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  #1  
Old 12-13-2015, 10:47 AM
jchang10 jchang10 is offline
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: San Francisco, CA
Posts: 525
Default Tip: Cheap Good Borescope

ViVidia AbleScope VA-400 USB Rigid Borescope Endoscope with 180 Degree Articulating 8.5mm Diameter Probe

$150 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ilpage_o02_s00 - only thing you need to connect to laptop
$4 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ilpage_o03_s00 - Only needed to connect to android smartphone instead of laptop
Free https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...camerafi&hl=en - only needed on smartphone

After playing with dental cameras shipped from China and other junk from harbor freight, it would have been cheaper to just buy the $$$ Snap-on camera from the start. Avoid the hassle and just buy this setup. Cheap and works perfectly. This has the articulating head, which is a must for the best picture.

Several different camera apps are available. I am sure they all work fine. Save yourself $4 and connect to a Laptop instead of an android phone.

Another problem with the other cheaper cameras, was with the LED brightness. Either too dim or too bright and they get washed out by the reflective Al or Steel. This camera adjusts really well. I could easily see cross hatching on the cylinder walls, what was oil vs. not oil, etc. I should have taken more photos to show how well it did. Ill do it later maybe.

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Last edited by jchang10 : 12-14-2015 at 12:02 PM.
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  #2  
Old 12-13-2015, 11:15 AM
BillL BillL is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Central IL
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Jae,

Yes, please add photos. Please take a pict with a scale so we can see the minimal focal length and some resolution on a 1/64 scale.

I bought a flex head but the screen resolution is poor, and the focal length is too long for usefulness within a cylinder. I have used it for other cavity work that made it worth the $125 price, but not for in cylinder. The SnapOn with the 640X800 seems to fill the bill but, pricey, like you say.
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  #3  
Old 12-13-2015, 02:17 PM
jchang10 jchang10 is offline
 
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Location: San Francisco, CA
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Not sure about a scale, but this was an attempt to capture both intake and exhaust valves. I think you might be able to go back further, by moving the piston away as far as possible. I figured the exhaust valves were most important so all the rest were taken with just exhaust valve zoomed in. I figure you get the most detail this way, too.

Unfortunatley, no pics of cylinder walls which was quite clear as well.

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Last edited by jchang10 : 12-14-2015 at 11:51 AM.
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  #4  
Old 12-13-2015, 03:04 PM
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revenson revenson is offline
 
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Location: Tucson, AZ
Posts: 167
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How's the color rendition?
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  #5  
Old 12-14-2015, 10:15 AM
jchang10 jchang10 is offline
 
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I would have to say excellent. In my limited experience with the other cheaper cameras, there were so many other issues you hit before ever getting to the point of nitpicking about color.

Framing the image, focus, access, and color washout from an LED light shining on metal surfaces, and FOD on a mirror, all contributed to poor images. This one just works.
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Last edited by jchang10 : 12-14-2015 at 10:17 AM.
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  #6  
Old 12-14-2015, 10:42 AM
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erich weaver erich weaver is offline
 
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Location: santa barbara, CA
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The pictures are not showing up for me.

Isnt the rigid rather than flexible nature of the extension a significant limitation?
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  #7  
Old 12-14-2015, 11:58 AM
jchang10 jchang10 is offline
 
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Hopefully, you can see the images again. Google is going from picasaweb to photos, and of course it breaks something.

You are right, the ViVidia scope is rigid, but i had no problems with it at all. In fact, i think it might make things easier to manipulate and frame the image. You just need a straight shot thru the spark plug hole, which i believe we all should have anyway.

On Beechtalk, a bunch of them use it and recommended this, so it works for all of them, which i wholehearted agree. I just did not see this mentioned here, so i figured i would before someone wastes more time and money on inferior solutions.
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  #8  
Old 12-14-2015, 03:15 PM
gasman gasman is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jchang10 View Post
Not sure about a scale, but this was an attempt to capture both intake and exhaust valves. I think you might be able to go back further, by moving the piston away as far as possible. I figured the exhaust valves were most important so all the rest were taken with just exhaust valve zoomed in. I figure you get the most detail this way, too.

Unfortunatley, no pics of cylinder walls which was quite clear as well.

Is that spark plug the proper length?
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  #9  
Old 12-14-2015, 09:54 PM
jchang10 jchang10 is offline
 
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It is actually the original champion plugs that came with the engine from Lycoming. It does seem strange to see those threads. Anybody else know?
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  #10  
Old 12-15-2015, 06:16 AM
BillL BillL is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Central IL
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Default But wait - - there's more!

When going to the link Jae provided, there is an ad for a flexible model for $349.
Quite a price jump.

http://www.amazon.com/AbleScope-VA-8...KRW7SGJZQY4TA3
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RV-7
Lord Kelvin:
“I often say that when you can measure what you are speaking about,
and express it in numbers, you know something about it; but when you
cannot measure it, when you cannot express it in numbers, your knowledge
is of a meager and unsatisfactory kind.”
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