How To Print Your Own Equinox Manual In Booklet Form!

[SittingElf]

OK... so we are all aware of the non-stop complaints about how Minelab didn't include a printed manual with the Equinox series.  Personally, I am used to online manuals, and generally don't need to have a printed reference handy for using most products. The Equinox is a bit different, and I found that I needed to go back to the manual repeatedly as I learn.  I ended up printing a full sized copy with two-sided printing. That took 34 sheets of letter-sized paper, and in a loose-leaf binder, it was not exactly handy to take with me into the field.  Hmmm...need another solution! Eureka!  I ended up with a smaller booklet sized manual for only the cost of 17 sheets of paper and ink, and it is easy.

Equinox 600 / 800 Full Instruction Manual (English pdf 5.59 MB)

Equinox 600 / 800 Getting Started Guide (English pdf 847.71 KB)

Equinox Battery Charging Recommendations And Warnings

Minelab Equinox Parts & Accessories Page

Here's what this process will produce...

It is relatively simple and if you have a duplex (Prints both sides automatically) printer, it is even simpler. If you don't have a full duplex printer, you will print one side of the 17 sheets, then reload them for the second side.  What you get is a booklet that will fit in a finds bag pocket, and is easily referenced in the field.  If you don't have a powerful or big enough stapler, UPS Stores or other office places will have one that can staple the middle of the booklet as shown below.

And when you're done, here is a pic that will give you a visual...

OK.. here's the ticket...
Doesn't matter if you have a Windows or Mac computer. If you currently have Adobe PDF Reader on your computer, you are already set. If not, it's FREE and you can download it here...https://get.adobe.com/reader/  The site will automatically determine which operating system you are using and will download the correct version.

Next, open the downloaded Equinox PDF Manual using Adobe reader, then FILE | PRINT. You will see the following screen:

The first thing to do is to select "BOOKLET" where the top circle is. Then make sure that Portrait is selected, and then check the box for "Auto-rotate Pages...."

Next click the Page Setup button on the lower left to get this window:

Select the printer from the dropdown that you are printing to, then make SURE that the Scale is set to 100%. Then click OK

Upon return to the original screen, press PRINT and you're on your way!   If you want to insure that everything is set up right and test without wasting paper, go up the page to where it says "PAGES TO PRINT" and select the PAGES option and enter 1 - 1.  That will only print the first page, and you should end up with the back page on the left, and the cover page on the right. WIth a duplex printer, on the flip side, you should have the WELCOME PAGE on the left, and page 67 on the right. It should not be upside down on the back.  If using a single side printer, you should get instructions after the 17 pages print to reinsert the pages for back side printing. 

This manual is now very handy, and useful.  Some of us older folks may need reading glasses for the smaller print, but it's readable and not extreme.

Cheers!

[Cal_Cobra]

Definitely nice IMO to have a paper booklet copy, you can make notes on it, and it’s great to have in the field.  

What I’ve found to be useful is to copy the PDF file to my iPhone.   I have several stored and can instantly pull them up from my iBooks library as I always have my phone with me.  Handy for killing time at the airport, while waiting for detecting buddies, or other times when waiting for whatever, but more importantly when your out in the field and forget how to make whatever settings and don’t have an Internet connection.

[TedinVT]

Thanks, Elf.  Didn't know you could do that.  I'm the last guy still using an old flip phone (it's true?) so this will be a big help for field use.

[walkerrj]

I downloaded the manual from the Minelab web site to a Flash Drive.  Took the Flash Drive to Office Depot and had them print out a manual in color and heavier stock paper.   Has a nice spiral binding.  

[Cal_Cobra]

So pretty smart on Minelabs part.  They saved $ on printing manuals, and by not including them in the detector boxes, likely were able to make last minute edits (heck may still be doing so and nobodies caught it yet) and where there's a will there's a way, or actually as we see here, quite a few ways for people in this day and age to have their manual in whatever format that fits their needs! 

Funny story, when IBM in their infinite wisdom released the first IBM PC to the public, the instruction manual was on a floppy disk.  Anyone see a problem with that?  

[SittingElf]

I remember the 180k 8" floppies, then the "massive" 360k 5.25" floppies. Then  "Oh my God" 1.2mb diskettes! Pretty amazing when you consider that we now have USB memory sticks that can handle more than 120GB.
I also remember when Hard Drives were first introduced, and some well-known PC gurus were saying that the price of Hard Drives would never go below $1.00 per megabyte!  LOL!

On topic though.... I was in the field yesterday, and a pretty far hike from my car. Having that half-sized booklet stashed in my hip pouch was incredibly helpful, and I referenced it repeatedly as I tweaked settings. Handy!

[Dug D]

I printed mine in booklet form first, but I couldn't read it

second time printed full size I can read it, but some colored text is still hard to see. I have had a lot of study time, the end of March has come, but no nox in sight.  

[Chase Goldman]

On 4/7/2018 at 7:35 AM, SittingElf said:

Pretty amazing when you consider that we now have USB memory sticks that can handle more than 120GB.

They are up to 500 GB now and 400 GB on micro SD cards, which is just nuts.

[Jammin1]

This would be great right about now as l cannot get me 800 even started right now.... :(

[Norm S]

I copied the pages most relevant to settings and didn't bother with setup pages etc.. I am guessing maybe 10 pages but I didn't count nor did I worry about cost. For the most part I have the Equinox settings menu memorized anyway. Nothing like learning by doing