600 Vs. 800 Differences - More Than Just A Gold Prospecting Mode

[Chase Goldman]

25 minutes ago, Mark Gillespie said:

You know Steve I have wondered the same thing about the V3i and the Deus and the different programs.  Even though each program can be modified, I always wondered if hidden in the back ground were some sort of settings/internal adjustments I didn't know about.  Being a programmer from the late 90's I can see a line or two of code performing special functions for a special feature.  That is the internal secrets we may never be aware of.  But that's okay, if it works great.

 

 

While I don't have access to the Deus code and can't speak for the V3i, I have wondered this myself.  In general, as far as I can tell, the "preset programs"  on the Deus are just various different combinations "user adjustable constants" that get fed into basically the same signal processing algorithm while you are merely changing filter breakpoints (e.g., discrimination, silencer), responsivity (reactivity), operating frequency, sensitivity, tones, notch, etc.  In version 4, XP threw a bit of a curveball, where they addied a signal processing filter from a previous software version into the base program for one of the preset programs.  If you used that program as your base program for another "custom" program you would be using a different filter than if you set up your custom program from any of the other presets.  This is the only example I know of where there was variation in the way the preset programs actually behaved at the core program level.  There is another example for the Deus called Gold Field (All Metal) but the it is pretty clear that is a completely different signal processing core program than the rest of the normal "Discrimination" type preset programs.   I am already getting the idea that for the Equinox,  each of the preset program Modes are truly completely different core programs in how they implement MultiIQ as well as how they implement other features such as discrimination and perhaps even ground balancing.  Hard to tell with just a user guide and a bunch of You Tube videos and blogs as reference, but it is pretty clear this is the case and is basically what Steve has been telling us all along.  Coming from the Deus, I perhaps a little concerned that you can only save two custom variants of each detecting mode.  Perhaps I need to shed the Deus paradigm and recognize this is probably ok, especially since the Minelab UI on the Equinox appears to make it easy to change certain parameters on the fly.

[Joel]

Steve,

The more I read, the more insight & knowledge I gain. I can not tell you how much I appreciate your dedication to helping others understand the complexity of this new technology.  Keep up the great job!

[mn90403]

Joel,

Complexity?  We're told in other threads we won't need any training.

I play three cushion billiards with only 3 balls (adjustments) and no pockets.  It is one of the most difficult games ever devised.  I know I need training to get better at billiards.  Close does not count!!

You know the saying ... close is only good in horseshoes and hand grenades ... is close good in metal detecting also?

Mitchel

[Steve Herschbach]

15 hours ago, mn90403 said:

Complexity?  We're told in other threads we won't need any training.

I never said people don’t need training - just that I am not planning on doing any personally outside this forum. Whatever can’t be gleaned from the forum will hopefully be provided or offered as a service at the dealer level. If Minelab were to ever sponsor training sessions I might consider getting involved, but that would be about it as far as I am concerned.

Welcome to the forum Joel!

[Chase Goldman]

Also, with respect to Joel’s post, there is a big difference between complex technology employed in a metal detector (e.g., MultiIQ) and the detector’s user interface which can greatly simply how the complex technology is applied by the user.  Strictly speaking, if the user interface remains simple and/or straight forward, very little training would be required despite the complexity of the underlying technology.  From what I can tell, Minelab has taken great pains to keep that interface simple as compared to say the CTX (thankfully).  On the other hand, understanding how the underlying technology works, can sometimes enable the end user (detectorist) to tweak parameters in even a limited/simple interface to wring additional performance out of the machine.  Whether Minelab or a 3rd party provides training on this would depend on whether Minelab or a 3rd Party anticipates the possibility of this “graduate degree” level tweaking a la Andy Sabisch’s Bootcamps, for example.

[daryl curtis]

The more I'm reading the more I'm convinced that the 600 is a very good starter platform for me and my partner who are total newbies to this very intriguing hobby so do I need all the whistles and bells of the 800 or is the 600 more than adequate for us both as will mainly use multi frequencie most of the time 

[Chase Goldman]

I think the 600 will serve you well as a starter unit you can grow with.  That being said, the value of the 800 may be greater than the 600 because of the included wireless hardware.  But are the bells and whistles of the 800 needed for the beginning detectorist?  No.  If you can afford 800 (i.e., price is not an obstacle) can the 800 be a good machine for a beginner?  Yes.  The additional bells and whistles are not going to get in the way of learning the machine and the provided wireless audio components are very convenient accessories to have.  Note the 600 also supports wireless BT headsets and proprietary ML wireless modules but you will have to bring or buy your own.  HTH

[FlyFish]

Equinox 600 and 800 models are identical transmitter signals or different 

[Steve Herschbach]

To the best of my knowledge the Equinox 600 and Equinox 800 are identical regarding the features they share. The Equinox 800 simply adds access to additional functionality.

[FlyFish]

43 minutes ago, Steve Herschbach said:

To the best of my knowledge the Equinox 600 and Equinox 800 are identical regarding the features they share. The Equinox 800 simply adds access to additional functionality.

3Fx3 and 5Fx5 - That this is a hardware or software feature