Nox 800 Update No Good

[slider66]

It's strange that Minelab has not addressed this or commented on it.

 

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[nagant]

Could it be the operating system? I have windows 7 and couldn't update till someone here posted a work around. To all not liking the update, did you have to do this also?

 

[vferrari]

Could it be the operating system? I have windows 7 and couldn't update till someone here posted a work around. To all not liking the update, did you have to do this also?

Unlikely. The operating system is just the conduit for running the program that uploads the firmware update into the detector. The update itself doesn't run on windows and if the update were somehow corrupted during the upload process because the upload program ran differently on Win 7 than Win 10 you would simply get a failure to load error and either your detector would be bricked (unable to boot up) or would simply revert to the original version.

 

[Minelab Matt]

I put old software back on and found this at 18 inches...

 

[RayinAlaska]

Strange, Trokair. Sorry you had such bad results. I've only hunted with it for a short while since the update, but my results were the opposite of yours -- very good, with a few minor improvements noted, at least so far.

Something doesn't sound right...

Steve

The same for me, although I never used the old software since I updated it as soon as I bought it, before using the EQX800. I don't know if it makes a difference or not, but I downloaded and installed the update on a Mac, without a hitch.

 

[sprailroad]

I really can not explain it fella's, but I and the machine somehow SEEM to do better pre-update. So...I'm going to again un-do the update, go back to the original, and call it good.

 

[vferrari]

I really can not explain it fella's, but I and the machine somehow SEEM to do better pre-update. So...I'm going to again un-do the update, go back to the original, and call it good.

From a performance standpoint I really have not seen any real world difference between the original and updated firmware. The only thing that I am certain that changed is that they fixed the User Profile bug that resets all your custom settings if you shut off the machine while User Profile mode is active. The only other tangible (but not something I would consider makes a difference in the "real world") is that it now hits surface high conductors harder (three quarters stacked on edge) in Multi IQ, something that it previously struggled to give a valid ID on previously unless you switched to single frequency. But how often does that really happen, and when it does, does it really matter - I mean, I would treat it like a bouncy coin spill signal and dig it anyway just to be sure. Since I don't do a lot of extensive tone customizations, I am willing to roll the dice on not having the User Profile bug fixed. Basically, I can go either way on the update, I do not think it makes anything significantly better or worse from a performance standpoint. So I say go with whatever version makes you feel like a more confident detectorist with the Equinox.

 

[Bart@Big Boys Hobbies]

From a performance standpoint I really have not seen any real world difference between the original and updated firmware. The only thing that I am certain that changed is that they fixed the User Profile bug that resets all your custom settings if you shut off the machine while User Profile mode is active. The only other tangible (but not something I would consider makes a difference in the "real world") is that it now hits surface high conductors harder (three quarters stacked on edge) in Multi IQ, something that it previously struggled to give a valid ID on previously unless you switched to single frequency. But how often does that really happen, and when it does, does it really matter - I mean, I would treat it like a bouncy coin spill signal and dig it anyway just to be sure. Since I don't do a lot of extensive tone customizations, I am willing to roll the dice on not having the User Profile bug fixed. Basically, I can go either way on the update, I do not think it makes anything significantly better or worse from a performance standpoint. So I say go with whatever version makes you feel like a more confident detectorist with the Equinox.

Good post! I use version 1 myself and like it.

 

[flgliderpilot]

I went out and did a serious beach hunt for the first time after updating my equinox to the latest firmware.

Here are my conclusions:

The night before the hunt, I tested both firmwares in my coin garden. The only difference I found was that the quarter would sometimes hit 31 instead of just 29-30.

The next morning, I tried the latest firmware on the coin garden after it rained. I found that the VDI was wider for each coin... for example, the night before, a nickel was 12-13, but this morning it was 11-14, but centered around 13. I immediately suspected the firmware, so I downgraded to 1.5.

To my surprise, I got the exact same numbers.

So clearly this is not related to firmware, but ground conditions. The new firmware did definitely seem better at detecting coins on edge. Large improvement.

Neither firmware would pick up a small 4-40 stainless screw, or an aluminum screw. That was sort of a surprise.

I hit the beach with the latest firmware.

Often when I dig targets in the water or wet sand, I take a scoop or two and the coin gets flipped around and disappears.

I scoop again or sometimes twice, and either get lucky and find it, or I don't and it's lost for 5-10 minutes until it settles flat flat again or I scoop until it gets flipped around again, and I hear it again, and the process repeats.

This time, hunting with the new firmware I only had a target completely disappear once, and it turned out it was because it got pushed deeper from my scoop. I could actually tell when it got flipped on edge, because sometimes the VDI would drop from say initial solid 25 (dime) to 15-18. I was actually surprised at how many times a coin was flipped on edge, but now I could actually hear them.

My hunt was actually extremely consistent. All target ID's were spot on, no surprises at all. No targets disappearing.

At one point it started hitting 30-31 and I thought "yeah right its probably a quarter reading high"... nope it was a half dollar!

I am actually surprised to say that I do like the new firmware despite my earlier apprehension.

Interestingly my buddy who is a very good hunter was hunting ahead of me with on the exact same line using his Excal 2 and he only found one quarter, one nickel, one dime, and lots of trash. Not a single sinker. The whole time I was wondering if his settings were off.

 

[A2coins]

Good info