EEVblog #1127 - Mailbag Monday

[EEVblog]

Yes, Mailbag Monday is back!
Weekly mailbag videos to come.
Perhaps the worst schematic ever seen?

SPOILERS:
Only two items for today's Mailbag, and I had a lot to say on each.
The WIHA SpeedE Electric Screwdriver
https://www.wiha.com/en-int/produkte/electro/wiha-speede.html

16:10 Will the HaasoScope 4CH 60MHz 200MS/s change Dave's mind on USB oscilloscopes:
https://www.crowdsupply.com/andy-haas/haasoscope
https://github.com/drandyhaas/Haasoscope/

[sibeen]

$500 for a glorified screwdriver. Tell him he's dreaming.

[sibeen]

And I should have put a link in.

[drussell]

My two cents on Mailbag Monday:

I do like to see a regular mailbag segment return more often.  I have traditionally found them interesting to see what goodies you've been sent.  I don't mind if they are shorter or a longer 30-45 minutes or even an hour per video.

What I have found, though, is that over time you have tended to increasingly go into far more depth on each item, on average.  For this episode, for example, rather than go on for more than 15 minutes about the screwdriver, I would prefer to have seen you open more mailbag items and save more in-depth teardowns or first looks / reviews for a separate video.  For this episode, you could easily have opened three or four packages and explored what was inside in the time it took you to go on for 15 minutes about the silly screwdriver.

My preference would be for items that take are going to take more than about 5 minutes to be split into a separate video.  You could easily combine several teardowns or more in depth looks if they aren't extensive enough to warrant a separate video.

For a mailbag episode the length of today's video I don't see why you couldn't have opened more like 10 items.  I think the screwdriver tryout should be its own video.  Ditto for the tangent about the crazy schematic of the Hassoscope and trying it out.  Why are you going into all the detail of setting up the unit and testing it out, looking at the project itself and the schematic during a mailbag episode?  i would think that deserves a separate video for several reasons.  For example, I think separate videos would make them easier to refer to later and doesn't clog up the mailbag episode and may be of interest to people who didn't watch that particular mailbag episode. 

I have a feeling that many people end up fast forwarding some of those things and even though they might be interested in some of the more in-depth stuff, may never go back and watch some of those bits.  I know I have done that.  A separate video would make it much easier to pick and choose those things to go back and watch in more depth when you're interested in a certain item rather than having to go back and find the mailbag episode.

I would think a typical mailbag item should be 3-5 minutes per item.  If a "two minute teardown" isn't appropriate, save the teardown for another video and get on with more of everyone's favorite segment, MAILBAG! 

[jadew]

Whenever I see a project that's advertised as opensource, my expectations immediately drop to 10% or less of what they'd be for a commercial product.

Edit:
Also, as a side note, I've read once that almost all articles that pose a question in the title, will end up by answering that question with a "No".

16:10 Will the HaasoScope 4CH 60MHz 200MS/s change Dave's mind on USB oscilloscopes:

- No.

[Mr. Scram]

My two cents on Mailbag Monday:

I do like to see a regular mailbag segment return more often.  I have traditionally found them interesting to see what goodies you've been sent.  I don't mind if they are shorter or a longer 30-45 minutes or even an hour per video.

What I have found, though, is that over time you have tended to increasingly go into far more depth on each item, on average.  For this episode, for example, rather than go on for more than 15 minutes about the screwdriver, I would prefer to have seen you open more mailbag items and save more in-depth teardowns or first looks / reviews for a separate video.  For this episode, you could easily have opened three or four packages and explored what was inside in the time it took you to go on for 15 minutes about the silly screwdriver.

My preference would be for items that take are going to take more than about 5 minutes to be split into a separate video.  You could easily combine several teardowns or more in depth looks if they aren't extensive enough to warrant a separate video.

For a mailbag episode the length of today's video I don't see why you couldn't have opened more like 10 items.  I think the screwdriver tryout should be its own video.  Ditto for the tangent about the crazy schematic of the Hassoscope and trying it out.  Why are you going into all the detail of setting up the unit and testing it out, looking at the project itself and the schematic during a mailbag episode?  i would think that deserves a separate video for several reasons.  For example, I think separate videos would make them easier to refer to later and doesn't clog up the mailbag episode and may be of interest to people who didn't watch that particular mailbag episode. 

I have a feeling that many people end up fast forwarding some of those things and even though they might be interested in some of the more in-depth stuff, may never go back and watch some of those bits.  I know I have done that.  A separate video would make it much easier to pick and choose those things to go back and watch in more depth when you're interested in a certain item rather than having to go back and find the mailbag episode.

I would think a typical mailbag item should be 3-5 minutes per item.  If a "two minute teardown" isn't appropriate, save the teardown for another video and get on with more of everyone's favorite segment, MAILBAG! 

I actually like the Mailbag for the tangents. I've learnt so much through the variety offered and Dave pointing out various things. Just opening the packages is of little interest to me.

[drussell]

I actually like the Mailbag for the tangents. I've learnt so much through the variety offered and Dave pointing out various things. Just opening the packages is of little interest to me.

Ahh, but that's not what I'm saying.  I like the tangents too, but I think they should more often be in a Tuesday Teardown video or videos.  15-30 minutes for each mailbag item seems more like something that should have its own video or a segment of a video like "Let's try screwdrivers!" or "Schematic Shortcomings" or "Project Pitfalls"  or whatever, where a few items should be grouped logically or have their own separate video, like one on the various aspects of the Hassoscope project.

Yes, yes, I know... I should hush up or start my own channel. 

[Mr. Scram]

Ahh, but that's not what I'm saying.  I like the tangents too, but I think they should more often be in a Tuesday Teardown video or videos.  15-30 minutes for each mailbag item seems more like something that should have its own video or a segment of a video like "Let's try screwdrivers!" or "Schematic Shortcomings" or "Project Pitfalls"  or whatever, where a few items should be grouped logically or have their own separate video, like one on the various aspects of the Hassoscope project.

Yes, yes, I know... I should hush up or start my own channel. 

I understand you want to see them separate, but I don't think I agree. It'd probably mostly be frustrating, as you'd have to look up the matching part in a different video.

[ogden]

I would think a typical mailbag item should be 3-5 minutes per item.  If a "two minute teardown" isn't appropriate, save the teardown for another video and get on with more of everyone's favorite segment, MAILBAG! 

Right 100%. This was product review, not mailbag video. Good idea to limit 5 minutes per item max (with countdown timer) 

Most likely poll is needed so we don't have to waste internet ink by typing "yes I agree" forum posts.

[Mr. Scram]

Right 100%. This was product review, not mailbag video. Good idea to limit 5 minutes per item max (with countdown timer) 

Most likely poll is needed so we don't have to waste internet ink by typing "yes I agree" forum posts.

A poll should be fine, but people should remember that the EEVblog isn't a democracy.

[ogden]

A poll should be fine, but people should remember that the EEVblog isn't a democracy.

Right. It's capitalism Anyway manufacturer shall get feedback from potential customers about desired qualities of product. So everything is fine

[Mr. Scram]

Right. It's capitalism Anyway manufacturer shall get feedback from potential customers about desired qualities of product. So everything is fine

If Dave went for the popular vote, he'd be running The King of Random's channel by now.

[NivagSwerdna]

The price for that screwdriver is just ridiculous. I imagine the company will be flooding the internet influencers to discover enough suckers to pay those prices.

and the USB oscilloscope.... re:schematic "words cannot express how bad this is...."

What a pile of dingo's kidneys!

Sigh

(Maybe the point is that with all the time saved by using the screwdriver you can afford to buy a decent scope and ignore the USB one... or by buying the USB scope you will have spare money to buy a crazy price screwdriver. Seriously what is this c**p).

[BrianHG]

LOL, I wonder how it measures up to this 53$ version?
One Tenth The Price

It has the same twist engaging mechanism.
My real question is: Is that German screw driver truly 10x stronger operating and built?
And don't get me going on the 63$ full strength drill ones with variable gear & speed chuck...

[ogden]

If Dave went for the popular vote, he'd be running The King of Random's channel by now.

Right. Better run iJustine product review channel instead of old, good EEVBlog mailbox 

[taydin]

The format of this mailbag video is just fine for me. Yes, it ended up like a review of the screwdriver, but what's wrong with that? Everything that Dave explained about that screwdriver was useful information! For example, if it was just open it up and fool around a little bit for 5 minutes, we might have not seen the detail about how that screwdriver is supposed to work. It isn NOT a tool to unfasten or fasten a screw from beginning to end. It's just a tool that saves you time when the screw is already loose. The unfastening and tightening is intended to be done with a tightness hand feeling of the user. So the concept and idea behind the screwdriver is quite good! But to realize this, it is necessary to look at the tool more closely, which is what Dave did.

Same thing with the USB oscilloscope. I would have hated it if this was just an "open the box", talk about it a little bit, repeat what the manual already says and then do away with it in 5 minutes. I took in and appreciated all of the extra information that was presented, and so should the developer!

[GeorgeOfTheJungle]

If that were my "scope", I would want to kill you. Poor guy. Surely there are many good things that can be said about it. But no. Not a single one!

[ogden]

The format of this mailbag video is just fine for me. Yes, it ended up like a review of the screwdriver, but what's wrong with that?

There's nothing wrong with product review video, but then please don't name it "Mailbag". Problem with such "40minutes for just two products per week mailbag" - chances that your package will be shown is close to zero. Better you have your 5 minutes showtime than no show at all - as happened with muArt this week.

[Mr. Scram]

If that were my "scope", I would want to kill you. Poor guy. Surely there are many good things that can be said about it. But no. Not a single one!

Dave only gives negative feedback. We even got the t-shirt to prove it.

[JPortici]

16:10 Will the HaasoScope 4CH 60MHz 200MS/s change Dave's mind on USB oscilloscopes

I suppose it didn't. Altough i can't blame him, I was always skeptic of this project. At least The hardware has improved, but the software... an USB scope is ultimately as useful as what the software lets you do.

The Picoscope is a VERY useful usb scope. Extended signal analysis capabilities, infinite advanced math channels, decoders etc. There are shotcomings in the triggering and wfm/s that are inhirent to the architecture but i prefer to use the pico instead of a rigol for example.
The CS448 is another example of a VERY useful usb scope.

[Brumby]

If that were my "scope", I would want to kill you. Poor guy. Surely there are many good things that can be said about it. But no. Not a single one!

Dave is not this person's grandfather who will encourage their grandchild no matter how bad a job they did.  The creator set themselves up with a very high standard to meet - and they failed.  Sorry, but that's a simple truth.

Even if we get past the song and dance to get things up and running, such a basic oversight as having the input BNCs too close for several standard probe types is a bad start.  Not having level detection is another fail, but the DC offset issues are just bizarre.  There is no doubt that this product represents an opportunity - but it is just missing some basic functionality, consistency of operation and a display that has enough information to use as a scope.

Their aspiration was to change Dave's mind about USB scopes - but they didn't bridge the gap between operating a regular scope and their product.  I thought Dave was pretty clear - they failed at providing the "change your mind about USB scopes".  What it did do wasn't too bad for what it was - but it was not as utilitarian as a proper scope.

Besides, if Dave were not to criticise a product that didn't pass muster for what it was claimed to be, then we would all get half-arsed products, be told it was wonderful and be expected to smile as we (try to) use it.

[Brumby]

Dave - 42 minutes for this was a bit of a time fail, IMHO - but I think you might already be aware of that.

I, too, wondered about the 1KV rating for the screwdriver.  I would like to see an example of the use case they had in mind - but even so, what if you are unscrewing something that did need that rating ... and then dropped a screw from the tip.   

Nevertheless, I saw the way to operate it as an extension of the natural manual screwdriver motion.  Use the handle to twist the screw and when it has loosened enough, the electric motor takes over.  It's a single action by the operator that has two stages - the manual and the powered.

[taydin]

If that scope guy is smart, he should take this review as the raw, non sugar-coated, unadulterated truth, and fix the issues. After that, he should send the updated hardware for another mailbag. If the hardware works well this time, I'm sure everybody will just forget about all the previous mishaps and maybe recommend it to others as a quite capable poor mans scope.

He shouldn't have expected reassurance and back patting from Dave. That's where the girlfriend or the wife comes in 

[Brumby]

If that scope guy is smart, he should take this review as the raw, non sugar-coated, unadulterated truth, and fix the issues.

Exactly!

He shouldn't have expected reassurance and back patting from Dave. That's where the girlfriend of the wife comes in 

(or the grandfather) 

[taydin]

That's where the girlfriend of the wife comes in 

OMG! I just corrected that typo  Dont use the wife's girlfriend for reassurance guys