How-to topics and FAQ about Capturing, Posting and Interpreting Images

Here is a simple way of adding graphical emphasis to your SI/DI screenshots before posting to the forum...(Windows based system)

*Open Microsoft Paint, Open Office Draw (or other artist rendering program)...

*Left Click "File" in the upper left corner...

*Left Click "Open" from the dropdown menu...

*In the window that opens, navigate to the picture (SI/DI screenshot) where it is stored on your computer...(screenshots are usually already in the .png format which can be opened in the Paint or Draw program)...

*Left Click on the picture to insert it's address into the "File name" field...

*Left Click "Open" (the picture should open into the Paint program)....

*Add graphics, text, highlights, etc. to the picture using the tools in the Paint program....

*Left Click "File" in the upper left hand corner....

*Left Click "Save As" from the dropdown menu...

*In the window that opens,
a. change the address field to a place on your pc where you will know to find the new edited picture (example-Desktop)
b. change the "file name" field to something you will recognize
c. change the "save as type" field to *.jpg; *.jpeg; *.jpe; *.jfif

*Left Click "Save"...

*Your new edited screenshot is ready to use your normal method of posting pictures to the forum...ie. Photobucket, direct upload, etc..

Rickie

Here are the steps to take a HB screen snapshot and get it into the Crappie.com forum...

Section 1: Taking a screen snapshot on the HB unit
1. Insert SD card into the HB unit... (This only works for HB units that have the "Screen Snapshot to Memory Card" feature)...
2. Click "Menu" twice on the head unit to get into the Main Menu system...
3. Cursor over to the "Accessories" tab...
4. Cursor down to "Screenshot"...
5. Cursor over to "On"...
6. Click "Exit" repeatedly on the head unit until escape from Main Menu System...
7. Click "Mark" on the head unit to save screen snapshot to SD card....(this will also create a waypoint at the boat's location)...

Section 2: Transferring HB screen snapshots from SD card to pc
1. Remove SD card from head unit...
2. Insert SD card into your computer's card reader (Note: SDHC compatable card reader will read SD & SDHC cards- Older SD compatable card reader will only read SD card)...
3. If popup window with SD card content files opens, skip to Step 6...If popup window with SD card contents files does not automatically open-continue with Step 4....
4. Double left click "My Computer" on your pc's desktop...
5. Double left click on the drive that represents the pc's card reader...
6. The window that opens will have the following files:
"Matrix" - this is the navigation data (if you have exported any Nav data to the card)
"Profile" - this is the unit information
"Snapshot" - this is the screen snapshots (if you made any)
"Record" - this is the recordings (if you made any)
7. Double left click on the "Snapshots" folder...(the files with the .png extension are the snapshots)...
8. You can double left click on the .png file and open it directly from the card...
9. You can "drag and drop" these files onto your pc's Desktop (or move them into any file on your pc you choose)...

Section 3: Uploading HB screen snapshots from pc to Crappie.com forum
*Photobucket method... Posting pics - Photobucket method

*WYSIWYG Editor method... How to post pictures from your computer

Rickie

This is an edited repost I did in 2011 that contains info that could be useful to those learning HB SI/DI...(in the HB "SI" series units)...

(All of the info and depictions below only apply to the HB 797, 798, 898, 997, 998, 1197, 1198...)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by rnvinc

Let's play with some picture diagrams of different sonar beam shapes..

This may help some understand the differences in the various beam selections....

Remember that just because the outside line of the beam in the "cartoon" shows the beam stopping at a certain point in the water...the sonar doesn't just go to that line and stop...it kinda feathers out onward past the line some... ....the actual outside lines in the "cartoons" are more like the best effective shape of the beam...

Below is the 455 SI/DI beam...
http://www.crappie.com/crappie/attac...g_480ft-2-.jpg

Below are the shapes of the 455 vs the 800 SI/DI beams....(2d beams 200 and 83 are also shown in the center directly under the boat ....
http://www.crappie.com/crappie/attac...-1-_page_1.jpg

---

Below is a pictoral of how objects are depicted in the SI image with relation to where that object actually is in the water...
http://www.crappie.com/crappie/attac...i-distance.jpg

http://www.crappie.com/crappie/attac...g_480ft-2-.jpg

Rickie

I'm going to stick this thread and migrate topics which will be of wide interest having to do with the process of capturing images, interpreting what you see and getting them posted on here for others to see.

I will lock this thread to avoid the good stuff being cluttered with questions and discussions. If you have questions, please start a new topic. You'll get better exposure, this topic will remain easy to view, and I'd bet some of those new topics will lead to new entries here.

Note: this post was copied from http://www.crappie.com/crappie/side-...-tutorial.html where you may find more discussion.

SI interpretation is sometimes difficult for new users...this is basically because the visual perspective of the SI image is different from any sonar display we've ever seen before...

The difficulty in SI display interpretation lies in the fact that the SI display image is a 2 dimensional aspect image of a 3 dimensional underwater world...

Sonar displays are incapable of rendering a true 3 dimensional image.... (well I guess just about any display in incapable of rendering a "true" 3 dimensional image)...

So,.... the SI techno-developers decided to "bend the rules of 2 dimensional displays" and take 1 of the 3 dimensions of the physical underwater world and display it in the same "visual" plane in the SI image as the other 2 dimensions in the sonar display....

There are "3" dimension planes in the actual physical underwater world:
- 1. "Horizontal width"- (rendered into the SI image by the SI Range width that shows as "left and right" on the SI image)...
- 2. "Horizontal length"- (rendered into the SI image by the sonar history that shows as "top to bottom" of the SI image)...
- 3. "Vertical depth"- (rendered into the SI image by taking the actual vertical plane of the "water column" and laying it flat down in the same 2 dimensional plane on the sonar display as the 2 horizontal planes mentioned above...

What I have tried to do with this 3d rendering program is show how the SI unit processor takes the actual vertical "water column" in the underwater world .... and morphs that actual vertical plane data into a 2 dimensional sonar display...

It is my goal to shorten the "learning curve" of SI interpretation for new users that are having difficulty understanding the "3 dimensional underwater world" as seen on the "2 dimensional sonar display's SI image"...

As you watch this video... Keep your eyes trained on the sunken barge in the right SI beam as the "water column" morphs from the 2 dimensional sonar display image to the actual vertical plane of "water depth" in a 3 dimensional visual aspect ....and then the morphs back into the 2 dimensional SI image...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsS-Lgg4HD0&feature=plcp

Rickie

Note: this post was copied from Understanding the SI "dark water column"... where you may find more discussion.



The SI image "dark water column" has frequently been a topic that is difficult to interpret... and even more difficult to explain....

One of the first things to understand is how the SI unit processor takes a 3 dimensional underwater world and renders it into a 2 dimensional display...
(for info understanding the SI image rendered into 3d...see... SI interpretation...in 3d - (tutorial)

Once we have a grasp on how the unit takes the "vertical dimension" water column (that resides somewhere under our boat) and lays it down flat in the SI image.... then the question arises... What exactly is this "dark water column" and what is it comprised of...??

With a lot of help and advice from some of the guys over at
Humminbird Side Imaging Forums
I hope that the following depictions will give a little better understanding of What exactly is this SI "dark water column"...??

I will refrain from a long drawn out tutorial at first.... and just post the diagrams (one for the 455kHz SI beam and one for the 800kHz SI beam)....

Then, as questions are posted, maybe we all can get a better understanding of ...

What exactly is this SI "dark water column"...??

This is the depiction for the the 455kHz SI beam...

http://www.crappie.com/crappie/attac...z-finished.jpg
__________________________________________________ _______________________________

This is the depiction for the 800kHz beam...

http://www.crappie.com/crappie/attac...z-finished.jpg

Rickie

Note: this post was copied from http://www.crappie.com/crappie/side-...e-imaging.html where you may find more discussion.

One thing I have learned while using SI is how to determine fish size. Crappie on SI don't reveal a large return because they are a small fish (of course) but also because of their shape. If you think about SI and how it is a thin beam that when objects are scanned they return a signal. I try to think about it this way.. Think about a water fall of smooth flowing water. If you stick a football (representing a striped bass) in the waterfall you will make a pretty big hole in the wall of water. If you stick a frisby vertically (representing a crappie) in the waterfall you will have much less of a return due to the thickness and shape. I believe the same holds true to fish size and returns on SI. The football size thick fish will return a larger round dot and cast a nice shadow in SI. The vertical frisby shaped fish will return a much smaller dot and small shadow (if any). Just something to keep in mind. Also remember to compare size to scanned distance. If you are scanning 100 feet, your returns will be much smaller than scanning at 50 ft.

Gar seem to return a long return since they are long hard fish. Catfish seem to return your biggest and brightest returns since they are long, hard, and FAT!.

Below are some examples of fish type. Most of these are confirmed by catching them. The gar images are confirmed by visually seeing them rolling all across the surface. The catfish images have not been confirmed but I feel pretty sure about them.

Striped Bass
http://i615.photobucket.com/albums/t...s/S00682-1.png
http://i615.photobucket.com/albums/t...s/S00793-1.png
http://i615.photobucket.com/albums/t...s/S01045-1.png






Gar


http://i615.photobucket.com/albums/t...ams/S00831.png
http://i615.photobucket.com/albums/t...s/S00842-1.png
http://i615.photobucket.com/albums/t...s/S00965-2.png






Crappie


http://i615.photobucket.com/albums/t...ams/S00720.png
http://i615.photobucket.com/albums/t...s/S00903-1.png
http://i615.photobucket.com/albums/t...s/S00999-1.png
http://i615.photobucket.com/albums/t...ams/S01025.png
http://i615.photobucket.com/albums/t...ams/S00707.png






Catfish


http://i615.photobucket.com/albums/t...S00320-1-1.png
http://i615.photobucket.com/albums/t...leCams/348.png



DoubleG

http://www.crappie.com/crappie/images/icons/icon1.png

Note: this post was copied from http://www.crappie.com/crappie/side-...-ac-power.htmlwhere you may find more discussion.


http://www.crappie.com/crappie/attac...-power-pic.jpg

Things you will need:

*AC to DC converter...(minimum 1amp output)...Walmart Mobile

*HB PC-11 power cord... PC 11 :: Humminbird

* 3 amp fuse and holder... (I like the blade type)...*Fuse, Blade, 3 Amp/12 Volt

*HB unit that supports "Video Out"... (this step only necessary for hooking HB unit to an external monitor)...

*HB VC-1 cable.... VC 1 :: Humminbird (this step only necessary for hooking a HB unit to an external monitor)...
______________________________________________

Building the AC to DC converter
1. Disassemble the female cigarette plug of the AC to DC converter to confirm which wire goes to the positive (+) center post of the cigarette plug...mark this wire as positive (+)...

2. Wire the 3 amp fuse holder into the positive (+) wire when wiring the AC to DC converter to the HB PC-11 power cord....
______________________________________________

Powering on the HB unit with AC to DC adapted converter
1. Power on the unit...

2. While the welcome screen is showing...press "Menu" on the unit face..

3. Of the options listed ... Cursor to "Simulator"....

4. Cursor right to activate "Simulator" mode....

5. Press "Exit" to enter "Simulation" mode
______________________________________________

Connecting and setting up the "Video Out" connection
1. Plug HB VC-1 cable into back of unit...

2. Plug RCA cables into the monitor's RCA "Video In" ports..(not really sure why there is a white "audio" plug on the VC-1)...

3. Set the monitor's input setting to the "Video" setting for appropriate "Video In" ports chosen...

4. On the HB unit... Press "Menu" twice to get into the main menu system..

5. Cursor over to the "Setup" tab...

6. Cursor down to "Video Out"...

7. Cursor right to "NTSC"...
_______________________________________________

Functionality:
1. Make settings changes that will be set into memory...(Must be in "Forced Simulation" mode)...

2. View snapshots and recordings from an inserted SD card that contains saved snapshots and recordings...

3. View map data...(HB base map or inserted SD mapping card)...

... To view or mark waypoints on a different area of the map from the present simulation view:
a. zoom out until the area desired shows on the map..
b. activate and move the 4way cursor to the desired area...
c. zoom in to the desired zoom level
d. press "Mark" button on the unit face to create a waypoint at the cursor location
e. press "Exit" on the unit face to return to the original simulation area of map where boat icon was last before activating 4way cursor...

Rickie

Note: this post was copied from Interpreting structure by it's "shadow" where you may find more discussion

Here are 2 snapshots...

The 1st snapshot is the .PNG directly from my 1197... (taken on my HB unit from 1 of my saved HB recordings)
The 2nd snapshot is the exact same coverage of bottom ...(taken during playback within the Humviewer program)

There are 2 things I hope to accomplish with this posting...
1. Show how to notice and identify structure by the shadow it casts..instead of the structure itself....
2. Show the value of using Humviewer for practice in learning SI interpretation...("ff" and "rew" work so much better in HV than in the HB unit)

(I left the info boxes off the HB .PNG to keep the shot from being too cluttered)

http://www.crappie.com/crappie/attac...hbpngat120.jpg
http://www.crappie.com/crappie/attac...hvsnapshot.jpg

Rickie

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...ps1e6458fd.png

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...ps0124e7c3.png

Sharpness takes away from crisp shots but much better results at slower speeds...thx kosmo

Noticed the fish at the bottom edge of the bed and a small group just inside. Anchored off and fished those two spots and got some keepers.

Noticed yesterday when a buddy and I fished together. He has ran a SI unit longer than me but runs a Low unit and watching him led me to getting one. He knows his unit very well. He was asking about structure that I was marking and pointing out. I didnt under stand how this didn't just pop out to him once he saw it. It's all in what you are used too and makes me see the Q's that pop up about interpretation of SI for a new user in a new light.

I went through the same learning curve as us all but will try to be more detailed in helping others if I can when these Q come up.

Was thinking about posting shots that shows the bottom and how we read them to help us find fish and structure. A shot like this with markings depicting what we are looking at.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...ps6ca6bcc1.png

I can then add info as to what I see as in this shot. This will not only help others just starting but helps me in case I'm reading it wrong so we can learn the unit better.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...ps12aca18b.png

Just a thought but wanted to see if others would be interested. let me know

This is two shots of a bamboo bucket structure. A bundle of bamboo in a bucket full of concrete.

In the first shot you can see the fish stacked around the bamboo structure, at the tip of the tree to the left and some just scattered out. Due to several passes in the area you can also see the prop wash trail or what looks like a cloud, the trail shows up good to the far left. The more you go through an area the worst it will get.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...psb5ed5345.png

This is the same type structure just down the lake without the fish seen in the first shot. In this shot you can see what happens if you dont raise the motor enough by the interference just left of center.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...ps7dab98f3.png

What other structure do you see?

By doing a quick search you cut down on unproductive water. Making a pass with sharpness off will help see crisp shots to lead you to structure to look at closer. Turning the sharpness to low will bring out the fish better but the shot will be grainy looking.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...ps0d65379d.png

In this shot I was in 455 when I found it. Due to the depth I changed over to 800 and could see better detail than I did 455. When I changed to 800 I had to tweak the Sen. and Contrast some to get a shot that looked good to me. Settings from what I've seen on different lakes, bottom type and depth can change a lot from one user to the next. Basic settings will get the job done but to get the most out of your unit try different things. Have what works best written down...you can always go back to it. If it really gets bad there is always default.

From left to right you can see a small ledge or drop just left of the next mark being a road bed. A waypoint was placed due to the standing timber holding fish. Notice that the standing timber numbers do not match up to the amount of shadows you can see on the lake bottom going away from the boat. Use the inter screen to interpret what is being seen. This deep structure is what I want to fish in winter or the heat of summer. Also marked is a cloud of bait.

Based off the right of the screen, what three things stand out or what information is it giving you?

The shots that are being posted are intended to help new users as well as myself and others get the best image from their units. I ask that if you see a screen shot and have had a similar case, to post what have you have done to make it better or explain what you see as others have done on past post.

Please don't take these as a "I know it all" type post, that is not my intent. It's done to better help us both learn.
-----------------------------------------------------------

These shots are posted to show how changes in Sen. and Contrast can make a large change in the image to better give detail to what we are going past. With the changes you can see better shadowing and crisper edges start to appear. One group of settings I find is not the best for all parts of the lake..it may show a picture but I find it could always be better with some fine tuning.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...ps81bd2780.png

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...psa393f187.png

In the 2nd shot I take the bright cloud to the upper right of the temp as that bait cloud or group of fish moving away from the boat. Does this sound or look right?

Note: this post was copied from http://www.crappie.com/crappie/side-...ot-deep-gills/ where you may find more discussion.


Went out this morning to try and find some deep water gills. While they are bedding it's not a problem but after they come off bed I'm used to catching dinks. After reading how they move out deep off gravel or rocky points I picked out several points that dropped off deep. Due to wanting to see hard bottom mixed in with the mud I changes over to red/green pallet. This was the 3rd point I looked at and the red was not located in the other two locations.

I would run my pass while making a recording then pull off and review the spot. (Greg! your the man!!! worked great!) In this location I finally saw red indicating hard bottom.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...ps5f34909f.png

I then changed over to my normal blue pallet but was not seeing what I thought should be there.


http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...ps6f11a5ac.png

As I went through the pallets I came to brown and was getting better.


http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...ps3b802805.png


I then went from sharpness off to sharpness on and could tell the point was holding fish. Notice in the red/green shot the long shelf of gravel. The top of the point in this shot is more of dots which I took as fish. The shelf was more of a blur. Now to see if what I was looking at was what we were after.


http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...psfb6c0fab.png


The wife and I went back and dropped a marker over the right group of fish and never left that spot. We used a drop shot rig with crickets and hooked one after the other. Great day with the better half and a new spot to boot.

Hope this info helps someone.


http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...psbe4e59f2.png


http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...psb4d92f02.png

These shots were taken over a large mud flat to show how just a slight adjustment of the motor can effect SI on the motor side.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...ps84cf12df.png


Up to the yellow line you can see the mud flat left and right. (A)To the left or motor side you can then see the interference from adjusting the motor down a bit and once stopped I then have dead space where the motor is blocking some of the SI signal. (B) You can also see where a interference line shows up to the left. The signal is hitting the motor.



http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...psa3544cad.png

Once the motor is angled back up the interference line goes away and the bottom returns.


Dark areas in the SI view can be made from other things as well. A sloping bottom, shadows from large humps or the other side of a point could give this darker image. A muddy bottom with low Sen. setting could be dark but raising the Sen. will start to bring detail out.

If you notice that this happening on the motor side try to raise the motor some and see if this helps clear up the image.

Sorry so long but finding what your looking for and fish that will cooperate is two different things.

Finding ledges with a shelf near deep water this time of year that have structure near by can produce some nice size fish compared to those shallower it seems. Fishing both fall downs and ledges today my bigger fish came off the ledges.

First look at your map and find those locations where the contour lines come together but have a spread on one end. Using this shot as a guide only (the location I was fishing has tracks and waypoints blocking the lines) you can see how they come close and then to the right is a shelf. That would be a good place to drop structure and depending on the time of year pull in fish to hold.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...ps639a0669.png

When you find several of these locations go out and run them and make a recording. I find that running the ledge at a angle will give better shadowing and pop out better. After running I then play it back and make my changes to fine tune the shot to give the image that looks best to me. No ones settings will be the same due to preferences and body of water I've found.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...psd83423ff.png

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...ps5c1db088.png

Above as I went through different pallets I found that Brown showed better detail (for me) as shown below. Here you can see the ledge and how it runs. By adjusting the Sen. and Contrast and using sharpness you will get a better idea if you want to fish it or not.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...ps014577b6.png

You can also use one side to get better detail as far as inlarging the area you are interested in.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...ps5bee7db9.png

In those shots I was finding the ledge but no structure to hold fish. Running a few more passes with the new settings and once again making a recording I found that just up screen from these shots was what I thought to be a brush drop on the edge. After checking the recording I saw that it was holding fish.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...psb20060ae.png

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...pse0a63a81.png

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...pse0c201e5.png

Knowing the depth the fish started at I was able to cast past the structure in shallower water, count down and run just over and to the sides to pull in some fish. It may seem like it's time consuming but it really cuts down on the guess work. Hope something in here helps you out. Good luck

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...ps6d4244b6.jpg

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...ps2686b27b.jpg

(working on a post that deals with fishing fall downs but after leaving that location and seeing what the two were producing it may be a minute....hard to leave the big ones :biggrin​ )