Newcomer / Intro Can the discovery scanner so anything the sensors can't do?

[Gobin Splat]

Can the discovery scanner so anything the sensors can't do?

Discovery Scanner

Scanner used during exploration. — In-Game Description The Discovery Scanner is an integrated scanner module used to instantly identify all astronomical objects within an uncharted star system. When activated, either in normal space or Supercruise, the Discovery Scanner catalogues stars and...

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[Tyres O'Flaherty]

Sensors

Standard suite providing basic detection, identification and targeting capabilities. — In-Game Description Sensors passively scan the surrounding area for other ships and objects of interest and displays the data on the ship's Scanner. Upgrading a ship's Sensors will increase their optimal range...

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[aRJay]

Yes they can do different things but since they have both been built into our ships for ages now it is only a matter of selecting the discovery scanner on one of the fire groups to use it to pave the way to identifying every body in the system and more besides.
It isn’t as if we have to decide which version to buy and whether to squander an optional slot on it.

The sensors mainly let you target things for purpose of communication or combat.

 

[Gobin Splat]

It's just that I notice my scanners automatically pick up any bodies as I pass through a system and just tried the discovery scanner and it just does EXACTLY THE SAME, so I don't bother with it

 

[Cmdr Nemo]

The conventional ship scanner has a mandated distance, the discovery has an infinite distance. Unlike the conventional ship scanner, the discovery allows one to do a basic scan of the entire system. However, the listing in ones contact menu will be void of actual names. Scanning the beacon takes longer but will provide a list of actual names to everything in the system. Thus if your just passing through, honking the discovery scanner is sufficient. If you actually need to do something in a system, scanning the beacon is more conducive.

There are some mission's such as assassination and various planetary scan missions, in addition to hunting various pirates in which honking isn't sufficient enough which mandates scanning the beacon. Personally, I just learned to honk every system and have done so since I started; Only takes a few seconds.

 

[aRJay]

It's just that I notice my scanners automatically pick up any bodies as I pass through a system and just tried the discovery scanner and it just does EXACTLY THE SAME, so I don't bother with it

The range you pick up data automatically is only about 1,000ls at most firing the discovery scanner will find everything in the system you can then slow down in cruise and use the FSS to discover almost everything about the bodies found as well as other things such as signals and resource extraction sites without flying everywhere.

 

[Gobin Splat]

Even without going to the nav beacon on entry to any new system my sensors start reeling off 'discovering' all major bodies, one after the other, in a few seconds without me pressing anything, honking the discovery scanner seems to do nothing more so in wondering why bother

The conventional ship scanner has a mandated distance, the discovery has an infinite distance. Unlike the conventional ship scanner, the discovery allows one to do a basic scan of the entire system. However, the listing in ones contact menu will be void of actual names. Scanning the beacon takes longer but will provide a list of actual names to everything in the system. Thus if your just passing through, honking the discovery scanner is sufficient. If you actually need to do something in a system, scanning the beacon is more conducive.

There are some mission's such as assassination and various planetary scan missions, in addition to hunting various pirates in which honking isn't sufficient enough which mandates scanning the beacon. Personally, I just learned to honk every system and have done so since I started; Only takes a few seconds.

 

[Gobin Splat]

Ah. Just the first 1000 ls

The range you pick up data automatically is only about 1,000ls at most firing the discovery scanner will find everything in the system you can then slow down in cruise and use the FSS to discover almost everything about the bodies found as well as other things such as signals and resource extraction sites without flying everywhere.

 

[Gray_Lensman]

<snip>
There are some mission's such as assassination and various planetary scan missions, in addition to hunting various pirates in which honking isn't sufficient enough which mandates scanning the beacon.

Generally, I find that the FSS is much better than scanning the beacon, because all you have to find is that one orange unidentified signal, scan it, and you have your target, which the beacon doesn't show in a lot of instances.

However, that said, the most enjoyable missions seem to be bugged. I'm referring to those missions where you have to go down on a planet and scan a data point for the system location of a terrorist. I get the scanned data telling me what system to go to... Head off to the system... It tells me mission objective in system, yet no matter how I scan or search all the signal sources, I can never find the target terrorist. I've tried a handful of these missions and I always end up abandoning them.

 

[Cmdr Nemo]

Even without going to the nav beacon on entry to any new system my sensors start reeling off 'discovering' all major bodies, one after the other, in a few seconds without me pressing anything, honking the discovery scanner seems to do nothing more so in wondering why bother

Prior to one of the last updates, every ship contain a scanner the installation of an ADS was not mandatory but extremely useful, problem was, it took a slot. Now that the ADS comes on every ship pre-installed, the previous installed scanner is still there and scans 1,000 ls, The now installed ADS when configured to a trigger and utilized aka Honking, will scan the entire system. The DSS is utililzed at or about 1,

Thus it really depends on what your trying to accomplish in any given system. As to which scanner you need to utilize. The conventional good for up to a 1,000 ls, an ADS, good for the entire system, generally utilized in addition to the NAV beacon but not always and or the DSS which takes up an additional slot just like the ADS use to. An explore ship as well as any and all others, already have the old conventional and the new ADS already installed, one must purchase the DSS and install it where ever, generally a size one slot. Not an issue, weight is nada, zeor, zilch, nothing etc etc etc.