Doctorcoinz
New member
I can't wait to hear the first reports!
It should be very interesting for sure.
It should be very interesting for sure.Find's Treasure Forums
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First initial field tests should be here for the weekend:smile:
- Thread starter Doctorcoinz
- Start date
Keep in mind that no one has one yet and when they do it will be the first impression which in many cases will be just that and not how great it really is.
I am waiting for those that have been the ones that field tested the last 5 or more months and seen some of the changes Minelab have made and reason for it.
I am also waiting to see really how many people actually get one from the first batch and when they get them.
Rick
I am waiting for those that have been the ones that field tested the last 5 or more months and seen some of the changes Minelab have made and reason for it.
I am also waiting to see really how many people actually get one from the first batch and when they get them.
Rick
Greg (E.Tn)
Well-known member
Where are the additional field tests from those who
have had them for the last five months?
In this case no news is not necessarily good news.
have had them for the last five months?
In this case no news is not necessarily good news.
It seems to me the traditional bottleneck for testers to not go public freely is the arrival of initial shipment of units. As soon as that happens the gates should be open and a flood of videos and reviews (beta units?) will be released. We have seen a few teasers so far, but I think its only a limited release or maybe after their release they were reminded to not do it again.
sgoss66
Well-known member
Greg -- I think one point to make here is that the field testers employed by Minelab did not have anything but a prototype of the Equinox, running the "not yet production" version of software, PARTICULARLY if you go back a month or two in time. The machine was still being DEVELOPED at that time. And thus, I don't think doing videos is something they were worried about at the time, nor would have been "appropriate," given the unfinished state of prototype machines.
I think it's just a matter of how companies approach things, from a marketing/sales perspective. I think there are two types of "field testers." One type is hired by the company's ENGINEERING team, to work out flaws in the product and suggest improvements along the way, during the design/prototype stage. The second type is hired by the company's MARKETING and SALES departments, to produce videos and field-test reports and such, AFTER the machine has COMPLETED the design/prototype state, with the videos intended to be released for the purpose of creating buzz/excitement about the new unit.
SO, one way a company could do things, would be to hire that "first type" of testers I described above, initially, to go through the field-testing process with incomplete, prototype machines. Then, when the process is complete, and the machine has reached its finished state (but still before ANNOUNCING the machine to the world) you then hire the "second type" of testers. You get some actual, production-level models into the hands of this "second type" of tester, and have them produce some videos, do "field-test write-up" articles, etc., and then -- as a final step in the process of bringing a machine concept from start to finish -- you then RELEASE the videos (for marketing purposes) to generate buzz, WHILE at the same time announcing the new machine to the world. In other words, the videos, the field-test articles, and the public announcement of the new machine are all a part of a single strategy for roll-out of the new unit.
However, another way a company could choose to do it, is to hire ONLY the "first type" of field-test team; have them go through the "beta-testing of prototypes" process, and then as soon as it's deemed a "complete" unit, you immediately start sending out the product to dealers. In other words, you SKIP the whole step of employing that "second type" of field tester, the step of having production-level units in the hands of testers solely to make videos with. I think, looking at it from the outside, that this is the route Minelab chose; instead of creating "buzz" and "excitement" by hiring that "second type" of field tester to make videos, publish field-test reports, etc., as a final stage of the process, they instead just let the Detectival thing generate the buzz, WHILE the prototype machines were still being worked on. And as soon as the machine was done being "tweaked" and "adjusted," they went straight to "production/shipping," skipping the whole "second type of field tester" process.
SO, my personal thoughts are that I think this is the reason for the overall lack of videos. Again, I don't think Minelab ever took the step of hiring those "field testers whose job was to make videos." I guess they still COULD do that, at this point, but all I'm saying is, I don't expect that the Steve Herschbachs and Neil Jones's and other testers who worked on development during the prototype stage have a bunch of "not-yet-released footage" that they have been sitting on, and are ready to release as soon as Minelab "permits." These guys NEVER HAD a final, production-level machine, up until POSSIBLY the very end, and maybe not even then. Again, these guys that Minelab hired to test prototypes were not working for the MARKETING/SALES department, in this case, with the job of creating "marketing videos." They were working for the ENGINEERING department, only. It's just a different business model, I think. That's how it appears to me, based on what I know, and so......bottom line......I don't think the "lack of videos" means "anything bad" about the unit. I just think the videos we hope to see will come from FINAL PRODUCTION units, in the hands of US.
Steve
I think it's just a matter of how companies approach things, from a marketing/sales perspective. I think there are two types of "field testers." One type is hired by the company's ENGINEERING team, to work out flaws in the product and suggest improvements along the way, during the design/prototype stage. The second type is hired by the company's MARKETING and SALES departments, to produce videos and field-test reports and such, AFTER the machine has COMPLETED the design/prototype state, with the videos intended to be released for the purpose of creating buzz/excitement about the new unit.
SO, one way a company could do things, would be to hire that "first type" of testers I described above, initially, to go through the field-testing process with incomplete, prototype machines. Then, when the process is complete, and the machine has reached its finished state (but still before ANNOUNCING the machine to the world) you then hire the "second type" of testers. You get some actual, production-level models into the hands of this "second type" of tester, and have them produce some videos, do "field-test write-up" articles, etc., and then -- as a final step in the process of bringing a machine concept from start to finish -- you then RELEASE the videos (for marketing purposes) to generate buzz, WHILE at the same time announcing the new machine to the world. In other words, the videos, the field-test articles, and the public announcement of the new machine are all a part of a single strategy for roll-out of the new unit.
However, another way a company could choose to do it, is to hire ONLY the "first type" of field-test team; have them go through the "beta-testing of prototypes" process, and then as soon as it's deemed a "complete" unit, you immediately start sending out the product to dealers. In other words, you SKIP the whole step of employing that "second type" of field tester, the step of having production-level units in the hands of testers solely to make videos with. I think, looking at it from the outside, that this is the route Minelab chose; instead of creating "buzz" and "excitement" by hiring that "second type" of field tester to make videos, publish field-test reports, etc., as a final stage of the process, they instead just let the Detectival thing generate the buzz, WHILE the prototype machines were still being worked on. And as soon as the machine was done being "tweaked" and "adjusted," they went straight to "production/shipping," skipping the whole "second type of field tester" process.
SO, my personal thoughts are that I think this is the reason for the overall lack of videos. Again, I don't think Minelab ever took the step of hiring those "field testers whose job was to make videos." I guess they still COULD do that, at this point, but all I'm saying is, I don't expect that the Steve Herschbachs and Neil Jones's and other testers who worked on development during the prototype stage have a bunch of "not-yet-released footage" that they have been sitting on, and are ready to release as soon as Minelab "permits." These guys NEVER HAD a final, production-level machine, up until POSSIBLY the very end, and maybe not even then. Again, these guys that Minelab hired to test prototypes were not working for the MARKETING/SALES department, in this case, with the job of creating "marketing videos." They were working for the ENGINEERING department, only. It's just a different business model, I think. That's how it appears to me, based on what I know, and so......bottom line......I don't think the "lack of videos" means "anything bad" about the unit. I just think the videos we hope to see will come from FINAL PRODUCTION units, in the hands of US.
Steve
Greg (E.Tn)
Well-known member
minelab has finally announced release and shipment of the equinox.
I hope that equates to the release of more test videos, as I am reasonably certain
The original testers have used the machine far more than we have seen.
I hope that equates to the release of more test videos, as I am reasonably certain
The original testers have used the machine far more than we have seen.
dewcon4414
Well-known member
You are right Steve.... that final version didnt even make it back to the tester. Bottom line........ its takes time to really show what a detector can do in a lot of areas and situations. Like Andy said in a post that kind of disappeared...... those tester arent your average hunters. The will have some great finds ..... and would have had any way. So grab your new machine and have it..... it will all come out slowly.
Tony N (Michigan)
Active member
If the testers are saying: "I'm finding coins at 20 inches" if Minelab has to reconfigure the software so it can only detect down to 10 or so inches?
That way they can keep *improving depth* on later versions of the Equinox?
That way they can keep *improving depth* on later versions of the Equinox?
Tony N (Michigan)
Active member
pasttom said:
He makes great videos and besides, I like his style. He gets so excited in his videos.
Greg (E.Tn)
Well-known member
n/t
As many have said that Minelab picked those that can do the test and only let Minelab know what they thought and they would try to make it even better before any info is released. If someone seen it was not working correctly and got out it would give doubt to anyone thinking on getting one plus when the final version came out many of the tester may not have one to use to give any real info.
We will see shortly when we can get our hands on one and try it our self.
Rick
We will see shortly when we can get our hands on one and try it our self.
Rick
Jackpine Savage
Active member
Good thoughts, Videos from top youtube people like the Hoover boys should be popping up any time now.
Tony N (Michigan)
Active member
beegees said:
I don't know. Andy is a MOD here. Maybe he deleted it himself?
most likely will drive out after i get done detecting