Hi all, just my initial first time observations and post with the V3, any suggestions are welcome and I look forward to "developing" some nice tweaks for this cool machine! I have had a XLT in the past, and have had a DFX for some time now. I have used the DFX mostly on beaches and have come up with some good custom programs for it, particularly on Fort Myers Beach FL., where I found a nice 18k white gold ring with 55 diamonds this past May! So I made the plunge this week and bought the V3, which is actually branded as the "Vision". My wife and I enjoy detecting, so I guess it was time to get a new machine so we could both detect and dig... Don't ask. I went to the beach up here in New England today and tried it out for the first time. Came up with a little over a buck in change, but I did not expect much as it is early in the season and the beach has probably been worked over good. I did however find a quarter that had been there for some time. What I did notice about this machine is that it appears to be a hot one, or one with quirks. I found several times especially when pinpointing, that the operation was erratic in that it would seem to lock up at a high tone (using VCO) when stationary about a foot off the target, but I found under that condition the signal strength bars were a clear indicator of the target location. I played around with reducing the sensitivity a bit and that seemed to help, but not satisfactory. I also noticed the regular sweep recovery time seemed to be excessive and I played with reducing that a bit to some success. Over all, I would say there seems to be some delay in responses either due to me not being able to figure out a new machine first time out, or there are some tweaks to be performed for the location... Having had run the DFX for some time now, my initial impression of the V3 is that there is clearly a learning curve, although for the first time user there is a curve also, but perhaps just as much or more frustrating, I have read some posts where the V3 thinks bottle caps are quarters, and that has been my experience first time out with the V3, however... A quarter produced a unmistakable solid response, where as a bottle cap produces a near identical response, except it is not as solid, I get subtle break up. easy to see the two as the same. All in all, this appears to be a real leading edge machine, it takes some familiarity with the way this brand operates, and I think it will be most awesome once I figure out how to make this tool sing to me. Any and all feedback or suggestions are most welcome! Best regards.
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Quirks learning the V3 or are there bugs to be ironed out?
- Thread starter 5randy
- Start date
DavefromCt
New member
First I'd like to say that without the vco turned on I don't like the way it pinpoints, but once it's on, it seems to pinpoint dead on. I haven't had it lock up as you mentioned. One thing I think of is that if it doesn't seem to pinpoint correctly, make sure you move the coil away from the target then hold in the pinpoint switch again then go over the target again. In other words when you pull in the switch to pinpoint it should be away from the target or any other metal nearby. Once you 'reset' it away from your target it's ready to pinpoint. Hope that's all it is and not a defect!
Randy,in your experience is the V3 reading the bottle cap and quarter the highest in the same frequency? I thought I read on Whites that the bottlecap would usually read highest in 22.5 and the quarter in 2.5? I havent had the chance to run one yet,still saving up,but trying to take in all the info from you guys I can.
When you say the machine "locks up" do you mean the tones hang for a few seconds? I see that issue with mine (two units did it)... I think you'll find that when using the speaker or wired headphones, pinpointing works fine and is just an issue with the wireless headphones.
Here are recommendations from White's and my local dealer:
1) From the expert menu, turn off wireless headphone battery monitoring by enabling multiple headphones.
2) Make sure you're using fresh headphone batteries.
3) Change wireless headphone channel to a channel in the 70's.
4) Keep your cell phone turned off.
In my case, these suggestions didn't work but the debug process is ongoing. White's does stand behind their products better than any other manufacturer - they still believe in old fashioned style customer service.
John
Here are recommendations from White's and my local dealer:
1) From the expert menu, turn off wireless headphone battery monitoring by enabling multiple headphones.
2) Make sure you're using fresh headphone batteries.
3) Change wireless headphone channel to a channel in the 70's.
4) Keep your cell phone turned off.
In my case, these suggestions didn't work but the debug process is ongoing. White's does stand behind their products better than any other manufacturer - they still believe in old fashioned style customer service.
John
Hi again, thanks for the input, I am going to go out again and confirm my findings based on your input.
When pinpointing, I find that the tones hang, as well as the frequency signal strength bars. I find this was happening when I was X ing the target and would happen on a pass and I could hold the coil to one side of the target stationary and hang when it should not be seeing the target, I then moved the coil and there was no change in tone or visual. I confirmed there is no other metal where it was hanging. Releasing and re squeezing the trigger would clear this. In hindsight, I think my DFX would do this on rare occasion, and I have learned to deal with that without even thinking about it, I think...
So far as frequency signal strength levels regarding bottle caps vs. quarters, I believe there is a difference but I need to revisit and confirm which way it goes. I do know if it is a quarter the tone is dead steady and repeatable, whereas a cap will have subtle breakup of tone.
John, thanks for the advise on the headphone setup, I will try that and see what happens...
BTW, I bought a machine that has the "Vision" logo, and has software V 1.0. I thought I saw mention of V 1.1, and if so, does anyone know what the differences are? It would be awesome if we are able to update the software with the RF to USB dongle that Whites is coming out with later this summer...
Randy
When pinpointing, I find that the tones hang, as well as the frequency signal strength bars. I find this was happening when I was X ing the target and would happen on a pass and I could hold the coil to one side of the target stationary and hang when it should not be seeing the target, I then moved the coil and there was no change in tone or visual. I confirmed there is no other metal where it was hanging. Releasing and re squeezing the trigger would clear this. In hindsight, I think my DFX would do this on rare occasion, and I have learned to deal with that without even thinking about it, I think...
So far as frequency signal strength levels regarding bottle caps vs. quarters, I believe there is a difference but I need to revisit and confirm which way it goes. I do know if it is a quarter the tone is dead steady and repeatable, whereas a cap will have subtle breakup of tone.
John, thanks for the advise on the headphone setup, I will try that and see what happens...
BTW, I bought a machine that has the "Vision" logo, and has software V 1.0. I thought I saw mention of V 1.1, and if so, does anyone know what the differences are? It would be awesome if we are able to update the software with the RF to USB dongle that Whites is coming out with later this summer...
Randy
CROCK of COINS
New member
>>software V 1.0. I thought I saw mention of V 1.1<<
If you send the V3 back to White's...They will adjust the 'Volume" settings so that volume can be turned down LOWER ;-)
Not sure if anything else gets redone?
For your troubles...Whites was to send a coil cover for the 10" DD coil--FREE ;-)
THAT IS= You pay shipping ONE WAY to White's...They will return ship FREE ! ! !
Jerry
If you send the V3 back to White's...They will adjust the 'Volume" settings so that volume can be turned down LOWER ;-)
Not sure if anything else gets redone?
For your troubles...Whites was to send a coil cover for the 10" DD coil--FREE ;-)
THAT IS= You pay shipping ONE WAY to White's...They will return ship FREE ! ! !
Jerry
floridason
New member
Crock of coins (jerry) I sent mine back and when it was returned I had a new coil. Guess mine might have been bad. floridason
CROCK of COINS
New member
That's cool...did they give you a coil cover?
Jerry
***NOTE***
Below is the offical Whites Factory offer to re program your detector to allow a lower range
Distributor Bulletin
April 10, 2009
White
Jerry
***NOTE***
Below is the offical Whites Factory offer to re program your detector to allow a lower range
Distributor Bulletin
April 10, 2009
White
Hi all, I have some updated detailed information. I went out today to a salt water beach (Hampton in NH) and more or less had the same results.
John, I followed your suggestions, I don't think they had much impact...
I am using the salt beach program, and quarters have a stronger 2.5 frequency and bottle caps have a stronger 22.5 signal. when pinpointing, I found that the VCO tone would sometimes freeze on a pass, as well as the signal strength bars. What5 I found happening more than that is the tone would null (little to no tone and steady) the depth readout would change to 2 dashes, but the signal strength bars would respond correctly and I could pinpoint using those. I played with reducing the all metal sensitivity and that did nothing except made the tone weaker, I still had the issues just mentioned.
Since I was in the dry sand area of the salt water beach, I tried using the coin and jewelry program, and that was much better behaved, pinpointing worked well except on a target near the surface it would seem like the signal was overloading but there was no overload message on the screen. The VCO tone would increase in pitch as the target was approached, then the tone would go away passing over the target, then come back after passing over it and decrease in pitch as the coil would move away from it.A buried crushed aluminum can had the same effect to a greater degree...
It has been a busy day and I am tired which increases my concern about this machine. Perhaps someone has some suggestions, but I am done thinking about it today.
Cheers!
John, I followed your suggestions, I don't think they had much impact...
I am using the salt beach program, and quarters have a stronger 2.5 frequency and bottle caps have a stronger 22.5 signal. when pinpointing, I found that the VCO tone would sometimes freeze on a pass, as well as the signal strength bars. What5 I found happening more than that is the tone would null (little to no tone and steady) the depth readout would change to 2 dashes, but the signal strength bars would respond correctly and I could pinpoint using those. I played with reducing the all metal sensitivity and that did nothing except made the tone weaker, I still had the issues just mentioned.
Since I was in the dry sand area of the salt water beach, I tried using the coin and jewelry program, and that was much better behaved, pinpointing worked well except on a target near the surface it would seem like the signal was overloading but there was no overload message on the screen. The VCO tone would increase in pitch as the target was approached, then the tone would go away passing over the target, then come back after passing over it and decrease in pitch as the coil would move away from it.A buried crushed aluminum can had the same effect to a greater degree...
It has been a busy day and I am tired which increases my concern about this machine. Perhaps someone has some suggestions, but I am done thinking about it today.
Cheers!
Larry (IL)
Well-known member
On surface targets with the V3 and my SE both, I have to raise the coil off of the ground to keep from saturating the receiver side of the electronics, even though I don't get an overload either. That is also a good way to ID cans in the ground. If you lift the coil 6-8 inches and still get a good solid signal, it is most likely a can.