Got my MI-6

[Iron Buzz]

I've had my MI-6 pinpointer for a couple of days now. It seems to be a well-built machine, and works as expected, but unless they can update the functionality, I'm not sure it is worth the extra money just to be wireless. It really needs to use the same program that you are detecting with. Without that, it can actually be MORE work than using another pin-pointer, because if you need to rescan the hole with your coil, you need to first turn the MI-6 off, then on again when you're ready to continue digging.

It does seem to be more accurate to me than my Garrett pinpointers. I am using it in Pitch mode, which I really like. And it is kind of nice to be able to adjust the sensitivity via the menu.

I have not yet figured out how to have the LED on while in Program #7 (linked to the headphones), although that is a minor point for me.

One odd thing that I haven't figured out yet is that it sometimes emits a faint series of tones similar to the "melody" it makes when turning it on, except that it happens at random times, often when just sitting while I dig. Not sure I'm describing it very well but it is not the detecting tone... it is something else.

Will XP be able to add the functionality to be able to use the detector's program? I kind of doubt it. I suspect the reason they didn't is because that would require a processor and a larger capacity battery, since those things are in the coil, and this is simply another coil. I doubt they would sell very many $500 pinpointers.

Well, that is my

 

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[Geochem]

Thanks for sharing your experience with the MI-6.

You have helped us not trip in our initial thinking of what the MI-6 communication capability is and isn't with the coil and program setting!

 

[vferrari]

Yeah, I hear those random tones too. I think it has something to do with the loss detection circuit, but am not sure. The thing that is strange is indeed the randomness of it. Not like a heartbeat regularly spaced pulse like you hear from the Garretts when you leave them on too long. I think the MI6 is super sensitive/accurate and do not see myself going back to the carrot. The led works for me in program 7 so I am not sure what the issue is there. Probably some arcane setting. What I do not like is all the button presses and different pauses required when using it in standalone mode and how to do mode changes/settings changes etc.. You can get lost easily on where you have it set. Need to have the instruction book with me to figure it out. I rarely use it standalone though. Regarding future functionality, I think the hardware capability is there to make it more functional, giving it Sunray probe-like functionality with Tone ID and discrimination (like a handheld coil), but probably not anytime soon (Ver 5 software?). That would be killer.

 

[Iron Buzz]

Yeah, I hear those random tones too. I think it has something to do with the loss detection circuit, but am not sure. The thing that is strange is indeed the randomness of it. Not like a heartbeat regularly spaced pulse like you hear from the Garretts when you leave them on too long. I think the MI6 is super sensitive/accurate and do not see myself going back to the carrot. The led works for me in program 7 so I am not sure what the issue is there. Probably some arcane setting. What I do not like is all the button presses and different pauses required when using it in standalone mode and how to do mode changes/settings changes etc.. You can get lost easily on where you have it set. Need to have the instruction book with me to figure it out. I rarely use it standalone though. Regarding future functionality, I think the hardware capability is there to make it more functional, giving it Sunray probe-like functionality with Tone ID and discrimination (like a handheld coil), but probably not anytime soon (Ver 5 software?). That would be killer.

Yup... that is definitely the random tone I'm referring to. Not sure, but it seems to happen most often when I set it down on the ground next to me as I dig.

Regarding the button presses in standalone mode... I don't see myself using it standalone. My Pro-Pointer works well enough for that.

But yeah, the biggie is MOST DEFINITELY making it use the current program settings, like the Sunray. In fact, I suspect that is a deal-breaker for many that would have otherwise bought it. I sure hope you are right that they may eventually be able to incorporate that, but I'm not holding my breath.

 

[OutdoorAdv]

Interesting... I have that "random tone" thing too and I thought it was just me. haha I always run it in prog 7 (linked to Deus) and it usually happens if I need to remove more dirt when I have the pinpointer on and set it down for a minute or so. It is random, but appears to happen when I leave the pinpointer on for a while and I wondered why it does it and what it means. I also have random issues where it wont deactivate the coil when turning the pinpointer ON or reactivate the coil when turning the pinpointer OFF. In that case I have to turn it on and off a few times to get everything back to normal. That only happens a few times a day while hunting though, so its no big deal. Hopefully v4.1 stabilizes it some more. That said, I am surprised with how much I like the mi-6... I didn't think I would like the integrated audio as much as I do... not sure I could go back to my Whites TRX though. ha

If they integrated the Deus programs in a future update and let the pinpointer act like a sunray probe, it would be of the hook. That feature would be absolutely invaluable in the types of iron infested places I hunt.

 

[usmcscorpio]

Thanks for info on the Deus Pinpointer guys!

 

[rkiltie]

Same random sounds from my MI6 as well, other than that I love it and don't see me going back to my other pin pointer. In fact I find I'm using my Deus more because of the MI6

 

[Iron Buzz]

Same random sounds from my MI6 as well, other than that I love it and don't see me going back to my other pin pointer. In fact I find I'm using my Deus more because of the MI6

What is it about the MI6 that you love so much?

 

[Iron Buzz]

Those of you who have the MI-6, what are your thoughts about the side that the power button is on?

 

[vferrari]

Those of you who have the MI-6, what are your thoughts about the side that the power button is on?

Haven't thought about it much. After you use it enough you just get used to it. If I went back to the garrett now, I guess that will feel weird now.

 

[USERNAME IS VALID]

Yep, that button keeps tricking me, just have to get used to it, most of the time I get it right. I love that you can hear it through the headphones because if I'm somewhere loud like by the road I can always hear it and in parks it's nice because it doesn't bug the dogs or people or people who's homes back up to the park. Another bonus is that kids can't hear it so it's not as exciting for them and they lose interest fast.

 

[Iron Buzz]

...
I also have random issues where it wont deactivate the coil when turning the pinpointer ON or reactivate the coil when turning the pinpointer OFF. In that case I have to turn it on and off a few times to get everything back to normal...

Yup, I can definitely concur with that one. At first I thought it was just user error, but I'm now confident that it is not. Sometimes it just takes a while to turn off (eg: switch to the coil), too.

 

[Iron Buzz]

I had some new problems with my Deus and the MI-6 today. Once, it seemed that the MI-6 and the pinpoint mode got mixed up, or something... for lack of a better explanation. It may have had nothing to do with the MI-6, but after having some difficulty getting the MI-6 to shut off, when I switched the remote to pinpointer mode, I was actually getting the normal program sound, not the pinpoint all metal sound. Had to power down the remote to fix it.

Then later, after again having some problems getting the MI-6 to switch back to giving control to the coil, I lost all sound. I checked my headphones, and they were fine. I was getting the display on the remote that I was expecting to get (I was scanning a coin at the time), but no sound. I had to power down several times to get the sound back.

Sorry, Deus, but I think this isn't ready for prime time yet and I would not recommend it until some of these bugs get ironed out and more importantly, some new features added that make it worthwhile.

 

[vferrari]

Talking to Andy Sabisch and Gary Blackwell last week at a Deus Bootcamp and they said V 4.1 was right around the corner with the primary purpose to clean up the disconnect bugs associated with the pinpointer. I would give it a week or 2 after the 4.1 release to let the brave early adopters flush out any bugs. I still have PTSD from the 4.0 release. Lol.

 

[Iron Buzz]

Talking to Andy Sabisch and Gary Blackwell last week at a Deus Bootcamp and they said V 4.1 was right around the corner with the primary purpose to clean up the disconnect bugs associated with the pinpointer. I would give it a week or 2 after the 4.1 release to let the brave early adopters flush out any bugs. I still have PTSD from the 4.0 release. Lol.

Perhaps this should be in a thread by itself, but have you (or anyone else) seen a problem since v4.0 where the unit just starts to go nuts? This has happened to me maybe a half-dozen times. All of a sudden, the X-Y screen is almost filled with random lines, the noise is unbearable. Generally all it takes to clear it up is to switch programs, then return to what I was using. It is like EMI on steroids. I don't recall ever seeing that behavior prior to v4.

 

[vferrari]

I have seen something like that with ver 4 AND the HF coil (not the regular coil). Almost like microphonic feedback when first turned on. Switching frequencies would stop it and then I could go back to the affected frequency. I have not had enough hf coil swing timd to really pin down what causes it to happen but I've seen it like twice.

 

[Iron Buzz]

I am really getting tired of the R2D2 blips, blops & bleeps when I'm trying to pinpoint my target. Has anybody heard anything official about that? Its just annoying, not the end of the world, but for what this thing cost, we shouldn't have to put up with anything annoying!

But more importantly, how is the 4.1 update coming? What is REALLY annoying is turning off your pinpointer only to find that you have no audio coming from your coil. Sometimes I can get it back just by waiting a bit, sometimes by switching back to the MI-6, then turning it off again, and sometimes by rebooting the headphones. Grrrr!!

(I'm also a bit upset because I broke my coil charger clip this morning!)

 

[Calabash Digger]

You had a bad day! hope it works out.

 

[vferrari]

4.1 is supposed to address this if it ever gets past beta. I have experienced the issues you speak of but the actual performance (sensitivity and accuracy)of the pinpointer is such that I will not be going back to the carrot unless it breaks outright. I have gotten past the quirks like I mentally filter out iron tones when I use min Disc. I get it though. I can see where the random pops and reconnect issues can drive some folks nuts and who wants to pay $200 bucks to go nuts. Hope it gets addressed soon.

 

[gene the machine]

I went back to the carrot. the Deus PP is just too annoying for me. especially when I have to rescan the hole and have to turn the PP off and then back on again. I also have a problem with it sounding off all the time while trying to use it in that once I start checking in the hole and think that I have it pinpointed and lay it down to dig some more and it is making noise all that time. I have to press the button to quiet it down and it still makes noise. After a while that gets old. I was dismayed as to why they put the button on the opposite side of every other pinpointer. I kept having to move it around in my hand to get to the button, just annoying. I'll keep it as a spare but not using it anymore. Just mho.