Question on Whites ..TDI..

[Keppy]

If any one useing the Whites new ..TDI.. how does it compare to the Minelabs PI detectors and garretts Infinium ??...........................

[AUDuke]

I have a TDI it's agood detector ., better than a Infinium, not quite as good as a 4000 or 4500 for prospecting, but a lot less expensive. Its more versitile than most other PI"s

[shepcal]

doesn't-
except price

[Hoser John]

Steve at AMDS and Grubby on shipwrecks have great long posts with much info on the new white-both in and outta the water. Whites doesn't even know how great a machine they have made-I finall got to play with one,thanks Steve/Grubstake for your GREAT info!! It is by FAR the best unit I've ever had the pleasure to use and doesn't tie you up/in/and over and weight is great. I'd gladly buy one-american made and when you take the time to properly use it-it's the best technology available--MUCH cheaper and AMERICAN made-cool-tons a au 2 u 2-John

[El Cooter]

I think it will get better with time. A friend has one and I think it works pretty well. But its no Minelab..



Cooter

[Keppy]

Steve at AMDS and Grubby on shipwrecks have great long posts with much info on the new white-both in and outta the water. Whites doesn't even know how great a machine they have made-I finall got to play with one,thanks Steve/Grubstake for your GREAT info!! It is by FAR the best unit I've ever had the pleasure to use and doesn't tie you up/in/and over and weight is great. I'd gladly buy one-american made and when you take the time to properly use it-it's the best technology available--MUCH cheaper and AMERICAN made-cool-tons a au 2 u 2-John

How do you get to AMDS & shipwrecks i put them both in GOOGLE and nothing??

[highdesertranger]

hey jim i do not no about shipwrecks but amds is alaska mining and diving supply.
highdesertranger

[mlayers]

try shipwrecks here on tnet...com

[Reg]

The TDI is a great detector for the price. As for its comparison to the ML's or Infinium, I prefer the Whites.

I will agree the TDI will not match the ML for depth, but doesn't match it for weight, price, or susceptibility to noise either. Now, the ML will not match the TDI when it comes to hunting for other items such as coins or relics, or in areas where there is any electrical interference. The TDI is clearly supreme under these conditions.

So, it is a matter of what you want to spend and what you will use the detector for or how often you will use it as to which is really the best.

Now, one should keep in mind that the TDI is not a VLF and is noisier, acts strange at times, and has no fancy TID features. One can discriminate a lot of junk by knowing how to adjust the detector, so there is a learning curve associated with it to get the best results.

Targets generate high tones or low tones depending upon the various settings of the controls. Some objects can change tones from a low tone to a high tone with an adjustment. Keep in mind when going from a hig tone to a low tone or visa versa, you have to go through a point or setting where there is no tone. I mention this because adjusting the ground balance (GB) is what changes tones and that same adjustment can make certain targets generate a strong or a weak response depending upon the GB setting. This is why I say it takes a while to learn the best techniques and adjustments needed for the type of hunting you are doing.

This detector is not for everyone, so try it first before buying. Some people learn to love it, others hate it. I am one of those who love it because I know what it can do. I have cherry picked hundreds of older coins out of a worn out park over a period of several weeks and dug almost no trash in the process. The key is knowing how to adjust the detector.

To be honest, I have only hunted gold a few times with it and then I really didn't put that much effort into it since I was on vacation. So, my gold finds are limited.

The TDI is noisy at max gain, so the recommended setting is closer to about 50% or so when using both tone mode. The gain can be increased to max when using the single tone feature without excessive noise most of the time. However, it is a PI unit and they are very susceptible to noise, so that can change in certain areas.

Overall, it is a fun detector for me, but I like a good challenge.

Reg

[Steve Herschbach]

Hi Jim,

Google herschbach tdi

I believe the shipwrecks info is on the White's Surf Dual as there is not yet an underwater TDI.

Hoser John - long time no chat! Glad to hear the TDI is working for you. It is a real bang for the buck unit.

The single biggest advantage of the TDI over the Infinium is coil selection. Since it is Minelab coil compatible you have almost 100 coils available for the TDI. But you want waterproof, get the Infinium.

I've got a GPX-4500 and it is a fine unit but frankly not everyone has $5000 to spend on a metal detector. If somebody had told me 10 years ago I'd have a $5000 detector I would have laughed at them! You can get both a White's GMT and a TDI for less than half what you'll spend to get the GPX-4500 and have yourself one great nugget hunting combo.

I run a pay-to-mine operation at Moore Creek and needed some units to provide to our customers who do not own a detector. We have some fairly magnetic hot rocks at the mine and so PI is the way to go. The Minelabs, with the harnesses and bungees and power cords are just not the sort of detector I want to hand out to people who will be dragging them through the mud and the brush. Not to mention the sheer cost of four units. The TDI also had the advantage of coming with two batteries, so we can always have one battery charging while the detector is being used.

The bottom line is the TDI is a solid, capable detector. It is not a GPX-4500 but it was never intended to be. The TDI is about value, and for $1500 you get two drop-in batteries, a waterproof coil, built-in speaker, and ability to hip or chest mount right out of the box.

Anyway, if you are seriously into nugget hunting and have the money and want the best, spring for the Minelab. But if all I used was the TDI I'd do just fine. It is certainly easier to recoup the cost - the first nugget I found with mine paid for it!

Steve Herschbach


Here is a nice 2.07 oz. specimen found at Moore Creek last summer with the White's TDI by Chris P from Soldotna, Alaska.