thanks for the video! i was leaning on the helix 9 . now i’m i’m sure going with the solix on my build this fall! i learned my lesson living with regrets on a bad build.
When going through view options the exit button will go back. I think it was the exit button. One of them does anyway. You do not need to go through all the options again if you pass the one you want.
This is a great video. Thanks for making it. As far as power draw, I THINK the difference may be the tranducer wattage. Speaking of transducers, could you do a video on trandsucer differences, I know Almar makes some powerful ones. For us guys who fish the ocean the depths can be a problem for smaller units. Sometimes some companies sell their fish finders without transducers so we can supply our own.
@clear water fishing does the helix offer the distance from the middle of the transducer when side scanning? I know the Solix does. I cannot find that on my helix. I have a 15 g4 at the console.
@@clearwaterfishing Thank you for the quick response! I will have to see if I can figure it out. If not I may have to ask a few more questions. Thanks again.
I don't have either but ive got friends that do I like the solix better myself but hummingbird is proud of there stuff LOL so I went garmin and im very happy
I'm having the Helix 12 installed on Wednesday. Hell I just found out today about the Solex and Apex. There is very little difference between the two as you discussed in this vid, my question would buying the Apex be better than the Helix. My guess would be you will say yes. I'm looking for as good as clarity as I can but the cost difference may be to high to make that much difference. Thanks best vid I've seen on Hummingbird!!
I thinking clarity will be just fine on a Helix. Just note that it has less pixels to represent your data. I personally love the solix because it’s user interface is much easier and faster to use. The helix can be cumbersome if you’re trying change screens or make adjustments on the lake.
@@clearwaterfishing that answers my question, I'm not a tournament angler, I fish for fun but it's more fun to fine fish the easy way which I don't have at present. Yeah I know just because I find them doesn't guarantee I will catch them but it's a heck of a lot better than just throwing at a target you can't even see by having nothing like I do now. I think the Helix 12 is in the middle of the pack and will be more than enough to make fishing more enjoyable. I went out last week and fished for 5.5 hours and never got a bite. Of cource all I was doing is throwing at targets I couldn't see, now I will have that target. Thanks my friend, I'm giving up golf which I played at a high level for 50 years. Now I feel the Helix will give me the opportunity to fish at that level as well. Appreciate the fast reply means a lot.
@@Wooduck Glad I was able to help. For your purpose the helix is perfect. Not sure if your water conditions, but the bite can be tough this time of year. I recommend using bad or tough fishing days to find some underwater honey holes.
@@clearwaterfishing I fish Pickwick lake in Tennessee. Tough anytime of the year as has been noted by the pros. I fished Dequeen lake in Arkansas 28 years ago and did well there. Used hummingbird depth finder back then and common knowledge old school fishing techniques. That information along With today's technology makes it a lot more fun. Back then you could not find suspended fish like you can these days. The bite in fishing is like a birdie in golf, they are few and far between but when it happens it raises the blood pressure to excitement levels.
I'm coming from a Humminbird Platinum ID and Humminbird Piranah that are 25 years old so the my new boat with a Helix 9 MSI G4n on console and Helix 7 MDI G4n on the bow networked with a Terrova MDI iPilot Link is going to be such a huge improvement, I wouldn't even consider spending all the extra cash for a Solix system. Maybe if I were a pro angler, it would make sense to spend $10K on a Solix network but I'm a casual fisherman and my Helis system is going to have much more capabiloty than I'll ever use.
Something I just learned on the Helix Units. If you Hold the "View" button for a few seconds, it will open a screen selection menu so you don't have to page through all the views!
@Clear Water Fishing definitely could have been a recent update! I haven't done the research on that part but I was looking at a store demo and someone held down that View button and I was blown away. G4N was the demo model
Im a photographer and i need to explain what HD and SD means as it relates to screen size and pixel density. First, the Helix and Solix 12 and 15 inch screens both have the same HD capability but the 12 inch has a higher pixel density so it will actually be sharper. You may or may not notice this until you actually picel peep small objects. For reference, 4k is literally only 8.1 megapixels. That relates to a 27" monitor with 4k capability. Half of 27 would be 2k which would be a 24 inch monitor. 1920x1080 would be a 17" monitor. So the 15 inch monitor would be max for the specs given for these two Helix and Solix monitors. So yes they meet HD standards, but the 15" JUST meets it. A SD unit would 1080x720 with the 2 larger units. So beware when manufacturers claim HD if the specs are 1080x720. HD for 1080 is 1080x 940. The two larger units, for what they cost, should have been a minimum of 2.7k with the ability to zoom into a small object and retain the sharpness. This is where they saved some money and gambled on including all the other premium features. So for me the larger displays are a let down. The whole reason for the larger screens is to retain maximum detail and what we actually end up with is like cutting off your leg to prevent athletes foot.
I’ve been trying to figure out which Hummingbird units I want to upgrade to and your video was very good on showing Helix vs Solix. I’m going with the Solix but one question I believe I saw in your other video that the Solix did not require the Ethernet box while the Helix needs it to connect units? Is that correct? Thanks for the great info!
Thank you for watching. Both the helix and solix would need an Ethernet switch if you wanted to connect more than 2 units or objects. They only have 1 Ethernet port each. The apex has 2 ports. Make sure you double check me on that, but I am pretty sure.
Solix has a feature where you can see the side imagine distance on chart. And i ddont mean thay dumb side imaging autochart thing. There are alot of feature solix has that helix doesnt.
I just picked up my new Xpress X23 with Solix 15" + MinnKota with i-pilot link. I am kicking around the idea of adding a Helix 7 to the bow for while trolling. Ideally I'd have the two networked together. Would it just be a matter of buying the Helix 7 and network cable or would I have to go through a switch?
Hi bro! I was speaking with one guy and he told me that with Helix devices could have stronger problems to reset it completely if necessary. Solix does not. Is it correct?
My personal preference is going to be a 12" screen. A good size that balances a good presentation without taking over the bow. I think buying an Apex for this purpose is a bit overkill, and there are functions you won't ever use. I like the map share that Solix has so I would pick a Solix 12. Helix btw does not have map sharing.
@@clearwaterfishing apex has a higher screen resolution. what could give a better picture with mega360. But price it’s more expensive about 1000$ in my country.
Solix will share one map card on the network. Helix you need to buy a card for each unit. Solix you can split screen to run mega live and 360 on same screen Helix you can only view one at a time.
@@clearwaterfishing thanks for your reply! Thats what I was afraid of! Bought my ultrex last year already without it… i guess that cant be added huh? Great video!
I don't like the solix because you lose screen size because of the icons between the Humminbird emblem and the screen, plus you have a gold line all the way around the screen. If you look at them side by side you can see the helix screen that is used looks and is bigger than the solix.
I'm sure the screens measure the same, but I feel like the helix has more wasted space. The gold line just shows you which screen your are making adjustments to.
@@clearwaterfishing yes, they do measure the same, but the Solix, as you said has more wasted space. You can see that the area between the humminbird emblem and area where the actual picture of graph starts is greater on the Solix, due to the icons, the left side of screen wastes space also. I bought the 12" solix and returned, I couldn't stand the gold line outlining the entire screen either. Does the 15" helix have a good enough screen resolution for that size of screen, for mega 360 use?
They are all good at finding structure. If you know where the fish should be at any given time of year thats all you need.If i wanna watch tv ill stay on the couch.
Well done! This is by far the best comparison video of the Hummingbird units on UA-cam. New subscriber
Thank you. Let me know if you have any questions.
thanks for the video! i was leaning on the helix 9 . now i’m i’m sure going with the solix on my build this fall! i learned my lesson living with regrets on a bad build.
Glad I could help. I don't think the Solix would be a bad choice. In fact that is the way I am leaning.
Awesome information thank you for everything you do for the fishing community keep up the great work
Thank you for the kind comment. Which one did you decide on?
Great vid help me decide i want the solix
Good choice!
Is there a lake Master version for saltwater in Long Island sound New York which is ocean water?
i had them both an never would go back to helix once you tested solix
I have a solix now. I’ll never go back. What is your favorite solix feature?
Really nice vidéo !
Thanks
You are welcome!
Nice work, thanks. Subbed.
Thanks for the sub! Which one do you like best?
@@clearwaterfishing The 15" Solix, of course. :)
I'm trying to ignore the Apex Series.
@@ke3552 it is kinda hard to ignore with those GIANT screens!
When going through view options the exit button will go back. I think it was the exit button. One of them does anyway. You do not need to go through all the options again if you pass the one you want.
This is a great video. Thanks for making it. As far as power draw, I THINK the difference may be the tranducer wattage. Speaking of transducers, could you do a video on trandsucer differences, I know Almar makes some powerful ones. For us guys who fish the ocean the depths can be a problem for smaller units. Sometimes some companies sell their fish finders without transducers so we can supply our own.
I sure can make a video for that.
@clear water fishing does the helix offer the distance from the middle of the transducer when side scanning? I know the Solix does. I cannot find that on my helix. I have a 15 g4 at the console.
@@Geoonthegrind Yes, it does. They are called SI Range Lines. They are under the sonar menu. You need to off the "easy" mode to get to it.
@@clearwaterfishing Thank you for the quick response! I will have to see if I can figure it out. If not I may have to ask a few more questions.
Thanks again.
@@Geoonthegrind No problem!
I don't have either but ive got friends that do I like the solix better myself but hummingbird is proud of there stuff LOL so I went garmin and im very happy
That's awesome. My Garmin is not impressive compared to the helix I had.
I'm having the Helix 12 installed on Wednesday. Hell I just found out today about the Solex and Apex. There is very little difference between the two as you discussed in this vid, my question would buying the Apex be better than the Helix. My guess would be you will say yes. I'm looking for as good as clarity as I can but the cost difference may be to high to make that much difference. Thanks best vid I've seen on Hummingbird!!
I thinking clarity will be just fine on a Helix. Just note that it has less pixels to represent your data. I personally love the solix because it’s user interface is much easier and faster to use. The helix can be cumbersome if you’re trying change screens or make adjustments on the lake.
@@clearwaterfishing that answers my question, I'm not a tournament angler, I fish for fun but it's more fun to fine fish the easy way which I don't have at present. Yeah I know just because I find them doesn't guarantee I will catch them but it's a heck of a lot better than just throwing at a target you can't even see by having nothing like I do now. I think the Helix 12 is in the middle of the pack and will be more than enough to make fishing more enjoyable. I went out last week and fished for 5.5 hours and never got a bite. Of cource all I was doing is throwing at targets I couldn't see, now I will have that target. Thanks my friend, I'm giving up golf which I played at a high level for 50 years. Now I feel the Helix will give me the opportunity to fish at that level as well. Appreciate the fast reply means a lot.
@@Wooduck Glad I was able to help. For your purpose the helix is perfect. Not sure if your water conditions, but the bite can be tough this time of year. I recommend using bad or tough fishing days to find some underwater honey holes.
@@clearwaterfishing I fish Pickwick lake in Tennessee. Tough anytime of the year as has been noted by the pros. I fished Dequeen lake in Arkansas 28 years ago and did well there. Used hummingbird depth finder back then and common knowledge old school fishing techniques. That information along
With today's technology makes it a lot more fun. Back then you could not find suspended fish like you can these days. The bite in fishing is like a birdie in golf, they are few and far between but when it happens it raises the blood pressure to excitement levels.
I'm coming from a Humminbird Platinum ID and Humminbird Piranah that are 25 years old so the my new boat with a Helix 9 MSI G4n on console and Helix 7 MDI G4n on the bow networked with a Terrova MDI iPilot Link is going to be such a huge improvement, I wouldn't even consider spending all the extra cash for a Solix system. Maybe if I were a pro angler, it would make sense to spend $10K on a Solix network but I'm a casual fisherman and my Helis system is going to have much more capabiloty than I'll ever use.
Nothing wrong with that. If I didn’t have a UA-cam channel paying for mine, I would have gone helix as well.
Something I just learned on the Helix Units. If you Hold the "View" button for a few seconds, it will open a screen selection menu so you don't have to page through all the views!
That’s a cool feature. I wonder if that was something added in an update or was a secret this whole time. What do you think?
@Clear Water Fishing definitely could have been a recent update! I haven't done the research on that part but I was looking at a store demo and someone held down that View button and I was blown away. G4N was the demo model
Im a photographer and i need to explain what HD and SD means as it relates to screen size and pixel density. First, the Helix and Solix 12 and 15 inch screens both have the same HD capability but the 12 inch has a higher pixel density so it will actually be sharper. You may or may not notice this until you actually picel peep small objects.
For reference, 4k is literally only 8.1 megapixels. That relates to a 27" monitor with 4k capability. Half of 27 would be 2k which would be a 24 inch monitor. 1920x1080 would be a 17" monitor. So the 15 inch monitor would be max for the specs given for these two Helix and Solix monitors. So yes they meet HD standards, but the 15" JUST meets it.
A SD unit would 1080x720 with the 2 larger units. So beware when manufacturers claim HD if the specs are 1080x720. HD for 1080 is 1080x 940.
The two larger units, for what they cost, should have been a minimum of 2.7k with the ability to zoom into a small object and retain the sharpness. This is where they saved some money and gambled on including all the other premium features. So for me the larger displays are a let down. The whole reason for the larger screens is to retain maximum detail and what we actually end up with is like cutting off your leg to prevent athletes foot.
I’ve been trying to figure out which Hummingbird units I want to upgrade to and your video was very good on showing Helix vs Solix. I’m going with the Solix but one question I believe I saw in your other video that the Solix did not require the Ethernet box while the Helix needs it to connect units? Is that correct? Thanks for the great info!
Thank you for watching. Both the helix and solix would need an Ethernet switch if you wanted to connect more than 2 units or objects. They only have 1 Ethernet port each. The apex has 2 ports. Make sure you double check me on that, but I am pretty sure.
To add to this, the key difference is that the helix has to use an ethernet adapter to plug into the unit. The solix does not
@@dfox7777 I forgot about that.
Solix has a feature where you can see the side imagine distance on chart. And i ddont mean thay dumb side imaging autochart thing. There are alot of feature solix has that helix doesnt.
I just picked up my new Xpress X23 with Solix 15" + MinnKota with i-pilot link. I am kicking around the idea of adding a Helix 7 to the bow for while trolling. Ideally I'd have the two networked together. Would it just be a matter of buying the Helix 7 and network cable or would I have to go through a switch?
Hi bro! I was speaking with one guy and he told me that with Helix devices could have stronger problems to reset it completely if necessary. Solix does not. Is it correct?
I am not sure what you mean. I don’t know if any problems with the helix that makes you reset the unit. Maybe you can help me out with what you mean?
Helix 12 -15 is HD ?
Hi budy.
I need fishfinder for mega360 and trolling motor.
What it’s best for this ? helix/solix or apex ?
What do you think?
My personal preference is going to be a 12" screen. A good size that balances a good presentation without taking over the bow. I think buying an Apex for this purpose is a bit overkill, and there are functions you won't ever use. I like the map share that Solix has so I would pick a Solix 12. Helix btw does not have map sharing.
@@clearwaterfishing
apex has a higher screen resolution. what could give a better picture with mega360. But price it’s more expensive about 1000$ in my country.
@@wiercik.wierci I still would pick the Solix.
hey, if you run 2 helix 12s do you need a transducer for both? or can you run them both on 1 transducer?
You can share one transducer between them via network.
@Clear Water Fishing thanks , can you use all the same features on the one connected via network as the one connected directly to the transducer?
Solix will share one map card on the network. Helix you need to buy a card for each unit. Solix you can split screen to run mega live and 360 on same screen Helix you can only view one at a time.
Thanks for the info!
Can a solix be connected to the humminbird Ethernet box so it can talk to a helix?
Absolutely, the helix will need an adapter to do Ethernet, but they will work together.
@@clearwaterfishing they do not talk to each other, only share way points.
Are solix compatible with any/all ultrex motors?!
Thanks
It has to be an ultrex with ipilot link.
@@clearwaterfishing thanks for your reply! Thats what I was afraid of! Bought my ultrex last year already without it… i guess that cant be added huh?
Great video!
@@gostdogcrx Not that I know of. You may ask minn kota if they have an add on kit.
@@clearwaterfishing good callout, thank you!
I love touch screens not the finger prints so much.
Keep some cleaner on the boat
I don't like the solix because you lose screen size because of the icons between the Humminbird emblem and the screen, plus you have a gold line all the way around the screen. If you look at them side by side you can see the helix screen that is used looks and is bigger than the solix.
I'm sure the screens measure the same, but I feel like the helix has more wasted space. The gold line just shows you which screen your are making adjustments to.
@@clearwaterfishing yes, they do measure the same, but the Solix, as you said has more wasted space. You can see that the area between the humminbird emblem and area where the actual picture of graph starts is greater on the Solix, due to the icons, the left side of screen wastes space also. I bought the 12" solix and returned, I couldn't stand the gold line outlining the entire screen either. Does the 15" helix have a good enough screen resolution for that size of screen, for mega 360 use?
@@teddybear7723 Actually the solix 15 and helix 15 have the exact same screen resolution. You should be good to go with it.
@@clearwaterfishing thank you, I thought I compared the the 2 and the solix had a higher resolution. Thanks again.
@@teddybear7723 Bother were 1280x800
Wrong.. resolution isn't the same for them all.
That's what I said.
They are all good at finding structure. If you know where the fish should be at any given time of year thats all you need.If i wanna watch tv ill stay on the couch.
Point made!
I dont have time to clean fish slime off my hands every 2 minutes. No touch screen for me.
Sound like your are catching more than fishing. I like it!
@@clearwaterfishing I dont play.
They have the joy stick as an option also. No fingers needed on the screen.