Hi guys, I've just been reading the thread again on the old USB microscopes. It's been awhile just wondering if anyone has bought one lately and interested in any thoughts on the best one to get today.
ditto
i'd be interested to know
I gave mine (that I got from Aldi) to AJ as I didn't really use it much, but I sort of miss having one now
Jaycar
I haven't needed to use my USB Gizmo since I bought my DSLR camera as I can blow up the images too see all the finer details on a coin now :good:
Thanks runway. Prices look much steeper on jaycar website than lots of ebay sellers for what seems to be also lower specs?
I only have a little point & shoot pocket digital camera. Getting a fancy DSLR is too expensive for just this purpose, and too heavy to carry around on holidays for me.
If you run windows 10 be aware that, with latest update, it will apparently not run usb microscopes, webcams etc. The net is awash with people asking where they can find a driver that works in Windows 10.
Just some general info.
The majority of them come from the same factory in China regardless of the Brand on them or where you buy them.
I'm on my 3rd Kaiser Baas (can't get them anymore), but it was my own fault the first 2 went bung. I kept forgetting to turn the lights off, so they overheated and something inside melted, but even so Harvey Norman eventually replaced them.
My 3rd is still going OK, one light is a bit dicky.
When ALDI had them a few years ago, both my son & I examined them as closely as it was possible in the packaging, and both of us came to the conclusion they looked exactly the same as the KB ones, just with different stickers.
All 3 that I've had have 50x & 200x Magnification, but IMO they don't really do up to 200.
While I was waiting for Hervey N to decide whether they would replace one of mine, I was having withdrawal symptoms so I bought a 10x - 300x one from Jaycar. OMG what a nightmare! It's so touchy to control it drove me nuts!
I still have it here somewhere, but every time I decide to have another go with it, it gets put away again quick smart, but at least I have a back up if needed.
OK, just checked and Jaycar have one on sale for $51.16, which if you want to buy in Australia, is quite reasonable:
https://www.jaycar.com.au/2mp-usb-digital-microscope-with-200x-zoom/p/QC3197
Quote from: 'Nevol' pid='103367' dateline='1483398502'I'm on my 3rd Kaiser Baas (can't get them anymore), but it was my own fault the first 2 went bung. I kept forgetting to turn the lights off, so they overheated and something inside melted, but even so Harvey Norman eventually replaced them.
No expert on these as i've only been using them for the last 4 years or so but the type like this USB Microscope (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/131997078666?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT) work with KB software and probably came out of the same factory.They can be purchased from China/Hong Kong sellers for around $30 but are getting scarcer.
The type that dominate Ebay at the moment has the light switch on the cord instead of alongside the Red Snap button and seem inferior to the older design and won't work with KB software.
I also the purchased the new Aldi one that was on sale last year and that has some serious grunt but a bit more finnicky to use than the tube type.Aldi Microscope (http://offers.kd2.org/en/au/aldi/pbBQE/)
I'm using 10 anniversary and everything works,USB Microscopes,Cameras,old printers etc., but i've read the horror stories of people loosing USB connected items.A neighbour lost her printer/scanner when she updated but it was a simple fix by using a USB 2 port,for some reason the Canon S/W couldn't see the printer thru the USB 3 port after the update.Almost anything can be made run on 10,it just takes time to set up XP or 7 compatibility mode for the printer,camera etc.
The one in you first link looks fairly similar to my KB, except the snap button on mine is white and mine doesn't have the On/Off function. Mine is turned on/off by a small wheel which turns on the 8 LED's.
Hmmm...The On/Off slide may turn out to be better than the wheel. Not sure.
Maybe others will be able to comment on that.
I have literally flogged all of mine, as I take heaps of images. There are over 2000 images in my Gallery and I probably have about 5000 that haven't made it there yet.
That ALDI one looks nothing like the ones my son & I looked at.
My KB and Jaycar both operate from the same software.
Thanks for all the feedback!
I was thinking of something like these?
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/191909237514?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/121982253136?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
These seems to have much higher magnifications. What are the important specs?
- Magnification
- Resolution
- Megapixels
- Easy to adjust arms
?
One says "Resolution: Up to 10 mega pixel". That probably refers to possible output with interpolation. Real resolution likely way less at $38.89 posted from Singapore. It doesn't state what the sensor resolution is and that is what really matters. I would give it a miss.
The other one states "Image/Video resolution: 640 * 480 pixels" which is likely to be true but much lower resolution that what $62.85 would usually buy now, for example the Jaycar one mentioned above.
Quote from: 'JeffH' pid='103364' dateline='1483396316'If you run windows 10 be aware that, with latest update, it will apparently not run usb microscopes, webcams etc. The net is awash with people asking where they can find a driver that works in Windows 10.
I am having dreadful problems with google chrome running
Could Windows 10 be causing a problem with that as well by any chance?
That I don't know but I do know that problems seem to be par for the course with Windows.
Quote from: 'JeffH' pid='103379' dateline='1483412105'One says "Resolution: Up to 10 mega pixel". That probably refers to possible output with interpolation. Real resolution likely way less at $38.89 posted from Singapore. It doesn't state what the sensor resolution is and that is what really matters. I would give it a miss.
The other one states "Image/Video resolution: 640 * 480 pixels" which is likely to be true but much lower resolution that what $62.85 would usually buy now, for example the Jaycar one mentioned above.
Yeah that 640x480 worries me.
Quote from: 'robbiegal' pid='103383' dateline='1483421334'Quote from: 'JeffH' pid='103364' dateline='1483396316'If you run windows 10 be aware that, with latest update, it will apparently not run usb microscopes, webcams etc. The net is awash with people asking where they can find a driver that works in Windows 10.
I am having dreadful problems with google chrome running
Could Windows 10 be causing a problem with that as well by any chance?
No. Been running Chrome on Windows 10 just fine for me - on more than one machine even. What issues are you having?
Quote from: 'robbiegal' pid='103383' dateline='1483421334'Could Windows 10 be causing a problem with that as well by any chance?
HOW many warnings about Win 10 being crap have we had? And still people ignore the warnings and install it anyway? :(
Quote from: 'robbiegal' pid='103383' dateline='1483421334'I am having dreadful problems with google chrome running
Could Windows 10 be causing a problem with that as well by any chance?
Yes,Anniversary 10 & Chrome are causing problems on some computers especially with Ebay.Surfing Ebay with Edge is the immediate fix until there is an update from Google,you can't delete Edge so its on your Win. 10.
Windows 7 and XP are still the best platform for most hardware
I refuse to use Windows 10 simply because most of my hardware doesn't have drivers which work with it
I suspected that there might be an incompatibility somewhere in the background but I am not all that computer savvy
I have a HP with windows 10 now
I have had the computer for a few years
ps just looked up the edge browser information - thank-you - didn't know about it at all
Chrome worked fine for ages but now when I click the icon to open it all I get is a little wheel and then nothing - the only way I seem to be able to get google is to open up internet explorer and then search for google and then I sometimes can get chrome to open but I think it has been more coincidence
the message says "chrome application exe did not respond to the start or control request in a timely fashion"
very annoying as I hate using explorer as it defaults to the MSN
RG - you can change the default home page through the Control Panel - Network and Internet/Internet Options/Change Your Home Page (if I have interpreted your comment correctly).
Pedro
yes you have
and yes I have been trying that but it doesn't seem to keep the settings
I guess you can try the Chrome cleanup tool
https://www.google.com/chrome/cleanup-tool/index.html
You can always uninstall and reinstall it. If you have signed into Google, it will remember all your bookmarks etc.
Quote from: 'kchan1111' pid='103413' dateline='1483448699'You can always uninstall and reinstall it. If you have signed into Google, it will remember all your bookmarks etc.
Yeah,that's the easiest as it gets rid of the copy in the background as well.If this is a deliberate attempt by MS to thwart Google then belt yourselves in for a entertaining couple of years.
The problem with Chrome & Ebay on 10 is apparently something do with the ads loading so hopefully a compatibility issue of some kind that will be fixed.
Quote from: 'Basil' pid='103417' dateline='1483480026'Yeah,that's the easiest as it gets rid of the copy in the background as well.If this is a deliberate attempt by MS to thwart Google then belt yourselves in for a entertaining couple of years.
The problem with Chrome & Ebay on 10 is apparently something do with the ads loading so hopefully a compatibility issue of some kind that will be fixed.
I have ad blockers so I don't see ads.
My USB Microscope stopped working on my 64 Bit Windows Version 1904 some time back,it(Windows 10) has just updated to version 2004 and i thought i would try again.
I deleted all KB S/w ,rebooted and loaded the KB(Kaiser Bass) S/w and Win 10 did its magic and now it is working again.
Hope this helps someone as i prefer KB to the inhouse Microsoft 'Camera' which also works.
I managed to get my new, 5 megapixel, microscope working some time back but only with some software and not all features available with any one software.
My older 2Mp one wasn't much of a problem with Win64.
And, surprise, surprise, the newer one does not give any better image than the old one. The documentation does say it has a 5Mp sensor but I wonder about that.
I use a Jaycar post mounted unit at the moment, BUT, mounted it on a longer post and use external lighting.
The thing comes from the same factory as the $30 ebay ones, but must be upmarket because the optics are better.
I did try one of the ebay types, but the optics were rubbish, I told them to refund or else, they did that and said dont send it back!
Probably out of spec junk sold by a trader.
The QC3199 assumes you are an idiot and has auto Iris, auto focus and auto this n that.
Basic software with very little control over operation.
Better than nothing, you can go by the pictures in my articles.
I have a all shooting all dancing camera but could not be bothered.
You can focus the Jaycar thing, lock it and slide coin after coin under it and show the image on a big monitior.
No need for a magnifying glass.
I run it on a windows 7 desktop, the drivers supplied with it work ok.
IT IS NOT MICROSCOPE by any test, you cannot continuously set depth of field, magnification, light level and the other 6 things you need to set either by software or manually. It wobbles and jitters but only costs $100 or so , you get what you pay for.
The thing has no adjusting wheels to set things, its just a high school level product, but you can work around things and get some good pix out of it, once agin check my mag pix.
Fred.
My newer one a piece of 16mm curtain rod was perfect replacement for the too short, supplied post. My older one I made my own adjustable mount -a bit "Heath Robinson" but it does the job.
(https://www.australian-coins.net/gallery/albums/userpics/10055/Stand.jpg)
re #27.
Well done Jeff!
My Jaycar unit is the same breed as yours, same useless knurled barrel as the only adjustment for the optics, same body.
I have not made up a height adjustor like yours. (better copy that before you slap a patent on it!)
Similar, I cut up a piece of shower curtain rail for the shaft, but used the original clamping box and knurled nuts.
(Slightly different mount piece to yours, but I do have another just like yours)
Its far easier to use than setting the camera on the tripod and a stand to sit the coin on.
That scope body seems to be the "go to" body in most of the cheap units.
The rubbish one I got a refund on had optics that were so bad there were aberrations ( blurry areas) in the image at any adjustement.
The lens were just warped. They reminded me of the lens in those cheap "one use" cameras, bits of stamped plastic!
Beats squinting through a glass and you can keep blowing the image up until you run out of pixels!
Fred.
Top job Jeff! Much better than the contraption and lighting arrangement I managed to put together!
That stand was from odds and ends. Most came from and old TV antenna.
Only part I purchased was threaded rod for height adjuster.