake maps and call it a day!

Daddy like.

[whitebassman]

Dovetailing off what dtro mentioned about integrating an underwater camera, wouldn't it be the ultimate package if you could plug in a camera and then have the ability to show not only video side-by-side with the sonar or full screen, but also picture in picture?

Add a GPS with SD card support for lake maps and call it a day!

Daddy like.

Yes would be great. less gear to lug around. but would hate to see the price tag on that beast. though in the long run it might cost less as gps and camera aren't cheap either.

just pray it doesn't break or goes down the hole. you'll be sol.

[CaptainMusky]

Yes would be great. less gear to lug around. but would hate to see the price tag on that beast. though in the long run it might cost less as gps and camera aren't cheap either.

just pray it doesn't break or goes down the hole. you'll be sol.

I dont know that the price would have to be that high if it had camera capability. Just have it plug and play. They mention the USB plug for software updates, plug it in there. Then you can add this camera later if you want for maybe a couple hundred dollars, but you have the option to not have it at all.

Integrating a GPS would be very important. I hate having to lug around multiple units to fish. In the summer I have it all in one unit on my HDS, should be simple as doing that with an ice machine too. No reason it would have to cost more either. What I do like though is that they are making them more appealing for open water fishing now too. If it doesnt come with a GPS I would just have to use my HDS 7 and keep my LX3. But if it does, I just might have to jump on this.

[PurpleFloyd]

Looks like the Lowrance Ice machine I have been using for 5 years now.

This board is funny...

Lol.

[Random guy]

Looks like the Lowrance Ice machine I have been using for 5 years now.

This board is funny...

Ya if your Ice Machine took steriods and spent a couple years at the gym.

[harvey lee]

All of this new technology is great as long as it functions correclty all of the time.

I wonder who will be able to afford these high tech units in a few more years? I doubt that average Joe fisherman will.

[LMITOUT]

I had to laugh about the Ice Machine comment as I thought the same thing when it was revealed that it was going to be a LCD display instead of your typical round flasher.

The Ice Machine was trying to mimic a flasher, and now flashers trying to mimic a LCD graph.

[CaptainMusky]

Ya if your Ice Machine took steriods and spent a couple years at the gym.

Jonny, since you have actually used one, I was wondering if you could compare its features to something like those of an HDS unit from Lowrance. Assuming you have used one of those of course.

The HDS has the customizable "pages" which would be similar to the views or whatever Marcum is calling it, but I am struggling to see a real separation here.

I have an HDS 7 and it is amazingly powerful and the flexibility is unreal.

The 3D footprint thingy of the LX7 has me intrigued. Can you tell me how that works or what users will see?

I am trying to figure out if the price of the LX7 warrants purchasing one over like an HDS 5, which would have GPS as well.

Thanks for the insight.

[PerchJerker]

There's been a few posts asking about 3D views, down imaging, side imaging, etc. You need to understand how that technology works and the problem is that you CANNOT get those images IF YOUR TRANSDUCER IS NOT MOVING PAST THE OBJECT. If your transducer is seeing a fish or a tree or a dock post or a rock, etc, BUT NOT MOVING PAST IT, all you will see on your display is a solid line or blob across the screen. This is the same way side imaging and down imaging work in open water ---- if you're not moving you don't get the images, you get continuous lines. This is the same way flashers work ---- for example if you're in 15 fow and there are weeds that come up 5 feet off the bottom, the bottom 5 feet of your display will show the weeds that you're not moving past. Most users have learned how this works and have learned how to interpret it on their flashers. Side viewing and down viewing are much newer and a lot of guys still aren't sure how and why it works --- but in order for it to work the transducer has to be moving past the object.

There is no GPS and no underwater camera on the LX-7. I would bet that we'll see those kind of features in the near future, either from Marcum or someone else, but they are not part of the LX-7. The 8" flat panel LCD would be an ideal platform for gps and camera functions.

The LX-7s "Dashboard" feature is very similar to the Pages and Views and Overlay Data features that you get with HB and Lowrance LCD units. You can customize what you're seeing so it shows you want you want. Like Jonny said, you can see the round flasher display, the vertical showdown display, zoom, conventional graph display, battery power, IR setting, etc. ---- and many combinations of that info. There are also several color palletes to chose from, including a grayscale for those who are color blind. The displays are all customizable so you can tweak YOUR display to show want YOU want to see.

The automatic depth range on the LX-7 is really cool. Set it to automatic and drop it in the water, and the LX-7 automatically adjusts its depth scale to match the water depth your in. It puts the bottom at about the 10:00 position on the dial. 10:00 to 12:00 positions show you the info for bottom hardness, and 12:00 to 10:00 positions automatically gives you the majority of the display area for fishing. And since you have the majority of the display area for fishing, you get maximum target separation.

If you don't want the automatic depth range, you can set it to the standard depth ranges that circular flashers have now (ie. 20-40-80 etc.)

Like the Marcum flashers you get a nice fine, crisp display on the LX-7. If you don't like the fine lines and you want bigger targets, you can adjust the display to make the target marks bigger. You lose some of the target separation, but you can customize it to what you want.

Overall there are some very cool functionality and features in the LX-7.

[pulleye16]

Marcum says 3D Footprint (fancy wording) of sonar "coverage." So this doesn't mean 3D viewing but only the sonar reads 3D coverage...which all flashers do have I beleive cause thats how they get fish seperation.

Was expecting alot more then just adding more "windows" instead of new and better technology and options (camera option and GPS). I guess if you can't make up your mind about wanting a circular graph or verticle graph then this should be perfect for you!

All this new "technology" hasen't improved flasher fishing yet beside when it first came out. The only big changes where Interference rejection and bottom zoom. Other wise they all do the same thing. Even the digital readout just interpets what you already see on the screen.

Not worth the money...especially in this economy. Wonder why more companies aren't actually taking "reduntant" features out to dive down the price? Go back the the basics and therefore get reliability!

[PerchJerker]

I'm not 100% sure ....... but I think the 3D footprint is an image on the screen that shows you how big the transducer cone is (ie. how much of the bottom you're covering), depending on the water depth and which cone you're using (8 degrees or 20 degrees). It doesn't change the displays that mark your bait, the fish, the bottom, etc., it gives you more info about how much the transducer is covering.

I think this new technology improves the flasher --- more power, LCD displays with more segments to show separation, automatic depth range that always matches the depth you're fishing to maximize the display area, customizable info and views, etc. I see more here than just having to make up your mind between circular or verticle views, but that's just my opinion.

Not worth the money...especially in this economy. Wonder why more companies aren't actually taking "reduntant" features out to dive down the price?

I'm not sure what "redundant" features you're talking about. But in terms of driving down the price, the VX-1 Pro will have a lower price this year. If you compare the VX-1 Pro to the FL-18, the VX-1 Pro will give you more features, more power, more performance, and will be more than $100 cheaper. A good option for those who don't want to spend the money for the higher priced units out there.

[DTro]

That was my thought about the 3D footprint as well. Just an algorithm programmed in (using depth and transducer angle as factors) and then displayed on the screen. I would assume that it shows you how big the diameter of the the circle is that you are covering.

[Boar]

I like my FL8 SE, hasnt failed me yet. Definately not me. Amazine thou.

[CAMAN]

Quote:

you CANNOT get those images IF YOUR TRANSDUCER IS NOT MOVING PAST THE OBJECT

It's time they came out with a radar for ice fishing. It shouldn't be to difficult, that technology's been around for a while.

[pulleye16]

It's time they came out with a radar for ice fishing. It shouldn't be to difficult, that technology's been around for a while.

[pulleye16]

Redundant?

1)Digital readout for one considering all you have to do is look at your flasher for the solid red line indicating the bottom.

2)Circular and linear graphing for two.

Both of which probably added $200 to this unit and added no real benefit.

Don't take this the wrong way...it probably is a GREAT unit for those that want options on viewing styles, auto depth control, LCD screen, and customizable info but besides more power, I guess IMO it doesn't do anything to improve fishing but only the fishing experience.

It's just a "if I have the money" purchases, not a "must have" purchase.

[CaptainMusky]

If there is gps then I will pass. I will use my lx3 and hds7 and be more than happy. I love my marcum buy unless there is a gps on this new unit I don't see the cost benefit for it. I would be more than happy to sell my lx3 and pick up one of these but don't want multiple units which is what I have to do now. No benefit to me.

[fiskyknut]

Hmmmmm very intersting. May finally have something that'd be an upgrade to my x67.

[PerchJerker]

I wouldn't call any of it redundant. Using software to give you options to show information and customize information is not being redundant. I don't remember when the option for multiple views and customizable info started, but I remember that the Lowrance LMS-350A, which came out in the early-mid 1990s, had several pages of customizable info. It's something that can be done with software and LCD displays, it's not something that can be done with mechanical display units.

I don't know much about radar ---- but doesn't radar work only above the water (and sonar works only below the water)?

[TruthWalleyes]

No new technology...but, if i was in sales, i'd argue that it's not redundant too

Not Big news, but just another way of seeing the same thing.