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Pocket Metal Detector Picosens


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Hi All,

Today I found this "introduction" of a mini/pocket md on the YT channel of "Sondelsüchtig". 

A "new type of" metaldetectorsensor/coil with a smartphone app/screen.....  Is this the future? Don't know, but I thought some of you might find it interesting to view.

It is in german, but the video "speaks" for itself.  Sondelsüchtig means "addicted to detecting".  And € 399,00 = us$ 448,60. "Handy" is a smartphone.

The YT link to Stephan's/Sondelsüchtig's channel: https://youtu.be/B7XLdSk0guE 

and

 The 2 links to Stephan's/Sondelsüchtig's sponsor/dealer Nuggets24: 

https://nuggets24.de/picosens-MINI-Metalldetektor-MTC-Pocket-Pro-mit-Android-APP-ist-wieder-bei-nuggets24-im-Metalldetektoren-Shop-erhaeltlich

and

https://nuggets24.de/picosens-MTC-Pocket-Pro-Mini-Metalldetektor-Bluetooth-Handy-APP-Steuerung

 

Greetings,

Bob'ke

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The basic idea is actually very old. One of my first detectors was a coil printed on a circuit board and a few components. You would take an AM radio and tune to a certain channel. A coin waved under the toy... and that is all it was... made a signal on the AM radio.

The XP Deus is proof an entire powerful metal detector can be built into a coil with a remote that actually is just a controller. All the heavy processing is done in the coil. The only reason we have not seen much of this with phones is the connection speed, but new phones with low latency connections will no doubt result in a very good detector... sooner or later... that uses a cell phone as a controller.

I don’t expect it much from the traditional manufacturers however as it gives them less to sell. XP really wants to sell you that controller. It will probably take a newer party to make this really happen the way it needs to be done. It really is inevitable.

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My thoughts and some of the reasons I didn't buy an XP: 

EMI with wireless everything is an issue where I live and detect. Even running my pinpointer on full sensitivity causes it to fault in some areas.

Putting all the guts into the coil makes the coils too expensive and limit the options other manufacturers have with choices in sizes and even 3rd party brands ie Nel, Coiltek etc.

Display is too small. (in the case of using a cell phone then battery life is an issue)

XP specific having the coil battery in the lower shaft I assume limits how deep it can get wet.

I think it's a novel idea that needs much more refinement. If I were to have a dream machine I would put the brains in the shaft shielded from EMI with coils that snap in using the shaft as the conduit for the wires. Have the display that can used remotely or clip in for underwater use. Headphones should be the same unit with the ability to plug into the display box or upper shaft for undewater use or retract the cord and go wireless. And lastly all using a rechargeable battery system.

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I think to properly critique the Deus, you really have to try one out to discover whether there are real shortfalls in the design/operation for your requirements.  In theory the wireless design may seem to some to be prone to EMI when really it isn't, my Explorer and Etrac with a wired connection were a lot worse in that department, especially around buried electrics and transformers.  The Deus is no different to other VLF detectors in that respect, with main EMI derived from using physically larger coils and lower frequencies rather than the actual wireless connection between components - can't say I have ever had an issue.  Even then you have multiple frequencies and offsets to chose from if EMI is prevalent on a specific frequency.

Despite the coils being expensive, combined with huge adjustability of the Deus they prove to be very flexible over different sites negating the requirement for several coils, the 11" and 9" is pretty much all I require.  Some other VLF's will require multiple coils due to the lack of inbuilt adjustments like recovery speed, where changing out the stock coil for a smaller one is the only choice for improving target separation, or if a larger coil is required for increased depth performance (ie. no ability to reduce the recovery speed).  Having to change out wired coils can also be a pain, on Deus it takes just seconds to just slide on a different coil, start it up and off you go.

The battery and connector in the lower shaft of the HF coils is waterproof, so no issues there with water ingress.

Initially I too thought the display was going to be hard to read due to the size, though that hasn't proved to be an issue when compared to other detectors I have used in the past. 

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I am sure the Deus and Orx are fantastic machines, just not a good upgrade for me as I tend to use more all terrain machines. I even looked at the Anfibio, Equinox and AT MAX. For any water hunting the XP machines fall short for my use unless I pick along the shoreline.

I really considered the Orx but the stock 9" coil is a little small and as soon as you go for the larger coil then the Equinox is more competitive and better performer in poor soil conditions where it is a true multi frequency.

XP has their niche and great innovations, just seem a little pricey when compared to the latest lineup of machines out there.

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The Deus is one of my favorites and I still have mine although I dont use it as much as I did with the Nox being out. It is one of the best built detectors I've ever had the pleasure to use. It is not as effected by EMI as one might guess...the Nox suffers more in that regard. A month or so ago my buddy was using his Deus and Me the Nox and we were not far from some power lines and I had bad EMI problems. He got like 8 coins and I only got one or 2. The only thing I never liked about the Deus is the menu on the controller...we just never really clicked...I still find it confusing some times. The Nox is nice and simple. 

strick  

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I would have snagged the Orx but the biggest reason I didn't was it wasn't fully submersible as my AT is. I really liked the idea of the machine being so lite and ability to change frequencies. The stock 9" coil is also bit of a downside though probably a better choice for relic hunting in the woods. I tend to lean towards larger coils if possible.

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I think an important point is just how flexible a cell phone or tablet based system is.  As a sometimes iOS programmer I am frustrated by the limited information displayed on my detectors.  There are wonderful things I could do if I could import data into one of my iOS devices.  As it is easy to import the audio, I am toying with what I might do with it including 3D maps, vertical profiles and trace stacking to reduce noise.  There are technical issues, but I think I could overcome some of them.  Maybe next winter.

I'm hoping to someday see a mainline detector with data-out streams.  I'll geek out if I do.

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Not to go too off topic and not to make this about just XP but only using XP as an example since they seemed to have done this first in a production sense is having the brains in the coil only really adds to the cost of the coil. Any performance gains are probably negligible.

If my Tesoro dies then I will consider an Deus or Orx as machine wise they are more similar than an all terrain machine.

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