@ColeSloth@superpope These started off at $130 on ripsites like QVC (where it’s currently $100), and the QVC package included a 32Gb card instead of 64Gb. No spec is given for the card’s speed, and now that I look at the specs, nothing appears to be mentioned about frame rate, so the quality of the video might be chunked down to accommodate the card rather than the card being selected to match the stream speed.
Waitaminute. “Binocular”? Really? All of the images show just one actual lens, and no eyepieces at all; viewing is via the single rectangular screen. That’s not a “binocular” at all, its a binocular-shaped digital camera/monocular with an IR feature, and it’s a bloody damn huge package for that little capability.
Something tells me that I just figured out why these are on Meh.
For anyone else wondering (like I was) how you use these binoculars, throw away your old notion of using the eye cups method! It turns out you use the flat-end side which is actually an LCD screen! This model has a very minimal rubber “sunscreen” which will probably make it hard to view in bright sunlight. Don’t know why whomever does the writeups failed to mention this VERY IMPORTANT information!! Here’s a pic and some pertinent info:
Turns out they at least give a screen size in the specs but without the info I provided above you wouldn’t know what they were referring to:
@MrGoodGuy I found a video on the QVC site; it shows the thing being held at least a foot in front of the user. And since it uses just one optic, it’s not a binocular at all!
@werehatrack Yeah, I suppose one side of the “cups” section is for daytime images and the other for night vision. They are both different as shown in the listing pics.
@MrGoodGuy@werehatrack I’m curious how it goes from two (?) objective lenses to one image on screen/memory card. (Quantum effects as in the double-slit experiment??)
Apparently these sold out on HSN at the $199 price and got decent reviews (according to Google search, but that listing & reviews linked have disappeared from there).
There is at least one YT review of these, but not much in the way of any technical details that I saw.
They are also shown as SOLD OUT on the vivitar.com site, at either 249.99 or 299.99 (different models?) but no real details there either or access to user guide/manual
@werehatrack At least there are reviews there. Notably, 70 5-star and 80 1-star. (A lot of the 1’s are of the “I couldn’t figure it out so sent it back” type, and there were several mentions of inadequate instructions on using the controls.)
But I’m not sure those are for the same model as here, as they mention"4K" video, not 5K.
Specs
Product: Vivitar Digital Camera Binoculars with Night Vision & Accessory Kit
Model: VIVCVIR15
Condition: New
What’s Included?
Warranty
90 days
Estimated Delivery
Thursday, Jul 30 - Monday, Aug 3
I don’t see myself buying this…
I really can’t think of a use for this besides upgrading to be able to record while perving on my hot neighbor.
@goldnectar Night mode is infrared. How hot are the neighbors?
A 64gb micro SD costs like $25 all on its own, although we don’t know the speed. Still…
@superpope Going off of the “quality” most vivitar things seems to be, I’m guessing the card is very much, hot garbage.
Too bad it’s the lane kind of night vision where there’s a bright IR light it needs to use, and not the real night vision like the military uses.
@ColeSloth @superpope These started off at $130 on ripsites like QVC (where it’s currently $100), and the QVC package included a 32Gb card instead of 64Gb. No spec is given for the card’s speed, and now that I look at the specs, nothing appears to be mentioned about frame rate, so the quality of the video might be chunked down to accommodate the card rather than the card being selected to match the stream speed.
Huh. I talked myself out of it when I remembered that my trail cam does IR as “night vision”.
Raise your hand if you knew that cat fur markings don’t show up the same under night-IR and visible light…
Waitaminute. “Binocular”? Really? All of the images show just one actual lens, and no eyepieces at all; viewing is via the single rectangular screen. That’s not a “binocular” at all, its a binocular-shaped digital camera/monocular with an IR feature, and it’s a bloody damn huge package for that little capability.
Something tells me that I just figured out why these are on Meh.
@werehatrack See my post below
For anyone else wondering (like I was) how you use these binoculars, throw away your old notion of using the eye cups method! It turns out you use the flat-end side which is actually an LCD screen! This model has a very minimal rubber “sunscreen” which will probably make it hard to view in bright sunlight. Don’t know why whomever does the writeups failed to mention this VERY IMPORTANT information!! Here’s a pic and some pertinent info:
Turns out they at least give a screen size in the specs but without the info I provided above you wouldn’t know what they were referring to:
@MrGoodGuy I found a video on the QVC site; it shows the thing being held at least a foot in front of the user. And since it uses just one optic, it’s not a binocular at all!
@werehatrack Yeah, I suppose one side of the “cups” section is for daytime images and the other for night vision. They are both different as shown in the listing pics.
@MrGoodGuy @werehatrack I’m curious how it goes from two (?) objective lenses to one image on screen/memory card. (Quantum effects as in the double-slit experiment??)
Apparently these sold out on HSN at the $199 price and got decent reviews (according to Google search, but that listing & reviews linked have disappeared from there).
There is at least one YT review of these, but not much in the way of any technical details that I saw.
They are also shown as SOLD OUT on the vivitar.com site, at either 249.99 or 299.99 (different models?) but no real details there either or access to user guide/manual
@MrGoodGuy @phendrick @werehatrack “Sold out” might just mean remaindered to Meh.
@MrGoodGuy @phendrick
It doesn’t. It has one lens, that’s all; this is a monocular in a binocular-shaped casing.
No thanks, I will pass!
QVC’s page for this; they wanted $100 for it.
https://www.qvc.com/qvc.product.E330732.html
@werehatrack At least there are reviews there. Notably, 70 5-star and 80 1-star. (A lot of the 1’s are of the “I couldn’t figure it out so sent it back” type, and there were several mentions of inadequate instructions on using the controls.)
But I’m not sure those are for the same model as here, as they mention"4K" video, not 5K.
OTGH, I actually know someone with tunnelvision issues who might find it useful. Maybe. Probably not, because it’s so bloody big.