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Air Metal Detectors Now Shipping To Backers


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Yes there is a lot of negatives we can throw at this, that it is approaching 2 years since us backers we're to have received our machines is the biggest negative, but the concept of a metal detector kick starter might just bring us another manufacturer with fresh and approachable ideas to advance our hobby. I look forward to receiving mine, I know as is it is not going to compete with my Equinox 800 it may progress and do so in time thus backing such was/is a no brainer for me. 

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It's not out yet so we don't know the actual performance yet. Only on the prototypes that are out.

Assuming the the coil is waterproof it could be used in the water like the Deus/Orx.

For the price it is interesting. I'll be watching to see what it can do.

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2 hours ago, Rick N. MI said:

It's not out yet so we don't know the actual performance yet. Only on the prototypes that are out.

Assuming the the coil is waterproof it could be used in the water like the Deus/Orx.

For the price it is interesting. I'll be watching to see what it can do.

Nope, it’s out there now.  Dozens of production grade units are in users hands since deliveries started in late July (not prototypes) and the issues I reported are based on actual user posted feedback and reviews of the production units.  No need to wait, the reviews are out there in the dedicated FB groups.

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3 hours ago, Norvic said:

Yes there is a lot of negatives we can throw at this, that it is approaching 2 years since us backers we're to have received our machines is the biggest negative, but the concept of a metal detector kick starter might just bring us another manufacturer with fresh and approachable ideas to advance our hobby. I look forward to receiving mine, I know as is it is not going to compete with my Equinox 800 it may progress and do so in time thus backing such was/is a no brainer for me. 

I totally agree and support that crowd sourced funding is a great way give a potential new treasure detecting player with disruptive tech an opportunity to get their foot in the door and deliver a compelling product to the hobby (notice I said treasure detecting not just metal detecting).

However, in this specific case, no one who was posting reviews was comparing the MDT to an Equinox or Deus.  They understood the inherent technical limitations in the design (e.g., basic single frequency IB architecture).  The sense I got was more along the lines of the ML Go Find series, and some people were explicitly saying the Go Find (which also has a companion phone ID and control app) was more sophisticated in usage and performance. 

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I would be hesitent for 1 reason more than others. The fact they use a cell phone and will rely on an app to connecto to the device can easily leave people with a non functioning machine if the company goes out or phones get updated and app isn't updated. Apps are not permenant license programs and often they just disapear.  This is one or the reasons I shyed away from many of the lower end underwater ROV's that look like they could be a blast to use.

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I already ask too much of my phone while detecting.  It is, of course, a primary communication device but I also use it for GPS navigation and site coverage tracking and for documenting my sessions through stills and videos.  As such, I need it to be independent from my main detecting interface.  And with it already being overtaxed by pulling quadruple duty with all these tasks, I really don’t need it pausing, lagging, and hiccuping on real time target acquisitions.  
 

The concept of the AMD really doesn’t bring anything useful or compelling to the table in terms of advancing capability or ergonomics through tech or increasing value through reduced cost.  Full up wireless has been done by XP with some benefits (weight, easy reconfiguration) but also with undeniable drawbacks (coil cost, antenna kit claptrap to enable it to work in submerged situations).  
 

Replace the phone interface with a more traditional, dedicated user interface panel, and the detector specs alone make this just an ok detector, even presuming the designers executed the design flawlessly (which does not appear to be the case).  

All they did was up the degree of design integration complexity with no commensurate payoff in terms of performance, simplicity, ergonomics, or value.  At best they will prove it could be done without making the case for why it should have even been done in the first place.  More style over substance.

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To me it is not what this initial machine can achieve it is what in time the development of the app can achieve, eg. I have enjoyed  Oziexplorer`s development a moving map software for PCs, android devices etc. this 20 plus year experience has given me faith to believe that android devices are now very capable of controlling sophisticated MD operations, with the added advantage android is not a proprietary operating system thus apps can and are designed and implemented by enthusiasts giving much more flexibility to features.

Thus it is possible the Air MD coil can be operated by third party apps should the original developers not be up to it. Tis this possibility that excites me.

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54 minutes ago, Norvic said:

Thus it is possible the Air MD coil can be operated by third party apps should the original developers not be up to it. Tis this possibility that excites me.

That could be done with a dedicated, cheaper, open-source upgradable Android-based controller without all the other non-metal detecting apps and claptrap interfering with the primary detecting function.  Like I said, the phone is already over utilized.  With the thought that multiple “wireless coil” developers and app developers getting involved through a common, specified coil to controller interface such that the controller electronics and SW is the central hub about which different coils with different performance capabilities revolve.  Packaging the controller for different environmental conditions (dust proof, weather proof waterproof, submersible) could define different price points.  The Achilles heel being the wireless coil is not ideal for water hunting, but that could be addressed.  That’s intriguing.  Tethering it solely to an overconstrained phone platform is not as compelling except as an emergency backup use case option.

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My phone is only bludging whilst i am detecting simply only tracking my movements with the screen off, this is my belief and why my argument is for the phone as being ideal to do the the MDs processing. Time will tell if this concept has merit.

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