Hacking the CTX

[bklein]

Hi is0-mick,
So are you saying the open source code is the bootloader but any detector-specific code is private and thus hacking/changing the user interface or understanding the coil interface is "very unlikely"?
In your past hacking examples you ported a game to a product unintended for it and the Canon mods added features. I'm wondering what if one does get the serial/jtag hooked up - what does that then allow someone to do?

 

[is0-mick]

Hi is0-mick,
So are you saying the open source code is the bootloader but any detector-specific code is private and thus hacking/changing the user interface or understanding the coil interface is "very unlikely"?
In your past hacking examples you ported a game to a product unintended for it and the Canon mods added features. I'm wondering what if one does get the serial/jtag hooked up - what does that then allow someone to do?

Hi, the open source stuff as you correctly say are things like the bootloader, linux, QT window system, libraries and some drivers, and as you say not the detector specific code or user interface.
From what I can see there are 4 main executables which pass messages between each other. Theres the POD which seems to be the main UI, theres detector, sound and debug.
Debug seems to control the usb side of things from what I saw, detector I think would run the coil side of things (not checked this) and pass messages to the UI (pod). Sound would probably play sounds at the request of the UI.

It's not impossible to write your own UI or even patch stuff into the existing software, but its probably a fair chunk of work. Finding someone willing / able and with the hardware would be the challenge.
Hooking up a serial interface may allow you to access the linux side of the machine, you then may be able to get more information about how the programs interact, or even hook the messages between them, and learn more about how the system works.

 

[metalpopper]

[size=large]Not just this thread, but why all the hostility lately? Folks have different ideas, wants, and ways of approaching life. Rather than name calling, show them scientifically where they are wrong instead of name calling. Posts with no useful info, just 'u suk' are a waste of everyones tim[/size]e.


I like my CTX and don't have the abilities to tinker with it beyond some very basics (change an O-ring, etc), but I appreciate those that tinker, make discoveries and share them with the forums. And if they destroy their toy, well then, some folks have more disposable income/resources than others. Its their stuff.

************************************************​

Hi KinTN..

You can now appreciate why a lot of knowledgeable detectorists refrain from posting on forums...matt.

 

[jhittle]

Along with Hacking i would also recommend making request to Minelab support for features as we need to make sure if there is something missing or a function that would benefit the detector communicate this to Minelab the more request they have the more likely they are to act on it..

 

[Jason in Enid]

Along with Hacking i would also recommend making request to Minelab support for features as we need to make sure if there is something missing or a function that would benefit the detector communicate this to Minelab the more request they have the more likely they are to act on it..

You MUST be new here. That has only been going on since about the day or two after it was released

 

[AngerManagement]

mypenneys and is0-mick

Thanks... Love your work...

Would be nice to be able to extend some settings minor tweaks; but as you say it all depends how they have coded.

With the feature included; one would have thought there might be even some minor tweaks or selection changes rolled out... Select a different offset to Auto Gain (say 5) / add a different hot key action / change the ON / OFF to a long press ( do not ask me how many times I have accidentally turned my machine off LOL ) / swap between active and another defined programs with a long press....

Either way; keep the info flowing and any PHYSICAL mods/repairs coming.

 

[amberjack]

no no no updates please

AJ

 

[metalpopper]

Yes Sir. it is comforting to think there are guys out there who are capable of rational comment.

Thank you for your excellent post......matt

 

[Chrisdw]

Were you able to confirm which ARM processor they are using?
Somewhere else I thought I found it to be a freescale ARM9 but now can't find that source.
The 2.6 kernel is a ways back, present is 4.1+

 

[masterjedi]

Minelab has many PHD's and a Physicist on their design team. I am really sure anyone of us is smarter than the Minelab team... LOL

 

[Overvoltage]

I have given up on expecting any updates for the CTX3030. It is what it is and that is too bad. It is a very good machine and knock on wood mine has not had any problems. That being said, its too bad Minelab isn't developing the updates that have been suggested as most of the suggestions would most likely not be very hard to incorporate and would move the CTX from a good machine to a spectacular machine.
So all you nerdy geniuses that are attempting to hack the CTX, keep up the good work and hopefully you will crack the code and make us all happy.

 

[utahshovelhead]

After semi following this thread for some time now and half hartedly reading through many of the posts I will say one thing more that I agree with and completely think is possible for engineers to change.

that is... Make it possible to use a discrimination based on depth.
It is surely possible based on the fact that if a machine can show a depth reading of say 6, then I should also be able to say no tones for 1,2,3,4,5. this is a feature I would not base the world of detecting fun on but would use on some sites or once in a while just like I do the deep on or fast on or just like I program out the pesky penny once in a while too.

I KNOW I KNOW. good targets can be in there. but again, time consideration can make this a great feature for the CTX just like any discrimination can.

thats it. Ill leave this post and all its techno talk alone now.

 

[AngerManagement]

There are a couple of settings that have been disabled/restricted AND OR some other hidden options that may or may not be functional.

The DataBase can be modded etc but the system code also needs changes. Not about re building the CTX3030 but allowing for a few more custom options.

What I want is never going to happen for a number of reasons, but still: I would like a Screen that expands/scales the FE range as for coin in Au and silver etc and many other finds. They tend to be on the FE 12 line so a different scale that can give a better definition would be great. A full screen that could go 4Fe either side of 12 would be nice. Never going to happen as the signal processing is not good enough.

 

[Jason in Enid]

... Make it possible to use a discrimination based on depth.
It is surely possible based on the fact that if a machine can show a depth reading of say 6, then I should also be able to say no tones for 1,2,3,4,5. .

that is just as impossible as a detector only responding to silver, or only responding to gold. the detector doesnt know what is under the ground, its just giving an estimate compared to set parameters. Large bits of metal read like silver and small bits of silver can read like foil.

One that same line, depth is a guess and is based on a comparison of a set target "size". large items always read much shallower and tiny read as much deeper. Beyond that, even for a coin sized object its only accurate when you are centered directly over the top. Garrett tried this years ago and it never worked well.

 

[bklein]

Isomick,
Any chance of figuring out the coil chip and how it communicates with the controller?
It would be nice to have a generic interface to custom/experimental coils and maybe a pinpointer.
I don't want to risk messing with my CTX but am looking for a scrapper that someone may have so that I could look at this.
I'd like to make a Bigfoot coil eventually. Wide physical area and no need for super depth - just to find recent drops.

 

[iDetectorX]

Wish you would hurry up and get it done. Would like to test it.
The Normall, Smoothed, Long. Needs to be adjustable for one
Second the Display needs to be Brighter. With brighter targets or change the colors so you can see them under the black displays on the screen.
Also very low Iron Audi down to 15 cycles or so. Also assign a Audio to a discrimation pattern on the screen. Whatever dot screen you create anywhere on the screen. Be able to highlight the dot pattern and assign a tone. Just like I can do on tneWhites V3i...Add at least 5 more patterns to save. 10 not enough
50 tone would like to assign the indivuall line frequencys I want. Be able to change every vertical line with freq of my choice.
Also be able to lock transmitt frequency on what I want to select. Best over all frequency 7.5 KHz but I want a selection of 1.5 kHz 5khz. 7.5khz. 9.5 kHz. 11.5 kHz 13.5 kHz 15.5 kHz
17.5 kHz. 22khz. Or just make it variable. Also slight increase in power if possible. The Garrett AT Pro out performs the CTX3030. The people I hunt with find Spanish Reals 1/2 silver dimes. Largecents. Coppers. English coins. Everything. The ctx3030 sucks. The software Sucks

I don't know if you were suggesting running the CTX in some kind of an individual frequency mode, but if you were and if you were basing it on the concept that FBS machines use 28 frequencies you'd be disappointed if you could get a single frequency to lock. The first thing you'd discover is that FBS machines only use 2 frequencies, albeit in a fairly genius sequence. If you could get the CTX to lock in single frequency modes, it would only be 3.125khz and 25khz. The rest are harmonics of the fundamental which serve no useful purpose other than to sound impressive as they can technically claim to transmit any number they want. Harmonics are basically echoes or shadows of the original or fundamental frequency. The secret of FBS was the sequence at which the two frequencies are fired and the way the halflife of the 3.125khz signal is utilized as a sort of pulse like signal. FBS and BBS are more time domain algorithms or as much time domain as they are frequency domain.

 

[bklein]

Hopefully I’ll wake this thread up...
I had replaced my cr1220 internal battery years ago to fix flakey settings behavior. The original was low voltage. It was tricky to get the code loaded back on the unit with xchange 2. Now it has happened again - internal battery dead. Also my main battery just went bad and wont fully charge. So I rebuilt the main battery and replaced the internal battery same day. The detector keeps getting a USB Connected fault whether or not USB is connected. My pc’s get “unrecognized device” on a USB connect. This seems only a firmware issue but I cant get it recognized so I camt reload it. The detector otherwise functions - you can hear it detect thingand see the detect screen inbetween the fault messages. Has anyone determined the exact processor used and how usb is implemented? I wonder what Minelab’s fix is on these. It is not due to water getting into the usb connector.