Vision Custom Tones

[steve herschbach]

Hi,

OK, had to find this feature.

You have to go to the Expert Menu then:

Audio
.......|
.......Tone
.............|
.............Tone ID Mode
................................|
................................Custom
...........................................|
...........................................Edit

There you can select each VDI from -95 to +95 and assign any of 256 tones by adjusting a slider. So for example I could make all iron a low tone, low gold range a low mid tone, high gold range a hi mid tone, and high coin a high tone. Walla, four tone detector. Or low tone for iron, low mid-tone for low gold, high tone for nickel, hi mid-tone for high gold, and high tone for high coin.

Or since I'm a gold guy, low tone iron, high tone for gold range, low mid tone to zinc penny, high mid tone for high coin. Or you want 8 tones? Or twelve?

This is a feature I've wanted for a long time. Reject nothing, but set my own custom tone set to hunt by ear the way I want, not some presets I can't change The tones can be whatever my ear likes The only downside is doing this on the detector itself will take a lot of time. You have a lot of VDIs to select and set and the slider is slow. Hopefully the coming software package will allow a range to be selected and a tone number typed in for the range. Good software will go a long ways towards easing setup of the unit for advanced functions like this.

I sure like this metal detector! I actually feel like I am getting to design my own detector. The screen readouts are really awesome but at the end of the day I hunt by ear. Running the unit wide open with a custom tone set is a dream scenario for me. The machine is a jewelry hunters wish come true.

Steve Herschbach

 

[Folsom Don]

Steve, thanks for the how to change tones on the Vision. What are you referring to with your statement " Hopefully the coming software package will allow a range to be selected and a tone number typed in for the range. Good software will go a long ways towards easing setup of the unit for advanced functions like this.".....Don

 

[steve herschbach]

Hi Don,

There is a USB dongle in the works that will aloows you to connect your Vision wirelessly to your computer. A software package will allow you to do all the programming on your computer. As I understand it you will be able to store programs on your computer, and even upload them to websites or email to friends.

It would be cool if the software acted as an emulator to you could see or hear at least some of the changes as you make them right on your computer, like my tone settings for example. Not saying that is how it will work but I've got a neat Minelab E-Trac emulator I downloaded that is just like running the detector itself.

Steve Herschbach

 

[Folsom Don]

I wasn't aware of the upcoming USB connection to the Vision. My initial reaction was that there was a software change needed to the Vision itself to allow this feature. I agree that a Vision emulator (similar to the e-Trac only better) would really be a great addition. Thanks again Steve for the update...Don

 

[GraveDiggerMax-VaBch-Va]

n/t

 

[Carl-NC]

The only downside is doing this on the detector itself will take a lot of time. You have a lot of VDIs to select and set and the slider is slow.

It's faster than you think. Let's say you want to set VDI's 30-60 to tone 150... go to VDI 30 and change it to 150... then press/hold ENTER and press DOWN to set subsequent VDI's to the same tone, until you reach 60. I can set up a 10-tone custom tone ID in about a minute.

- Carl

 

[steve herschbach]

Hi Carl,

Thanks! You just saved me a bunch of time. Hard to figure this all out without a manual.

Hope the show went well!!

Steve Herschbach

 

[Paul (Ca)]

Hi Steve,

Recently, Meet a friend at an old park who has a Vision. We compared the Vision with an E-Trac on depth, Both could detect a measured buried penny at 9" inches.

We both wanted to stay longer but other priorties kept us from comparing both machines so we only spend a little more than an hour.

After the depth comparsion, I was more interested with the Vision prospecting mode so we tried different settings to get the Vision to mimic the GMT/MXT prospecting mode.

I don't think the Vision prospecting mode will mimic the GMT/MXT audio sounds?. After changing the preset's we tried changing the tones but couldn't get it to come close to the GMT/MXT audio, Instead of the iron signal being a grunt signal and anything above iron a smooth signal the Vision was the opposite, The Vision iron signal is smooth (zip zip) and the signal above iron gave a grunt type higher tone? It should be the opposite, I'm sure it was us not being familer with the Vision, So I'm looking forward to reviewing future prospecting settings from the prospecting pros using the Vision so we can adjust my friends Vision with the correct settings.

If the Vision can mimic the GMT/MXT audio and has more sensitivity than the MXT on nuggets I will get a Vision for sure

Thanks for keeping us updated on the Vision,
Paul (Ca)

 

[mickfin]

WOW!!!!!!!! you can put those 2 togther N thay wont FIGHT!!!!!!!!!!! LOL
Mickfin

 

[steve herschbach]

Hi Paul,

OK, do not take this as the absolute answer. I'm just looking at the options and could be getting this wrong. But I think I've got it right.

When you create a program you get three basic audio options Discriminate, All Metal, and Mixed Mode. Once you choose an option each one has adjustments you can make. The machine has two basic audio channels each with their own sensitivity settings, etc. Discriminate and All Metal. Mixed Mode combines both. Typically the All Metal channel gets more depth than the Discriminate channel.

All Metal appears to only offer two options. A single tone that changes in volume or VCO, where the volume and pitch increase with signal strength. Prospect Mode is set for All Metal VCO.

To mimic a GMT you could go to Discriminate and set low VDI numbers (like -95 to -20) to give a low tone and high VDI (like -19 to +95) a high tone. Or you could use progressively higher tones for the high VDI numbers. In Disc mode you go from performance that appears to exceed the MXT to something about the same as the MXT. Pure All Metal is more powerful.

The solution would be to use Mixed Mode, which is like Relic Mode on the MXT. You again can set tones like I just described, but smaller and deeper targets beyond what the Discriminate channel can hit will respond with either a monotone or VCO type response. From my brief experimentation Mixed Mode on the Vision seems to work better than on the MXT for the simple reason that you can change the tones and so make it easier to tell what is coming in on the Discriminate channel and what is coming in on the All Metal channel. I set a real low tone for iron signals, a real high tone for non-ferrous signals, and a solid mid-tone for the All Metal responses. I really had to listen for the All Metal response on the MXT in Mixed Mode but not on the Vision the way I set it up. Jumps right out at me.

Visual readings are separate from audio and so in All Metal Prospect Mode you are still getting visual VDI indications on screen. I'm just guessing as I type but audio All Metal indications will probably read to a point where you get no VDI on the screen. VDI indications would have to be tied to the Discriminate channel.

It is not all that different from the GMT or MXT All Metal Grunt system. An item will only grunt if the hit is hard enough to id as iron. Otherwise for real deep or tiny items the unit will default to a "good" tone. Better to err on the side of gold.

So bottom line in areas with little or no trash I'd go with the Vision stock Prospect Mode and dig everything. In trashy locations I'd set it up for Mixed Mode instead. You could id most junk and for super deep or tiny items you would get a tone but have to decide for yourself to dig or not.

Steve Herschbach

 

[JohninNC]

For example, if a button has big iron two inches to the right and also two inches to the left, if I swing over it, will I get the high tone in the middle of low tones, and know to dig looking for the needle in a haystack? I have some really good places to hunt that are like that. John

 

[Paul (Ca)]

I appreciate you taking the time to go over the Vision's tone feature, I really like the MXT relic and prospecting mode and would like to have the Vision mimic this if possible.

I'm not much of a fan with tones and prefer two tones for the types of hunting I do, One for iron the other non-ferrous and when possible would prefer a grunt for iron if the detector will allow such as machines like the (MXT, GMT and Baron GoldTrax).

No one wants to continuously watch the screen while using the prospecting mode, That was old school and sadly some top end detectors today still operate with no tone ID in prospecting mode.

Thanks again,
Paul (Ca)