CSCOPE

[ivconic]

I opened a new topic here because there is better visibility here and many more people will see this topic more easily.
I apologize to the administrators that I will repeat something from a post I already published on another topic (which has less visibility).
I think that the Cscope company deserves another reminder of them and a topic on which we could do a recapitulation of their story.
Consequently; I invite all those interested: to give your contribution on this topic.
At the same time, I don't think it is necessary to repeat here all the same schematics that already exist somewhere on this forum.
That's not the point.
It would be constructive if only things that have not been published on the forum so far appear here.
...
I tend to mention the Cscope 1220B quite often. Because I worked with it for many years and I have very good memories.
Those were the "romantic" times when the fields were not explored and there were a lot of nice finds.
But in general, I think Cscope detectors are unfairly neglected on this forum.
And when it comes to non-motion detectors; at Cscope they have done a lot on the subject.
They have a series of very simple designs. And I think it was a bad decision, which affected the image of that company.
Because of the majority of such; somehow they lost their seriousness in the eyes of the public.
But they also have several very serious designs, whose commercial fate was threatened because of it.
Here I am looking through my archives on disks and I am reminded of some models again and again.
Unfortunately; I don't have a schematic of the model I'm interested in.
I mostly have schematics of the simplest models.
Cscope 1220XD is one of the models whose schematic I would like to have.
Or at least detailed photos of the pcb, good enough; so that accurate documentation could be reproduced with the help of those.
When I watch video demonstrations on Youtube; it seems to me that this detector is exactly what I would like to have, when it comes to a non-motion detector.
It has everything such a detector should have.
I don't know the current situation Cscope is in.
How is that company doing?
Does it survive.
Here I mean the hobby division first.
Because the industrial division should be doing well, they have top utility detectors and cover a good part of the industrial equipment and tools market.
1220XD is already an "old" detector today.
I don't think we would have done any damage to that company if we had done the reverse engineering and created the complete documentation.
If someone hasn't already done so.
If anyone has anything to contribute on that topic; here you go.

[ivconic]

Second thing (maybe the first!?) that would be very interesting here; is that someone who knows well the history and story of Cscope: write in detail all the information and trivia about that company.
Who were the lead engineers who worked on popular models, for example.
What is their story.
Development line of some models. Etc.
It would be in the spirit of the forum to dedicate a topic like this to each of the popular companies.
If we are true enthusiasts and hobbyists; I think we owe it to this hobby.
And not just a simple pursuit of small "profits" in the form of free projects that we would do and possibly derive some personal benefit from.
Although, like the cherry on the cake, like a good spice on food; projects are always welcome and are there to enrich the story.
And in fact, the essence of a company's work can be seen through the projects.

[Carl-NC]

Here in the US, CScope detectors are quite rare. I've never owned one, never even held one. From the few mostly unreadable schematics I have they appear to be fairly basic designs. A few years ago they released the EVO6000, a modern digital model with non-motion tone mode. But then they abruptly withdrew it from the market and refunded all purchases. Not a peep from them since.

I have twice emailed the company asking for some historical background and trivia but got no reply.

[ivconic]

If you go to their website and find "About Us"; you will only read this:



They are very stingy and frugal with words and information.
Looks like a lot of Scots are employed there!

...
Cscope detectors were very popular in my country and neighboring countries in the 80s and 90s.
I have seen many models. 1220B, Promet and Metadec were certainly the most popular.
1220B and Metadec are very similar.
I see they still have the 1220XD on offer!?
Which disproves my point that it's "old" and we wouldn't be doing them any harm by reverse engineering that model.
But how many of those detectors are they really selling today?
I have a few friends in the UK who are into detectorists.
In numerous conversations about detectors, models, specifications... believe it or not; almost NEVER did either of them ever mention Cscope!
So, not only are they successfully hiding from the world public... but they are also successfully hiding from their own public!
Maybe insisting on the "1220XD, what's under the hood" project would actually do them a favor, because a lot more people would find out about them through the forum!
I know one thing for sure; The 1220XD is number 1 on the list of models I would like to have when it comes to non-motion detectors, and I'm also very interested in the CS6MXi.
I see that there are also lighter versions of those detectors in the form of CS990 and CS4MXi.

[ivconic]

These evenings I am in intense correspondence with a friend from London.
Who is a passionate "mudlarker" on the banks of the Thames.
There are teams and clubs of such hobbyists.
And we had a lot of interesting info exchanges about detectors.
Not once did he mention Cscope and he mentioned dozens of brands and models.
Then he sent me several ads selling used detectors.
I couldn't believe the prices!
The prices are incredibly low!
And they weren't like that until a few years ago.
If I now have the conditions for unencumbered importation of such goods or to live there; now is the best time to collect a fantastic collection of detectors at very favorable prices!
A bunch of perfectly preserved Tesoro models priced under $150. Teknetics T2 for $140!
And now I can't remember everything, but which ad I looked at; the prices were beyond belief.
And until just a few years ago it was common knowledge that the UK detector market was very expensive and that the prices were several times higher than the rest of the world.
What happened there?
In such conditions and with this approach to the market and marketing; how many detectors can Cscope really sell?
From the same correspondences I learned that Minelab "nox" models are now very popular.
But also that many easily opt for Chinese copies of Western models.
Which was almost unthinkable until a few years ago.
The UK almost decided to completely ban the import of such goods from China.
And today... almost every detectorist has at least one Chinese copy in his "arsenal".
Most often it is a copy of Gold Bug Pro.
Because it is very cheap and works very well, and it has shown itself well on the banks of the river.
Not to get off topic, all things considered, I don't believe Cscope does a good job with their older models.
However, all these are just my subjective impressions, which can be very wrong.
If someone has different knowledge; it would be nice if he wrote it here.

[ivconic]

There is Cscope dedicated forum:

https://www.metaldetectingforum.co.u...bafabf80059907

[proscan]

In the USA, CSOPE metal detectors were sold under the NEW FORCE brand. Some of these detectors were genuinely 'new' as they were developed in collaboration with Discovery Electronics (e.g., the SST model). Others simply received new decals, such as the NEWFORCE CS1220XD model.

proscan

[Carl-NC]

I did not know that, thanks.

[Altra]

Another small bit. Eric Foster designed the CS4PI circuit, which was almost identical to his Goldquest PI.

[ivconic]

Now you're telling me that! I had a store bought new one. As usual, played for a few days and then sold.

[ivconic]

...Others simply received new decals, such as the NEWFORCE CS1220XD model...proscan

This sounds both a little worrying and disappointing. Are you sure they just repackaged the 1220B as the 1220XD? Or did they upgrade something to the 1220XD?

[Xtrem]

They have upgrade at last the power supply, XD has a12VDC , 8 batterys AA.
If i see another points i write these here. I agree with you XD has very stable ground reset and zero.
I have the 1220xd in my hands now , but it is not mine.

[sinclairuser]

hi ivica, and all, i have always loved cscope, my first detector was a cscope cs220 non motion of course(which i still own).
i also have a cs330(which was my grand fathers) both still work perfectly, i used to collect their old designs but i had a bad experience and a very public spat with them about a schematic about ten years ago, and dumped them all on ebay except my first and granddads units which i wont go into here.
needless to say i'm back using cscopes again, i have a 770xd, 990xd and a 1220xd which my son in law uses, and we seem to find stuff all the time on fields where the deus boys claim to have "cleaned out".
i think with a slow methodical way of searching with non motion machines you can easily find missed objects, i think alot of modern detectorists just wizz over fields with motion machines trusting in the detector or rather its software, the way they swing the coil missing loads of ground is amusing.
dont get me wrong here the xp machines a fantastic bits of kit(in the right hands), it seems no one bothers to buy a cheaper non motion machine and learn how to detect anymore.
anyway the modern 990xd and 1220xd are great nonmotion units inside they are modernized too so are better on battery life, they are decent value for money though they have gone up in price recently, if you want a good reliable nonmotion machine brand new the 990xd would suit that need if you have a bit more money to spend then get the 1220xd.
though personally speaking the 990xd is my recommendation the extras on the 1220xd are nice to have, but not really needed imho(which is why my son in law uses the 1220).
thanks for your time,
aly.

[ivconic]

They have upgrade at last the power supply, XD has a12VDC , 8 batterys AA.
If i see another points i write these here. I agree with you XD has very stable ground reset and zero.
I have the 1220xd in my hands now , but it is not mine.

[ivconic]

hi ivica, and all, i have always loved cscope, my first detector was a cscope cs220 non motion of course(which i still own).
i also have a cs330(which was my grand fathers) both still work perfectly, i used to collect their old designs but i had a bad experience and a very public spat with them about a schematic about ten years ago, and dumped them all on ebay except my first and granddads units which i wont go into here.
needless to say i'm back using cscopes again, i have a 770xd, 990xd and a 1220xd which my son in law uses, and we seem to find stuff all the time on fields where the deus boys claim to have "cleaned out".
i think with a slow methodical way of searching with non motion machines you can easily find missed objects, i think alot of modern detectorists just wizz over fields with motion machines trusting in the detector or rather its software, the way they swing the coil missing loads of ground is amusing.
dont get me wrong here the xp machines a fantastic bits of kit(in the right hands), it seems no one bothers to buy a cheaper non motion machine and learn how to detect anymore.
anyway the modern 990xd and 1220xd are great nonmotion units inside they are modernized too so are better on battery life, they are decent value for money though they have gone up in price recently, if you want a good reliable nonmotion machine brand new the 990xd would suit that need if you have a bit more money to spend then get the 1220xd.
though personally speaking the 990xd is my recommendation the extras on the 1220xd are nice to have, but not really needed imho(which is why my son in law uses the 1220).
thanks for your time,
aly.

I totally agree with you.
And that was my argument when I justified why I would like the experts on this forum to unite and create a good non-motion as a forum project for all members.
I still have a Deus, but I am far from being "offended" by criticism of that machine. The Deus has its place in the arsenal, just like any other machine.
But it is still just one of the machines and nothing more. I agree that in many situations the 1220XD will find the tiniest finds where the Deus can't.
I know it is, because I remember my work with the 1220B.
Yes, I was looking at the prices last night.
And at the same time I wrote a post (now I don't know where) in which I was surprised by the very low prices of used detectors on the ads, which a friend
from London sent me via Whatsapp correspondence. It's a bit illogical what Cscope does with the prices... but that's their business.
All md companies seem to have the same attitude towards documentation, schematics and additional technical info.
Even if the project is long out of date; they will not be happy to publish it nor share it anyway.
All the better for our hobby! Because instead of being bored; we have the added motivation to reverse engineer those machines.
If I ever get my hands on a 1220XD; the first thing i intend to do with it is to totally tear it down to the smallest detail, scan the pcb,
draw the pcb and later "extract" the schematic from that drawing.
The same thing I've done with at least a dozen other models so far.
Unfortunately, trends and "fashion" have changed here in Serbia as well.
In the past, Cscope was very popular here, but in the last ten-ish years I have rarely seen those machines in advertisements.
I have never seen 12200XD in local ads. I mostly saw older models.
And I've had two 1220B so far, both in "mint" condition. Unfortunately, I didn't decide to do that then. And now I regret it very much.
Because the existing schematic is not clear and clean enough. And even if it is, the 1220B is still an old design.
I'm more interested in the 1220XD. Or the 990XD, anyway.
The reason why the 1220XD is still in the Cscope offer is a very smart decision, because currently, as far as I know,
it is the only true non-motion on the market, in the world. At least among those models who are worth something.

[sinclairuser]

i have decided to come clean with you all about the spat i had with cscope after all this time and with hind shight(pun intended).
it concerned a detector called the parkinson pro, which was just like the old cs2mx but was in a blue livery instead of the usual green, it was also marked as "Parkinson pro".
now back in the day you could buy then prebuilt just like the cs2mx(though slightly dearer), there was also a kit version which my grandfather bought, it came with everything board, case, shaft, coil and stickers for said case. 80% of the board was prebuilt so just the bigger easy to solder parts left to fit.
now it also came with a schematic, now my grandfather fell ill and allthough he recovered the days of building and using detectors went on the back burner and never came off.
so when he died i was left his detecting stuff, once i felt ready i decided to build his kit, and asked cscope for a replacement schematic and they said proof of sale(receipt) would be needed so i said ok, i found the original receipt among granddads papers he never threw any of them away.(which is why i was amazed the schematic was missing)
so i took photos of the kit and made a copy of the receipt and sent them in and was told there should be no problem.
three weeks later i got a snotty email claiming they never sold that detector a third party did and even though a schematic was in their archive they could not let me have a copy.
so after my head exploded i tried to take it further but to no avail.

so gave up and dumped all the old scopes i had only saving my original unit, my granddads unit and the kit which i sold later at a ham meet.
what i wish i had done is mailed the kit to ivica, and let him look at it with his skills he could have discovered which cscope unit it was based on and built loads of them ha ha.

a complete unit turns up on ebay now and again as do the coils which are distinctive because they have blue stickers on them instead of green.
so i'm over all that now and using my 990xd my two grandsons find stuff with the 770xd on the beach, my son in law enjoys using the 1220xd but working men of a certain age have so little time sadly, but its all good.
aly