Kevin Horton
Well Known Member
I scoured the web, looking for borescopes a couple of weeks ago, and stumbled across two threads on VAF with great pictures from the ViVidia VA-400 (specs), sold by Oasis Scientific.
Dimensions - shaft length: 17 inch
shaft dia: 8.5 mm (11/32 inch)
USB cable length: 5 ft
It is a USB borescope that your computer sees as a web cam. If you are running OS X, you just plug it in, and use the built in Photo Booth app to get real time views and to grab a picture. If you are running Windows, you run an app that comes on a CD with the borescope. The Oasis Scientific web site suggests a few other apps for OS X and Windows. The borescope also comes with an adapter to connect to an Android phone or tablet, and they recommend several apps from the Google Play Store.
The angle of the camera can be controlled through 180? by pushing on the plunger on the handle, and it locks in position as soon as you release the pressure on the plunger. You press a spring loaded release to allow the camera to move back towards the fully extended position.
The built-in light was bright enough for the task of looking inside cylinders, which is the only real test I've done yet. The camera is is in focus when the target is between 1 - 4 inches from the end of scope (the fixed focus is advertised as 4 cm to 40 cm, but that doesn't match what I see with my example). It is not high resolution, at 640x480 px, but it is quite adequate.
The handle:
Press the plunger to change the angle of the head. Press the round disk at the base of the plunger to unlock the head, and let it move back towards straight.
Shots from inside my cylinders:
Dimensions - shaft length: 17 inch
shaft dia: 8.5 mm (11/32 inch)
USB cable length: 5 ft
It is a USB borescope that your computer sees as a web cam. If you are running OS X, you just plug it in, and use the built in Photo Booth app to get real time views and to grab a picture. If you are running Windows, you run an app that comes on a CD with the borescope. The Oasis Scientific web site suggests a few other apps for OS X and Windows. The borescope also comes with an adapter to connect to an Android phone or tablet, and they recommend several apps from the Google Play Store.
The angle of the camera can be controlled through 180? by pushing on the plunger on the handle, and it locks in position as soon as you release the pressure on the plunger. You press a spring loaded release to allow the camera to move back towards the fully extended position.
The built-in light was bright enough for the task of looking inside cylinders, which is the only real test I've done yet. The camera is is in focus when the target is between 1 - 4 inches from the end of scope (the fixed focus is advertised as 4 cm to 40 cm, but that doesn't match what I see with my example). It is not high resolution, at 640x480 px, but it is quite adequate.
The handle:
Press the plunger to change the angle of the head. Press the round disk at the base of the plunger to unlock the head, and let it move back towards straight.
Shots from inside my cylinders: