Marcum 560 vs. Aqua View 360 view split screen?

[cjac]

Exudedude

We talked about these units once bofore....

If I'm night fishing crappies in 30 feet of water will the Scout model still give me an OK look? Is the camera good enough to pick up what light there is? Not looking to be able to read the fishes DNA, but just a look at what's going on down there.....

Thanks, cjac

[BradB]

Fergus,

Yours is the first report I've seen of someone using the 560. I had a chance to look at one at a store in Central Minnesota yesterday and I was impressed. I was planning on buying one (again) at the Saint Paul ice show in December until a salesperson there told me that they had sold 3 and had 2 returned due to "issues". Let us know if your unit has proved to be reliable, and if all the features have been working properly. I still want to buy one, but I don't really want any "issues".

[Deitz Dittrich]

cjac- The Aqua Vu Scout is there new camera.. just comming out this year. I would put it along the same lines as the Aqua View Z-Sieries. It has infra red lights, which only work moderatly well under water. Most of the cameras now have led lights. But the camera in this unit is the same as just about any other unit. So your ability to see in 30 feet of water will depend on the body of water. I had it out on Mille Lacs this summer and could see in 30 feet NO PROBLEM.. but if you were to drop it down in the Mississippi in down toun MPLS you may not see 3 feet.

In my opinion, if you plan on using this unit at night, the lighting on this unit isn't the best. However, if you are using it to see what fish are down there during daylight hours. I think for the retail of this unit $200 you cant go wrong. I got to use this unit side by side with my Aqua-Vu MC2X(retail 399.99) on Mille Lacs and could tell no difference in quality.

If you have any morde questions.. please ask away!

[Fergus Mor McErc]

Brad,

I am extremely happy with the 560. I've used it in Lake Harriet and Lake Calhoun during the day and Pomroy Lake in Kanabec county at 4:30 in the morning and it works great. I also used it last night in my kitchen window so I could see trick-or-treaters when they approached my door. I didn't even have to use the lights. The street lights and lights form the neighbors windows made it look like daytime out there. I'm in hunting mode now so my spare time is taken up with chasing critters but at first walkable ice I'll be out there and I cant wait.

As far as issues, there were two, both solved. One; I didn't get a manual with the unit and there weren't any in any of the boxes at Bass Pro Shops (and though I asked and they said they would, Marcum has yet to mail me one). I downloaded one from Marcums HSOforum. The manual in hand solved the second problem. On Harriet, I had the camera in about twelve feet of water and the depth reading was saying a foot. I then downloaded the manual and found out that the camera must be turned on while it's out of the water so it can calibrate. A return trip to Calhoun and it worked flawlessly and showed I was in twenty feet, which seemed about right for where I was. No more issues.

I've also used it in my aquariums and to see what lurks around my tent at night while I'm up hunting (just mice so far).

The picture quality is terrific both in and out of the water and at night. The twelve blue LED lights, set up the way they are, didn't produce any snowstorm effect when I used it in the dark, underwater, at Pomroy. It was only ten feet of water but it looked like daylight within the lights range of illumination which I'd guess to be around five to ten feet. Someone with a better eye than me may be able to give a more accurate distance. I've never used an underwater camera before so I have nothing to reference it to.

The upshot is, I'd have to say I'm very happy with it. $600 is, indeed, a lot to spend (I still can't believe the wife didn't have a fit and fall in it when I brought it home) but, mohoohahahah, it's mine now.

I now, however, find myself wondering what "issues" caused those two guys to return theirs. Hopefully it was 'wife' issues.

[tightlines]

Brad:

I am hoping that the new 560 is not gonna be the same thing as the color-point of 3 years ago. I ended up with 3 of those things until scheels finally gave me a vexilar after the 3rd return of a color-point.

I was in scheels today and was going to buy a 560. They had only gotten 4 in so far and sold them. I made a point of asking if they had got any back with problems and to my surprise, 2 out of the 4 came back with issues. Manager told me that both units had bad remotes. I think at this point I am gonna hold off till more of them are out there and there are more good reports. I am hoping that we get more reports like Fergus. He seems to really like his and it is operating properly so far.

[Fergus Mor McErc]

The remote is small, as are the buttons on it and one has to, pretty much, point the thing right at the monitor (sharp angles to it don't work so well) but otherwise the remote works fine. It will work great sitting in my chair a few feet from it in the ice house. I won't have to bend over to mess around with it. The remote proved to be a nice feature in the duck blind the other morning.

No complaints so far.

[tightlines]

Hey Fergus:

I like the entire set-up of the new Marcum 560 and I am glad to hear yours is working well. Once there are more of them out there with no problems they will sell like hotcakes. I am the type of person that if there are 200 widjits sitting on the shelf and there is 1 defective, I will end up with the defective one. Even my wife thinks I am jinxed, so if she is with when I buy a widjit, she will pick one off the shelf, and it will still be defective when I get my hands on it. LOL LOL I have a buddy that has the same problem and we laugh about it when it happens...

[Fergus Mor McErc]

Someone from S.D. posted asking about the charger. When I first brought the unit home I didn't have a manual. I was told to charge the unit before I used it so I took it home...looked it over and hooked the charger up. The box it came in said the charger had a "charge complete" indicator light, so I figured the light came on when it was charged. I plugged it in and left it for a day and a half and the light never came on. I was now worried I may have wrecked the battery. So I figured I'd take the charger off and turn the thing on and see what the battery indicator on the screen said the charge was at. When I pushed the power button, nothing happened. Several more frantic jabs at the power switch had the same results...nothing. Tightlines, I'm in the same club as you and figured my bad karmma was working overtime. I sat there very bummed out trying to decide what to do. Call the shop I bought it from? Call Marcum? What a hassle. Just to do something rather than sit there with a dumb look on my face, I decided to have a look at the battery. When I opened the case I discovered one of the power leads unhooked (for shipping I suppose). I connected the battery, closed it up and fired it up. It's worked perfectly since.

Now to the charger question. When the battery is below 100% the green light should be on and will go off once the battery is fully charged. It still continues to trickle charge after that. The manual says it should charge a dead battery, fully, in fifteen hours and they recommend unhooking the charger once it's finished.

My only complaint, or dissatisfaction, is; The green light on my charger has never gone off. I left the charger on way enough time to charge the battery to full yet the green light continues to glow. When unhooked, the on screen battery charge indicator says 100%, so I guess i can live with this little glitch. Everything else has worked as it's supposed to.

[rod bender]

For those that are looking for a good deal on a vs560. Go to Marine General or get their phone number. They purchased 100 of them at last years price and will sell them for 499.99 instead of 599.99. Don't order online, call them. If you're planning on purchasing one anyway, this will save you the $100.

[tightlines]

Rodbender:

Don't know where your getting your info on the Marine General selling them for 499.00. I just got off the phone with them and they are selling them for 599.00. If you had your name on there waiting list last winter they will sell it to you for 499.00,only because that is what they were going to sell for last winter, but you had to have been on there list. They did not get 100 of them either. They got 12 and thats all, and the guy told me that there cost was higher than 499.00 but they were honoring last years price because they felt obligated to those that waited this long. The will absolutely not sell them for 499.00..............

[rod bender]

Just trying to help. Didn't mean to upset you. We must have talked with two different people.

[tightlines]

I know you were just trying to help and you didn't upset me. I just thought I would let ya know that they were not selling them for 499.00. Believe me, I wish they were selling them for that price. Were you able to get one at that price?

[BradB]

I'm wondering if it wouldn't be a better deal to get the new Aqua Vu SV-100 $450 and a motorized Ice-Pod2 $100. It has the cool fish shaped camera (7 different fish species to choose from) and seems to do everything the 560 does minus the depth. Personally, I'll use my FL-18 for depth anyway. Also, you can adjust the camera to point down, and I don't know how you'd do that with the 560 camera. That combo is about in the same price range. Just a thought.

[rod bender]

Tightlines, mine is in the mail. I must have talked to the right guy when he was in the right mood.

[tightlines]

Thats great rodbender. After you said you must have talked to the right guy I thought I would try again. I ended up talking with the sales manager and he said he only had 1 left. I asked him if he could sell it for the 499.0 and to my surprise he said OK. Thanks for the heads up on this deal, as I now have one on the way too. He also said he had the new big Mr. Heater coming in next week at 99.00 bucks.Every other place I checked were at 119.00 to 129.00 plus tax.He said he would ship that out next week and not charge shipping. He only charged me 10.00 to ship the camera and no sales tax. Should have it by Friday as he shipped today. Once again, thanks for the tip. Too bad he doesn't have 100 of them at the 499.00. He would sell em all at that price. They are great folks to deal with, and great prices.....

[rod bender]

Glad I could help tightlines. Good fishing.

[JP Z]

Here is a screenshot of the Quad. I've resized it to actual.

So you can see that Yes, the 4 screens may seem a bit small but in actuality they really don't seem small when viewing.

[Fergus Mor McErc]

Brad...

There's a plastic thing that can be screwed on to the bottom of the OVS 560 camera that one can loop the cable through and make the camera look straight down. The plastic part and a weight for trolling are included. It seems as the little plastic part could also easily be attached to a downrigger.

[S.D. Ice Angular]

Hey Fergus;

That was me form South Dakota then I learned the same thing you did I deleted the post to not look so stupid, and I even had the manual. I was just so excited to get it going I went right to the charge battery portion of the manual. I took it all a part and discovered the same thing. Duh!!! Why I did not look earlier at this, I’m not sure. I know no manufacturer ships something completely connected to a battery. (Needless to say I felt like a big DUFUSS.

However I have the same problem my “Green Indicator Light” never goes off either.

I spoke with MARCUM earlier today and they said this some times happens with new batteries that they are using. But if your screen shows 100% you are good to go. Just for Sh1ts and Giggles I charged it all the way and let it run (Had it running looking out side at my dogs) down to the point where it would not work correctly. I then threw the charger on again and same thing. MARCUM did say though it will probably work it self out as you use this “Great Battery” that they have used in this new 560. Who knows???

I used / played with it the last (2) nights and could not believe the detail (out of water) but I could read 2” lettering at 35 feet I am sure that will decrease somewhat in the water but the camera is must see to appreciate. I hope to drowned it this week end and have a full report soon. Boys it is worth the $$$$$$

[tightlines]

Hey S.D.Ice Angular and all:

I know exactly how you feel about the camera. First time I saw it at the store I just knew I had to have one. But then along came Aqua View with there split screen, and of course confusion set in as to which one to get, and of course thats the reason for the topic. After getting lots of opinions and listening to all the fine folks here on the forum, I have made the decision to go ahead with the 560.I am sure that the Aqua View is a fine camera also, but I simply like the features on the 560 better. I ordered the 560 yesterday and should be here by thursday or friday. I gotta tell you folks that I feel like a 5 year old on Christmas eve. LOL I have a feeling that my wife thinks that I may have a screw or two loose about being so excited about a camera, but I know you folks understand the excitement, I hope. LOL.I am sure that I will be goofing around with it this weekend and hoping for ice by thanksgiving. I wanted to thank all you folks for your input. You made the decision a lot easier. You folks are the GREATEST!!!!

[rod bender]

tightlines, I received mine yesterday. It only took two days to ship. It looks like a great unit. You're right that the remote is a little tiny, but all else looks like it should fit my needs (wants) just fine. Glad we could get the good deal on it.

[tightlines]

Rodbender: I should be getting mine today, I hope. Have you had a chance to fiddle around with it? Thanks to you for getting us a GREAT deal. We can probably use them for a couple years and sell them for about what we paid. You know how it is when they come out with the new and improved model,we just have to have the new model. LOL

[tightlines]

Rodbender: That big shiny brown truck was at my house today. It dropped off a package containing the new OVS 560 with all the bells and whistles. Checked it out and fiddled with it tonight, and it is really a cool setup. Can't wait for ice. You are sure right about the remote being small. I already have visions of it poping out of my hand and down the hole. LOL Think it will be hanging from my neck so if it goes down the hole I will be attached to it. LOL

[Mongro02]

Saw the Marcum 560 at Gander Mountain and then stopped by Sportsman's Warehouse where they had the Aqua-Vu Split screen setup.

After seeing both...I've decided to get the Marcum 560. The AquaVu looks good...but there's still some blind spots...you get the 90 degree angles, then there spots between the cameras that you still don't get a picture. I like the automatic panning and inside camera on the 560. Less of a hassle trying to rotate the camera underwater. The added features (Temp, direction and depth) on the 560 are nice too.

Just my thoughts...but after seeing both live...I made my choice.

[EconGuy]

JP Z,

Are those the shots you took on Woman Lake?

EconGuy