Learning need some help.????

[Terry]

First of all I have to say that I

 

[Steve(MS)]

About the display, I cut a piece off a thin plastic paper folder the size of the the control and long enough to slide back and forth mounted between velcro on top of the control box. This will make a shade for the screen, also the display contrast control can be adjusted. I have mine set on 5, thru experimenting I found out that a high contrast setting in direct sunlight will cause the screen to saturate making it difficult to see.

 

[Terry]

Thanks Steve, I'll make myself one. I think your right about the contrast, I have mine set to the max. I'll lower it down with the sun protector and see if that will make the difference.

 

[Joe G]

Just listen.

 

[Rick(ND)]

If you have it set this way I know when in the sun light and gets hot the screen will be just black as I seen several have this problem. When in the sunlight make sure you adjust it accordingly or it will be hard to see.

 

[erikk]

I also have a problem with the screen in bright sunlight and in very shaded areas. Here is how I solved the problem. The shade is attached with velcro and can be removed or put on as the situation requires

 

[Terry]

Thanks everyone for the good advice. Its comforting to know there's people out there who have encountered the same problem and have some advice. I thought either my eyes had given out or the machine was malfunctioning. The screen was totally blank. I never considered the heat as well as the direct sunlight.

 

[erikk]

I tried to upload a phoro but it failed. I will try again

 

[Terry]

Thanks Erikk, I've purchased the velcro strips already and I'll fabricate a sun visor out of thin plastic this week. I'll post the picture when I get it right.

 

[erikk]

I used a file folder so I could darken the underside to reduce glare

 

[Gord SW Ont]

... I use a slightly different approach which I haven't seen mentioned above.

I use a hip-mount configuration with the control box on a strap which can be held in your hand as you detect and I can subtly adjust it so you can see it easier (ie remove glare, etc). It is also a little closer so I can see the details more clearly.

It may seem like an extreme solution which may not suit everyone but I thought I'd mention it as no one else has so far.

HH.

 

[jeff & Maria]

n/t

 

[curbman]

$1000.00 detector a $2.00 hat? minelab needs to address this problem.I owned one,the LCD display is 1970's this 2006,man!I've owned several brand detectors over the years,and this is the worst display I've seen. Gary

 

[Steve(MS)]

Well, there is no perfect detector, as I have said before if there was one we would all own the same model. Here are some of the negative things that some may agree on.
1 It's heavy. Actually it is bottom heavy because of the coil weight.
2 meter system and display: meter doesn't always lock on immediately, display can be hard to see. Check what I have commented on this, it will help.
3 Takes longer to master than some of the other units.
4 Pinpoint not as good as with other brands that use concentrics.
5 Chirps in iron trash, actually this should go under #3. After learning what it is telling you, you can tackle the very iron trashy areas.
6 Depth meter not as accurate as other brands.
But......For me, there is not another detector that comes close to it in performance and usable features so I don't have any problem living with negatives.

 

[erikk]

I agree. Sometimes no matter what you do you cannot see the display...BUT...yesterday I found a 1/2 & 3 Q & 1 D under a big limb of and old oak tree that I had previously gone over many times with my DFX and found a few coins but only at 4-6 inches. These were all over 8 and the half was between 10-12. Couldn't see the display half of the time but just dug the good high tone & used the Sun Ray probe

 

[Terry]

Boy your right bang on with your comments on the negative features. It just amazes me the amount of good finds it picks up other detectors have missed, even with all those negative features.I also get very frustrated waiting for a conductive number to appear and I will go and check your comment on this problem.

 

[Tinfoil]

The Xterra 70 will handle it better then the Exp ll. That is coil for coil. Joey coil DD veers 5X10 DD. Have not tried the 9" against the 10" Exp ll coil. I hunt in the trash and Iron and a large coils does me no good. Just a thought. Everything else Steve said is true. I think one of the reasons you don't hear a lot of neg on the Explls is we all paid up around a $1000 and after you add stuff to it it is more then a $1000. so if I wanted to get rid of it I sure as hell am not going to post the negative about the detector. Maybe after I get rid of it I will post the negative. Me I will keep my Exp ll cause in the non trashy areas it does do pretty good better then the DFX. So just my input. Lets put it this way the Xterra 70 took the place of my DFX which is gone and will never come back. I used the DFX for over 5 years and it never did do what I am looking for in a detector. I had all the coils for it. Kept the coils for my MXT which ain't going anywhere. Now does that tell you something. Hope this helped. HH Jerry aka Tinfoil

 

[Steve(MS)]

That one slipped my mind. Even with that, it is still one heck of a detector. I hunt iron trashy areas with a 5" on mine and it does great once you know what to listen for. So far the Xterras don't have the small coil, I will wait and see how it does with one. Maybe I am on the radical side but I have an old 100 KHZ that will smoke any motion detector in areas that are laden with iron nails, it has its limitations though. Non-ferrous trash is no concern for me as there are plenty of units (including the Exp.) out there that will do well with a small coil. Stop back in Jerry and let us hear how the Xterra does.HH

 

[Mirage]

Minelab got it right with the Quattro display. This machine I can easily read in all conditions even with the rain/dust cover on. My Exp II I have to leave the dust cover off to see the display properly. Thanks for the tip erik.