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$7 Android/PC Endoscope Waterproof Camera — Parallax Forums

$7 Android/PC Endoscope Waterproof Camera

ercoerco Posts: 20,256
in General Discussion
Erco's daily find, a tiny camera on a long cable to look into Corvair spark plug holes. Illuminated! Waterproof! I ordered the 2-in-1, 5.5mm, 2M one for $6.64. It's worth that just for the nifty convertible USB/micro tip. Never seen that before.

Duane, you need 3.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/152404167846

s-l1600.jpg
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Comments

  • DavidZemonDavidZemon Posts: 2,973
    Give us a screenshot or youtube video of the quality when you get it. This looks fun.
  • GordonMcCombGordonMcComb Posts: 3,366
    edited 2017-07-19 17:38
    They don't seem willing to put up actual pictures or links to videos. I wonder why.
  • wmosscropwmosscrop Posts: 409
    Yet another Erco purchase. I was able to not buy any for a while... but resistance is futile.

    1.3 megapixels, so I'm not expecting much in the way of image quality.
  • WBA ConsultingWBA Consulting Posts: 2,934
    Erco, I double-dog dare you to swallow it!! Maybe soak it in Karo syrup first, lol.

    I might have to get one of these too. Even a crappy image is valuable at that cost.
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    edited 2017-07-19 18:56
    WBA Consulting wrote: »
    Erco, I double-dog dare you to swallow it!!.

    I was waiting for some kinda Obamacare colonoscopy joke, but you took the high ground!
    wmosscrop wrote: »

    1.3 megapixels, so I'm not expecting much in the way of image quality.

    If the resolution is half of optimal, is it a semi-colonoscopy?

  • RS_JimRS_Jim Posts: 1,764
    erco wrote: »
    WBA Consulting wrote: »
    Erco, I double-dog dare you to swallow it!!.

    I was waiting for some kinda Obamacare colonoscopy joke, but you took the high ground!
    wmosscrop wrote: »

    1.3 megapixels, so I'm not expecting much in the way of image quality.

    If the resolution is half of optimal, is it a semi-colonoscopy?
    ROFLO

  • localrogerlocalroger Posts: 3,451
    1.3 megapixels is 1280 x 1024, which is higher than the full-screen resolution of a lot of netbooks and larger than most images hosted on the internet. *WARNING PURCHASE IMMINENT* /ack
  • localrogerlocalroger Posts: 3,451
    Purchase made. Now I will finally be able to find out how much stuff I've lost behind my desk!
  • GordonMcCombGordonMcComb Posts: 3,366
    Whether or not 1.3 Mp will produce a decent picture depends on how they count the pixels. Are there 1.3M pixels total, or per color (group)? In fact, the listing doesn't even mention if it's a color or monochrome camera.

    It does say the resolution is 640*480, with 1280*720 for PCs only; the latter spec suggests they're doing pixel doubling in software. It's the output image, not the image pixels (which counts unused periphery pixels), you have to go on to determine image resolution.

    Another seller of the same camera lists the operating temperature is up to 120 degrees C (not F, but C). Yeah, right.

  • GordonMcCombGordonMcComb Posts: 3,366
    BTW, this is a borescope, not an endoscope. Unless you like putting unsterilized things into yourself... Erco, if you write about this, remember to use the correct term.
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    GordonMcComb wrote: »
    BTW, this is a borescope, not an endoscope. Unless you like putting unsterilized things into yourself... Erco, if you write about this, remember to use the correct term.

    Hey, I'm only quoting the seller, who is bound by honor, duty and eBay rules to maintain accurate item titles & descriptions. But yeah, you're the forum stickler for terminology, Mr. "Don't You Call it Differential Drive. " :)

    I have one of these somewhere. If I find it I'll pick an orifice at random and post a video.

  • MikeDYurMikeDYur Posts: 2,176
    erco wrote: »
    I have one of these somewhere. If I find it I'll pick an orifice at random and post a video.

    Please, nothing below the eyebrows.
  • kwinnkwinn Posts: 8,697
    MikeDYur wrote: »
    erco wrote: »
    I have one of these somewhere. If I find it I'll pick an orifice at random and post a video.

    Please, nothing below the eyebrows.

    Or at least below the chin.
  • MikeDYurMikeDYur Posts: 2,176
    kwinn wrote: »
    MikeDYur wrote: »
    erco wrote: »
    I have one of these somewhere. If I find it I'll pick an orifice at random and post a video.

    Please, nothing below the eyebrows.

    Or at least below the chin.

    I hope the forum don't become an online ENT clinic.
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    Here I was ready to give you cats a SHOW but my older borescope cam ain't working with Win10 and I haven't found an Android app that works. Just black screen. It worked fine with XP & Vista.

    Ah, what might have been!
  • Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514
    edited 2017-07-20 19:09
    Whew! Sometimes luck smiles upon all of us! :)

    -Phil
  • xanaduxanadu Posts: 3,347
    Nice find, I think I saw the same thing yesterday as a Pastebin deal for a lot more $$.

    I've never seen a USB connector like that, pretty neat!
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) wrote: »
    Whew! Sometimes luck smiles upon all of us! :)

    -Phil

    I was planning to crack a smile in my video!

  • Mike CookMike Cook Posts: 829
    I use one of these to look at the bore of my rifles. Image quality is so-so. Two pictures posted one of a box of bullets sitting on my bench, the other of the bore of my .308 Savage 12BV near the chamber.

    Snapshot000000.jpg
    640 x 480 - 67K
    Snapshot000001.jpg
    640 x 480 - 45K
  • GordonMcCombGordonMcComb Posts: 3,366
    Mike, Thanks for the samples.The resolution is a little better than I expected. But I'm curious: what in the bore would you hope to see? (That said, you could do your own version of the James Bond movie opening.)

    I think Erco's planned use as an inspector for the spark plug holes in his Corvair is the best I've heard. He'll discover there are actually no pistons or valves in there. It's all a family of squirrels.
  • Mike CookMike Cook Posts: 829
    edited 2017-07-21 16:26
    GordonMcComb wrote: »
    what in the bore would you hope to see?

    With a bore light on the opposite end, and moving the camera around you can see defects in the rifling, copper fouling, and other deposits. I normally just look at the screen while doing this and don't make a video. From the shot of the bore above you can see some lint (dust) and some of the factory goop they use in shipping. This is a new rifle I'm working with so it has not seen it's first clean (scrubbing) yet.

    The still feature I don't use much. But might start using it to document throat erosion over the life of this barrel.

    Just my guess, but using the live video feature works the best, same resolution but it seems like you can 'see' more detail from a series of pictures (video).
  • wmosscropwmosscrop Posts: 409
    Got mine today. Same image quality as Mike's.

    LED's run warm, not enough to burn you. You can adjust the brightness with the button at the other end of the cable, but there's only 3 settings (really bright, dim, and dimmer) along with off.

    Seems to be able to focus up to 1 or so inches from the subject.

    The microUSB (or whatever it's called, I gave up trying to track the variations) connector is a bit tight. The dual connector is neat, though when connected to my phone the phone can't lie flat because of the hinged part of the connector.

    I didn't use the software that was recommended for download... so I can't comment on it. I used CameraFi (Android) and YAWCAM (PC) and they both seemed to work fine with it.

    Still, it works well. Thanks for pointing out another toy useful tool, erco.
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    Got mine today. Works fine on Winders, but no joy on my phone or tablet yet. Think phone is not OTG compatible, the USB connector does not light up in red as it does on the PC. On my RCA tablet it's flashing red, and Camerafi image is all black.
  • Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514
    eroc wrote:
    Think phone is not OTG compatible, ...
    Yeah, that's why I didn't order one. I have an LG Sunset, which doesn't have the on-the-go feature.

    -Phil
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    Fortunately I have several Windows tablets if need to go mobile.
  • Ron CzapalaRon Czapala Posts: 2,418
    Got mine today. Works with Win7 PC, my Motorola phone and LG tablet (which has full size USB port in addition to the micro USB port).

    Not too impressed with picture quality but didn't expect much for $7...

  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    Please. No selfies from this thing,
  • MikeDYurMikeDYur Posts: 2,176
    Nobody is forthcoming with proof of their inspections. Either the image quality is not that great, or the subject matter isn't that interesting. Lets go for ratings here and see what happens. :thumb:
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    My kitten's due for a checkup, and this thing IS waterproof. heater, it's not a selfie, I promise.

    RAAAAAAANNHHR!
  • HughHugh Posts: 362
    As my mother-in-law asked the company supplying her new garden shed: "Do you do erections, or do I need to put it up myself?"
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