DetectingWales.com

Okay then, a different type of battle, not between makes/models of machines but those that Have Target ID screens and those that don't. I have one of each.

Here are my thoughts on the matter;

What is the point in having a screen that in theory, tells you what the target 'Might' be and what depth it 'Might' be. As we all know, depth is dependant on size of target and the indicated depth is based on a coin....but not everything is a coin.

Screens lie when confronted with an unusual sized/shaped artifact.

Surely, all we want is the machine to tell us something is not iron and therefore worth digging. The only arbiter of the depth and type of object found is the actual finder.

I wonder how many decent objects I've not dug as the ID I read as being a probable 12 bore cap for example.

My Trident 2 just beeps and I have to dig the signal to see what it is so I dig more and find more.

Discuss........

The Minelab Explorer SE Pro you generally dig all targets in the right two thirds of the screen in conduct mode.
In the smart find display generally the higher the target crosshair appears to the top of the screen the larger the target.
The depth gauge on most metal detectors is calibrated for coin size objects(remember if in doubt dig it).
Steve

Phew - This is a hard one!

I'm a bit tone deaf so a metered one is a help to me. On the XP Goldmaxx where tones are important I struggled but found the XP Adventis and XP G-Maxx2 were fine.

I quite liked the Golden Mask 3 and 3+ (non metered) as it gave a good sharp sound on finds.

With regard to metered machines they can give extra information. Seldom is the depth meter that accurate. I notice the numbers or meter tend to be steady on a good target and jumpy over not so good ones.

The V3 which I am currently using has an analyse screen which is pretty good at giving info on rubbish targets, and coke tends to come in at VDI 3 to 5.

On the other hand, the Minelab multi-frequency machines are excellent at avoiding coke but as you know (unless you have the Sovereign model) are metered machines.

Personally I believe it's down to personal preference. You tend to dig more with non metered machines whereas metered ones can save a lot of unecessary digging (ok you may miss some good targets).

There are some good metered machines that don't cost the earth like the Garrett Ace250 so cost isn't a factor.

On balance I prefer a metered machine but will use one without. If a metered one bothers you that much just cover the screen!   ;D


 

For me, the signagraph on the DFX/XLT/V3 is hard to beat, it give you more info than anything else on the market. Even if you get a good solid VDI number there is no mistaking if the signagraph is smearing, it can give you upto 30 readings at once.

Junkman couldnt agree with you more. years ago i had asked ukbrian what he thought of the meter for the minelab sovereign, i was probably thinking that if i spent more money i'd have more finds.....something im sure a lot of people have thought.
he explained that all meters are "probability meters" and basically your ears are the best indicator you'll ever have.
"learn your machine " he said and not only do i consider it very good advice he saved me a few quid too.
totally understand that some people have hearing problems and meters to them are invaluable, but i do feel some people ignore signals purely on the fact of what the meter says, some times this can be a mistake.

Hi Junk

I cant remember the wording exactly but in the Explorer 2 manual it says you cant believe the Digital id numbers  ???
Which on a machine that cost well over a £1,000 is out rageous

The best Digital Id machines ive used to date is the  Hawkeye and the F75  but like you say the size of the object and the depth all play a part in driving us detectorists insane lol

You guys make me more confused, tell me which option is good.???

go for sound rather than looking at a meter ,  it will hep you to understand your machine better,, on the se, gold coins come in at around the shotgun cap mark but they do have a slightly differant tone {yes ok you will dig plenty of shoty caps and not much gold but if you dont dig it you wont know} hammereds and foil are pretty similar as well on the screen but can sound differant, 

Well nowadays I go more by sound than anything else.

I'm currently running a Explorer SE Pro (with Ultimate coil).

On the weekend I dug some signals up near the nail corner (which is discriminated out), but instead of a high tone, they gave deep sounding tones (high tone, high conductivity). One was an As, the other was a Sestertius. I'd noted a week before that a cartwheel penny on edge had also given a similar tone, and was in a similar place on the screen (all were good repeatable, two way signals).

As i've been going to the same site for about 4 years now, i can actually see what I missed just by going by first digital numbers and then by the screen (which does help a little). I'd never found a sestertius before and I'd only found one As - so there you go. I'd still prefer to have a machine with a display than not - as it is additional information. i don't even bother with the depth thing though!

On my 705 and T2, The only signal you can be sure of is a solid multi directional number. Anything that jumps around
I rely entirely on tone and ignore the screen. I ALWAYS dig good two way signals. My Bliss has no screen, so again its
my decision as to whether I think the target is worth digging. I can sometimes dig bits of chain, horseshoes, looped items which will
fool most machines and gives a really good tone, but by learning to use your ears, there is a marked 'clipping' of the tone with
these items. So, agree entirely about learning to understand what the machine is telling you. My personal choice is no screen as I
find I spend more time detecting rather than trying to decipher numbers.

As Many have already said, the tones are the most reliable. A screen just gives you lots of excuses not to dig ;)