Lowrance Elite-12 Ti2 Active Imaging 3-in-1 Inland

The Elite-12 Ti2 is one of the Lowrance fish finders released in 2019. Although the newer Elite FS 7 and the Elite FS 9 have been around for a while, the Elite-12 Ti2 is still available at the moment. For reference, this is the Lowrance part number 000-14658-001, the one that includes the old US Inland Basemap (not the Contour+), and the Active Imaging 3-in-1 transducer.

Key Features and Specifications

• Display: 12-inch diagonal SolarMax, 1280H x 800V pixel resolution, touchscreen, with adjustable LED backlight
• Sonar: Active Imaging 3-in-1 (2D CHIRP/DownScan/SideScan)
• Transducer: Active Imaging 3-in-1
• Frequency and Coverage (with the included transducer):
  83/200/455/800 kHz
  300 ft. (91 m) on each side – 455 kHz SideScan
  150 ft. (46 m) on each side – 800 kHz SideScan
• Depth Capability (with the included transducer):
  1,000 ft (305 m) for the CHIRP sonar
  300 ft. (91 m) for DownScan and SideScan
• Power Consumption: 1.9 A @ 13 VDC
• GPS: 10 Hz internal, 16 channels
• Maps: C-MAP US Inland Basemap
• Routes, Waypoints, Tracks: 100; 3,000; 100 (10,000 points per trail)
• Networking: NMEA 2000, Ethernet, WiFi, Bluetooth

Sonar and transducer

The Lowrance Elite-12 Ti2 offers Active Imaging 3-in-1 sonar. In other words, it offers three sonar technologies, these being standard CHIRP, DownScan Imaging, and SideScan Imaging. The unit does not support ForwardScan, StructureScan 3D, or Active Target (live) sonar. The frequencies supported by it are 50/83/200 kHz for standard CHIRP and 455/800 kHz for the structure scanning modes.

As the title suggests, the unit includes the Active Imaging 3-in-1 transducer which integrates a temperature sensor and has 25 ft. (7.6 m) of cable with a 9-pin connector. For the standard CHIRP sonar, it casts conical beams and uses the 83/200 kHz channels; in other words, it can use High and Medium CHIRP. The exact angles of the beams and CHIRP frequency range are not specified. The maximum depth range for the standard CHIRP sonar with this transducer is 1,000 ft. (305 m).

For DownScan and SideScan, the AI 3-in-1 transducer uses thin, oval beams. Again, their angles aren’t specified. The side and down ranges are 300 ft. (91 m) @ 455 kHz, and 150 ft. (46 m) @ 800 kHz.

The Elite Ti2 units are some of the first Lowrance fish finders with the FishReveal feature. This is a smart targeting mode that puts all the fish arches detected by the standard CHIRP sonar into the DownScan Imaging view. Therefore, you can get a better idea of the placement of fish in relation to any submerged structure, vegetation, rocks, or the bottom.

Of course, the unit also offers the full range of standard sonar features. The list includes A-Scope, Fish ID, Circular Flasher, Sonar Recording, various alarms, and more.

Navigation features

The Lowrance Elite-12 Ti2 is a chartplotter as well. It integrates a 10 Hz GPS receiver which means that it can provide position updates 10 times per second. it also has a GPS speed function and supports WAAS, EGNOS, and MSAS for position augmentation.

The unit has track recording, route creation, and waypoint creation functions. It offers the possibility to record up to 100 tracks (10,000 points each). You can also save up to 100 routes and 3,000 waypoints in its memory. Each recorded track can be converted into a route and you can add waypoints to it later on.

This Lowrance fish finder and chartplotter combo is pre-loaded with the U.S. Inald Basemap from C-MAP. This chart platform covers more than 4,000 U.S. lakes with 1-foot contours. The detail provided by these charts is not super, but the unit does support premium charts such as Navionics+, Navionics Platinum+, C-MAP MAX-N, C-MAP MAX-N+, or Insight Pro and Insight HD.

The Elite-12 Ti2 is one of the first Lowrance units with the Genesis Live feature. This is a bathymetric mapping application that uses the GPS and the standard CHIRP sonar and allows you to reveal and record the depth contours of your lake. Therefore, if the current charts of the unit do not offer satisfying detail for your favorite lake, you can map it yourself and create a custom fishing map with the most up-to-date depth contours.

StructureMap is also a feature available with this unit. This feature allows you to overlay SideScan recorded images to the current maps in order to get a better view of the underwater environment in relation to your position on the map. It also helps with the interpretation of the SideScan images.

Finally, the unit has SmartSteer and supports autopilot for motors such as Xi5 or Xi3. It also supports AIS data but it is not compatible with any Radar models.

Control unit features

The Lowrance Elite-12 Ti2 features a 12-inch diagonal color SolarMax display with a pixel resolution of 1280H x 800V. It has a super-bright backlight and offers excellent visibility even at sharp angles such as 80° top/bottom, 85° left/right. It is also IPX7 waterproof which essentially means that it can withstand incidental water exposure.

The unit has touchscreen technology, but it also has quick selection keys for page selection, zoom, waypoint creation, and power. Its interface is highly intuitive and easy to use. The display can be divided into four sections and you can work with up to four applications at once.

Unit supports both Ethernet and NMEA networking. It has an NMEA 2000 Micro-C port, however, it does not support Radar. But on the other hand, it also has wireless connectivity. This being said, you can connect the unit to an existent WiFi hotspot in order to access the GoFree Cloud base for downloads, software updates or data backup. Plus, it has a microSD card slot which you can load with various charts from Navionics or C-MAP, as well as a blank card for Genesis Live mapping.

The included mount is the classic Gimbal bracket. A sun cover is also included.

The Pros

• Active Imaging 3-in-1 sonar (2D CHIRP, SideScan, DownScan);
• Active Imaging 3-in-1 transducer included;
• 1,000 ft. depth capability;
• Various sonar functions, such as DownScan Overlay, FishReveal, Bottom Lock, A-Scope, Fish ID, Sonar Recording etc;
• US Inland Basemap included;
• Genesis Live feature for depth contour recording;
• Compatible with a wide array of custom charts, including Navionics Gold, Navionics+, Navionics Platinum+, C-MAP Max N, C-MAP Max N+, Insight Pro, and Insight HD.
• Fast chart updates, fast navigation through menus;
• High precision, 10 Hz GPS;
• Autopilot functions via SmartSteer, for Xi5 trolling motors;
• Waypoints, routes, and trackplotting functions;
• Easy to use touchscreen navigation;
• SolarMax display for superior readability;
• WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity;
• One microSD card slot;
• NMEA 2000 connectivity;
• Ethernet connectivity;
• GPS and sonar overlay data possibilities, via Insight Genesis;
• Gimbal bracket mount included;
• Unit cover included;
• Available in multiple language packs;
• Fairly easy to install.

The Cons

• The Genesis Live feature requires a microSD card as support;
• In-dash mounting kit is not included.

Summary

The Lowrance Elite-12 Ti2 is a fish finder and chartplotter equipped with Active Imaging sonar, 10 Hz GPS, and the U.S. Inland Basemap. It includes the Active Imaging 3-in-1 sonar for standard CHIRP, DownScan, and SideScan. It also offers superior networking features such as Ethernet, NMEA 2000, WiFi, and Bluetooth. It’s a versatile fishing and navigation tool, offering excellent value for the price.