Topic: New Innovation or Rumor?

[Bob B]

I've been putting this on wish lists for a while....we will know soon if it is true or not.

Minn Kota introduces new product at ICAST 2012 called I-Pilot Link.

Minn Kota has integrated their iPilot trolling motors, which use GPS navigation to automatically guide your trolling motor, with select Humminbird depthfinders. Now you can control your trolling motor through your fishfinder in addition to the remote control.

Two of the new features. One is called GoTo – you can select stored data (Spot-Lock location, waypoint, or trolling paths), and the trolling motor will automatically take you there. Plus you can control the speed you travel as well. The seconed feature is called “Follow The Contour” (available only with Lake Master maps) – you can select a contour depth on your map via your Humminbird, and the trolling motor will automatically follow it in any direction you wish

[WalleyeFreak]

Not rumor.  Humminbird and MinnKota both released press releases about what is coming this week at iCast, and the new iPilot Link is just what they mentioned.

This is what I was waiting for, and why I hadn't purchased an iPilot yet.

http://beta.humminbird.com/promotion.aspx?id=3297

http://beta.minnkotamotors.com/ipilotlink/

[wolfs4evr]

That will be awesome!

[LocDown]

Is this going to be connected via ethernet?

[ITGEEK]

I wonder how many software updates it's going to take
to get all of that working correctly?

And, do you guys think that by adding these new features to the
updates, that they may adversely affect the sonar in other ways
through lack of thorough testing?

[xSilmarilSx]

Since it's limited to LakeMaster charts, it will have a pretty limited user base, like the 360.

They should focus on more mainstream technology that can sell around the world.
High development costs and low sales volume will mean a high price tag.

[WalleyeFreak]

The only thing that will be limited to Lake Master will be the "follow the contour" feature, or contour offset. 

Everything else, such as spot lock, Go-To Waypoint, and Go-To iTrack according to the information will work on all ethernet capable units.

[Gattlin]

 I found this in the fine print:/  "Note: once an i-Pilot is installed on a PowerDrive V2 motor, the foot pedal is no longer compatible". I suppose if the i-Pilot has a failure you'd just have to take it off and reinstall the original head unit? But without a foot pedal it's all mute anyway.

[Jdeee]

Can you program waypoints into the HB so that the ipilot will follow that track?

If I already own an ipilot 2012 and HB 798 hd si what will I have to buy to get this working?

[Bob B]

I found this in the fine print:/  "Note: once an i-Pilot is installed on a PowerDrive V2 motor, the foot pedal is no longer compatible". I suppose if the i-Pilot has a failure you'd just have to take it off and reinstall the original head unit?

The Power Drive does loose foot pedal control with the I_Pilot, but the Terrova doesn't

I think you can disable the I-pilot and get the foot pedal operation back, but not sure exactly how it works on the Power Drive....that is a big reason why I got the Terrova.

[WalleyeFreak]

Can you program waypoints into the HB so that the ipilot will follow that track?

If I already own an ipilot 2012 and HB 798 hd si what will I have to buy to get this working?

I'm sure once the information release is official HB Greg will be able to supply more information about all the features.  But reading the information supplied on the links I posted above, yes you will be able to control your iPilot from your ethernet capable HB unit via the iPilot Link.  Directing it to "Go-To" a saved waypoint or follow a saved track on your sonar unit.

According to the information on the MinnKota page this will be an additional add-on to the iPilot unit.  Although I'm sure once released they will have a package unit just like they do with the Terrova and Powerdrive with iPilot.

[Bob B]

I wonder how many software updates it's going to take to get all of that working correctly?

And, do you guys think that by adding these new features to the updates, that they may adversely affect the sonar in other ways through lack of thorough testing?

Guess HB should quite doing updates all together since there might some unintended software problems.....I agree that they haven't been testing the updates as well as they should, but....lets not drive it into the ground.

[LocDown]

Can you program waypoints into the HB so that the ipilot will follow that track?

If I already own an ipilot 2012 and HB 798 hd si what will I have to buy to get this working?

From what I can tell, probably need to buy the new Ipilot unit that will have the new remote and ethernet cable.
If you have a lakemaster card, then you can tell the ipilot to follow contours.

[Gattlin]

The Power Drive does loose foot pedal control with the I_Pilot, but the Terrova doesn't

I think you can disable the I-pilot and get the foot pedal operation back, but not sure exactly how it works on the Power Drive....that is a big reason why I got the Terrova.

 Wish I would have known that sooner. Kind of an expensive proposition to replace my unit for a Terrova to get a foot pedal and then install an I-Pilot.
With strong gusty winds it would behoove me to have a foot pedal for back up.
Seems kind of like an engineering oversight, or a strategic marketing ploy:(

[LocDown]

for the regular powerdrive v2 when upgrading to the ipilot, you just unplug 2 steering wires and plug those into the new ipilot control head. So.. .what I've done was get a DPDT switch and just put all the those six connections(main L/R, Ipilot L/R, Pedal L/R) to that so I can still use the foot pedal but I would still have to unplug the round plug off the ipilot and replug the foot pedal if my Ipilot ran into problems on the water.

This is for the base unit powerdrive v2 with no autopilot upgrading to ipilot(not the ipilot-link)

[Moose1am]

Some one has to lead the way.  All I need is a new Minn-Kota Trolling motor with the Ipilot and I'm good to go with this system. But from pass experience with the Humminbird Sonars I expect there to be lots of updates to get this working smoothly over the next few years.  Johnson Controls does not have very good programmers for the Humminbird Sonars. They make a lot of mistakes and take a long time to make changes.  They need to do better in this department. 

Since it's limited to LakeMaster charts, it will have a pretty limited user base, like the 360.

They should focus on more mainstream technology that can sell around the world.
High development costs and low sales volume will mean a high price tag.

[freezerfiller]

I got to play with mine a little this weekend.  The follow the contour was very cool.  I couldn't figure out how to get it to follow the contour at a set surface speed such as .5mph, but could set the tm setting to a set speed aka 3 on the scale of 10. I'm not the best at reading manuals, so I'm not sure if I just couldnt find it, or if it does it. It was perfect for slow trolling for pre spawn crappie. I had some issues with the spot lock in windy conditions, but it was still nice to know you could take care of a tangled line without being blown into the bank.  I definitely got to fish more and drive less with that setup...