Equinox Software Update 3.0...

[midalake]

20 minutes ago, mn90403 said:

I have put on the other updates within 2 days of seeing them.  I'll be putting this one on too but I have to crank up another computer besides this Chromebook to do it.

I was HOPING someone that is using the new update now would tell me it is GREAT or not.  I haven't gotten any takers.

I am off my machine for a while yet so will not be of any help. For me personally, I will get back on the machine for a week. Then after being up to speed, put the install on. Should be easy to tell at that point. 

[Joe D.]

What ever happened to "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth"!!  Complaining about a download that's free, that you don't have to install, baffles the mind! Really?? ??

[Dances With Doves]

My      take on it is it's a nice option.If  you are hunting In MF for silver and   emi is a problem.You can choose    either  4 kz.   or  5kz and which one handles  emi better is the one you choose to get better    performance.You get a  extra choice that may make a difference.

[mn90403]

7 hours ago, mn90403 said:

Ok, who has any use experience with the update?

Other than adding a frequency I don't need I don't expect there to be a 'big' difference in performance at the user level but I hope someone proves me wrong.

I had one of the original 800s and the off/on switch broke.  The new one they sent as a replacement had the latest software with the F2 on it when I got it.  I don't use either F ... haha

Seven hours ago I finished reading this entire thread (until then) for the first time.  I then put up this post.  I didn't read what Minelab has said about their own update.  That is on me.

I was 'influenced' in my wording of my post by several who said that this was not really an 'Equinox' update.  The update was really for another unnamed machine coming out in the future.  There was talk about why this was the update chosen to add 4 when there were so many other things that could have been done.  It's all there to read.

I didn't say I wasn't going to put on the update.  I will.  I'm glad Minelab is keeping the platform current.  It is a free upgrade and that has always been good from Minelab.

Next update I'll just install it and not read any reviews about it or expect user input first.  I remember several user comments when the update with the new bias came out that were helpful but not so far on this one.

(Maybe I'm just digging a deeper hole here and there isn't a real target but I want to make sure.)

After I put it on I'll give my opinion of it as I use it in a different thread.

Mitchel

[Chase Goldman]

It really wasn't all that complicated - ML added a new single frequency setting - 4 khz and some unspecified "stability improvements".  Certainly a lot less complicated than figuring out what F2 iron bias was all about.

No one said it wasn't an Equinox update.  The discussion centered around videos posted in this thread and first hand experiences that showed the new 4 khz setting behaved pretty differently (more stable and clear sounding) than 5 khz and folks were speculating why that would be the case.  Testing a future platform signal processing algorithm, perhaps?  That's what we do on this forum.

If you read the posts in context, that can be helpful information but depends on how you use the machine, especially in regards to single frequency operation.  The update may be less appealing from a general user sense than previous updates because it is focused on single frequency operation, and apparently may only apply to 4 khz.  If SF 4 khz is something you would seldom use for example, as a wet salt sand beach hunter who stays mostly in the MF only Beach modes, then yes your benefit may be small or nill. A deep silver hunter may find he has a completely new capability.

Over the last two updates (2.0 and 3.0) ML appears to be in a mode where new features are being added (yay!) and old features are either left alone or actually enhanced.  Nothing existing seems to be worse off (that could be more hotly debated for update 1.75).  Bottom line:  ML has removed much of the risk of updating by accumulating new features, leaving old ones intact, and as always, giving you the ultimate control in being able to roll back if you desire. 

Only the individual Equinox user can make those decisions for themselves.

PS:  Mtichel - I see now that you have to jump through extra hoops to load the update because you are using a Chromebook as your daily driver, so I can better understand why you would want to know if it is worth the trip.  Ted below pointed you towards ColonelDan's impression.  As a fellow beach hunter, he might be your most relevant source on whether the update is worthwhile for you, he anecdotally noticed what he felt was improved stability across the board (including MF beach modes) as he was able to run sens a little higher than normal. Might be worth the trip even if it is just a placebo.  Looks like they didn't break anything.  Good luck.

[Gold Hound]

Thanks for the update link and info.

I installed it straight away, I have only ever had good experiences with all of minelabs updates in the past.

Can't believe all the negative rhetoric! I for one am greatful for any free performance enhancing updates. Shows how minlab is continually developing even their existing products.

[TedinVT]

8 hours ago, mn90403 said:

I have put on the other updates within 2 days of seeing them.  I'll be putting this one on too but I have to crank up another computer besides this Chromebook to do it.

I was HOPING someone that is using the new update now would tell me it is GREAT or not.  I haven't gotten any takers.

See ColonelDan's “V3 Update Report; My First Impressions” on this Equinox forum.  Recent post with a good wrtieup.

[GB_Amateur]

2 hours ago, Gold Hound said:

Can't believe all the negative rhetoric!

I didn't notice any, but I might provide some here, so stay tuned.  ?  Not everything I say is necessarily applicable or even relevant to Minelab updates.

Historically there have been concerns/complaints/claims that updates take away features that were desirable to some users but annoying others -- in particular, toning down the max gain/sensitivity adjustment to quiet a detector.  As such, updates can cause a suspicious eye to be cast by some.  (The Fisher F75 in particular comes to mind.  I still don't know if that's exactly what happened, but there certainly was a lot of accusations that it was.)

Typically (from my experience) these kinds of updates result in subtle differences.  As such, we read varied user reports/reviews of how things have changed.  In my experience these reports often either don't stack up, or if they do occur they get exaggerated.

Sometimes wishful thinking by users can cut both ways.  For example, consider the (apparently still ongoing) quirkiness of the Equinox pinpoint mode.  It was noticed from the start, and when the first update (was it 1.5?) was released, some said it was improved/fixed.  I never noticed any difference myself.  Could be me; could be them....  Those who were hoping for improvement of that 'bug' but didn't notice it got even more annoyed.

Another early Eqx complaint was the high conductor --> ferrous wraparound noticed by one vociferous poster in particular for a stack of silver coins.  I recall then that some warned that if Minelab tried to cater to such a rare occurrence they might squash an otherwise more useful, more commonly occurring positive performance quality.  Seems like a reasonable concern to me.

There have been early adopter discussions here on multiple occasions, pertaining to brand new detectors.  To one extreme, some wait at least a full year before buying a new detector, just to make sure it's actually what it's cracked up to be, but also to let the bugs get ironed out (with hardware and software updates).  That has been my approach to these Equinox updates although not to such an extreme.  I wait a couple weeks to read reports, weighing them.  Sure, so far the Equinox updates have been benign at worst.  Is it impossible this one could have a problem?  It is comforting to know that updates are reversible.  Personally I had enough trouble installing the first one (three different Win operating systems to get a positive result) that I'm a bit gun shy of having to go that route.  But that's me.  And I do appreciate the early adopter guinea pigs.  (Please don't take that the wrong way.  Some people are so fond of guinea pigs they keep them as pets.  At least I didn't call you 'white rats'.  )

 

[digger1955]

I was leery about whether 4kHz would make much of a difference over 5, had no idea what stability enhancements actually meant.  This video convinced me to update and see what it could do for me here in the mineralized SE.