Manticore Software Update - Available Now!

[Chase Goldman]

Fantastic video describing the features added with the update.  And a fantastic looking and comprehensive update to boot.  Regarding the wireless headphone firmware upgrade, I wonder if this affects cross-platform compatibility of the ML-105s with the Nox or X-Terra Pro and also whether a similar wireless connectivity enhancement update (as well as other features) are slated for the Nox 700/900.   Glad this is out there now.  Accessory coils can’t be far behind as I seem to recall that ML issued their first Nox update just prior to the 6” coil being released.

4 hours ago, phrunt said:

I haven't had a chance to test target ID stability yet as I'll have to go out and find some coins to see and it's night time and well below 0 outside so I'll wait 🙂

Note to Simon, even though the written description of the new Stabiliser filter setting alludes to improved TID stability, Brass Medic really only addressed the audio impacts of the new setting and was pretty adamant that the filter should only be engaged when detecting in environments subject to iron pollution and the resultant exposure to falsing iron (presumably because of other negative trade offs resulting from engaging the stabilizer, perhaps affecting audio or target ID responsiveness as is the case with most filters, and as also suspected by Clive @cjc above).  Therefore, this does not necessarily sound like a TID stability panacea for general usage.  Would like to know what you, Clive , or any other experienced Manticore users think about this once you’ve had a chance to take the new update out for some comprehensive trial runs.  Specifically, has TID stability, overall, been enhanced, or only when this Stabilizer filter is invoked?

Also a question for Manticore experts regarding the new “red” target ID feature, if this only works with the discrimination pattern suppressed (i.e., in horseshoe mode), what is keying the Manti to display the red numbers?  Is it the invoked, custom upper and lower Ferrous Limits pattern profile?

[phrunt]

Gold mode seems improved to me on testing so far, need a lot more time on it but looking promising of matching or possibly exceeding the Nox 11" with the Manticore 11" on tiny gold.

I am hoping this line below means they have improved ID stability without wanting to admit they screwed it up, common thing software coders do, "general improvements" even Nokta do it with the Legend with their latest update having this line, 12. General improvements have been implemented.

and for the Manticore update

General Stability Enhancements: Including improvements to Beach Mode Ground balance on dry sand, Search Mode default settings, wireless audio connection stability improvements and more.

🙂

It will be interesting what the headphone update does, I hadn't heard of anyone having connection problems or drop outs so they felt the need to change something on the headphones.

 

[cjc]

7 hours ago, OCBeepDigger said:

Simple, flawless, installs on both the Manticore and the ML 105 headphones... now let's play! 😉

I'll say  this about the install.  If it shows "connect  the device" (even though the charge light is  flashing), wiggle the jack around and watch for it to kick in.  Not the best charge / interface surfaces to work with on this type of thing. cjc

[cjc]

39 minutes ago, phrunt said:

Gold mode seems improved to me on testing so far, need a lot more time on it but looking promising of matching or possibly exceeding the Nox 11" with the Manticore 11" on tiny gold.

I am hoping this line below means they have improved ID stability without wanting to admit they screwed it up, common thing software coders do, "general improvements" even Nokta do it with the Legend with their latest update having this line, 12. General improvements have been implemented.

and for the Manticore update

General Stability Enhancements: Including improvements to Beach Mode Ground balance on dry sand, Search Mode default settings, wireless audio connection stability improvements and more.

🙂

It will be interesting what the headphone update does, I hadn't heard of anyone having connection problems or drop outs so they felt the need to change something on the headphones.

 

at first blush  this means  that the "Beach Low conductor mode\s preset Recovery Speed has  been brought up to 4 from 3.  It was the lowest and  therefore the least stable.  

[Chase Goldman]

1 hour ago, phrunt said:

It will be interesting what the headphone update does, I hadn't heard of anyone having connection problems or drop outs so they felt the need to change something on the headphones.

I’m really hoping it means they’ve received and incorporated an improved compatibility update to the Nordic BT LE SoC in both the Manticore transmitter and the phones that will make Nordic play nice with 3rd party BT LE LC3 compatible hardware, but that’s probably just wishful thinking on my part.

[OCBeepDigger]

A nice little video rundown of the new and enhanced features from a Minelab expert. 
 

https://www.facebook.com/luc.vanassche.775/videos/599439682281268/?idorvanity=811949026482882&mibextid=W9rl1R

[canslawhero]

NOTE to MINELAB: my MacBook pro only has usb 'C' ports. used an Aukey USB-A to C adapter but update fails (no connection).....sigh.....M105 update does work using the same adapter.

pretty lame Minelab....if anyone knows of another adapter that works in this situation let me know....

will need to find an (antique) PC with USB-A port.....

[TampaBayBrad]

Not much here for us strictly beach hunters who only hunt in beach modes. The red target ID #'s are nice but I was already viewing the red line below the ID's.

The dry sand ground balance....Dankowski says don't GB in dry sand set it to zero and turn tracking off, so I don't know what they have done with that.

I don't use the soft keys because I only hunt with 2 programs that I don't change settings within once I dialed them in:  a custom Beach Low Conductors or a custom Surf and Seawater. I stay in all metal all the time.

I did notice that I have to power down the detector sometimes when switching between wireless and wired headphone operation. I like wireless for dry and wet sand but need to plug-in the M-105's if I'm going deeper than waist deep water. Maybe that headphone connection stability improvement has something to do with that.

[midalake]

1 hour ago, TampaBayBrad said:

The dry sand ground balance....Dankowski says don't GB in dry sand set it to zero and turn tracking off, so I don't know what they have done with that.

Dankowski also has white sand. One has to be careful listening to his settings unless you are hunting next to him. 

[Chase Goldman]

1 hour ago, TampaBayBrad said:

Not much here for us strictly beach hunters who only hunt in beach modes. The red target ID #'s are nice but I was already viewing the red line above the ID's.

The dry sand ground balance....Dankowski says don't GB in dry sand set it to zero and turn tracking off, so I don't know what they have done with that.

I don't use the soft keys because I only hunt with 2 programs that I don't change settings within once I dialed them in:  a custom Beach Low Conductors or a custom Surf and Seawater. I stay in all metal all the time.

I did notice that I have to power down the detector sometimes when switching between wireless and wired headphone operation. I like wireless for dry and wet sand but need to plug-in the M-105's if I'm going deeper than waist deep water. Maybe that headphone connection stability improvement has something to do with that.

Well not all beach hunters reside in Florida like you and Tom and and aren’t perpetually blessed with the advantage of always working in “0” reference Florida dry sugar sand where this “update” has perhaps little usefulness. 

Ground balancing and tracking requires the presence of some level of mineralization to key off of.  So the detector ground balance algorithm works best when it can actually sense a change in mineralization level as the coil is pumped above (for auto and manual ground balance) or swept along the ground (for tracking ground balance).  Otherwise, you’ll just get a zero ground phase reading while pumping or unstable ground phase adjustments while tracking - which is just fine provided the dry sand ground phase is truly at or near zero.  Which is indeed the case for most beaches.

However, low magnetic mineralization dry sand at some beaches can still have a significant non-zero ground phase reference as a result of non-magnetic (I.e., non-black sand) mineral components.  But the auto ground balance algorithm may have trouble picking this up in low mineralization situations.  So I suspect ML has adjusted the dry sand ground balance algorithm to be sensitive to and to properly respond to changes in low mineralization levels so that a more precise ground balance point can be obtained on dry sand beaches that have a non-zero ground phase.  This enables the detector to run in horseshoe (i.e., No Discrimination) mode without experiencing non-zero ground phase “grunts”.  This update might also help those who utilize ground tracking to enable seamless, stable transitions between dry sand, to damp sand, to wet salt sand, and surf.

Granted not a big deal in the grand scheme of things, but some outside of Florida and even in Florida might find it helpful.  

Sorry this is not an overly exciting update for you Florida beach hunters, but Manticore already seemed tailor made for the beach and I was not hearing beach hunters wanting for much more from Manticore out of the box.  Probably due to the fact that Tom D was so heavily involved in providing feedback to the designers in the early stages of design.

Is there something you really wish ML had addressed for the beach hunters in this first update that they did not provide, Brad?