Question regarding digital ID.

[Newfiehunter]

I have a question regarding digital id detectors. From what I've seen on Youtube with the digital id detectors, even the most top of the line machines, why is it that they rarely lock unto a silver coin or other target with a constant number id? It seems the numbers bounce around which would be a little irritating. Years ago, I had a Garrett GTA 1000 and didn't like it for that reason. My Fisher analog CZ5 needle locks unto to the silver category and doesn't jump. So if I decided to purchase a newer digital machine, which would be best for locking unto a target? Thanks. Any help would be appreciated.

 

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[Tom_in_CA]

Those machines that bounce a bit and don't "lock on", are machines with very large TID sectioning. Like the XLT, or Eagle for instance, has -95 to 00 to 95 (ie.: 190 possible stopping spots of the needle). Or if you look at the Explorer, lots of FE and CO various spots an item can land on the screen. HOWEVER, the CZ5 you give as an example of a machine that DOES "lock on", only has 5 or 6 quadrants. Ie.: broad categories to "lump" items into. So on the CZ5, you would not be able to discern finer TIDs that some of the other machines can do. Ie.: the difference between a $5 gold and the beefier sturdier square tabs. Or the difference between a zinc cent and an indian cent, and so forth.

 

[Newfiehunter]

Those machines that bounce a bit and don't "lock on", are machines with very large TID sectioning. Like the XLT, or Eagle for instance, has -95 to 00 to 95 (ie.: 190 possible stopping spots of the needle). Or if you look at the Explorer, lots of FE and CO various spots an item can land on the screen. HOWEVER, the CZ5 you give as an example of a machine that DOES "lock on", only has 5 or 6 quadrants. Ie.: broad categories to "lump" items into. So on the CZ5, you would not be able to discern finer TIDs that some of the other machines can do. Ie.: the difference between a $5 gold and the beefier sturdier square tabs. Or the difference between a zinc cent and an indian cent, and so forth.

Thanks Tom for clarifying that for me. One thing though, shouldn't the Minelab Explorer for example, "lock on" to a target like a silver dime or quarter with a constant number without fluctuating since those coins are made of the same metal composition? Don't mean to get too technical here but shouldn't readings be precise on coins?

 

[ZR2guy]

As far as electronics go the newer machines are mixing analog and digital technology. Digital ,being more precise, will show the variance in an analog signal. This also plays into the TID numbers jumping.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Thanks Tom for clarifying that for me. One thing though, shouldn't the Minelab Explorer for example, "lock on" to a target like a silver dime or quarter with a constant number without fluctuating since those coins are made of the same metal composition? Don't mean to get too technical here but shouldn't readings be precise on coins?

Well, here's the deal: if you have a machine with only 5 or 6 "quadrants", and if you wave a quarter in front of the coil in an air test, it will "lock on" "quarter" each and every time, right? But if you wave that same quarter in front of a machine with 100 or 200 different quadrants/coordinates, you expect it to bang clearly on a single TID (out of 100 or 200 different possibile #'s) each time? No, it doesn't work like that.

The more TID's #'s (whether by #s, or graphs, or whatever) you give to a machine to decide where to drop that item, the more bouncing around it will do to "decide" where to "put" it. And each wave or swing of the machine has slight nuances of how an object will be categorized. In other words, if your swing is a hair faster or slower, or a hair closer or further, or a hair more centered vs slightly off-center, will all make a factor/bearing on the resultant TID reading. But for a machine with a mere 6 or 7 quadrants, it will only fall in a single "quadrant". But for machine with oodles of "quadrants" (TID #'s), that # will "bounce around". (yet within a general area, once you are centered over the target)

But you can use that "bouncing around" to your benefit! By evaluating the resultant TID vs the various swing speeds and "x-marking-the-target", you can make judgements of a target, that an over-generalized broad grouping does not allow.

 

[Ism]

It also depends on the target orientation and the direction you approach the target. With my XP Deus, I can lock onto to a dime, quarter, ring, etc, when its flat/parallel to the coil, but if its on an angle or perpendicular, the ID wil bounce around a range of numbers depending on the direction of attack. Last year, I had a target that bounced from 70-77 (pull tab range). I thought it was another beavertail pulltab but turned out to be a gold ring on about a 45 deg angle to the coil. Glad it was early in the search and I wasn't sick of digging trash.