GPZ 8000 Rumors

[jasong]

That's definitely my vision for the future of detectors too. There are a lot of gains left to be had in detector tech by embracing a theory and software approach over an electronics-centric approach. Modern ARM chips have a ton of free cycles to use and a ton of signal processing capability built in. These chips are cheap now and detector companies including ML are over a decade behind the rest of the electronics industry in embracing them or unleashing their full potential.

Lower your noise floor and you can boost sensitivity without needing to boost power. Reduction in EMI and ground noise (salt, mineralization) can raise the effective depth of a detector too, even if gains are kept the same. But with a lower noise floor, you can also boost your gains up too. Not to mention speed up the ability to prospect faster and more accurately. A look at ML's latest patents and I'm sure this is the direction they are heading - less analog electronics and more physics/algorithmic approaches.

Discrim can be done through digital signal processing too I think, though I'm not absolutely sure of it.

There is a lot of room left for detector development IMO. The greater problem is nugget depletion, and unfavorable placer geology for deeper nuggets as Steve mentioned due to things like surface deflation or just shallow bedrock. Not to mention in the US we have something like 50+ million people within maybe 1 to 4 hours drive from at least one of the major goldfields or placer districts so that makes finding new areas tougher every year too since it's not like one has to go on a 2-4 week long trek to explore for new areas if one already lives in the area and can head out every weekend or after work.

[Jonathan Porter]

4 hours ago, Steve Herschbach said:

The CTX represents the be all and end all of attainable depth and discrimination accuracy? No way to improve ferrous discrimination beyond what we have? All hope for future improvement in the technology is dead and gone?

 

It’s all pure speculation on my part but seeing how this is a thread about a non-existent GPZ8000, I have a hunch discrimination isn’t even possible on ZVT. But is discrimination depth at its pinnacle? No way, there is always room for improvement.

I’m all for a hunch type discrimination allowing the user to have some input, it doesn’t have to be 100% accurate, I already have a well trained ear, just need a supplement or a probability meter to use as a tool when making decisions, something that would help with making an informed decision, call it the “Informed Hunch-Ferrometer”.?

[Gold Catcher]

JP, exactly. Something like the ferrous indicator on the GM, just a more refined version perhaps. It's up to the operator to use the ferrous indicator wisely, and some might abuse it. However, I found that the indicator works well once the target is close. It has saved me countless hours, especially when hunting in super trashy areas. Without some sort of clue what you are digging hunting these places would be a waste of time. If the holes that I dig with the Z would only be half as deep as I dig them now, only to recover iron trash, this would be a huge time saving.

[Lunk]

5 hours ago, Jonathan Porter said:

I have a hunch discrimination isn’t even possible on ZVT.

At a Q&A session with Minelab CEO Peter Charlesworth and Engineer Mark Lawrie at the Minelab Partner Conference 2 years ago, I asked if there would be an update for the GPZ 7000 that would include discrimination. Their response was that discrimination is not possible with the ZVT tech.?

[DigsAlot]

4 minutes ago, Lunk said:

At a Q&A session with Minelab CEO Peter Charlesworth and Engineer Mark Lawrie at the Minelab Partner Conference 2 years ago, I asked if there would be an update for the GPZ 7000 that would include discrimination. Their response was that discrimination is not possible with the ZVT tech.?

You crushed my dream, nooooooooooo.

[mn90403]

So ... the next detector won't be ZVT!  ?

[Lunk]

I use an aftermarket discriminator when prospecting with my GPZ 7000. It is 100% accurate at identifying iron, doesn’t require batteries, and it will even remove the iron from my digs for me...it's a neodymium super magnet!

[Lacky]

49 minutes ago, Lunk said:

I use an aftermarket discriminator when prospecting with my GPZ 7000. It is 100% accurate at identifying iron, doesn’t require batteries, and it will even remove the iron from my digs for me...it's a neodymium super magnet!

If they can make the magnet strong enough to suck the iron out of the ground without digging I think everyone will be sold on that solution! 

[flakmagnet]

Using a good magnet can really help in some discriminating. I have a bigger problem with lead than I do with iron.