CTX3030 my Thoughts

Ok after a 48 hour wait Minelab releases a small teaser video about there new Detector. Here are my thoughts for anyone who cares to read:

1. The name is a break in tradition most of their consumer detectors have names not letters and numbers. The exception is their high end pulse detectors. In the end if the detector is good the name will make no difference.

2. Looking at the picture it does not look light - could be wrong but the back looks very bulky.

3. FB2 implies a change to the detection technology. - Is it deeper, is it more sensitive to gold, will it handle bad ground better then FBS, has reaction time increased, will it handle iron masking better.

4. Smartfind2 - is it a new way of presenting target information or just a change to the current system

5. GPS - Yawn!

6. Wireless Audio - Yea!

7. Waterproof - double Yea!

8. Color screen - if done right nice improvement at the cost of battery life. - if you are going to display information might as well do it in a way that is easy for the user

9. Price - I have read rumors that it will be $2500 to $3000. - Too Much! In my opinion. I think at or slightly above Etrac is about right - they just made the Deus look affordable

10. In the end it will not be the bells and whistles that determine its success, it will be how good of a detector is it when compared to the competion including its own Etrac.

Bryannagirl Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Ok after a 48 hour wait Minelab releases a small
> teaser video about there new Detector. Here are my
> thoughts for anyone who cares to read:
>
> 1. The name is a break in tradition most of their
> consumer detectors have names not letters and
> numbers. The exception is their high end pulse
> detectors. In the end if the detector is good the
> name will make no difference.
>
> 2. Looking at the picture it does not look light -
> could be wrong but the back looks very bulky.
>
> 3. FB2 implies a change to the detection
> technology. - Is it deeper, is it more sensitive
> to gold, will it handle bad ground better then
> FBS, has reaction time increased, will it handle
> iron masking better.
>
> 4. Smartfind2 - is it a new way of presenting
> target information or just a change to the current
> system
>
> 5. GPS - Yawn!
>
> 6. Wireless Audio - Yea!
>
> 7. Waterproof - double Yea!
>
> 8. Color screen - if done right nice improvement
> at the cost of battery life. - if you are going to
> display information might as well do it in a way
> that is easy for the user
>
> 9. Price - I have read rumors that it will be
> $2500 to $3000. - Too Much! In my opinion. I think
> at or slightly above Etrac is about right - they
> just made the Deus look affordable
>
> 10. In the end it will not be the bells and
> whistles that determine its success, it will be
> how good of a detector is it when compared to the
> competion including its own Etrac.


i like numbers #3 #4 #9 and #10 screw the rest!
they don't matter!

(h.h.!)
j.t.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/04/2012 05:37AM by jmaryt.

Sovereign owners have been wanting splash proof for a very long time. This is the answer to alot of asking.
It is clear that the AT Pro opened up a new detector category. But the AT Pro is 500.00.

Most Excalibur owners never get their head wet. So Excalibur/E Trac owners can now get by with one detector. So Sovereign GT, Excalibur, E Trac, Se Pro and Safari are now obsolete. We only need one detector.

Smartfind is smartfind. What I mean is this. I run the E Trac mostly wide open now. I never use much discrimination while doing any detecting. It is clear from the add that they are still going wiith the same type resolution. 50/30. So it will be interesting to see how they improved the discrimination.

There must be some sort of recording feature that allows you to download your hunt to a computer. A smartcard af some type. I really just don't care about this feature and i consider this and the GPS bloatware.

The weight which is still up there will depend on balance. Some will say I canswing it all day. Some will complain.

Wireless headphones are nice. As a Deus owner I know that. it willbe interesting to see how they added support for a wired pair. Being able to go in the water I wonder if they went AT Pro/ Garrettt like with their own type of waterproof connector? If they did we will be handcuffed to Minelab for our wired headphones as well.

The coil looks like the stock Pro coil. Backwards Compatibility would save a few dollars. We all have our E Trac small coils. Plus I just bought the Ultimate 13".

It will come down to FBS2. What sets it apart from FBS? Deeper? My holes sre darn near deep enough now. I can't go any deeper in peoples yards or public places. Quicker recovery is the question. The ability to handle red clay is another. Doe it have Blisstool depth with control?

How much is too much for a detector? How much will we spend? I think the average detectorist is not going to ever be able to afford this detector. Did Minelab kill themselves with over the top pricing?

Yawn!!!! Color display (V3i)....Waterproof (AT Pro)......Wireless (Deus)....GPS (I know my location already)...PC Mapping (????)
After all these years of waiting for Minelab to release a new unit......this is IT ? Where's the serious cutting edge innovation over existing technology to improve finds ?

" Where's the
> serious cutting edge innovation over existing
> technology to improve finds ?"

That is the real question. Does FBS the second Generation help us find more good targets vs trash. If it does in a significant way then they may have a winner but I still think the speculated price will kill it. I could have three really good detectors for that price!

TerraDigger Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Yawn!!!! Color display (V3i)....Waterproof (AT
> Pro)......Wireless (Deus)....GPS (I know my
> location already)...PC Mapping (????)
> After all these years of waiting for Minelab to
> release a new unit......this is IT ? Where's the
> serious cutting edge innovation over existing
> technology to improve finds ?

If it's 2.4GHz wireless link for the 'phones, it won't work underwater, so there will have to be corded 'phone support, too. It looks like the 'phone socket is on the rear, to the left of the battery-retaining screw? That could be the battery charging socket, of course, or they could combine the two if they tried.

Yes I did see a picture of the headphone link at findmall.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/04/2012 11:50AM by goodmore.

Seems ill conceived to release another heavy machine so soon after the Deus has taken root here in the US; why with the Deus being so light and already the ultimate in wireless technology in the detecting world.

As for the color screen, well, my V3i has both the wireless headphones and the color screen so those features won't make me switch.

Waterproof? I doubt any current AT Pro owners will shell out ~$3000 for that feature..

So the success of this unit may hinge on whatever FSB2 is. If FSB2 lets me tell a pull tab from a gold ring then by golly, I am selling every machine I own and getting one of these new heavy weed whackers!

Pinpoint twice, dig once



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/04/2012 01:28PM by pulltabMiner.

"So the success of this unit may hinge on whatever FSB2 is. If FSB2 lets me tell a pull tab from a gold ring then by golly, I am selling every machine I own and getting one of these new heavy weed whackers!"

Probably the best post I have read that sums it all up.

Interesting thread with some well thought out posts...To me seems like some duplication of what Whites and Garrett already provides and will be iteresting to say the least how it performs once it hits the bricks. So many detectors so little time and they just added another sheesh....

I'm seriously disappointed with this machine. SO...my hope has to be with the FBS2 (please, please, please!)

My personal top price for a detector is somewhere in the $1000 -$1500 range...BUT for the right machine I can always make an exception. Unfortunately I don't think I'll be able to..on this one.


HH Joe

The spec sheet is still out and the user performance reviews is still out...

BUT..

This time they did the design and weight distribution as it should be....

If the E-Trac or even Explorer from II-SE-SEPRO was made this way I would have upgraded my Explorer XS many years ago but now it is time..

From a UK Forum.... Certainly food for thought!

"In my opinion, we might be missing the point all together...

Never mind the colour screen, wireless audio, GPS or the mapping,
these are all features which easily fit in that slime control box...

Like everyone noted what stands out is the large battery case and
large battery = large power supply = large power consumption = PI

What if the CTX3030 combines VLF with PI technology?

quote from Bruce Candys US Patent 8063777 of November 22, 2011
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[...] where the operator is able to [...] select different waveforms
[...] examples [...] being time-domain, square-wave, sine wave [...]


if I'm not mistaken, then...

time-domain .....means PI technology
square-wave ....means multi-frequency technology
sine wave ........means VLF technology


I don't know if above mentioned patent is the one for the CTX3030, but
it would explain the large battery, and as waterproofing would allow salt
water detecting a machine which can be switched to PI if needed would
be better suited...

Back on land you could switch it back to Multi-frequency for
relic hunting, or single VLF, and/or, PI for Gold Prospecting..."

the women detectorists. Did you ever try to get sensible and accurate directions from a woman as to where they live??? LOL...... ooooh am I gonna get it from the ladies on that comment!
Back in the 70's most detectors weighed 5 lbs, the only problem is I have contracted furniture disease since then.....My chest has dropped into my drawers,, sigh.

Dino --

Extremely intriguing. I agree with all comments here; wireless, color screen, GPS...interesting bells and whistles, and in the case of the color screen -- if it allows it to be easily seen in the sunlight, that's a nice upgrade. Waterproof is nice, too -- no more worries about a rain shower popping up. BUT -- what it would take to sell me is FBS2 being a MAJOR upgrade. This whole "switchable VLF/PI/Multi-Frequency thing is intriguing...and if that's the case, that's a fascinating machine. If I can use all my current coils, that's a plus. I guess the bottom line for me is, how much of an upgrade is this "new performance," whatever it is, and what will be the cost to get it. Otherwise, I am very pleased with my SE Pro...

Steve

Bryannagirl Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> " Where's the
> > serious cutting edge innovation over existing
> > technology to improve finds ?"
>
> That is the real question. Does FBS the second
> Generation help us find more good targets vs
> trash. If it does in a significant way then they
> may have a winner but I still think the speculated
> price will kill it. I could have three really
> good detectors for that price!

i agree! and agree!

(h.h.!)
j.t.
>
> TerraDigger Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Yawn!!!! Color display (V3i)....Waterproof (AT
> > Pro)......Wireless (Deus)....GPS (I know my
> > location already)...PC Mapping (????)
> > After all these years of waiting for Minelab to
> > release a new unit......this is IT ? Where's
> the
> > serious cutting edge innovation over existing
> > technology to improve finds ?

DrJoeprime Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'm seriously disappointed with this machine.
> SO...my hope has to be with the FBS2 (please,
> please, please!)
>
> My personal top price for a detector is somewhere
> in the $1000 -$1500 range...BUT for the right
> machine I can always make an exception.
> Unfortunately I don't think I'll be able to..on
> this one.
>
>
> HH Joe

i agree! its just seriously too high!
not sure what they are thinkin'
i guess they kinda figure us old farts will shell
out the scratch,no matter what! may be time for a rude
awakening!

(h.h.!)
j.t.

....again from a UK Forum...

"One chap has just ordered his in the USA
Worked out at
CTX3030 without the wireless module = $2299 (£1421.47)
CTX3030 with the wireless module = $2499 (£1546.13)
Wireless module = $250 (£154.65)
Think over here in blighty you could safely add 10% on."

Amazing the way a company can sell things to people before the information is even printed. Thank goodness for the crash test dummies!

My opinion only......If this unit can truly discriminate all variants of gold items from aluminum in a consistent/reliable manner....the price would far exceed 2500 dollars.

"Amazing the way a company can sell things to people before the information is even printed".
Goodmore

Not only did Minelab 'borrow' Garrett's AT Pro waterproof concept. It appears they also borrowed Garrett's AT Pro marketing/release strategy



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/04/2012 09:30PM by TerraDigger.

If it is some form of hybrid PI technology that would be neat to say the least....and priced right there with the other PI machines on the market and still below the GPX machines. That's exactly the price range I said I was looking for in a dubbed down GPX platform machine.

I find it doubtful that our existing FBS coils will fit as the plugs are not even remotely waterproof....

It all came to me tonight at work. Remember the Carl M. radio broadcast of Whites Electronics....on Relic Roundup? Carl was discussing the future of detectors and said that they were exploring the other areas of time domain technology....he said that most people associated Pulse Induction and Time Domain to be the same....when in actuality, Pulse was just a form/part of Time Domain. They were working on something that was still time domain but neither pulse nor VLF.

What does Carl have to do with Minelab....nothing that I know of but I know if one company was working at it....than the others probably are/were And that's a bit exciting. too. I guarantee the first people to buy this Minelab will be the engineering peeps at First Texas and Whites....so they can see what its got under the Hood. If its a hybrid....than I'm guessing most of the weight is in a battery pack for it....which is still light if its similar to the GPX batteries....most of those guys are gettin away from the harnesses and using after market batteries attaching to the control box....overall unit is heavy but extremely well balanced. Can swing it all day and not get tired. BALANCE is the key.

A lot of bashing of this newly announced detector, yet we no nothing about it's performance.

I like to see new features. Whether they are useful or not, I won't know until I try it in the field, but at least innovation promotes competition, and ultimately we end up with better detectors (whether it's this one or not). Actually I think the GPS is handy for logging your finds, could be very useful for beach hunters. The only two strikes I can give it at this point are the rumored cost, and it looks like another heavy machine, but let's see some field reports!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/07/2012 03:57PM by Cal_cobra.

Looks like it has a pinpoint trigger. Yeah, pretty sure it does.

Watch the video. In two places you can sort of see or imply it's there.

First, at the 28 second mark you can barely make something out there in front of the display. Then when they are showing the screen close up at the 19-20 second mark you can CLEARLY see his right hand pulling something. The Minelab video is a sort of detective puzzle - but, that is what I went to school to study.

What is interesting is note what is on the screen when he is pulling the trigger.

[www.youtube.com]

edit - And here is an info sheet from a Russian site. Too small to read but you can see the pinpoint trigger and it's labelled.

[i693.photobucket.com]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/05/2012 08:28PM by earthmansurfer.

It clearly looks like the WIFI part is built into the headphone module. That square box must be the extra $$$.

It has 1/4 headphone module. So that whole thing might detach for water entry?

They talk about backing up your finds and hunt on google maps.

FBS2 remains my only curiosity. The more I look at the add the less I think I want all the bloat. Some guys keep records. Some guys want to save every aspect of their hunt. Not me. I want to punch deep, unmask, and identify targets. That's it. I'll be back for the FBS2 evaluation talk.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/05/2012 09:31PM by goodmore.

Sounds very impressive but, over $2K they get to keep it.
I'm not going to tell you where.....

The GPS facility would be good for the Feds to keep track of you guys.

you cant easilly make ML machines lighter by splitting the modules ,thats the problem ,they are too integrated to modify or split them up .

The combination Visual target ID in saltwater and underwater must be something many will love...