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Using the Vividia VA-400 borescope with a MacBook?

RV8Squaz

Well Known Member
Hello

Is anyone using their VA-400 with a MacBook? If so, what app are you using? I've been using Photo Booth and I have never been able to take pictures with the quality I've seen previously posted here. I think there may be some compatibility issue going on. Photo Booth works great when using the built in camera above the screen but when I use the VA-400 I get some distortion and the pictures inside the cylinder are very grainy. The LEDs seem to work fine and went I point the scope to something on the workbench it seems to work fine. But the pictures I've snapped inside the cylinder are not very good.
 
Hi Jerry.

I've had the same problem. Some pics come out very good and some are very grainy. Sorry I can't help, but I'm interested in a solution.
 
I use Quick Camera. Free in the app store.

Be diligent about cleaning the lens with a Q-tip and alcohol. They get dirty easily.
 
I use it with my I pad mini 4 and have noticed some pictures are better than others. I think it has to do with the focal point of the lens. I can move the tip closer or farther away and improve most pictures.
I don't like the way the app only deals with one photo at a time. would prefer a way to scroll through the pics.
 
I use Quick Camera. Free in the app store.

Be diligent about cleaning the lens with a Q-tip and alcohol. They get dirty easily.

Quick Camera is great. I use it with my $10 USB scope and it seems to have much better quality and fewer hiccups than other things I've tried. It really needs a "take picture" button. I can never remember the OSX screen grab window shortcut!

VLC also works but I haven't tried it with the VA-400. It stutters with my cheapo camera and the built-in camera though. Quality is higher in VLC than Quick Camera.
 
Be diligent about cleaning the lens with a Q-tip and alcohol. They get dirty easily.
+1 on that advice. Another one is wait for the engine, if that is you?re aiming for, to be cold...

I found the quality using iPad mini ok, but sorting out the pictures a mess since only a timestamp is available. Doing quite a few of ?em intrusive :p inspections, I returned to the Dark Ages and use a small Windows laptop...
 
I use my VA-400 Ablescope with my macbook and get good results with photo booth. I capture HD quality video through photo booth as well.

I also agree the idea of cleaning the lens with a little alcohol before and after use for the clearest photos.
 
one more idea

...I use the VA400, but not with a mac. If you are getting pictures at all, look at the file size, or the actual pixels in your viewer ( i.e. 800x1200).
I'll bet the resolution is the same on your 'good' pics as the poor ones.

I think the lighting may be the culprit...the sensor only pics up so much detail in the lower intensities...and some of my in-cylinder photos were seemingly flat and grainy ( which is more of a film term, but I'll use it!)

try pulling the other plug, and inserting a diffuse light source, like a glow stick type idea...... more, soft, illumination would be a benefit.

I think the LED's around the lens are so intense, in a shiny cylinder, the probably cause the software to 'step down' the shutter to cut out all the intense light ( kinda 'too bright' vs 'too dark' in there!)

just some ideas to try.....good luck, I think it's worth the effort!
 
Hey guys. Thank you very much for your replies. I?ll give Quick Camera a try. The lens on my borescope is clean. But as pointed out, it may be more of a lighting issue. I had tried a flashlight in the other spark plug hole but it really washed things out. The chem light is a good idea. It may also be the computer itself; it?s a 2013/MacBook Air. I?ll try my wife?s MacBook Pro next time. It is much newer.
 
The other thing I have done is turn off the light on the camera and drop an incandescent bulb thru the other hole. The bulb can be any automotive bulb small enough to fit thru the hole with some wires soldered to it. The color temp of the bulb is lower and not nearly as blue so things appear more naturally.
 
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