Endoscopes / Borescopes

[NiceCupOfTea]

Have thought for a while that this might be a useful gadget to have in the armoury for those impossible to see crevices in cars!

I have seen quite a few around but does anybody have any first hand experience?

Some come built in with their own screens but seem to be quite expensive. What are the cheaper USB ones like? Effetively it's just a USB webcam on a long bendy thin stick with some illuminating LEDs - cost savings in that no screen included and can just be plugged into an old netbook.

Like this for £50:

http://www.partsforsaabs.com/product_info.php?cPat...

Cheaper ones on ebay/amazon.

[b2hbm]

I have one of the £12 Ebay cheapies and have used it with an old laptop a couple of times now. The main bug is that the resolution isn't great but the biggest problem is actually understanding what you're seeing because the perspective is so unlike your normal expectations. An "Ant's Eye" view if you like.

But they do work. The last time I had mine out was to look inside the clutch bellhousing, the cable fitted easily from underneath past the flywheel and right up to the release bearing/clutch diaphragm. Sadly, it was knackered so it didn't save me dismantling that time, but the consolation was that I knew it really did have to come out.

I'd say if you have no identified use at the moment then a £12 one is ok to play with. If you develop applications then spend a bit more for something better quality. I like the laptop ones because on mine you can take photos, scale and even video should you feel the need.

Brian

[Toaster Pilot]

I have one with a screen from Lidl, was £70. It works really well but I agree with the comments above that you need to think really hard about what you are looking at!

[NiceCupOfTea]

Thanks chaps, it's for general automotive use but at the moment I want to look inside a door panel to check a linkage on a central locking solenoid. Think I will take a punt with a 20 quid eBay one.