Parrot clip - really better than a crocodile clip and a two hook clip?

[pascal_sweden]

I recently learned about the parrot clip:
http://www.parrot-invent.com



Is it really better than a crocodile clip and a two hook clip?
It does not look to be much better than what already exists.

[McBryce]

Dave did a 60 second review of them in a mailbag video lately. Can't find it right now, but I remember not being particularly impressed with them either.

McBryce.

[JackP]

I don't think he was impressed with build quality, but he liked how the hook contacted a metal surface - good for wires, to bulky really for IC pins.

[Radu Filipescu]

Dave made his review in   EEVblog #749 - Mailbag . https://youtu.be/XmdBOcmXlsc?t=5m6s
I think Dave's  evaluation is fair. I might be subjective as I am from the Parrot Clip manufacturer company.
The EZ Hook can hook better on IC terminals. Alligator clips hook better on very large parts.
The Parrot can hook very well on medium size terminals  ( depends of Parrot Clip model http://parrot-invent.com/parrot-clip-models/)  with the advantage of reliable metal tip & metal hook connection.
The Parrot clip can probe with the tip which is difficult with the Alligator and the 2 hooks, EZ Hook.
You can alternate very easy from hands-on to hands-off testing and back.
The Parrot clip provides a  better insulation for the user, among the other hooking test probes. ( my opinion  )

[RJFreeman]

I purchased a couple from Jaycar a few years ago and have found them to be great. but I have found the EZ-hooks available over here generally rate somewhere between downright abysmal and utter crap, with typically very poor connection to the circuit under test.
Having said that, the hooks that came with my Tektronix logic analyser, and the HP ones I have have also been pretty damn good, so I guess if you have decent EZ hooks available you may not be as readily impressed as I have been with Parrot clips. 

OK one potential negative is that the clip is fairly large (I shorted out a power supply I was setting up, the other day - But to be fair I had a via rather close to a test point, (so makes Note to ensure decent clearance between vias and test points in future board designs)) but I also note that Parrot do have smaller ones, which will be on shopping list next. So this may not be an entirely fair negative (although just stopping to view the EEVblog mailbag listed above, I note that this is mentioned there also).

They are certainly less intrusive/bulky than crocodile clips (even the ones I have) and certainly grip better (although again maybe we just get crap crocodile clips down here). I have had mine for a few years, usually stored in the multimeter bag and have had no problems with reliability issues or breakage.

So from my point of view, they are a known decent quality clip and while they are not cheap they are (in my opinion) worth the extra few dollars to get something that I can depend on.

[pascal_sweden]

Really seems like waste of money. You can compare it with a company trying to invent a square wheel

[RJFreeman]

in terms of bulk/size, i find the tiny J-hook (japan variant) to be better (looks like a pomona micrograbber), as the tip is really small, under 1mm maybe?

Yep, that is the style I have had no ends of reliability issues with over the years, I note the one in your picture is bare copper and it has been my observation that these get dirty/corrode and fail to make  reliable contact which adds another layer of consternation to trouble shooting and testing  .

[Radu Filipescu]

In evaluating a product is sometimes good to have some criteria.
Test Clips criteria table attached.
 Are this criteria significant ?
A) Hands-on ,  1) accessibility in narrow places 2) contact resistance  3) insulation
B) Hand-off      4) accessibility 5) connection resistance  6) connection reliability
Are others to be added ? 

[pascal_sweden]

7) Common sense

Why use a new, unproven clip, when the whole industry is using crocodile clips and two hook clips for more than 25 years

[Radu Filipescu]

"In theory there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice there is! "( Johannes Lambertus Adriana van de Snepscheut -Dutch computer scientist and educator )

So, if you think that new products can bring sometimes technical improvements,  the best think is to test the Parrot test leads and clips in practice yourself. That is 100% proof.

You can rely on some comments from people who used the product .
Or rely on the reliability of a company distributing the product. 
USA Alltronics LLC, http://www.alltronics.com/   ( search word : parrot )
AUSTRALIA , ELECTUS DISTRIBUTION www.electusdistribution.com.au  ( search word : parrot )
EUROPE  Transfer Multisort Elektronik Sp. z O.O.  http://www.tme.eu/en/  ( search word : parrot )
 
Or make or continue a theoretical evaluation.( this is eevb doing )
A) in theory ( but not only) , there are some new advantages the Parrot Clips are bringing .
- for high voltage 100- 600 v , with no doubt. ( compare with the alligator, one hook or 2 hooks )
- double metal contact connection ( not a - metal - plastic connection as at the one hook clip )
- direct point contact with sharp tip connected to the lead ( no sharp tip for the alligator clip, nor for the one hook clip nor for the 2 hook clip.)

I think the best think is to have all kind of clips ( including Parrot test clips and leads  ) , each has a type of measurement where they are the best.
As there are probably more than 20  test and measurements patterns, you can choose the right one for your specific application .

[eas]

7) Common sense

Why use a new, unproven clip, when the whole industry is using crocodile clips and two hook clips for more than 25 years

The only way to innovate is to try, fail, and then try again, learning from failure.

But really, why are you posting this here? What's wrong with FidoNet, or USENET, or Compuserv?