Impact owners - inches/centimeters setting and accuracy, and effect on ground balancing

[ncwayne]

How are you finding the accuracy of the depth readings and can you tell if it is giving you the depth in inches or centimeters?

And has anybody else, besides me, had the ground balancing function stop working after changing the inches/centimeters setting?

( I did get it to start working again.)

Wayne

 

[squirrel1]

Once you set your detector to inches or centimeters,,,it will stay there unless you change.

Hold the keys noted in owner's manual and then turn on detector,,,keep holding until you see In in the widow for inches.

You can compare over a coin say a nickel or a quarter,,,if in cms you'll see obviously higher reading of say 8" over the coin.

Depth meter on my 8" dime in test garden pretty accurate,,maybe a tad high since it is smaller coin.

 

[TallTom]

Another way to check which setting you are using (inches vs. centimeters) is to
wave your coil over a very shallow coin. The closest (smallest) distance shown for
centimeters is 5, and the closest distance shown for inches is 2.

 

[Flbchbm]

I believe I read that the detector was calibrated for a one inch coin. So objcts smaller than one inch will display as being deeper than they actually are, and objects bigger than one inch will display as shallower than they actually are.

 

[ncwayne]

I appreciate the replies but the problem I'm having is that the depth readings set for inches or centimeters are too close together to easily differentiate between them.
I swept the coil over a clad US dime laying on the ground at about 6 inches and the depth meter read 17. I turned off the machine and restarted it while holding down the Select and Expert buttons to change to the OTHER setting for target depth.
Then I swung over the clad dime laying on the ground at the same height as before and the depth meter read 20.

What I'm saying is I understand the principles involved, ie, 1 inch coin, etc, but I'm just trying to figure out if this function on my Impact is working as others are. So far, it does not appear that it is.

Another thing I see on my Impact is when I am pinpointing, the target depth numbers flicker very quickly over a wide range, flashing in the range of 10-35, for example, over the clad dime at 6 inches, before settling in at the 17 or 20.

And then there is the thing where after performing the Select + Expert button push while turning on the detector, the ground balancing function stopped working and did not work again until I removed the batteries. I guess nobody else has seen that either?

Wayne

 

[Beyonder]

I appreciate the replies but the problem I'm having is that the depth readings set for inches or centimeters are too close together to easily differentiate between them.
I swept the coil over a clad US dime laying on the ground at about 6 inches and the depth meter read 17. I turned off the machine and restarted it while holding down the Select and Expert buttons to change to the OTHER setting for target depth.
Then I swung over the clad dime laying on the ground at the same height as before and the depth meter read 20.

What I'm saying is I understand the principles involved, ie, 1 inch coin, etc, but I'm just trying to figure out if this function on my Impact is working as others are. So far, it does not appear that it is.

Another thing I see on my Impact is when I am pinpointing, the target depth numbers flicker very quickly over a wide range, flashing in the range of 10-35, for example, over the clad dime at 6 inches, before settling in at the 17 or 20.

And then there is the thing where after performing the Select + Expert button push while turning on the detector, the ground balancing function stopped working and did not work again until I removed the batteries. I guess nobody else has seen that either?

Wayne

At first, it sounded like a coil issue, but there could be something like a software glitch. Try another coil if you can. Also make a video as Dilek will ask you for one.

 

[ncwayne]

I installed the software update v1.13 today and took the Impact for a short hunt before the rain came. It ran beautifully! No more flickering wide target depth range before settling on a target depth. And when set to inches, the reported target depth was very close to the depth observed. I don't know if something was changed in the software that caused the improvement in function, or if the act of updating the software corrected some issue with the initial firmware installation. Regardless, after the update, I am even more impressed with the Impact! It runs quietly and slams the smallest of targets at impressive depths. What a joy!

Wayne

 

[Brownie]

I see you were able to get the software update loaded on the Impact. Just a quick question, were you able to use the Mac or did you have to use the Windows based setup? I had noticed on a different forum that you had asked that question of Dilek, but I never saw a thread with an answer. You are right with the statement about a great detector needs a great computer platform. I'm sure there are many users out there with Macs that have an Impact now or are looking to get one in the future and will need a way to receive those updates with there Mac.

 

[squirrel1]

I see you were able to get the software update loaded on the Impact. Just a quick question, were you able to use the Mac or did you have to use the Windows based setup? I had noticed on a different forum that you had asked that question of Dilek, but I never saw a thread with an answer. You are right with the statement about a great detector needs a great computer platform. I'm sure there are many users out there with Macs that have an Impact now or are looking to get one in the future and will need a way to receive those updates with there Mac.

This should answer your question.

http://noktadetectors.com/onlineupdate_impact-metal-detector.asp

 

[Brownie]

Went to that site you listed and there were no instructions for a Mac OS X operating system, only ones listed were for a Windows based system. I would assume at some point in time they will have something for us Mac users.

 

[squirrel1]

Went to that site you listed and there were no instructions for a Mac OS X operating system, only ones listed were for a Windows based system. I would assume at some point in time they will have something for us Mac users.

I saw a gent say yesterday on another forum,,he actually asked Dilek and she responded they have no plans to make Impact updates compatible for Mac users.
No surprise here,,since Mac operating system users only account for roughly 10 percent of computer users.

Xp,,Deus can't be updated either using Mac system I don't think.
Can't remember what the Minelab CTX allows system wise.

 

[ncwayne]

I have a virtual Windows machine I run on my Mac. I used it today to update my Impact and my Deus. I use VMware Fusion.
If I didn't have that, I'd probably ask a friend/family member to use their Windows PC for the task. Or buy a cheap PC to use.

Personally, I think Deus and Nokta ought to support their customers who run Macs. It wouldn't be that difficult. They'd just have to figure it out.
And Macs are much more prevalent than 10% of the computers in use. But that's beside the point. If you're going to support your customers, you need to support their computers.

Wayne

 

[squirrel1]

There are other operating systems besides Mac and Windows.

So they should make the updates so all operating systems can use???

Doesn't even seem logical.
Not cost effective.

These folks who write computer programs,,,they don't get paid chicken feed either.

We should all be glad the Impact is in fact updatable.

The only thing maybe Nokta should have done,,,is broadcasts beforehand which operating systems would be compatible for Impact updates.

I even asked Dilek weeks ago where the actual update would be listed on their site.
I guess I should have asked her about the operating systems,,,but I didn't see anyone else (tester wise) ask either on the forums.