☠ Cipher

This is interesting. Reminds me of the old days of Nintendo secret codes for Mario and Zelda etc. Pressing buttons in random order just hoping to stumble into something. It has piqued my interest to see what I can open up. I'd like to be able to monkey with the tracking a bit if at all possible. There's some control over the speed I see, but I see a lot of posts that have me worried that if I get into more aggressively changing ground than I have so far the machine won't keep up in auto. It sounds like this was a software change from an issue that wasn't present in the Vision and V3?

I can't completely speak for Cal, but It sounds to me like frustration that what was once his favorite manufacturer has now fallen behind, with no concrete details about what's going on. I've felt it too as I watch the gap between FT and others widen, that "c'mon guys, what are you doing?" Feeling you get akin to when you're watching a sport. I've often wondered if the secrecy we've seen with companies like First Texas, Whites etc is as necessary as they feel it is, or whether giving loyalists enough information to hold onto would outweigh the benefit of the secrecy. Many brand loyal guys are willing to be pretty patient if they know something competitive or superior is fairly imminent, but give up hope and jump ship in the absence of anything concrete. Sometimes it's hard to get those guys back. But I understand the other side of it too and how the competition can use information to tie up patents etc., and so giving up too much can hurt a project. From my perspective I'd probably like to hear something candid about the obstacles they've faced that has had them running over their desired release targets, and has often given guys like cal the impression they are crying wolf or holding an empty hand with a poker face. But I have faith that the talent and resources are there and eventually it will all come together.

Now that you mention it, when First Texas first started teasing the "F75+" on their Facebook page, most of us got the impression that there would be some new features added, and I had hoped they would add the features of the G2+ like the one by one VDI notching and variable tone break etc. Many of us were very dissapointed that it was only a repackaged Bundle to promote the pinpointer. Good deal nonetheless, but they had to know people would expect more the way they were teasing and hyping it up as if it were a new release.

Call me finicky or OCD, but I don't like the logos on the newer machines. I'm going to be in the market for a used model soon but I will only buy them with the winged F. To me, there's no better machine to have in mild ground, and I regret parting with mine. I do think that for anyone not suffering from OCD they have put together one hell of a deal on one of the best machines ever made.

I never did make it out to buy that CTX-3030. Someone did. When I realized I couldn't make it I began pushing friends to purchase it. A lot of people spent too much time being suspicious of the price. My experience has been that my intuition about sellers is always correct, and I think the sale was genuine. I just wasn't in a position to liquidate my MX Sport and run to Ohio from NY at the time, and I wasn't willing to part with my V3i for it, as I've been in that position before. Thankfully my tax returns should be here any day now, and I'll be keeping my eye out for more deals along these lines. It's not the first time I've seen a CTX under $1,000, and it won't be the last. I did eventually part with my MX Sport because I'm going to buy the Equinox 800 and see how I like it compared to the Sport and the Multi-Kruzer. I have a lot of guilt about it though, as I've tried to support and promote USA machines.

FBS machines are all hot on deep silver, to the detriment of low conductors. If my focus was solely on deep silver with a good target ID I might favor the Safari. The V3i also has a killer deep silver program though. The ID fades a little quicker and then you have to listen to the tones, but what it lacks there it makes up for by being more consistent across the spectrum of metals. Personally my preference is the V3i.

I hear you. I've always gotten on better with a concentric too, and one idea I gave Whites recently is to allow users to pick which coil they want. DDs are a bit more expensive to make. It would be no skin off their back if I wanted a concentric. Whites and First Texas seem to be the only companies left that still market concentric. I worry soon nobody will. Aftermarket coil companies don't bother with them at all I notice.

Could this be a hint about when we can expect new machines?

I always say I enjoy the technology and the machines themselves as much as the hobby itself. From the aesthetics to the features, I enjoy appreciating the designs and playing with the features, testing and comparing, and thinking of ways they could be improved. When I invest in a machine I want to be sure it's not only a good deal now, but months or years from now so I can stay on top of the game.

I like to be able to use a concentric coil. I've always gotten on better with them and in mild soil they punch deeper than an equal sized DD. It's one reason I chose the F75 over the T2. The F75 can run both DD and concentric. The T2 can only run DD. It's something I like about the V3i/VX3. They are the only (simultaneous) multifrequency machines I'm aware of aside from older FT machines that uses concentric. Minelab along with many other companies have left concentrics behind.

Rumors have been circulating for years that First Texas was to release new flagships, but year after year, nothing has surfaced and many began to lose faith that these new machines would come to market. Machines were only continually rebranded, slightly altered, often highly discounted, and employees were let go. Rumors began running in the forums that First Texas might be on its way out. This was far from the truth however. What was really happening behind the scenes is this company was busy hiring new talent and moving into a new state of the art facility with every intention of competing at the highest level. And now it looks like we may soon start to see it bear fruit. These interesting exchanges occurred on Facebook Sounds like we've got a lot to look forward to from the crew at First Texas, and I'm rooting for them to give Minelab a run for their money. If anyone is poised to do so, it's First Texas.

It would certainly take a lot of dedication and skills that exceed any I currently have. I also have no interest in dealing with China hackers. I'd just like to see the V3i able to communicate with other V3is, a PC and vice versa. As many machines as have passed through my hands, the V3i is a machine that I do not plan to part with for the foreseeable future. I just love the whole concept and wish it were taken a little further. I am baffled however at the talent Whites has let get away from their stables. I don't quite understand it. I can easily see a day where FT sits on top of the heap. The talent is there and now the facility is there. I wish you and everyone there all the best Geotech. Big admirer of the work you guys have done.

Completely Minelabs wording. I know nothing about it actually other than what Minelab puts out there. The whole thing was a complete copy and paste. This is what they've posted to Facebook and their website. I can imagine what you dealers must be going through though. There was a thread on Facebook where guys were saying KellyCo isn't even answering their phones today. I actually haven't preordered one yet. I'm stuck waiting until my taxes come back, which is any day now.

Something "game changing" seems to be in the works anyway.

https://www.minelab.com/usa/customer-care/product-notices?article=326353 Our new EQUINOX Series of detectors is now shipping to our distribution network and on to customers who have pre-ordered detectors.* *Initial availability will be limited in all regions due to the very high pre-release demand. Dealers will soon be notified regarding local allocations and shipments. Please contact your local dealer for specific availability information. We will be doing our best to get detectors to all customers across February to fulfil pre-orders as quickly as possible.

Have you ever used some of Makros imaging machines like the Jeohunter and Deephunter? Looks impressive and in that regard they seem to be heads and shoulders ahead of the others, but I've never had occasion to use those machines. If the could incorporate that stuff into a hobby machine, I could see them taking off on the rest.

I see the older V3 models for sale at times. I do wonder if the communication hardware remains in the "i" models, with the software hidden or extracted, or if they removed the hardware as well. It sounded like they used the hardware in part for SpectraSound, so it's possible the hardware remains in just that limited capacity.

I just parted with my MX Sport in anticipation of the Equinox. Now I just have to hope I can get my hands on one. I did love that MX Sport though. They ended up getting it straightened out pretty good. Deep and great in iron. If the Equinox ends up not being my cup of tea I'd have no problem going back. It would be really nice to open up the communication capability of the V3i. For years I've been proficient in computer and cell phone repair, dabbling in Arduino coding, Make electronics kits, and other things. So the idea is intriguing to me. I submitted an outline of the idea to a local technical open source school to get a feel for what they think they might be able to do, if anything. They are always looking for projects.

What's your guess about where the dongle would've plugged in? Headphone jack?

If this is your first machine, but you're thinking about putting down considerable cash I'd try to scoop up an Equinox by the sounds of it. Sounds easy to use, yet powerful, accurate, and versatile.

If I could only have one machine, at this point, of the ones that are out I would easily go with the Whites V3i. This is not a machine choice for the average joe, but it offers the most opportunity by far to grow in knowledge and capability. The combinations of adjustments are endless. There are Turn on and go programs and default settings as well, but to me it's strength lies in the ability to be a Metal Detecting University. I see mostly etrac choices, and that is a great machine as well. When I faced the dilemma of what top tier machine to go with last year it was the FBS bias toward silver that kept me from going that route, and sure enough I found the V3i to be a bit more consistent across the spectrum of metals. I think at this point the only two things I envy are the more accurate discrimination and target prediction of FBS (however, once you thoroughly understand the V3i you can create new programs rearranging the entire VDI system, assigning or even creating different predictions to different numbers and number ranges.) The other feature would be target trace on the CTX-3030, which can come in very handy in certain situations.

In the yards I've been hunting, they are loaded with iron, nails etc. It is to the point where I thought about a SunRay probe for my V3i. I get a hit on a deep coin and get distracted by nails. Needless to say I've been excited about the ProFind 35. At the same time I can't let go of my Bullseye TRX. The range is unreal and I've used it to scuba hunt by itself. That's another application where the ProFind's iron tone might come in handy. I've been thinking about buying it as a secondary anyway, to see how I like it. For now, that TRX is the best damn pinpointer I've ever used.

I've been a fairly loyal guy to brands Made in the USA, save for machines I've bought to test and sold. Today I sold my MX Sport in anticipation of the Equinox. MX Sport prices have nowhere to go but down from here. The Equinox is what the MX Sport should have been. Even if it were a VX3 in waterproof housing I wouldn't have felt nearly as compelled to sell it. U.S. Companies are not listening to what customers say they want. That is waterproof AND multifrequency. Whites gave us waterproof in a beautiful looking machine. They ignored the request for multiple frequency or multifrequency so far. First Texas has rested on the laurels of old multifrequency machines and have ignored the requests for waterproofing machines like the F75 and T2 because in their research they discovered most people don't use it. None of that matters. People think they will and when they base their purchase decisions on something they think they will do it's best to give them what they want. I only used my MX Sport in the water a few times, and that may or may not be the case for whatever waterproof machine I'm running this summer, but I want to have that option. Something all companies need to understand is that the guys that are buying flagships and upper end machines care as much about their machine as they do the hobby itself. They like to talk about their machines and it's features and where it can go. U.S. companies should take a page from Bonnie Rait and give them something to talk about.

I'm rooting for them too. I have a big soft spot for them more than any company, and right now they have one badass lineup of engineers over there.

Complete ditto Chase.