Possable future upgrade ???

[Willee - Texas]

I dont see any physical difference between the 600 and the 800 ... nowhere is the model number marked.
The 600 is capable of producing all five frequency's in multi mode but not in single mode.
This sounds like firmware that limits that.
Could the only difference be the programing?
Do you think Minelab might in the future sell an upgrade firmware patch to allow the 600 to upgrade to a 800?

I know some makers of electronics that sell you a unit then will sell you firmware to upgrade to expanded features.

 

[Dan(NM)]

I dont see any physical difference between the 600 and the 800 ... nowhere is the model number marked.
The 600 is capable of producing all five frequency's in multi mode but not in single mode.
This sounds like firmware that limits that.
Could the only difference be the programing?
Do you think Minelab might in the future sell an upgrade firmware patch to allow the 600 to upgrade to a 800?

I know some makers of electronics that sell you a unit then will sell you firmware to upgrade to expanded features.

The only drawback to that is paying the price for an 800 series without the headphones and WM08, not much of an incentive there that I see to upgrade. Besides, Minelab hasn't been the most productive company when it comes to upgrades, so, I wouldn't hold out for one.

 

[Tony N (Michigan)]

I dont see any physical difference between the 600 and the 800 ... nowhere is the model number marked.
The 600 is capable of producing all five frequency's in multi mode but not in single mode.
This sounds like firmware that limits that.
Could the only difference be the programing?
Do you think Minelab might in the future sell an upgrade firmware patch to allow the 600 to upgrade to a 800?

I know some makers of electronics that sell you a unit then will sell you firmware to upgrade to expanded features.


The only drawback to that is paying the price for an 800 series without the headphones and WM08, not much of an incentive there that I see to upgrade. Besides, Minelab hasn't been the most productive company when it comes to upgrades, so, I wouldn't hold out for one.

Dan(NM)
I wish Minelab could make a detector that absolutely ignores bent iron nails and other types of iron nails. And not just ignores them but
sees through them. Maybe that will be their next detector?

 

[Dan(NM)]

I dont see any physical difference between the 600 and the 800 ... nowhere is the model number marked.
The 600 is capable of producing all five frequency's in multi mode but not in single mode.
This sounds like firmware that limits that.
Could the only difference be the programing?
Do you think Minelab might in the future sell an upgrade firmware patch to allow the 600 to upgrade to a 800?

I know some makers of electronics that sell you a unit then will sell you firmware to upgrade to expanded features.


The only drawback to that is paying the price for an 800 series without the headphones and WM08, not much of an incentive there that I see to upgrade. Besides, Minelab hasn't been the most productive company when it comes to upgrades, so, I wouldn't hold out for one.

Dan(NM)
I wish Minelab could make a detector that absolutely ignores bent iron nails and other types of iron nails. And not just ignores them but
sees through them. Maybe that will be their next detector?

I don't have a problem digging nails in NM, must be because the soil is bone dry and doesn't create a large halo from rusting out into the surrounding soil.

 

[Tony N (Michigan)]

I dont see any physical difference between the 600 and the 800 ... nowhere is the model number marked.
The 600 is capable of producing all five frequency's in multi mode but not in single mode.
This sounds like firmware that limits that.
Could the only difference be the programing?
Do you think Minelab might in the future sell an upgrade firmware patch to allow the 600 to upgrade to a 800?

I know some makers of electronics that sell you a unit then will sell you firmware to upgrade to expanded features.

The only drawback to that is paying the price for an 800 series without the headphones and WM08, not much of an incentive there that I see to upgrade. Besides, Minelab hasn't been the most productive company when it comes to upgrades, so, I wouldn't hold out for one.

Dan(NM)
I wish Minelab could make a detector that absolutely ignores bent iron nails and other types of iron nails. And not just ignores them but
sees through them. Maybe that will be their next detector?

I don't have a problem digging nails in NM, must be because the soil is bone dry and doesn't create a large halo from rusting out into the surrounding soil.

Here in Michigan, on the farm I live on, the soil is usually moist and anything from small iron farm junk to iron square cut nails make my detectors think it's silver.
When I pull the junk out of the soil, then it tells me it's iron.

 

[Always Curious]

I have a 600, and would probably be willing to pay for a software upgrade that would give me adjustable backlighting--ML and hackers take note That said, I have to agree with the posters above that it is unlikely to happen. We'll be lucky if ML even supplies bug fixes; and the Nox is at best a niche item that simply won't exist in sufficient numbers to interest third-party hackers.

 

[TomNH]

The 600 & 800 are probably near if not identical hardware wise. To have a step-up model they add a different software pkg & freebies
that dont cost them much. The 800 will bring in more profit & probably a larger % margin.
As far as upgrades go its great to be able to do it at home BUT as my father always said is "no news is good news". A software UG
implies "we got it wrong the first time". So unless something real bad shows up be happy there are not any.
BTW has anyone here done UG's on computers & not have it screw things up at times. Not me !

HH Tom
LFOD !

I have a 600, and would probably be willing to pay for a software upgrade that would give me adjustable backlighting--ML and hackers take note That said, I have to agree with the posters above that it is unlikely to happen. We'll be lucky if ML even supplies bug fixes; and the Nox is at best a niche item that simply won't exist in sufficient numbers to interest third-party hackers.

 

[chuckciao]

There was a thread on the CTX Forum that involved “Hackng the CTX” which drew quite a bit of interest and several members showed quite a lot of technical expertise but alas....it resulted in nothing! As a mater of fact, as someone mentioned in this thread, the CTX has been out since 2012 and has only had three updates, saltwater, pinpoint hold and the addition of Chinese language!

 

[Dukester75]

One hardware difference is the 800 has a "user" button on the right side to save custom user settings, 600 doesn't have that button.

 

[dewcon4414]

I think ML took the approach ....... keep it cheap enough that people might want both or more than one of them.... which some have. There is much more money in keep the price down and selling you another machine over firmware. Besides ...... if that happens being the entrusting kind of guy i am id wonder if they were holding out on me for an upgrade. I remember buying a couple of GPS...... where i got one free upgrade...... amazing it was out of date and needed an upgrade immediately.

 

[Willee - Texas]

I think ML took the approach ....... keep it cheap enough that people might want both or more than one of them.... which some have. There is much more money in keep the price down and selling you another machine over firmware. Besides ...... if that happens being the entrusting kind of guy i am id wonder if they were holding out on me for an upgrade. I remember buying a couple of GPS...... where i got one free upgrade...... amazing it was out of date and needed an upgrade immediately.

With ham radio SDR has been developed ... Software Defined Radio.
The hardware is controlled by software in a digital mode instead of analog mode.
This allows the developers to refine and add new features as they are discovered and developed using the same hardware but upgraded software.
So instead of Minelab making and selling a new model detector every time they improve the filtering or other programs, they just offer an update software package.
This allows the hardware to be developed to its fullest capability.

It seems that modern digital detectors are following this same path.

 

[TomNH]

Odds are on the PCB the switch is there. Its just a 2 cent TAC switch. Physically you cant click it due
to the case & maybe the software. Its cheapest to make all the boards the same.
An example is some Zenith TV's in the early 80's came out with a cheaper remote that just had channel up &down
but not a 0-9 keyboard. BUT if you used a 0-9 hand unit it worked. The TV is unchanged but the hand unit was.
That creates a lower price point. If they want random access they had to upgrade.

HH Tom
LFOD !

One hardware difference is the 800 has a "user" button on the right side to save custom user settings, 600 doesn't have that button.

 

[dewcon4414]

And i foresee a phone app some day...... they have now used the USB. Only problem i think right now is ....... every phone is different. You maybe right in some respects..... this kind of is the beginning of the throw away machine with limited repairs. How much would you be willing to pay for an upgrade and how fast would it get out of date? Id hate to think it would be like an Iphone..... $900 every year...... ugh.

 

[NormS]

They have an upgrade they call it the Equinox 800

Unless there is a firm ware upgrade because of an abnormally don't expect it