Author Topic: EEVblog #590 - DIYINHK USB Soldering Microscope Review + Tagarno FHD ZIP  (Read 40993 times)

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Online EEVblogTopic starter

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Dave reviews the DIYINHK 1080p USB soldering microscope. A hacked Microsoft Lifecam webcam with optics enabling a large working distance and good depth of field.
Also showing off the Tagarno FHD ZIP Full HD 1920x1080 60fps USB 3.0 30x optical zoom vision inspection microscope using Youcam 6
Cheap USB microscope review:
https://www.diyinhk.com/shop/11-usb-microscope-1080p-for-smt-soldering
http://www.tagarno.com/products/magnus-fhd-zip-0

 

Offline somlioy

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That Tagarno is truly "sex on a stick".
 

Offline RobB

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If I were making that stand I would include some sort of drag mechanism to the adjusting collar. Something like a simple rubber O-ring for example. Might be worth taking a look Dave.
Oh and to mangle an old Shell advert catch line.      Remember the lubrication, It's your old fellas preservation :)
How stable is the camera with the stand reversed so the base plate is around the back leaving the immediate area clear?
Bang for buck it looks pretty good.
 

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How stable is the camera with the stand reversed so the base plate is around the back leaving the immediate area clear?

It falls over. But you could of course weight it down which I think I will do.
 

Offline all_repair

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Nice review.  Have not been giving thumb up for a while.  I wanted a USB microscope for a while, and DIYINHK is good enough for me.

On the Raspberry Pi wiki page, there is a report of success supporting lifecam 1080.  I would have to test out and can put some spare monitor to use.
« Last Edit: March 16, 2014, 01:32:07 am by all_repair »
 

Offline Dr. Frank

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What about mounting the camera clamp the other way round, outside the bracket and turn latter 180°?
Then the camera would be 30-40mm lower and you could have a sharp picture on the table plane.

Frank
« Last Edit: March 15, 2014, 03:17:59 pm by Dr. Frank »
 

Offline ceecrb1

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For usb capture/playback..
I REALLY cant recomend enough http://www.screenmonkey.co.uk/

It is actually designed for playback of videos, cameras or presentations on projectors.. but what it can lend to this system is that you get a full quality direct feed on fullscreen on any windows pc.
No it wont record. but its really worth a look, if anything people might find it useful for other reasons.
 

Offline dc101

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When I was searching for resellers of the Tagarnos, I came across this camera: http://www.aventools.com/avens-complete-product-line/microscopy-and-inspection/digital-microscopes/cyclops-digital-microscope/cyclops-digital-microscope-1

Seems like a nice compromise between the life camera and the Tagarnos.  Has USB (can't remember if it's 3.0, probably not) and HDMI, but not at the same time.  The one caveat is that the highest zoom level is with the scope just an inch or so above the board.  The software is OK, but could use some work.  Leica makes some REAL nice software for their DMS300 digital microscope, but I suppose that's why it costs $4,000  :o
 

Offline youbecha

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This camera is much more expensive than a B&L microscope with boom stand...used.

Would you recommend this over the microscope?
 

Online EEVblogTopic starter

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This camera is much more expensive than a B&L microscope with boom stand...used.
Would you recommend this over the microscope?

I have no idea what the specs of the B&L microscope are. What is the working distance and zoom level?
I presume it's an optical one? if so they are apples and oranges.
 

Offline amwales

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Dave, if you twist the camera mount so it looks like the one pictured on the sellers website I think the camera will be a little lower. The seller also shows the board he is working on sitting on the stand, raising it a little higher. I think that would fix the problem with having to raise the board off the table to be in focus. I think this looks really good, I'm really tempted since I have yet to get into SMT. It must feel really weird and disconnected soldering without depth perception.
 

Online sleemanj

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A bit of MDF and some ESD matting you could make a simple extention that slides over the stand's base. 

Excuse the crudity etc.

It is DIY after all.

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Offline LapTop006

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For the Tagarno, if it outputs HDMI why not use a recorder that takes HDMI, probably cheaper than the PC.

Ex:
Black Magic's (Another good Aussie company) HyperDeck Shuttle: http://www.blackmagicdesign.com/au/products/hyperdeckshuttle
 

Offline Monkeh

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For the Tagarno, if it outputs HDMI why not use a recorder that takes HDMI, probably cheaper than the PC.

Ex:
Black Magic's (Another good Aussie company) HyperDeck Shuttle: http://www.blackmagicdesign.com/au/products/hyperdeckshuttle

It doesn't do 1080p60.
 

Offline Rutger

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Why does the expensive Tagarno show the zoom factor in hex? For all that money they should have fixed that issue.
 

Offline mcinque

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Excluding inspection (AFAIK that's what Tagarno was developed for), in my experience any other job like soldering, PCB repair and similar tasks, require stereo vision to coordinate your hands and tools.

Just to try how could be the 2D vision, I've used only one eye on my stereo microscope during solder work: I could not distinguish the distance between the solder tip and the PCB.

Even with high frame rate option, isn't a USB microscope worst than a classic optical stereo microscope? In other words, suppose I can afford a Tagarno HD, wouldn't I work better with an optical stereo microscope like the Mantis?
 

Offline GeoffS

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Yeah, a stereoscopic view will always be better than a monoscopic view, which is a very real concern for this amount of money.

I guess if the guys been paid to try and sell the unit for them (via free sample) then all bets are off as to getting a true and honest review I'm afraid.

If by the 'guy' you mean Dave, then you're obviously new here.
Dave's reviews tend to be brutally honest, just check out a few of his videos.
 

Offline all_repair

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Excluding inspection (AFAIK that's what Tagarno was developed for), in my experience any other job like soldering, PCB repair and similar tasks, require stereo vision to coordinate your hands and tools.

Just to try how could be the 2D vision, I've used only one eye on my stereo microscope during solder work: I could not distinguish the distance between the solder tip and the PCB.

Even with high frame rate option, isn't a USB microscope worst than a classic optical stereo microscope? In other words, suppose I can afford a Tagarno HD, wouldn't I work better with an optical stereo microscope like the Mantis?

Dave did mention about Depth of Vision.  Is that enough?  I am curious to know too.  I have a stereo microscope, not Mantis, that need my eyeball to be touching the eye piece of the scope.  That do not make  comfortable setting.
 

Online sleemanj

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Just to try how could be the 2D vision, I've used only one eye on my stereo microscope during solder work: I could not distinguish the distance between the solder tip and the PCB.


One eyed people generally learn to adapt, use other cues etc and function just fine in a 3d world. 

The narrow focus range would provide a good subconscious cue I imagine.

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Online EEVblogTopic starter

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Even with high frame rate option, isn't a USB microscope worst than a classic optical stereo microscope? In other words, suppose I can afford a Tagarno HD, wouldn't I work better with an optical stereo microscope like the Mantis?

Yes, the Mantis is superior, but you still have to peer through the hood.
 

Online EEVblogTopic starter

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I guess if the guys been paid to try and sell the unit for them (via free sample) then all bets are off as to getting a true and honest review I'm afraid.

As Geoff said, you're new here right?  ;D

Yes, stereo optical microscopes will always be better in terms of true human interaction and perception of depth, but that's not being discussed. It also doesn't mean that optical scopes are the only tool for every job, there is big need for these digital inspection systems, that's why they exist. The Tagarno is the Rolls Royce of digital inspection system. If oyu don't have the need for a digital inspection microscope, then obviously don't buy the Tagarno, go buy an optical scope.
 

Online EEVblogTopic starter

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Dave did mention about Depth of Vision.  Is that enough?  I am curious to know too.  I have a stereo microscope, not Mantis, that need my eyeball to be touching the eye piece of the scope.  That do not make  comfortable setting.

That is the difference with the Mantis, you don't sit in an uncomfortable position. Also, the lenticular distance through the Mantis matches the true distance to the bench, which means that you don't get tied eyes like you do on regular stereo microscope by them having to refocus all the time.
 

Online Rasz

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Yay for DIY scope, looks like it delivers whats promised. I hope DIYINHK will get at least few sales from this review so he can work on next better version (same camera, but with zoom/af lens assembly).


Tagarno looks loverly, but their engineers failed on the computer interface front. $3K piece of equipment should incorporate $20 encoder chip instead of transferring raw video, encoder chip would also enable recording to sd/usb without computer. $40 chinese cameras can do that, and this $3K camera cant? Forcing users into using separate powerful and expensive computer for something that random fly by night chinese shop can deliver for the bottom dollar :/ Shame :(
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Offline peter.mitchell

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Just to try how could be the 2D vision, I've used only one eye on my stereo microscope during solder work: I could not distinguish the distance between the solder tip and the PCB.


One eyed people generally learn to adapt, use other cues etc and function just fine in a 3d world. 

The narrow focus range would provide a good subconscious cue I imagine.

Indeed. Depth perception is no issue, the only issue with one is is checking of alignment, and that only happens at a distance really...
I'm short sighted in one eye and longsighted in the other so I experience this every day.
 

Offline LapTop006

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For the Tagarno, if it outputs HDMI why not use a recorder that takes HDMI, probably cheaper than the PC.

Ex:
Black Magic's (Another good Aussie company) HyperDeck Shuttle: http://www.blackmagicdesign.com/au/products/hyperdeckshuttle

It doesn't do 1080p60.

Quite right, my bad.

NAB is soon so they may well fix that :-)
 


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