2015 etrac

[ironsight]

As i said before, those of us and there are many with multiple eTRAC aftermarket coils, those coils would be useless if an eTRAC-II used FBS2.
I for one would NOT buy an eTRAC-II equiped with FBS2 technology. Might as well call it CTX-lite!
Maybe a CTX-lite is what some of you want.

FBS (as opposed to FBS2) is just one of the main things that separates an eTRAC from a CTX.
Improve FBS performance? Reduce screen glare? Upgrade processor speed/performance? etc., etc., etc.?
Yep!.... as long as it'll still be compatable with current eTRAC 3rd party aftermarket coils.
Just say'n.

 

[Nuke em]

Hopefully then Minelab can put in FBS 2 capability so it can take the older coils .

 

[E-Trac-Ohio]

Yes ... the wide range of affordable aftermarket coils for the E-Trac is a huge plus - compared to the limited number of very expensive coils that are available for the CTX 3030 !

 

[Des D]

It was widely reported on this Forum and others that 2014 / 2015 will see 4 New Detectors:

* A countermine model
* A super gold model (accidentally put up onto the web and taken down)
* A low-cost model
* A mid range gold model

No E Trac

 

[Nuke em]

It was widely reported on this Forum and others that 2014 / 2015 will see 4 New Detectors:

* A countermine model
* A super gold model (accidentally put up onto the web and taken down)
* A low-cost model
* A mid range gold model

No E Trac

A new countermine model ! do they know of a new war?
The super gold model , is that the GPZ 7000 ? Might still be on a Australian forum ?
The low cost , that's the one I heard about just over a week ago , wonder if they will be replacing the Terra's ?
And the mid range if they could call it that at the price , the SDC 2300 ? or is it something else ?

What about the ET and Safari ?

 

[ironsight]

Hopefully then Minelab can put in FBS 2 capability so it can take the older coils .

Not feasibly possible Nuke.

FBS2 uses 'smart coil' technology.
-It incorporates a DC powered DSP chip embedded in the coil to send digital receive data up to the control box.
-This is the reason FBS2 coils are proprietary, likely patented and so dam expensive.

FBS uses passive coil technology same as the majority of detectors out there.
-It uses a copper coil to send basically analog receive data up to the control box.

Two totally different incompatible technologies. Although FBS2 should perform light years ahead of FBS at least on paper, the posts i've seen don't bear this out.
The CTX has more detecting options other than FBS2 which gives it an edge over the eTRAC.

In order to have FBS2 AND FBS coils compatible with the new eTRAC-II say by flicking a simple toggle switch, that would IMO be cost prohibitive, though its technically possible i suppose but would involve a ton of extra circuitry.

IMO, knowing Minelab, if'n anything happens at all, its gonna either be a CTX-lite with FBS2 or an updated FBS eTRAC.
I vote for an updated FBS eTRAC with CTX detecting options.

 

[Nuke em]

Thats what I would want but don't want the CTX stem type , 2 piece is not for me.
FBS 1 can have ground balance and the two target track and a clock and it could have the ability to put tones to small sections . I don't need chips , rather have the old fashioned Spud.

 

[Des D]

It was widely reported on this Forum and others that 2014 / 2015 will see 4 New Detectors:

* A countermine model
* A super gold model (accidentally put up onto the web and taken down)
* A low-cost model
* A mid range gold model

No E Trac

A new countermine model ! do they know of a new war?
The super gold model , is that the GPZ 7000 ? Might still be on a Australian forum ?
The low cost , that's the one I heard about just over a week ago , wonder if they will be replacing the Terra's ?
And the mid range if they could call it that at the price , the SDC 2300 ? or is it something else ?

What about the ET and Safari ?

Yes. The 'Super Gold' is the GPZ7000
Yes. The 'Mid Range' gold model is the SDC

Don't know about replacing the 'Terra's?
They're TEN years old this year and should be replaced but the 'Low Cost' job is not going to do that.
Whatever it's going to be called, "Atom", "Go", or "Flash-in-the-pan" it's probably coming in very low on the Totem Pole scale of things.

False Economy really.
Even is "shed loads" of 'em were sold the 'end result mark-up gain could be less than a mid to high range jobbie!

 

[Nuke em]

Biggest problem is that there are so many makes and models out there competing for a smallish market . Almost none of which I would hit a beach with.

I dare them to call it Flash in a pan

 

[Des D]

I'd like to see an etrac II --- just give it the FBS II technology , the difference in recovery and sensitivity makes performance like night and day--- a no brainer.
Don't care about the weight but the ergonomics could be improved as the CTX proves that.

You wouldn't have liked the E Trac 2 then...which became the SEE TEE EXE

 

[sprchng]

I'd like to see an etrac II --- just give it the FBS II technology , the difference in recovery and sensitivity makes performance like night and day--- a no brainer.
Don't care about the weight but the ergonomics could be improved as the CTX proves that.

You wouldn't have liked the E Trac 2 then...which became the SEE TEE EXE

I have a CTX and it's just the machine I need to back up the etrac

 

[Nuke em]

I'd like to see an etrac II --- just give it the FBS II technology , the difference in recovery and sensitivity makes performance like night and day--- a no brainer.
Don't care about the weight but the ergonomics could be improved as the CTX proves that.

You wouldn't have liked the E Trac 2 then...which became the SEE TEE EXE

I have a CTX and it's just the machine I need to back up the etrac

That's news Minelab don't want to hear .

A three piece stem and less bling on it "GPS" and easier menu would have been better .

 

[Des D]

I'd like to see an etrac II --- just give it the FBS II technology , the difference in recovery and sensitivity makes performance like night and day--- a no brainer.
Don't care about the weight but the ergonomics could be improved as the CTX proves that.

You wouldn't have liked the E Trac 2 then...which became the SEE TEE EXE

I have a CTX and it's just the machine I need to back up the etrac

That's news Minelab don't want to hear .

A three piece stem and less bling on it "GPS" and easier menu would have been better .

"Nope....

 

[Nuke em]

Thanks for the better screen shot Des . Could not see the last one .

Anyway we live in hope for something new , or at least updated.

 

[jcurtz1]

Love the etrac, I always start with it then go back to the areas it gets bogged down in with a different detector. Guess I should try using TTF. I too would buy an Etrac II in a second!!

 

[ironsight]

Des, i can't figure out what'n the he|| that pic you posted is.
Is it a current Minelab detector or what?

 

[Dirty_Coins]

There are a lot of used E-tracs floating around out there for a great price. I would be hesitent to buy a new one. They have been out for 7 years and in my opinion the menus are starting to look pretty dated.

Still an outstanding machine and a joy to use. I would just hate to buy a new one now and see the value plummet if they stop making it.

 

[Nuke em]

Des, i can't figure out what'n the he|| that pic you posted is.
Is it a current Minelab detector or what?

The machine that Des posted is of what a new ET 2 would have looked like , it then became the CTX after they added all the bling .

As for stopping making the ET / Safari , they would be mad . A bit outdated in menu ? even if true they can still hold there own on sites .
We just need an up to date version , when that comes then the ET 1 will cease production .

It all counts on Minelab getting the replacement right !

 

[Des D]

Des, i can't figure out what'n the he|| that pic you posted is.
Is it a current Minelab detector or what?

The machine that Des posted is of what a new ET 2 would have looked like , it then became the CTX after they added all the bling .

As for stopping making the ET / Safari , they would be mad . A bit outdated in menu ? even if true they can still hold there own on sites .
We just need an up to date version , when that comes then the ET 1 will cease production .

It all counts on Minelab getting the replacement right !

"Correctomundo"

 

[ironsight]

Ahh! OK!
For some reason the detector in that pic didn't look like a typical off the shelf CTX. I think they guy in the mask might of had something to do with it!

Getting the replacement right IF an update even happens and its not looking good, would IMO require input from eTRAC detectorists.
Far as i know that hasn't happened.

If they contacted any non-Minlab employees at all before designing the CTX, it was probably a handful of experienced 'elitist' detectorists and/or consultants and not the average Joe. And i'll bet they might of got a free CTX for their input so cost was no issue. The consultants just got their paycheck from Minelab.

Its beyond me why they would design a detector with a $2500 price tag which they had to know would have a limited market.
Thats probably why their strategy was to keep up production of the old eTRAC and also to squeeze every last penny out of that machine.

Looks like Minelab is up to their same 'ol dictatorial games again.