Equinox - Pay For Updates?

[Pheellip]

Do you think Minelab would market software updates for the box.i would pay handsomely for new features.8 have no desire to learn a new machine.i can't be the only one thinking about that!!!what say you???

[Chase Goldman]

Not sure that would play well with the majority of users who have been sold on the fact that Equinox updates have been and would continue to be provided without charge.  It would likely come across as a bait and switch money grab for long time Equinox owners.  If it was done as an alternative value option to purchasing a newly designed Equinox successor model, then it might be palatable.

[phrunt]

No, but if they want to take some of the current social media focus off the competitions new releases they could release a firmware update for the Equinox right now, I wouldn't complain. 

[Pheellip]

Did not know that.i see your point.im surprised someone hasn't came up with that idea.im sure these machines could do more if only downloaded the software.or am I wrong.copyrights,etc.people "upgrade" other people's ideas and products all the time.whst say you.really happy I found this site.so much info.need not look elsewhere

[Chase Goldman]

7 hours ago, Pheellip said:

Did not know that.i see your point.im surprised someone hasn't came up with that idea.im sure these machines could do more if only downloaded the software.or am I wrong.copyrights,etc.people "upgrade" other people's ideas and products all the time.whst say you.really happy I found this site.so much info.need not look elsewhere

It's been thought of and discussed.  From a business case perspective there are upsides and downsides.  We may get there with a future detector design, but it may or may not be ML.  Rutus is adding multi-frequency capability to its newest detector via a free update.  They also utilize "beginner" and "experienced" user SW configurations and an advanced direct to detector wifi update implementation.

[Steve Herschbach]

13 hours ago, Pheellip said:

Do you think Minelab would market software updates for the box.i would pay handsomely for new features.8 have no desire to learn a new machine.i can't be the only one thinking about that!!!what say you???

I think you vastly overestimate what can be done with software updates. That's kind of beside the point though. In the end, Minelab sells hardware, and there is zero incentive for them to undermine sales of upcoming new models by constantly updating old hardware. I know for a fact the update function first and foremost is considered a way to patch bugs, and do not expect any change on that front.

[Bill (S. CA)]

13 hours ago, phrunt said:

No, but if they want to take some of the current social media focus off the competitions new releases they could release a firmware update for the Equinox right now, I wouldn't complain. 

I agree nothing in pay-to-play updates for Minelab.  Phrunt's idea of an Equinox update right now is a good one.  Would be smart of Minelab to do this.

[mcjtom]

16 hours ago, Steve Herschbach said:

there is zero incentive for them to undermine sales of upcoming new models by constantly updating old hardware.

In the photography world, Fujifilm got itself a lot of fans and good will (and thus sales I imagine) by promoting Kaizen - updating firmware of cameras long discontinued and replaced with newer models.  Fuji X-E2 is a great example - the last firmware update made it into a totally different and better camera.  Fuji didn't have to do it.

[F350Platinum]

5 hours ago, mcjtom said:

In the photography world, Fujifilm got itself a lot of fans and good will (and thus sales I imagine) by promoting Kaizen - updating firmware of cameras long discontinued and replaced with newer models.  Fuji X-E2 is a great example - the last firmware update made it into a totally different and better camera.  Fuji didn't have to do it.

I have 3 Fujifilm cameras, I can attest to this program. They come up with surprising updates with feature changes even with old models. An excellent company for sure. Great example!

[phrunt]

Interesting, I bought a quite high end Fuji camera a couple of years ago as I wanted to take photos of the Aurora (Southern Lights) and I found it too difficult with my Canon EOS, too complicated to leave the lens open for a camera noob like me, I ended up getting some good shots and then put it in my cupboard and forgot about it as I mainly just use my phone to take photos. I'll dig it out and see what firmware updates are for it.

I guess this demonstrates why sometimes taking a hit in possibly sales of the next model by giving an older model an update can be very good for customer relations, manufacturers don't always have to think short term, the long term benefits of treating your customers well will pay off in the end.  I think in general Minelab are pretty good to their customers however they have some policies and do certain things that to me make no sense in relation to coils especially, to them it must make sense or they wouldn't do it. 

10kHz is a frequency I often have EMI troubles, so was 5kHz, they added 4kHz as a single frequency and I use it instead of 5 and find it very useful, an update they could easily do is offset single frequencies for people, so instead of just 10 they could also add 9, where there is 20 they could add 19 and 40 they could add 39 or 41 or even 45 if the coils can handle it so get right in the heart of that gold sweet spot.  This sort of update you would think would be quite easy for them to do, and then it also makes the Nox look good on paper with even more available frequencies 🙂   I doubt such an update would cut into sales of the Equinox 1000 much if at all but it'd add features to the current Equinox with minimal effort.