New Fisher Pulse Induction & Multi Frequency Detectors

[Steve Herschbach]

Hi Rick,

Maybe I am just totally nuts. I think there is a huge hole just waiting to be filled in the $1000 - $2000 range for a good performing PI in a reasonable housing. The only real player in that space is White's but they have shot themselves in the foot sixteen different ways with the TDI SL and SPP with their weird convoluted sales channels. That and the unit not really having much horsepower. It really does not outperform a good VLF in all metal mode in most situations and so needs ground so bad as to seriously impede the VLF to look any good in comparison. The SPP did get some traction in Australia which is impressive since it is a model that White's wants kept secret from consumers.

Garrett has the near perfect circuit in the ATX. Is it that a custom housing would in their estimation not be worth the investment? That it would undermine ATX sales? Like you I think a Garrett LTX is a bit of a no-brainer for the African market.

Fisher is the wild card but as slow as things are moving maybe our best bet is now Nokta/Makro?

Or maybe I am just trapped in my own bubble thinking there is a market for this detector and Fisher/Garrett etc. know better. I will just keep waiting and will be the defacto poster boy for the company that first makes a ground balancing PI that performs as well as an ATX in a balanced 4 lb package for $1500 - $1999 out the door. It is not all about sheer performance for me. I just need good enough in a properly designed ergonomic package.

[Reg]

Rick,

All ground balancing PI's have holes.  It is a known fact the TDI has one because I have spent a lot of time trying to get people to recognize it.  I also have offered advice on how to minimize the problem. 

Check Bearkat's you tubes and you will see the GPX 5000 has holes as does the new 2300. 

I am confident the ATX has a hole or holes if it has two tones for targets.  You can't go from a high tone to a low tone without having a "0" or no tone and is where the hole exists.  In most cases, including the TDI, this is often a dip in the depth of detection rather than a true hole but it exists. 

As for the TDI I am sure a simple add on option could minimize the hole as it exists today. 

Reg

[Reg]

Steve,

The truth is, the SPP fell on its face in OZ and needed a fix to work well.  Not much was written about it but the SPP had a bad "hiccup" as it was called.  That sound was very annoying and caused several people to take the SPP back.  I know, I was asked to see if I could help fix the problem. 

With the help of a guy named Luke Lindsay, we managed to solve the problem and greatly improve the stability of the SPP (also the SL series).  Today, SPP owners who add the single tone feature can scan the ground for small gold so easily it isn't funny even in the worst of ground in OZ. 

I need to get Luke to upload some of his videos so you can appreciate what I mean.

Reg

[Steve Herschbach]

Hi Reg,

I agree the ATX misses targets also. Don't they all? Having said that though I wish you would get your hands on one. Garrett has built a very, very good circuit. Superior to the TDI in my opinion. Too bad about the weight though - I know you would hate that.

As you know I was a leading user and promoter of the TDI as I have always wanted serious competition on all fronts. I am frustrated that White's chose to ignore many people like you for so long and the wishes of loyal users like myself. The waterproof TDI has to have been one of the most requested detectors never delivered on by a manufacturer. Their weird politics with Kellyco resulted in them only selling across the counter in an effort to eliminate mail order/internet sales, which in my opinion only backfired by making the product hard to get. And Jimmy having to produce name brand stuff only his dealers can sell? It is all surreal and has all hurt the TDI. Maybe things are desperate enough they will finally listen to you. We can only hope.

In the meantime I gave up and let my TDI go. I do not even bother trying to offer suggestions to White's these days. Minelab marches to their own drum. I keep trying to prod First Texas and Garrett though once or twice a year. I know that from a genuine sales perspective they have more important stuff to pay attention to but a guy has to try.

[Geotech]

I really wish I could reply to this thread and address several points, but unfortunately I can't. At some point things will speak for themselves, for both companies.

[Steve Herschbach]

Heck Carl, just to know you are reading it warms my little heart! No doubt some of my speculations are off base, and for that I apologize. The problem from the consumer standpoint however is perception is reality when all we can do it guess at what is really going on. Hope all is well in your world, and I am determined to finally get to meet you some time this year. Hopefully sooner than later.

[Geotech]

Hi Steve, no apology necessary! Even though I'm on the inside, I enjoy the speculation as well.

[Steve Herschbach]

Well, this site has put up screen shots that appear to be from a First Texas meeting with details on the upcoming multi frequency and PI (or PI like multi frequency) detectors. $1000 - $2000 range sand 2016 sounds about right.

http://md-hunter.com/fisher-is-making-a-clever-metal-detector-new-2016/#more-2178

[Norvic]

Well I`m going back to the future, and consider the VLF could be king again. The GPZ has been said to blur the line between the PI and the VLF, XP with the Deus has brought us a "software" detector, that blurs the line between notch discrimination and GB, and as the ferrite "rod" GB method for the GPZ seems in a way along this line. Suspect Minelab will bring a software update to address those saturated salt problems, the ferrite "rod" being a interim part solution.

 

As a total ignoramus  who has bugger all knowledge of how our detectors work, I feel that is the direction detectors may go. Software radio transmitters and receivers are coming into that scene, your home PC can be transformed into a all band receiver with a hardware link to powerful software, why not detectors too? Lightweight, upgradable software detectors that address the use and power of a lightweight CPU, wireless links etc etc that may cut out obsolescent to some extent. That $1000 powerful discriminating upgradable lightweight multifrequency vlf gold detector may be only a few years away.