EQUINOX Technologies (Part 2)

[Hastings]

http://www.minelab.com/go-minelabbing/treasure-talk/equinox-technologies-part-2

 

[Southwind]

Target ID performance/accuracy is job one for me at this point in my detecting.

 

[stephenscool]

Simple layman terms
Am I the only 1 that fell asleep 1/2 way through it and scrolled down to the charts

 

[IDXMonster]

Target ID performance/accuracy is job one for me at this point in my detecting.

...And I don't think we can overstress this point! For me as well....

 

[greenmeanie]

So I read it quick but from what I seen you should always hunt in Multi according to minelab for depth and accuracy?
Or did I read it wrong?

 

[Jason in Enid]

Simple layman terms
Am I the only 1 that fell asleep 1/2 way through it and scrolled down to the charts

Probably so. Seemed pretty simple to understand and nowhere near long enough to start skipping to the pretty pictures.

 

[IDXMonster]

So I read it quick but from what I seen you should always hunt in Multi according to minelab for depth and accuracy?
Or did I read it wrong?

Sound familiar? Multi freq....depth....accuracy....as it is with FBS,even though it is apparently NOT that platform. We need honest and forthright reviews from the first users from the general public. I'm sure it will be VERY good.

 

[stephenscool]

Simple layman terms
Am I the only 1 that fell asleep 1/2 way through it and scrolled down to the charts

Probably so. Seemed pretty simple to understand and nowhere near long enough to start skipping to the pretty pictures.

You might be right. I just want someone to tell me how it runs on wetsand saltwater sand with lots of iron and plenty of nearby detectors.

 

[Jason in Enid]

Simple layman terms
Am I the only 1 that fell asleep 1/2 way through it and scrolled down to the charts

Probably so. Seemed pretty simple to understand and nowhere near long enough to start skipping to the pretty pictures.

You might be right. I just want someone to tell me how it runs on wetsand saltwater sand with lots of iron and plenty of nearby detectors.

LOL, just the simple requirements, right? If you have some black sand on your beaches I think you have the worst environment possible! You should be one of the beta testers!

 

[stephenscool]

Simple layman terms
Am I the only 1 that fell asleep 1/2 way through it and scrolled down to the charts

Probably so. Seemed pretty simple to understand and nowhere near long enough to start skipping to the pretty pictures.

You might be right. I just want someone to tell me how it runs on wetsand saltwater sand with lots of iron and plenty of nearby detectors.

LOL, just the simple requirements, right? If you have some black sand on your beaches I think you have the worst environment possible! You should be one of the beta testers!

I could toss ideas into the wind.. but much too busy to do actual testing.

 

[Greg (E.Tn)]

n/t

 

[Sand dog]

I think there gonna be great machines, I think ML is gonna be very close to offering a perfect machine for a lot of people this time around, time will tell. But I think there being conservative with released info to unload as many older tech machines at current price they can. Before they do a price drop like FTP did?

John

 

[Ksdirt]

I wonder if a barber dime is a large silver

 

[tometusns]

When it comes to frequencies in a detector, to cover all target types, how the frequencies are combined AND processed is now more important, with the latest detectors, than how many frequencies, for achieving even better results.

 

[Jason in Enid]

When it comes to frequencies in a detector, to cover all target types, how the frequencies are combined AND processed is now more important, with the latest detectors, than how many frequencies, for achieving even better results.

Yeah I chuckled at that line. Still not going to say how many direct driving freqs it uses!

 

[tometusns]

When it comes to frequencies in a detector, to cover all target types, how the frequencies are combined AND processed is now more important, with the latest detectors, than how many frequencies, for achieving even better results.

Yeah I chuckled at that line. Still not going to say how many direct driving freqs it uses![/quote

I got excited about it. They have researched fewer different frequencies together to achieve even better results!! Which ones are they. I don't know and I guess it doesn't really matter to me. I let them do the research and development. I just appreciate the info they have given us and look forward to swinging one for myself.

 

[Mr. Carolina]

stephenscool: The answer is ALMOST as good as FBS and BBS

 

[sgoss66]

stephenscool: The answer is ALMOST as good as FBS and BBS

Nope. I don't think so. After reading this latest release, I'm even MORE convinced that this is going to be a BIG DEAL (Multi-IQ), and all the talk that it won't be "as good as" a CTX is largely marketing, in the hope that some folks remain willing to shell out big bucks for the CTX.

Now, I am no electronics engineer, so I may be off a bit here, but...the way I read the new technology is this (simplified to being hopefully easily understandable):

To ID a target, in the most basic sense, you compare a transmitted waveform (from the coil) to a received waveform (from the target). The received waveform is MUCH MUCH weaker than the transmitted one, AND has been "altered" by the target (and the ground). The "comparison" between the two waveforms (the transmitted one, and the "altered" received one) is done in the processing/software, where soil effects are "dealt with," as best as possible, and then a target ID is calculated, as best as possible.

As I understand it, the reason that using multiple frequencies allows better target ID, is this...because you are transmitting multiple DIFFERENT waveforms (i.e. the different frequencies), each of which then is received back from the target, you get to compare MULTIPLE received waveforms to MULTIPLE transmitted waveforms in order to deduce target ID (and eliminate ground effects). And these comparisons between the MULTIPLE frequencies allows you arrive at a more accurate ID, as compared to using only ONE transmit and ONE receive waveform. So, that explains, for instance, why it is largely true that FBS IDs deep targets more accurately than single-frequency VLF technology.

NOW, here's what I glean to be the "cool part," the "technological breakthrough" that is Multi-IQ. In other words, what makes Multi-IQ a "new technology," versus prior multi-frequency technology such as FBS and BBS. The properties of the transmit waveform were apparently always "assumed," as based on the DRIVE VOLTAGE generated at the control box. To use fake numbers...if a particular machine uses, say, "one volt" as the amount of current sent to the coil in order to generate a transmit waveform, one can "assume" a certain waveform whose properties are based on that one volt of current.

Now, when the machine receives the very weak waveform generated by the target, one can compare it to that "assumed" transmit waveform (again, the one that was based on the one volt of transmit power), and thus calculate target ID.

BUT -- it seems the engineers who created Multi-IQ are exploiting the following idea:

Since the ACTUAL transmit voltage reaching the coil is apparently SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT than the transmit voltage GENERATED at the control box (due to slight voltage loss, through the coil wire, between the box and coil, I guess), then the properties of the ACTUAL waveform transmitted are slightly different than the properties of the ASSUMED transmit waveform.

If only .99 volts reaches the coil, for instance, instead of the 1 volt that was generated at the control box, then the transmit waveform generated by the .99 volts is SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT, than the waveform ASSUMED to have been transmitted (again, based on the 1 volt coming from the control box). And since all the calculations of target ID are based on comparing transmit waveform to receive waveform, even slight differences in ACTUAL transmit waveform from the ASSUMED transmit waveform, would have implications for target ID accuracy!

SO -- by measuring the ACTUAL voltage arriving AT THE COIL (which is apparently the "magic" of Multi-IQ), and then using that ACTUAL resulting transmit waveform in your calculations/comparisons (as opposed to the ASSUMED transmit waveform), it would seem logical that you could get a substantial improvement in target ID accuracy that way. As I read this latest release from Minelab, this is what I deduce is going on, and if so, this would suggest to me that the Equinox will offer not only a potential great improvement in ID accuracy as compared to single-frequency units, BUT ALSO an improvement in target ID accuracy as compared to existing MULTI-frequency units, including FBS...

Hmm....

VERY intriguing. Can't WAIT to see "real world" feedback to see just how much of an improvement this "Multi-IQ" technology proves to be...

Steve

 

[IDXMonster]

Steve-I can assume you have owned and operated the CTX for a good period of time? I don't see it in your equipment list but I thought that you had one before?
I will take the completely other side of the road and predict that while this new Equinox will be EXCELLENT for finding MANY DIFFERENT types of targets,the FBS/FBS2 will still reign supreme at finding AND IDENTIFYING HIGHLY CONDUCTIVE TARGETS CORRECTLY/CORRECTLY ENOUGH in order to tell the operator to dig a hole.
Of course,the only way to know what it will really do is for many FBS users to take the Equinox to their sites that are "dead" and see if they wake up again. If they start producing good targets once again and it happens in VOLUME and IMMEDIATELY,then it's clear that the new tech has trumped about everything out there.
Regardless,the other nice side effect of this new machine is it's supposed speed and light weight,which will undoubtedly bring former Minelab users back to the brand because they couldn't swing a heavier machine anymore for whatever reason. Newbies to the brand will be in also at the projected price point with all it has to offer. It'll be a formidable setup,to be sure. I would expect no less!

 

[BigTony]

IDXmonster, we might already have this new device and don't even know it.
There is a learn function on the Exp II and it is terrific, it will make your hunted out sites give up more targets but no one talks about it.