Hey Mr. Metal detector industry. Can we get with the program?

[JASONSPAZ1]

Today, My Nephew got a toy Teddy Bear with USB ports on it. This Teddy bear which costs 39.99 can be hooked up to a PC, and the parents can go online and program it to talk to the child about the child's life. I asked myself, why do no Current detectors have USB ports, so I can edit programs and trade programs on line? Why do none of the detectors have higher resolution LCD screens like an iPOD or a Nintendo DS? The old argument of "A detector with those features would cost to much" is old.
HELLO! Have you seen the cost of todays High end machines. They cost as much or more than PC's and Laptops.
The technologies I just mentioned have been around for over 10 years. And all the detector industry has done is Re-hash and Re-introduce old models with new stickers. All of the current major detector manufactures are guilty of lagging in the R&D department. I hear through the forums that White's has a "long term R&D project' rolling out soon. I hope it is not just research and application of new adhesive sticker technologies. another example is Minelab. yes, the Explores SE, is nice and all. But why such a low system clock speed with an LCD as slow as spit dripping from a bully's lip. And where are the tiny battery packs that Mini DVR camcorders use?
I am not attacking any particular brand here. They all need to get with the program(pun intended).
Tesoro, maybe they are working on a DNA reading program that wont allow the detector turn on until the toggle knob scans your thumb and correctly id's you, and if it determines that you stole the detector your thumb will get "HoT". And maybe Garrett will come out with a fiber optic technology that will allow the machine to turn different shades of Green.
OK, I am getting silly and out of hand. I truly don't mean to offend any of the brand loyalists. I love my Garrett GTA-x 1250, and my Minelab Sovereign GT. But I love my USB ports as well as My Nintendo DS, iPOD and Teddy bear. And I would like to have a detector that is even mid range in performance with the user ease and application of todays mainstream technologies. What Happens if the Japanese enter the detector market? I'll tell you what will happen the detector industry will get Pearl Harbored and only a couple will survive. Please Mr. Metal Detector industry. Get with the latest technologies and merge it with your current detector in field performance. That merger would equal a new and great revolution. Imagine being able to plug your detector into the PC and get a readout of all the targets your machine sounded off on. Being able to show off and share on line that great program you created would be awesome.
Once again I do not mean to personally offend anyone, I am just trying to start and good healthy debate.

Thanks
JASONSPAZ1

 

[Cal_Cobra]

Good points Jason. I've actually wondered why with todays technology being what it is (and I work in the tech industry) that top of the line MD's can't use a color display to give you a pictorial view of what's in the ground. Hell they do it for fish (fish finders). It's gotta be a similar technology.

A few years ago I bought a 5.8Ghz cordless phone for home that has a USB port and a color screen and you can do all kinds of cool things with it (like you can with a good cell phone), it's the best land line phone I've ever had, but I still see the manufacturers pumping out monochrome LCD display phones without USB ports....or anything really innovative.

Maybe it's coming...but then again so is Christmas

 

[devildog3rd]

To be honest I would not like the idea of a USB port on my MD. They are not that complicated to figure out and I wouldn't want some hacker screwing up my MD with a fictitious program.
I would not use a USB if it did have one. I have no problem with my screen or the layout. And I would want a user friendly screen like the one I have. A person could get easily lost trying to figure out all the info on the screen instead of finding what they are looking for.

Anyone that uses a MD is a hunter. Everyone is not the same as the other guy and really the only way anyone could improve is by improving your skills.

Say you are new to the sport but you bought the best MD on the market. That machine will not make you better than anyone else no matter what it does. Even if you are able to program it to locate a dime at 10 feet. The user has to have the skill by experience.

 

[UK Brian]

All you ask for is here today. See my reply to your post on the Modifications forum.

 

[tabdog]

That's fine with me.

But I don't need a program to tell me how to adjust my superior

analog controls.

I could not imagin a bigger waste of money that putting a USB

port on my one knob Compadre.

All it could do is screw up a top performer.

Added weight!! No thanks.

All these TID's and programs have allready slowed down MD's

to where they are not much fun any more.

Give me performance. I'm fed up with all the hype and bells and

whistles already.

Just my take. If they can't give me better performance, I would

perfer that they leave it alone.

HH,

 

[EZrider]

I hear what your saying, look at the sonar/depth finders from the market. It also seems they use the same platform for many types of units ie f-75-t2 and soon to come gold,platnum as well as the t-2 clones omega. Then you have the f2, f4 3300,titan,f5 etc, all the same houseing and setup just a diffrent circuit. Why not make "the one" detector that can last a lifetime with good suport?
Sand and water proof
Carbon fiber shafts and houseings
Can be broken down to fit carry on or packed
User interface cable to change settings or download newer programs from the Mfg
Color display "i like it"

It would be nice to feel that $1000 doesnt feel like a tin and plastic toy.

 

[ProHoofCare]

I quit getting expensive detectors because we are over paying for them. I got a KellyCo MPx that will smoke higher end MDs at a fraction of the cost. With the price they are asking for a lot of the MD's it seems that they would have USB ports on them. Let Japan start making them and yes, the American companies will be out of business.

I would love to have a MD with GPS built in. You can record your finds and locations, than download them. Wouldn't that be great for future research? Never will happen from an American company without costing a billion dollars.