600X 4.3 Inch LCD USB Digital Microscope

That is pretty darn cool!  I remember just under 20 years ago using a microscope at work in a Micro circuit lab that was hooked up to a PC to grab photos of small chips and such.  It probably wasn't more than 600x either.

(I would deduct a few points for the seller's website since it calls out 500x-1500x in the "product details", but everything else does seem to confirm it's 1x-600x)

I am sure that setup I used cost a heck of a lot more than $55!   Of course there was no such thing as USB (or at least it was not on every PC as it is now)  or these more recent memory cards back then either.  I seem to recall copying the images from the PC in the lab to a 3.5" floppy to get them to the PC at my desk.

-Dave

That is very slick and very reasonable. Looks like you can perform work while watching the screen. The digital magnifier I use must be hand held right on top of the circuit board and is really only good for observing. Thanks John for sharing a great product with us.

I have a different version of that - same cost and screen/controls "head" but a different and a lot less stable and user-friendly stand. Have used it for inspecting very small circuit boards but the clarity is not as good as your images. Or maybe it's my eyes . . . Anyway, in the end, I always revert to my Optivisor when soldering although I agree the LCD is a useful tool for checking components. 

Sure glad you liked it! And the stand too. Big improvement. The new stand actually makes it useable, compared to the one it originally came with a year or two ago. It's also nice they finally put the two together as a good, useable package deal now. 

It really is pretty nice for the price and it sure helps in seeing those SMT parts and all other things small! I was quite impressed with it after getting the new stand. Haven't tried the photo part, but your photos above look very good. That's impressive too. I'll have to give that feature a try, pretty cool. I need to go back and re-read the manual. 

Hancock52, the stand is also available separately, if it would fit your device. The first ones GRJ and I got had terrible stands (plastic suction cup thingie) and we recently upgraded to the new stand. Made a BIG difference!

Here is only the stand from Banggood (the one I got), I imagine Ali Express would have it as well?

I just scrolled around the product page GRJ links to and saw that the older unit with a different stand RTR12 and I have mentioned is called the "Sucker Model" (meaning that the stand is a suction device). OK, I was a sap to buy it.

Yes, that is what GRJ and I also purchased originally, the "Sucker Model" (good name, I like that!). If your head unit is the same, get the new stand, you will be really happy you did, IMO.  

That is cool. My readers keep getting stronger. I may be up to 600 x shortly at the rate I am going.

Pete

I'm with you, Pete!  I'm thinking about getting the one John pictured in the original post myself.

Gadgetrunnerjohn sure does come up with some intriguing items, that make you wonder why you might need them so you can justify buying one.

RJR posted:

Gadgetrunnerjohn sure does come up with some intriguing items, that make you wonder why you might need them so you can justify buying one.

LOL That is for sure!  I need one!!!  

Mark Boyce posted:

I'm with you, Pete!  I'm thinking about getting the one John pictured in the original post myself.

They are on ebay too from the US for even less $$$.

Pete

I found it, Pete!  Thank you!

I have to give Tom the nod for this one, he steered me to it.  I've actually gotten some use out of it with the new stand, it was just living in the box with the old support, it was pretty unusable.  I just thought it might be a good idea to post it as I find it really useful.

Great job Gadgetrunnertom!!

Norton posted:

Mark Boyce posted:

I'm with you, Pete!  I'm thinking about getting the one John pictured in the original post myself.

They are on ebay too from the US for even less $$$.

Pete

I'm not finding them with the nice aluminum stand on eBay for less, what's the auction #?

gunrunnerjohn posted:

Norton posted:

Mark Boyce posted:

I'm with you, Pete!  I'm thinking about getting the one John pictured in the original post myself.

They are on ebay too from the US for even less $$$.

Pete

I'm not finding them with the nice aluminum stand on eBay for less, what's the auction #?

153211092671

That one didn't come up in my search, but it's nice, same thing, a few bucks less, and US shipping to get it quick!

This has USB connectivity as well, but I haven't figured out what program works well with it.  I found one, but it only yielded 640x480 images, much less than the recorded images of 1980x1080 that I get on the microSD card.

and it says it has a soldering tool?????????????

I just ordered one from the seller Pete found.  Thank you everyone!

Thank you Tom/John for finding/posting this. I ordered the stand, it should be a big help!

Thanks John and Norton. Order placed.  Can't wait to examine the spiders I catch in my basement spider trap. Caught one the other day and noticed she got eaten by her hungry babies. Yuck. Happy Halloween. 

That's ugly Dave, I don't want to see that any closer!

Big Jim posted:

Thank you Tom/John for finding/posting this. I ordered the stand, it should be a big help!

The stand makes all the difference, it was pretty useless with the old suction cup thing.

Thanks, GRJ. Glad you posted it for others though, I hadn't thought of that. Mine was also just sitting here useless until the new stand came along. Quite useful now! I kind of felt bad about telling you about it with the old 'Sucker Stand'. That was a disappointment for sure. Glad that it has worked out better now. 

Tom, you redeemed yourself when you spotted the better stand.   Sure, we paid a few bucks more for ours, but that's what happens to trailblazers.   It has turned out to be pretty useful now that I can actually use it on the bench.

Did any of you use the soldering function?

Soldering function?

You guys are absolutely horrible - your going to get me in trouble hanging with this crew.   The peer pressure is over whelming.

I ordered too!  Should help working on those TIUs and changing the Op Amp on the Proto2 proc boards.

Thanks

Jim

It's a worthwhile tool in the toolbox Jim, glad we were able to corrupt you.

I know Jim, John especially is always coming up with something I never knew existed, but now I can't live without!!  

GRJ, the ad on e-bay said the microscope had a soldering tool.

Still trying to figure out a use,  (Maybe for grandchildren???)

Mark Boyce posted:

I know Jim, John especially is always coming up with something I never knew existed, but now I can't live without!!  

 

Me too. I ordered one also. Probably will need this to assemble the Buffer Kit.

gunrunnerjohn posted:

I picked this up a while back, and then I was pointed to the nice base by Tom (rtr12).  I believe Tom also pointed me to the microscope some time ago.  Now I find that it's offered with the nice base as a package, I bought them separately.

600X 4.3 Inch LCD USB Digital Microscope

If you ever need to get a close look at something, this is a nice tool.  It also has the ability to take snapshots of what you're viewing, which opens up all sorts of possibilities.  For $53, it's a pretty nice little tool.  I use it for doing fine PCB work, but the possibilities are obviously unlimited, anything you need to see up close.  Taking a snapshot of the work is a really useful feature as well.

Here's a sample of the range, from the low magnification to the max.

Now if it could do streaming video, you could livestream your repair jobs just like Louis Rossman does on Macbooks

---PCJ

gunrunnerjohn posted:

Tom, you redeemed yourself when you spotted the better stand.   Sure, we paid a few bucks more for ours, but that's what happens to trailblazers.   It has turned out to be pretty useful now that I can actually use it on the bench.

Thanks!  It really is rough being on the 'bleeding edge' of technology, but someone has to do it! 

rtr12 posted:

gunrunnerjohn posted:

Tom, you redeemed yourself when you spotted the better stand.   Sure, we paid a few bucks more for ours, but that's what happens to trailblazers.   It has turned out to be pretty useful now that I can actually use it on the bench.

Thanks!  It really is rough being on the 'bleeding edge' of technology, but someone has to do it! 

We thank you Tom for being a trend setter!! 

You are welcome!  But most of the time I follow GRJ's lead, Stan's and Adrian's too. 

At a wedding reception, I once met a minister whose name was Billy Graham (honest, but not the famous one.  As we stood before the dessert table, he said, "The quickest way to end temptation is to give right in."  So I have done it.  I ordered one.  Christmas gift for the grandkids, of course.

I agree with Billy and you did good there! You may have to order a second one after testing and making sure the one for the grandkids is working properly.    

Don't feel bad, I think I now have more electronic parts, doodads, whickerbills, gizmos etc. than I do trains. I have even forgotten what some of them do? I've been 'giving right in' for years!  I have lots of willpower, I've just never used any of it. 

I think that 'soldering tool' is just part of the description as another use for the microscope, but I didn't read the whole listing, just skimmed through it.

Where are these guys located, are they in the USA or overseas?  Are they safe to use a credit card with?  I know all of you guys have ordered them and I'd like to order one too, its just that I've had some bad experiences ordering from overseas companies or websites.  Do they seem pretty reputable ?