MIAMI 2015: GARMIN’S REVOLUTIONARY 3D SONAR

PANOPTIX, the all-seeing sonar, makes its debut at the Miami International Boat Show

Garmin is changing the way that mariners view the world. Or at least the world around their boat. Officially introduced at the Miami International Boat Show, which began this morning, the Panoptix All-Seeing Sonar is a “multi-beam transducer that utilizes a phased-array scanning sonar technology” which provides real-time visibility from top to bottom, front to back, side to side and any other direction that comes to mind.

Panoptix is available as a forward or down transducer. The PS31 Panoptix Forward has LiveVü Forward technology, which offers a look that is closer to live video. The feed is so accurate that if a line is thrown out, it can be viewed as it is reeled in. RealVü 3D Forward scans the front of the boat to reproduce the bottom, structure and fish. The scanner’s rapidity is user controlled, providing more or less detail as required.

With the PS30 Panoptix Down transducer, anglers will be able to view fish in real-time even when their boat is stationary. Thanks to powerful LiveVü Down technology, even the tiniest minnows can be seen swimming around the boat. RealVü 3D Down scans the bottom and sides of the boat to reveal fish as well as the structure and bottom.

Expected to become available in spring 2015, both Panoptix versions are equipped with an internal Attitude Heading Reference System (AHRS) sensor, which continually adjusts the sonar beams in response to the boat’s movement. They are also compatible with with a variety of other Garmin equipment, so they can be easily integrated into the Garmin eco-system.