Yeah have the same feeling. Basically all I got from this was 'go try before you buy'. The challenge would be if there was a way to distill down the hours of experience and $ needed to just feel out the environment into something more concise and tangible. e.g. I spend 2k on a unit or 3k on a unit how much better is it? Probably a very difficult task as I haven't seen it done yet.
A lot of people don’t realize after spending almost 10k on getting your nod, helmet, mount, laser, rifle setup then you have to find a place to shoot at night. That’s pretty difficult for some
I applaud the goal of this video but after 34 minutes I have no more information to help me buy night vision than I did before I watched the video. The only thing I got out of the video was what I need to research about night vision. What I was hoping for were answers to the the things that were brought up in the video. I hope part two will give more information things like the difference between L3 and Elbit intensifiers or bridged and articulating night vision. Looking to part 2.
Same, I've watched a lot of Brass facts and Hops NVG content, and in the same boat as you. Is L3 $1k better than similar FOM elbit tubes? This video didn't really answer any basic night vision purchasing questions.
As a guy who was issued NVG, I can say if you're looking at a G difference in cost, in NV, the real question is at $14k what's another grand? L3 makes some of the best NV on earth. If you're going to spend that coin, then yes, spend the added grand as they put more R&D and QC into their end product, largely due to the fact they end up with the lions share of the DOD contract, and do so for a reason.
I was leaning more into the digital NV just for cost purposes. Its a step into the NV world without killing wallet for years upon end. Im poor btw lol. Let's be real, not all of us can drop 15k -30k for panoramic L3. And if you can, then thats a major plus factor and I applaude you.
@@ryanashby3640 I totally understand that and was planning on a external battery pack mounted to helmet. I know ypu have to "PAY TO PLAY" so dont get me wrong. Cheapest Ive seen autogated white or green phos single tube being about 4k used. PVS14 about 3k or less if used. Thats absolutely trusting the used category is 90%-80% true to word. But, my trust in people is thin nowadays when they say its good. Im just in between a rock and a hard place when it comes to any NVGs. Its probably best to just het new, but if ol boy is saying QC is fickle even in new gear, then whats the point of new if its 50/50
Yeaaaah, and the whole “night vision wasn’t and isn’t developed with civilians in mind that’s why quality isn’t great on the newer” just screams “we can produce shittier products because the government has no one else to go to/it’s a contract”. This guy said a whole lot of nothing.
It's kind of sad that T-Rex had this goober come on here and give everyone a big nothing burger. Hop's night vision information videos are way better. And more entertaining, this guy is dryer than an MRE cracker.
Something that would be cool to see would be night vision testing days (well, nights i suppose). Not even a rifle class, just a night vision shop coming to your town, letting you try and explaining everything for say $100, and if you buy something that's your first deposit. An informative try out and sales event. The absolute basics of how to choose, set up and use your night vision rig, how to not run into things and how to not destroy your expensive gear.
Great video series but he didn't actually tell us anything in his video to give direction to our buying decisions. This was more of a disclaimer video on expectations of night vision investment but not a buyer's guide in any way. He didn't talk about dual tube vs single tube, differences been housings, difference between green and white phosphor, the generations, auto vs manual gate etc etc. Someone who watches this will have no more ability to make an educated purchase decision than before they watched this besides knowing it can be tricky. Hopefully the next episode will address all these points that make a big impact on your decision
Every other guntuber would have tried to make and present videos / topics like this themselves. Lucas literally knows he doesn't know everything, sets ego aside, and brings in an expert. This is why I support TREX.
Uh, it's an advertisement for the other guy's night vision company who he's business partners with and is going to sell his night vision products... This wasn't just informational haha.
@@maximusjoseppi5904 yeah some people are so naive. as if the information presented was so complex he couldn't have done it himself after learning it from the other guy. people love making up different reasons to justify being effusive for their favorite youtuber.
He was very vague about almost everything, from the history of night vision to commercial grade vs mil spec tubes, & even just simply what he recommends a first time buyer should purchase. Almost no actual useful information was presented to the first time buyer of nods. I'm not trying to discourage the guy, he seems like a really cool dude, but he needs to use less word salad and more clear cut talking points, if he can't do it freeform That being said, he should do a part 2 , I'm not trying to hate on the guy
There was like no actual information for that ‘95%’ of people to get or use night vision. He basically said don’t worry about the specs much just get one of my salesmen to tell you what is needed. Also come check out the classes I offer to learn some actual information. I think they should have skipped this video and just released the second in-depth video.
@@PastorDr.MartinSsempa What kind of vehicle? My Toyota has 238,000 miles on it and still going strong. With all the money saved by never buying new cars, that's more money for cooler more expensive guns and accessories!
@@silvermine2033 2006 Subaru Impreza outback sport. I didn't do myself any favors by lifting it and running oversized all terrains so I can drive down trails lol.
@@carsonhunt4642 they each have their advantages. Thermal can't see through windows, and can't see IR lasers or be used for passive aiming through a red dot.
@@chevrofreak agree, it’s just all the effective war footage out of ukr has been from thermals, literally zero night vision. Night vision great for the hike to the trenches, thermal for engagement tho
@@carsonhunt4642 Thermals are a lot easier to procure than Night Vision. All thermals are digital and while night vision can be analog and digital, hence the "NV is magic" thing Lucas keeps saying, all thermals are is a camera. Easier to repair, maintain and procure. They're also more readily connected to computers and data cards to record what they see so it's no surprise that's pretty much all you find floating around. Aside that, since all thermals are is a camera you don't have "choice" in the same sense as NV. For Thermals it's like how high do you want the fidelity, framerate, field of view and what do you want the cost to be? And that's essentially it.
"This videos for everyday people." The video: presented like a monthly military training designed to bore people to death without providing any useful information.
Was really looking forward to this video, but felt I didn’t learn anything. My ADD personality needs a subject broken down with limited but useful points. And that may have happened but due to my limited knowledge on night vision I wouldn’t know the difference.
This is the kind of content that more guntubers should be making. Straight up, no BS, no politics, easy to digest information. That's how you get more people into 2A
I was really excited for this video but I’m 23min in and it feels like a whole lot of talking about what you’re gonna talk about. This further confused the topic for me. I still have hopes for the rest of this video and maybe part 2 as well. To be continued…
I don't feel like this video helped very much at all in figuring out if/what I want to buy. I'd much rather more traditional trex video of "here's a bunch of stuff we've tried, here are the issues we run into and what to watch out for, here's the stuff we like the most for different situations". A history lesson on night vision may be interesting for some, but it feels like this video really went off topic from its stated goal at the beginning. I really wanted to see the video that was introduced, but what followed wasn't that video.
I recently bought a photonis echo WP pvs-14 from Steele industries. Really excited to get to use it and learn. It was on sale for $2,300 so I snagged it. No payment plans or layaway just with the money I saved and was within my budget.
This video needs to be retitled “how to learn about night vision.” Got to the end of the video and I still know absolutely nothing about night vision. But hey at least I now know that the internet is full of too much and bad information.
Just got my PVS-14 today, spent a few hours gooning around in the woods (no gun, but I brought my PEQ-15 to see how it would interact with the device), amazing timing haha!
A much anticipated video I really needed. I love what you are doing guys but just this time the whole 34mns video could have been summarized in 5mns ... really really too much talks, too much words to learn what ... just a couple of interesting things. And despite those 34mns I am still lacking informations I could have liked to hear even if I'm not a nerd. Hope the part 2 of the video will be more well rounded ;) Continue the good work TRex, I really love what you're doing
I don't regret buying nods at all. However it's extremely frustrating trying to find places to shoot and even harder to find anyone else with nods in my experience. I can't convince any of my coworkers or friends to buy it. Hiking at night can be somewhat sketchy too if you're alone. Getting used to the limited depth perception with a pvs-14 took me a bit and I found myself tripping a lot on roots and uneven terrain on trails. Does anyone have a good way of networking and finding other people or groups for doing night vision stuff? I'd rather not twist an ankle or get bitten by a snake or attacked by a bear in the middle of the woods by myself.
Bro, I can't even convince my friends to buy radios, let alone NVGs. Kind of frustrating. Maybe try talking to regulars at local, shooting spots since they might be more serious into this sort of thing.
Not everyone needs nvgs so why y’all frustrated because y’all wanna spend over a $1-2k on nvgs and they don’t? I mean I love shooting guns and shit but this ain’t fucking call of duty in a realistic situation y’all won’t need them unless we go to war with like Russia and China and they invade the us but that won’t ever happen. My god some people in the gun community are just retards by getting mad when others don’t wanna spend a shit ton on the gear they got
Hardcore airsofters - I’m serious. Guys who go to events like Milsim West rock real-deal kit like NODs and thermal. You may or may not get real gun crossover.
i lucked out buying my brand new pvs14 mar 2020 for 2,300 just before the big demand takeoff. I looked online to see what my rhino II costs to "replace" and I'm astounded at how badly inflated everything is now
As a physicist who worked with photomultiplier tubes 20-35 years ago, and early charge-coupled devices (CCD Chips) that cost hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars for space-based applications, to higher and higher resolution and lower and lower noise and cost on the chips, I am amazed at how capable current generations are. When I was a Marine 40-45 years ago, the best phosphorous night vision scopes were like looking down a narrow tunnel and it toook a lot of experience to figure out what you were seeing. For perspective, the first i-phone camera had a more capable (high resolution, high dynamic range, low noise) than anything we could develop for any cost just a few years before the iphone was released. Gallium-Arsenide chips for IR were used way back then, but just like visible range, they could not compare in any category of quality to what is possible today. Just like a desktop or laptop computer, or large flat panel TV, the mass produced and relatively inexpensive technology today is going to be as good as the best thing you could buy at any price a few years earlier. Obviously, there will be price differences from one manufacturer to another in the quality of the optics and implementation of the available technology, but the underlying technology changes rapidly because the chips they use are used far more widely than for just night vision.
As a recent purchaser of night vision in someone that is very interested in the topic, please make more night vision oriented content. For those of us that are entering into this area, every ounce of information is valuable
The dislikes on this video are probably from people who have been listening for 10 minutes of the video (1/3) and are basically still getting an introduction lol
That’s bad writing and story boarding… if an audience has to wait 10-20 minutes for any form of media to get to anything that actually matters then yes it deserves a downvote. This video is a great topic with absolutely garbage execution. The cutting room floor was left far too hungry
You know your in trouble when a 34 minute video trying to explain a topic leaves you knowing that you don’t know. A for effort but i don’t think this one accomplished it’s goal. Your brothers video is still the best. Looking forward to the 57th video where we begin to learn what we need to know.
Hey guys night vision is incredibly worth it! I went all out and got $9k l3 dual tubes off the bat.. recently got 2 more pvs14s for $1600 each and they work incredibly well in comparison. Only difference is seriously low light performance and obviously single vs dual. But it’s super usable, and can always take the tubes from both pvs 14 and get dual housing for $1000. Sell the pvs14 housings and you have duals for under $4000. If anyone needs help please get in touch, many more units around for good prices😁
@@jaycee509 It's pretty situationally dependent and dependent on whether or not you're one of the people whose brain allows them to fuse the two images. COTI is nice for heatsource detection but not identification/recognition. If your use-case allows you to use an illuminator to identify unknown heatsources, this is fine. If it doesn't, you want to either pair it with or replace it with a dedicated thermal imager since COTI sensitivity is not very good due to the size and weight constraints. Note that a COTI will also reduce the light transmission to your I2 since the projection arm adding the thermal overlay blocks some light into the tube. I'd say it's around 15-20% light loss. If you are one of those people whose brains will fuse a thermal image and I2 image when running bridged, that is a superior setup hands down unless weight is a very serious concern.
So the tube I was looking at was a pvs 14 type white phos, and thin filmed (if unfilmed was possible In my budget then I would) and I'm not picky most of my issued gen 2 14s with the green phos has a few blemishes which never really affected me especially after I got used to them. So minor blems is no issue. And of course that's essentially what trex arms is selling and cheaper than tnvc. I'm thankful you guys give me the ability to practice financial discipline.
@@N7Narc0sis I genuinely don't see how you can get a complete modern pvs 14 module for that price sounds like its a scam. and unfilmed tubes are absolutely a real they have been around for a while just never could figure out the kinks now they have and allegedly the view is much more crisp and clear
Love to see more high quality NV content, been seeing a lot of high quality stuff come out across youtube lately. Seems like Nocturnality and Night-line have really been leading the charge behind the scenes here. Keep up the good work, all of you!
Hey Lucas I would like you to do a review on a canik handgun they became quite popular would like to see you review it and see if it is actually a good carry gun
So what actually is the profit margin for night vision? Are the tubes and equipment that expensive to make or is the pricing based mostly on the gimmick and name? Because 45k for panoramic versus like 8k for binocular is a little insane
really appreciate this video, im at the point in my readiness level that night vision is next on the list, but im a nobody with a regular job... spending that kind of money for one device is a bit scary and am VERY glad that this video was produced!
The biggest point this video makes is that you should seek experience with tubes. If you have a friend that has a tube or two(unlikely) or you can rent NV for a period of time, do it before you get into the game. It's one thing to know the specs, and another entirely to feel/experience the tube, mount, weight and whatnot.
As far as circuit board and electronic manufacturing goes, there is a classification or spec quality of soldering that is required for military, class 3 production. In the lower class 2 you are getting pretty well made product that is going to have longer lasting performance and soldering quality. In the commercial products which is class 1, you just gotta have a connection of pin to pad that holds and makes contact and your good. when you see price differences in what looks like the same product, it is often due to the extra work and quality that goes into the government product.
@T.REXARMS Wow, I am so Excited! I love scam stuff that can not even get the area code correct. I will most definitely fall for this scam and text now.
That was a whole lot of nothing, IMO. Sorry to say! " Hope you're ready to buy now"? I think I might have gotten less certain than I was previously lmao. He gave zero reference points or break downs between different models etc. Basically just said blems are normal deal with it 😂. Like others have mentioned he needs a script, especially for the "deep-dive" video!
Entry Level Night Vision Setup: PVS-14: $3500 IR Laster: $1000 Helmet & Mount: $500 Total: $5000 Still too expensive for the average gun owner. Especially when most can barely afford a rifle, plater carrier with plates, and enough ammo to train regularly. Also most people don't have access to ranges or lands where they can even train with the stuff...
Access to location is an issue. But most gun owners could afford it if they stop acting like a poor and buy that umpteenth budget AR or double stack plastic fantastic pistol.
@@taylor3319 I'd disagree. A decent gun build is less than half that. BCM ar15: $1500 Mid Tier red dot or optic: $500 Light: $200 Sling: $50 Total: $2250 And if you go PSA & holosun, you can get a build below $1k.
24:34 The problem with buying a nicer tube as a new user is that they are also more fragile the nicer they are. Learning how sensitive they are on the most sensitive tube is a step learning curve. You could bring down the value of a tube thousands of dollars for a fairly simple mistake.
Love your content, but the first half of this video was very repetitive saying the same thing multiple times and just basically going over the goal of video multiple times with out teaching anything new for the whole first half of the video (see what I did there). i would guess you could have said all of what was said in the first 12 min in 3 min or less. Lucas because nailed everything in his intro! 😂.. any one who is interested in this whole video, has already felt the pain this guy was trying to explain, they already know that there is some mystical difference between the many options in each housing category, just get to explaining strengths and weaknesses of the different options and then tell what most people end up being happy with. Reason I point this out is I want to send a video like this to friends so they can get up to speed.
Don't mean to talk bad on this guy or his integrity because idk him, but when he started talking about it being problematic that there's too many options on the market, was a big red flag to me and when I started to check out. Of course someone that sells a product in an already very exclusive market isn't going to want more options to be out there for consumers. What the NV market really needs is *MORE* options and *MORE* manufacturers. That's the only way for the market to be competitive and for prices to go *down* and be attainable. Otherwise the people that are already in the game can charge such ridiculous prices, because no one is out there selling cheaper options that can compete with them. This will only improve with time, as more manufacturers continue entering the NV market and making prices more competitive. Hopefully it happens sooner rather than later
Good timing. I was just thinking about investing in so night vision stuff. I’m assuming most others are too with how much content is being made recently.
I would love a video on the pro's and con's of the different thermal options there are. Clip on (those you can mount directly on your nvg's), hand held or weapon mounted. What is the difference in performance (like how far out can you detect a human with each of those options in similar conditions)? What is better for what?
Almost every answer to a hypothetical was a non-answer. “Mil-spec vs commercial: you should know which one you are looking for.” Doesn’t tell you what either are, just that they are different standards. 95% of viewers are no better off after watching this video.
Night vision is fairly complicated and rarely explained. I will do my best to explain it here. Night vision is expensive and you should only buy it from a trusted source. A good rule in night vision is, if its too good to be true, then it is not true. There are several different terms used for night vision: - NOD’s: Night Observation Device. - NVG: Night Vision Goggles. - Tube and Housing: A night vision device has two main parts, the Tube and the Housing. The Tube is the internal part of the device that performs the actual function. The Housing is the casing around the Tube, which protects the Tube from damage, and provides attachment points so the device can be used. Pvs-7, and Pvs-14: Pvs-7: The Pvs-7 has one front lens and two eye holes. It essentially makes you a cyclops. The image is split by a prism system and given to both eyes. Because the images are both identical, this does not result in depth perception. It does however reduce the brightness of the image because the same amount of light is being split between two eye holes. So they each only get half the light. While there is nothing actually wrong with this system, it is an out dated system, and the Pvs-14 is considered superior by the vast majority of people who have used them both. Pvs-14: The Pvs-14 is a monocular with one lens and one eye hole. The Pvs-14 and versions of it are currently used by the US military, and are being purchased for the militaries of both China and Russia. If you use two Pvs-14’s you will then have some depth perception because you will have two separate images taken from the same distance apart as your eyes. Many people feel that it is better to only wear one Pvs-14 instead of two because it leaves the other eye adjusted to the darkness with natural human night vision. Note: There are systems that sell night vision binoculars with two separate tubes, one for each eye, and these are excellent. However, they are very expensive and there is no industry wide standard name for them as there is for the Pvs-7 and Pvs-14. The names vary by company. Generations: There are currently four different generations of night vision. These generations represent large advances over each other, with the exception of the 4th generation (see below). Gen 1: Generation 1 is so outdated it is essentially useless for modern warfare and is not worth the money. Gen 2: Generation 2 is where the device starts to be worth buying. Gen 2 works at a distance of roughly 200 yards and allows you to see movement a little further then that. Gen 3: Generation 3 is currently the gold standard. Gen 3 has an effective range of 300 yards and allows you to see movement a little further then that. Gen 3 is also the first generation which can fully operate in total darkness without infrared flashlights being needed. Gen 3 is what the US military currently buys, and both Russia and China are equipping their soldiers with what is believed to be Gen 3 night vision. Gen 4: Generation 4 night vision is something of a deception. Night vision devices are damaged by too much light entering the device. Gen 1, 2, and 3 all have a film on the end you look into, which prevents the light which the device itself is emitting, from entering back into the device and damaging it. Generation 4 removes this film which makes the image clearer and brighter, but also allows the device to damage itself. This severely shortens the life of the device. Some companies try to find a balance between filmed and filmless, with what is called “Thin filmed” which is exactly what it sounds like. The film is simply thinner, which makes the image a little brighter, but also allows the device to damage itself slower. A filmed gen 3 device has an expected lifespan 2-3 times longer then a filmless gen 4 device. With the exception of this film, generation 3 and generation 4 are nearly identical. Note: U.S. military research has shown that both thin filmed, and filmless do NOT harm the night vision device. Although some people still disagree with this finding. Color: Green Phosphor: Green phosphor is the traditional green image that is associated with night vision. Some people say that green phosphor night vision gives them a headache after several hours of continuous use. White Phosphor: White phosphor results in a black and white image. This tends to not result in headaches for the user and is generally clearer and more distinct, but also more expensive. Hand Select/Zone Spots: Night vision has an inherent problem with “Zone Spots”. Zone Spots are small black spots inside the device. (No one has a way of preventing this). Hand Select is when a person picks up the night vision device, takes it in a dark room, and looks through the device to check for zone spots or other problems. The best devices are separated and sold as Hand Select. This costs extra. Mounting: Mounting a night vision device is left confusing and poorly explained as well. For clarity we will assume we are mounting a Pvs-14 night vision device on a helmet, and we will progress from the helmet out towards the night vision device There are three separate pieces between the helmet and night vision device. The “Shroud”, the “Mount”, and the “J-Arm”. Shroud: The shroud is the squared piece which is permanently attached to the front of US military helmets. The mount fits into the shroud. Mount: The mount is the part with the hinge which allows you to flip the night vision up, and out from in front of your face. Many mounts allow some movement up and down, as well as forward and backward to correctly position the night vision in front of your eye. J-Arm: The J-Arm attaches to the mount on one side, and the night vision device on the other side. The J-Arm allows the night vision to be rotated to the side. There are also duel J-Arms for mounting two Pvs-14’s. The J-Arm and Mount connect to each other one of two ways: “Bayonet”, or “Dovetail”. Bayonet has a wedge shape connector which fits into the mount. Dovetail is a flat triangular connector with no point on the side of the triangle which is towards your head. Dovetail is sturdier and has less movement, but is also more expensive.
Add-ons: The above is the basic information needed in order to have a functional system. This can be improved with some basic items and some basic instructions. 1) Storage: The battery should not be kept in the night vision device. It is not good for the night vision device. 2) Mounting: You should mount your night vision on your helmet, not your rifle. Weapon mounting the night vision device does allow you to aim through it better. However, the recoil will damage the night vision device over time, and you cannot look at anything without pointing your rifle at it. For example, if your teammate is using hand signals to tell you something, you have to point your rifle at him on order to see what he is signaling. 3) Padded pouch: You should get a padded pouch for carrying your night vision in, so it is less likely to be damaged. 4) Counter weight: You will want a counter weight on the back of your helmet. Even one monocular adds roughly a pound to your helmet, and all of the weight is in the front. This pulls your head forwards, and increases the odds of neck injuries. Many US soldiers have suffered permanent neck injuries from wearing night vision without a counter weight for extended periods of time. A counter weight greatly reduces your odds of injury, and can even be a storage space for extra batteries. 5) Sacrificial lens: A sacrificial lens is exactly what it sounds like. It is a clear plastic lens cover, which covers the front lens of the night vision device. You let the sacrificial lens get scratched instead of the actual lens. You can buy a new sacrificial lens cheap, and you throw the scratched one away. 6) Infrared strobes and glowsticks: An infrared strobe or glowstick is useful for marking a location or person. For example, US soldiers tend to mark themselves with an infrared strobe when there are friendly aircraft overhead. Infrared strobes or glowsticks can mark casualty collection points, buildings that have been searched, helicopter landing locations, locations where two different units are to meet, or (as shown in the movie Blackhawk Down) it could be thrown to mark an enemy location (although a more practical solution might be to mark your own building and tell the helicopters to shoot everywhere else). Infrared strobes and glowsticks can be purchased online. Infrared strobes come in a variety of styles. Some are intended to be helmet mounted (Note: when using helmet mounted infrared strobes to mark your location so friendly aircraft know who not to shoot, you only have one or two people turn the strobes on. If everyone turns them on it is too much infrared light and it will white out everyone’s night vision including the pilot’s.), others are meant to be placed in a location and are roughly the size of your fist. Others are small and click on to the top of a 9Volt battery, these tend to be cheap (about $30) and are somewhat disposable. 7) Legal agreement: When buying a true night vision device, the website you are buying it from should require you to agree to a legal notification. It is actually illegal to transport a night vision device outside the US without first getting legal permission to do so from the government. This is because high quality night vision devices are such a game changer in warfare, that the government does not want them taken out of the country where they could be sold to hostile groups or countries. (This should also impress upon you just how significant an advantage night vision is.) Other countries cannot make quality gen 3 night vision. Not Russia, not China, not anyone. (Although that may change due to the US leaving so many night vision devices in Afghanistan which can be studied and copied). 8) Dusk and Dawn: Night vision is LEAST effective for the first thirty minutes after sunset, and the last thirty minutes before sunrise. As a result these two times are the most likely time for an attack to happen, and it is standard procedure in the US military that everyone is on guard duty for these two thirty minute intervals. (That’s how much more likely an attack is at those two times. Everybody has to wake up and stand guard).
I got nothing from this video. The whole time it was just “ there’s a lot of information out there” and “too many choices” but nothing to actually help anybody decide. Are their company’s to avoid? Is white phos better than green? How/ why? Positives vs negatives of monocular/ dual tubes If people are not aligning their night vision correctly, how do you know if you’re doing it right? What is the best mount to ensure it can be aligned correctly?
What I wish someone would've told me: buy a used/refurb pvs-14 with Omni 7/8 tubes off of GAFS and then figure out the rest later. You don't need white phos, 2400 fom or $7k+ binos to get a capability increase from where you're at now.
I think it was a malfunction but he thought it was an empty mag. Once he grabs the mag in the gun, he can feel its not empty and realizes it was just a malfunction, reinserts, gun goes into battery, puts away the mag back into pouch. Just my guess.
lol that was pretty funny. I'm connected to this industry, and as an engineer, I've made my share of mistakes rambling about stuff aimlessly (that's just how passionate people are sometimes), so I kind of understand what went wrong with this presentation. It's a great example of what not to do. I'm sure that Scott is the real deal but.. it's really important to understand who your audience is, and speak ONLY to that audience. Need a simple outline of key points, think of each point as a goal to convey a core concept, and you give yourself fixed time to run through each one. You often get only one chance to earn the respect of your audience. That said, he's right that many companies that make this stuff ignore the consumer market almost completely. There are allll kinds of legitimate reasons for that, along with many applicable federal laws that those companies and their employees are bound by.
Bought a PVS14 wp from Nocturnality. Scott himself answered me, took payment, and answered any other questions I had. I cannot say enough good things, props to TRex for bringing an absolute autist connesiure on the channel to make it simple for monke
He spent a lot of time telling us that there are tradeoffs that we need to understand and that the decision is not straightforward, but never gave us any information to choose from among systems that are actually available today. A commensense talk about pricepoints, quality and capability with examples for specific uses and budgets would have sure been helpful.
this video definatly explained alot of unanswered questions but I still feel like I am in the dark on what type of platform or what type of tube to be looking out for. I think I want a white phos pvs14 gen 3 but is that what is realistic for what I will be doing with it? I feel like most of this video is geared toward someone who has just got their first set, not a buyers guide.
Don’t forget, if you’re budget is XXX, expect thousands in helmet, mount, different laser modules, multiple laser modules for different platforms, switches, the list is massive. Don’t spend all of your budget on just the tube
Night Vision is great for clearing houses. But for most other applications I would take a Thermal scope. Thermal scopes win against phosphorus Night Vision the majority of the time. But Fusion vision likely will be the technology of the future.
The title of the video should have been, The Continuous Preamble To Night Vison In Various Ways
Before i watched this video, i knew very little about NV. After watching this video, I still know very little.
Agreed. I love the work, but would prefer more concise and relevant info.
Yeah have the same feeling. Basically all I got from this was 'go try before you buy'. The challenge would be if there was a way to distill down the hours of experience and $ needed to just feel out the environment into something more concise and tangible. e.g. I spend 2k on a unit or 3k on a unit how much better is it? Probably a very difficult task as I haven't seen it done yet.
A lot of people don’t realize after spending almost 10k on getting your nod, helmet, mount, laser, rifle setup then you have to find a place to shoot at night. That’s pretty difficult for some
@@cdun6969 lol your not wrong
That was a lot of talking in circles to say nothing of any specific help. This is only part 1 though.
I applaud the goal of this video but after 34 minutes I have no more information to help me buy night vision than I did before I watched the video. The only thing I got out of the video was what I need to research about night vision. What I was hoping for were answers to the the things that were brought up in the video. I hope part two will give more information things like the difference between L3 and Elbit intensifiers or bridged and articulating night vision. Looking to part 2.
Same, I've watched a lot of Brass facts and Hops NVG content, and in the same boat as you. Is L3 $1k better than similar FOM elbit tubes? This video didn't really answer any basic night vision purchasing questions.
As a guy who was issued NVG, I can say if you're looking at a G difference in cost, in NV, the real question is at $14k what's another grand?
L3 makes some of the best NV on earth.
If you're going to spend that coin, then yes, spend the added grand as they put more R&D and QC into their end product, largely due to the fact they end up with the lions share of the DOD contract, and do so for a reason.
I was leaning more into the digital NV just for cost purposes. Its a step into the NV world without killing wallet for years upon end. Im poor btw lol. Let's be real, not all of us can drop 15k -30k for panoramic L3. And if you can, then thats a major plus factor and I applaude you.
@silver4drrx828 digital isn't quite there yet to be used in the same way as analog NVG. Latency and battery life being the biggest issue.
@@ryanashby3640 I totally understand that and was planning on a external battery pack mounted to helmet. I know ypu have to "PAY TO PLAY" so dont get me wrong. Cheapest Ive seen autogated white or green phos single tube being about 4k used. PVS14 about 3k or less if used. Thats absolutely trusting the used category is 90%-80% true to word. But, my trust in people is thin nowadays when they say its good. Im just in between a rock and a hard place when it comes to any NVGs. Its probably best to just het new, but if ol boy is saying QC is fickle even in new gear, then whats the point of new if its 50/50
This guy could be a politician. Literally talked in circles for over 90% of the video gave almost no real information. That's a talent brother.
Thanks for the heads up. Saved hours of our time all together
It's amazing how he talked for over half an hour but there was less than five minutes where he actually said anything
I was not wanting to be a dink, but I thought the same thing.
Yeaaaah, and the whole “night vision wasn’t and isn’t developed with civilians in mind that’s why quality isn’t great on the newer” just screams “we can produce shittier products because the government has no one else to go to/it’s a contract”. This guy said a whole lot of nothing.
@@BlitzKriegFM it’s just them gearing up to sell you non L3 tubes and say they are just as good and say don’t look at specs just trust us.
10 minutes in. And havent learned a thing 😂😂 this dude just rambles and rambles and rambles
Aww did you get offended because he insulted your favorite NV company?
Just start at 10:26 or really 19:03 and save yourself some time of just words and gripings
The hero we need
For real, Holy Sh. The first 20mins is night vision dry pamphlet info for R tarts. Nothing in the first 20mins helps you decide what to buy.
This guy's presentation method is terrible!
It's kind of sad that T-Rex had this goober come on here and give everyone a big nothing burger. Hop's night vision information videos are way better. And more entertaining, this guy is dryer than an MRE cracker.
@@almostontimehero5415 for real how can he talk so much and yet not convey any information?! Lol
For a video on night vision,
I sure felt like I was staring into the sun.
Something that would be cool to see would be night vision testing days (well, nights i suppose).
Not even a rifle class, just a night vision shop coming to your town, letting you try and explaining everything for say $100, and if you buy something that's your first deposit. An informative try out and sales event. The absolute basics of how to choose, set up and use your night vision rig, how to not run into things and how to not destroy your expensive gear.
Go hunting with these.
The basic of night vision… don’t be broke
The unfortunate reality we must all face.
Great video series but he didn't actually tell us anything in his video to give direction to our buying decisions.
This was more of a disclaimer video on expectations of night vision investment but not a buyer's guide in any way. He didn't talk about dual tube vs single tube, differences been housings, difference between green and white phosphor, the generations, auto vs manual gate etc etc.
Someone who watches this will have no more ability to make an educated purchase decision than before they watched this besides knowing it can be tricky. Hopefully the next episode will address all these points that make a big impact on your decision
The most important thing I got out of the video, is that I need to do way more research into night vision
Every other guntuber would have tried to make and present videos / topics like this themselves. Lucas literally knows he doesn't know everything, sets ego aside, and brings in an expert. This is why I support TREX.
Uh, it's an advertisement for the other guy's night vision company who he's business partners with and is going to sell his night vision products... This wasn't just informational haha.
@@maximusjoseppi5904 yeah some people are so naive. as if the information presented was so complex he couldn't have done it himself after learning it from the other guy. people love making up different reasons to justify being effusive for their favorite youtuber.
Stop simping on Trex or other influencers. They both want to make money hence the partnership.
@@maximusjoseppi5904 no it's not....
@maximusjoseppi5904 Obviously, they are partnering together.. I said nothing about the video being just informational. You are missing the point.
He was very vague about almost everything, from the history of night vision to commercial grade vs mil spec tubes, & even just simply what he recommends a first time buyer should purchase. Almost no actual useful information was presented to the first time buyer of nods. I'm not trying to discourage the guy, he seems like a really cool dude, but he needs to use less word salad and more clear cut talking points, if he can't do it freeform
That being said, he should do a part 2 , I'm not trying to hate on the guy
There was like no actual information for that ‘95%’ of people to get or use night vision. He basically said don’t worry about the specs much just get one of my salesmen to tell you what is needed. Also come check out the classes I offer to learn some actual information.
I think they should have skipped this video and just released the second in-depth video.
Summary: you're a confused first time buyer so use my services.
Do I want a car, or NODS? this is a question every man must ask themselves.
Are you me?
Buy a cheap car and good NODS!
@@silvermine2033 I went this route and I'm about to be balls deep in a wheel bearing job this weekend lol
@@PastorDr.MartinSsempa What kind of vehicle? My Toyota has 238,000 miles on it and still going strong. With all the money saved by never buying new cars, that's more money for cooler more expensive guns and accessories!
@@silvermine2033 2006 Subaru Impreza outback sport. I didn't do myself any favors by lifting it and running oversized all terrains so I can drive down trails lol.
Going dark.
- Kasumi Goto
Going dark, in my wallet! 😂
Unwatchably bad video. This should have been an interview. Scott repeats himself endlessly.
good morenight
@@gilgamecha then make a better one.
I bought my thermal monocular from Scott. He's a knowledgeable, good dude.
Thermal > night vision
@@carsonhunt4642 they each have their advantages. Thermal can't see through windows, and can't see IR lasers or be used for passive aiming through a red dot.
@@chevrofreak agree, it’s just all the effective war footage out of ukr has been from thermals, literally zero night vision.
Night vision great for the hike to the trenches, thermal for engagement tho
@@carsonhunt4642 Thermals are a lot easier to procure than Night Vision. All thermals are digital and while night vision can be analog and digital, hence the "NV is magic" thing Lucas keeps saying, all thermals are is a camera. Easier to repair, maintain and procure. They're also more readily connected to computers and data cards to record what they see so it's no surprise that's pretty much all you find floating around. Aside that, since all thermals are is a camera you don't have "choice" in the same sense as NV. For Thermals it's like how high do you want the fidelity, framerate, field of view and what do you want the cost to be? And that's essentially it.
@@carsonhunt4642you realize you can't just hit a button on a pvs14 to record like you can on thermals, right? Seems like you don't understand that.
"This videos for everyday people."
The video: presented like a monthly military training designed to bore people to death without providing any useful information.
Was really looking forward to this video, but felt I didn’t learn anything. My ADD personality needs a subject broken down with limited but useful points. And that may have happened but due to my limited knowledge on night vision I wouldn’t know the difference.
This is the kind of content that more guntubers should be making. Straight up, no BS, no politics, easy to digest information. That's how you get more people into 2A
I was really excited for this video but I’m 23min in and it feels like a whole lot of talking about what you’re gonna talk about. This further confused the topic for me. I still have hopes for the rest of this video and maybe part 2 as well. To be continued…
I don't feel like this video helped very much at all in figuring out if/what I want to buy. I'd much rather more traditional trex video of "here's a bunch of stuff we've tried, here are the issues we run into and what to watch out for, here's the stuff we like the most for different situations". A history lesson on night vision may be interesting for some, but it feels like this video really went off topic from its stated goal at the beginning. I really wanted to see the video that was introduced, but what followed wasn't that video.
I recently bought a photonis echo WP pvs-14 from Steele industries. Really excited to get to use it and learn. It was on sale for $2,300 so I snagged it. No payment plans or layaway just with the money I saved and was within my budget.
This video needs to be retitled “how to learn about night vision.” Got to the end of the video and I still know absolutely nothing about night vision. But hey at least I now know that the internet is full of too much and bad information.
Still have no more knowledge about night vision then when I started the video. 😂
This was the most let me talk about what we’re going to talk about thing I’ve ever seen
Just got my PVS-14 today, spent a few hours gooning around in the woods (no gun, but I brought my PEQ-15 to see how it would interact with the device), amazing timing haha!
10 min in, "The 1st thing I'm gonna talk about..."
A much anticipated video I really needed. I love what you are doing guys but just this time the whole 34mns video could have been summarized in 5mns ... really really too much talks, too much words to learn what ... just a couple of interesting things. And despite those 34mns I am still lacking informations I could have liked to hear even if I'm not a nerd. Hope the part 2 of the video will be more well rounded ;) Continue the good work TRex, I really love what you're doing
This seriously needs to become a 3-part series.
10:28 you can start here or listen to a lot of repetitiveness
I don't regret buying nods at all. However it's extremely frustrating trying to find places to shoot and even harder to find anyone else with nods in my experience. I can't convince any of my coworkers or friends to buy it. Hiking at night can be somewhat sketchy too if you're alone. Getting used to the limited depth perception with a pvs-14 took me a bit and I found myself tripping a lot on roots and uneven terrain on trails. Does anyone have a good way of networking and finding other people or groups for doing night vision stuff? I'd rather not twist an ankle or get bitten by a snake or attacked by a bear in the middle of the woods by myself.
Find a gated community, check your local golf clubs, and wine tasting groups. lol I'm kidding, but only half so. We're in a recession my guy.
Bro, I can't even convince my friends to buy radios, let alone NVGs. Kind of frustrating. Maybe try talking to regulars at local, shooting spots since they might be more serious into this sort of thing.
Not everyone needs nvgs so why y’all frustrated because y’all wanna spend over a $1-2k on nvgs and they don’t? I mean I love shooting guns and shit but this ain’t fucking call of duty in a realistic situation y’all won’t need them unless we go to war with like Russia and China and they invade the us but that won’t ever happen. My god some people in the gun community are just retards by getting mad when others don’t wanna spend a shit ton on the gear they got
Hardcore airsofters - I’m serious. Guys who go to events like Milsim West rock real-deal kit like NODs and thermal. You may or may not get real gun crossover.
@@bentr0n I think there's an airsoft place in a town near me I'll have to give that a shot!
i lucked out buying my brand new pvs14 mar 2020 for 2,300 just before the big demand takeoff. I looked online to see what my rhino II costs to "replace" and I'm astounded at how badly inflated everything is now
Yup these inflated prices are pushing some to a Chinese knock off alternative
Last year I got my wp pvs14 for 2800$. Same ones on their website for 3800
Same here, green phos but brand new and clear as day. Really happy I didn't wait
Hopefully some Chinese companies can compete and lower the prices!
@@12monkey57 Holosun already announced an optic; so who knows maybe they'll take the next step and make a true monocular
I like this channel! This video was not great, however. I learned very little about which NVG to get and how to use it.
Any chance of an Isaac Botkin style overview video of NV? That format is really informative and information rich enough. Cheers
As a physicist who worked with photomultiplier tubes 20-35 years ago, and early charge-coupled devices (CCD Chips) that cost hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars for space-based applications, to higher and higher resolution and lower and lower noise and cost on the chips, I am amazed at how capable current generations are. When I was a Marine 40-45 years ago, the best phosphorous night vision scopes were like looking down a narrow tunnel and it toook a lot of experience to figure out what you were seeing. For perspective, the first i-phone camera had a more capable (high resolution, high dynamic range, low noise) than anything we could develop for any cost just a few years before the iphone was released. Gallium-Arsenide chips for IR were used way back then, but just like visible range, they could not compare in any category of quality to what is possible today. Just like a desktop or laptop computer, or large flat panel TV, the mass produced and relatively inexpensive technology today is going to be as good as the best thing you could buy at any price a few years earlier. Obviously, there will be price differences from one manufacturer to another in the quality of the optics and implementation of the available technology, but the underlying technology changes rapidly because the chips they use are used far more widely than for just night vision.
As a recent purchaser of night vision in someone that is very interested in the topic, please make more night vision oriented content. For those of us that are entering into this area, every ounce of information is valuable
Education...*
The dislikes on this video are probably from people who have been listening for 10 minutes of the video (1/3) and are basically still getting an introduction lol
This is UA-cam how can you even see dislikes??
@@vicdiaz5180 Browser plugins, same way we do things like block cookies and ads.
That’s bad writing and story boarding… if an audience has to wait 10-20 minutes for any form of media to get to anything that actually matters then yes it deserves a downvote.
This video is a great topic with absolutely garbage execution. The cutting room floor was left far too hungry
30 minutes into the video and I'm basically falling asleep.
Scott is a poor speaker and says nothing for ten minutes straight. This needs a brutal edit.
You know your in trouble when a 34 minute video trying to explain a topic leaves you knowing that you don’t know. A for effort but i don’t think this one accomplished it’s goal.
Your brothers video is still the best.
Looking forward to the 57th video where we begin to learn what we need to know.
I have more questions than when he started. Seems like a legit dude. I think we need like 4 or 5 parts deep dive
“This applies to 95% of nightvision buyers”
95% of the comments for the video- “That was a waste of time”
Hey guys night vision is incredibly worth it! I went all out and got $9k l3 dual tubes off the bat.. recently got 2 more pvs14s for $1600 each and they work incredibly well in comparison. Only difference is seriously low light performance and obviously single vs dual. But it’s super usable, and can always take the tubes from both pvs 14 and get dual housing for $1000. Sell the pvs14 housings and you have duals for under $4000. If anyone needs help please get in touch, many more units around for good prices😁
How did u get pvs 14’s for $1600? Lowest I’ve found is around $3000
Same question ∆
@@hunterwht4947you can build one, carson milspec pvs14 kit ($700) surplus omni tube gen3 gp($1k)
I just got a pvs14 white phos, with a Coti earlier this month. I hope I don’t regret it after watching this.
Nah, you're solid.
How're you liking the coti? I also have a pvs14 white phos but debating if I want to bridge with thermal or go with a coti.
@@jaycee509 you should go with the coti
@@jaycee509 It's pretty situationally dependent and dependent on whether or not you're one of the people whose brain allows them to fuse the two images. COTI is nice for heatsource detection but not identification/recognition. If your use-case allows you to use an illuminator to identify unknown heatsources, this is fine. If it doesn't, you want to either pair it with or replace it with a dedicated thermal imager since COTI sensitivity is not very good due to the size and weight constraints. Note that a COTI will also reduce the light transmission to your I2 since the projection arm adding the thermal overlay blocks some light into the tube. I'd say it's around 15-20% light loss.
If you are one of those people whose brains will fuse a thermal image and I2 image when running bridged, that is a superior setup hands down unless weight is a very serious concern.
Hopefully part two breaks down the components a little bit more in detail.
So the tube I was looking at was a pvs 14 type white phos, and thin filmed (if unfilmed was possible In my budget then I would) and I'm not picky most of my issued gen 2 14s with the green phos has a few blemishes which never really affected me especially after I got used to them. So minor blems is no issue. And of course that's essentially what trex arms is selling and cheaper than tnvc. I'm thankful you guys give me the ability to practice financial discipline.
Custom Night Vision has the exact same unit for $800 less and lets you pick the exact tube you want. Also even "Filmless" tube have a film.
@@N7Narc0sis I genuinely don't see how you can get a complete modern pvs 14 module for that price sounds like its a scam.
and unfilmed tubes are absolutely a real they have been around for a while just never could figure out the kinks now they have and allegedly the view is much more crisp and clear
I’m continuing to save for duals & will buy once, cry once. Appreciate this knowledge/info 🤙
Love to see more high quality NV content, been seeing a lot of high quality stuff come out across youtube lately. Seems like Nocturnality and Night-line have really been leading the charge behind the scenes here. Keep up the good work, all of you!
Great job Scott, you're right, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
Hey Lucas I would like you to do a review on a canik handgun they became quite popular would like to see you review it and see if it is actually a good carry gun
What's the Glock of NODs? That's all I need to know.
Thank you to everyone in the comments that saved me from apparently wasting ~30 min. You're the real MVPs!
So what actually is the profit margin for night vision? Are the tubes and equipment that expensive to make or is the pricing based mostly on the gimmick and name? Because 45k for panoramic versus like 8k for binocular is a little insane
Night vision is something I need to look into , I will be getting some advice from this video
really appreciate this video, im at the point in my readiness level that night vision is next on the list, but im a nobody with a regular job... spending that kind of money for one device is a bit scary and am VERY glad that this video was produced!
In the same boat brother hoping to go dark in the future though
The biggest point this video makes is that you should seek experience with tubes. If you have a friend that has a tube or two(unlikely) or you can rent NV for a period of time, do it before you get into the game. It's one thing to know the specs, and another entirely to feel/experience the tube, mount, weight and whatnot.
I spend so much more time looking at the stars than I thought with my PVS-14s lol
Yeah it feels like you can see different solar systems 😂
The moon looks cool too. Also, in my experience the moon is the best reference for focusing on “infinity”
@@zukislumber I have some great pictures of the last super moon at 5000 ft in Virginia. I agree 👍 the moon is incredible
@@uh60ce1 where were you at? Shenandoah?
@@FlankerAvila yes and the Chesapeake bay.
Truly Amazing how he said a lot, but nothing at the same time.
Scott hooked me up with my pair of L3 white phos DTNVS and they're amazing. Great guy and great company to work with!
How much was that set up?
@@SeanTheMarshall those are around 12-13k
I still have no idea what Scott is talking about, but I’m here to try and learn as much as possible. I want night toobs.
As far as circuit board and electronic manufacturing goes, there is a classification or spec quality of soldering that is required for military, class 3 production. In the lower class 2 you are getting pretty well made product that is going to have longer lasting performance and soldering quality. In the commercial products which is class 1, you just gotta have a connection of pin to pad that holds and makes contact and your good. when you see price differences in what looks like the same product, it is often due to the extra work and quality that goes into the government product.
@T.REXARMS Wow, I am so Excited! I love scam stuff that can not even get the area code correct. I will most definitely fall for this scam and text now.
FINALLY! an educational video. There have only been 4 of those this year which is not big beak.
That was a whole lot of nothing, IMO.
Sorry to say!
" Hope you're ready to buy now"? I think I might have gotten less certain than I was previously lmao. He gave zero reference points or break downs between different models etc. Basically just said blems are normal deal with it 😂.
Like others have mentioned he needs a script, especially for the "deep-dive" video!
Would love to see some dedicated nv drills on the site. Keep up the great work. God be with you.
Entry Level Night Vision Setup:
PVS-14: $3500
IR Laster: $1000
Helmet & Mount: $500
Total: $5000
Still too expensive for the average gun owner. Especially when most can barely afford a rifle, plater carrier with plates, and enough ammo to train regularly.
Also most people don't have access to ranges or lands where they can even train with the stuff...
I know 15 guys with 15 $500 junk ARs and shitty pistols.
In my case, that is the average gun owner.
Just a gun build. I don’t see the issue.
Access to location is an issue. But most gun owners could afford it if they stop acting like a poor and buy that umpteenth budget AR or double stack plastic fantastic pistol.
@@taylor3319
I'd disagree. A decent gun build is less than half that.
BCM ar15: $1500
Mid Tier red dot or optic: $500
Light: $200
Sling: $50
Total: $2250
And if you go PSA & holosun, you can get a build below $1k.
24:34 The problem with buying a nicer tube as a new user is that they are also more fragile the nicer they are. Learning how sensitive they are on the most sensitive tube is a step learning curve. You could bring down the value of a tube thousands of dollars for a fairly simple mistake.
Bought a RNVG from Scott, he was incredible to work with.
Love your content, but the first half of this video was very repetitive saying the same thing multiple times and just basically going over the goal of video multiple times with out teaching anything new for the whole first half of the video (see what I did there). i would guess you could have said all of what was said in the first 12 min in 3 min or less. Lucas because nailed everything in his intro! 😂.. any one who is interested in this whole video, has already felt the pain this guy was trying to explain, they already know that there is some mystical difference between the many options in each housing category, just get to explaining strengths and weaknesses of the different options and then tell what most people end up being happy with. Reason I point this out is I want to send a video like this to friends so they can get up to speed.
He spent 30 minutes talking about what he intended to talk about.
I feel like that guy talked a lot but didn’t really say much… I did not learn a single thing…
Y’all gonna have to start selling ballistic helmets and bump helmets now if you’re gonna sell nods! Which is AWESOME btw
Don't mean to talk bad on this guy or his integrity because idk him, but when he started talking about it being problematic that there's too many options on the market, was a big red flag to me and when I started to check out. Of course someone that sells a product in an already very exclusive market isn't going to want more options to be out there for consumers.
What the NV market really needs is *MORE* options and *MORE* manufacturers. That's the only way for the market to be competitive and for prices to go *down* and be attainable. Otherwise the people that are already in the game can charge such ridiculous prices, because no one is out there selling cheaper options that can compete with them.
This will only improve with time, as more manufacturers continue entering the NV market and making prices more competitive. Hopefully it happens sooner rather than later
Yeah it's literally the opposite of what he says, there's like 3 manufacturers of tubes and a ton of people like him assembling them.
Good timing. I was just thinking about investing in so night vision stuff. I’m assuming most others are too with how much content is being made recently.
A lot of this went over my head as well. I'm personally just a plug the thing in and get to work kinda guy.
Honestly I hope the part 2 has more content.
I would love a video on the pro's and con's of the different thermal options there are. Clip on (those you can mount directly on your nvg's), hand held or weapon mounted. What is the difference in performance (like how far out can you detect a human with each of those options in similar conditions)? What is better for what?
Scott is a man of utmost integrity! Hard to beat Nocturnality!
Almost every answer to a hypothetical was a non-answer. “Mil-spec vs commercial: you should know which one you are looking for.” Doesn’t tell you what either are, just that they are different standards. 95% of viewers are no better off after watching this video.
I bought my first tube from Scott about a year ago. Great guy.
I just started looking at PVS-14’s this week and then you drop this video. It’s 100% a sign I need to buy 😂
Quit the pro delivery by Scott! Well done video once again! 👏😌
Night vision is fairly complicated and rarely explained. I will do my best to explain it here. Night vision is expensive and you should only buy it from a trusted source. A good rule in night vision is, if its too good to be true, then it is not true.
There are several different terms used for night vision:
- NOD’s: Night Observation Device.
- NVG: Night Vision Goggles.
- Tube and Housing: A night vision device has two main parts, the Tube and the Housing. The Tube is the internal part of the device that performs the actual function. The Housing is the casing around the Tube, which protects the Tube from damage, and provides attachment points so the device can be used.
Pvs-7, and Pvs-14:
Pvs-7:
The Pvs-7 has one front lens and two eye holes. It essentially makes you a cyclops. The image is split by a prism system and given to both eyes. Because the images are both identical, this does not result in depth perception. It does however reduce the brightness of the image because the same amount of light is being split between two eye holes. So they each only get half the light. While there is nothing actually wrong with this system, it is an out dated system, and the Pvs-14 is considered superior by the vast majority of people who have used them both.
Pvs-14:
The Pvs-14 is a monocular with one lens and one eye hole. The Pvs-14 and versions of it are currently used by the US military, and are being purchased for the militaries of both China and Russia. If you use two Pvs-14’s you will then have some depth perception because you will have two separate images taken from the same distance apart as your eyes. Many people feel that it is better to only wear one Pvs-14 instead of two because it leaves the other eye adjusted to the darkness with natural human night vision.
Note: There are systems that sell night vision binoculars with two separate tubes, one for each eye, and these are excellent. However, they are very expensive and there is no industry wide standard name for them as there is for the Pvs-7 and Pvs-14. The names vary by company.
Generations:
There are currently four different generations of night vision. These generations represent large advances over each other, with the exception of the 4th generation (see below).
Gen 1: Generation 1 is so outdated it is essentially useless for modern warfare and is not worth the money.
Gen 2: Generation 2 is where the device starts to be worth buying. Gen 2 works at a distance of roughly 200 yards and allows you to see movement a little further then that.
Gen 3: Generation 3 is currently the gold standard. Gen 3 has an effective range of 300 yards and allows you to see movement a little further then that. Gen 3 is also the first generation which can fully operate in total darkness without infrared flashlights being needed. Gen 3 is what the US military currently buys, and both Russia and China are equipping their soldiers with what is believed to be Gen 3 night vision.
Gen 4: Generation 4 night vision is something of a deception. Night vision devices are damaged by too much light entering the device. Gen 1, 2, and 3 all have a film on the end you look into, which prevents the light which the device itself is emitting, from entering back into the device and damaging it. Generation 4 removes this film which makes the image clearer and brighter, but also allows the device to damage itself. This severely shortens the life of the device. Some companies try to find a balance between filmed and filmless, with what is called “Thin filmed” which is exactly what it sounds like. The film is simply thinner, which makes the image a little brighter, but also allows the device to damage itself slower. A filmed gen 3 device has an expected lifespan 2-3 times longer then a filmless gen 4 device. With the exception of this film, generation 3 and generation 4 are nearly identical.
Note: U.S. military research has shown that both thin filmed, and filmless do NOT harm the night vision device. Although some people still disagree with this finding.
Color:
Green Phosphor:
Green phosphor is the traditional green image that is associated with night vision. Some people say that green phosphor night vision gives them a headache after several hours of continuous use.
White Phosphor:
White phosphor results in a black and white image. This tends to not result in headaches for the user and is generally clearer and more distinct, but also more expensive.
Hand Select/Zone Spots:
Night vision has an inherent problem with “Zone Spots”. Zone Spots are small black spots inside the device. (No one has a way of preventing this). Hand Select is when a person picks up the night vision device, takes it in a dark room, and looks through the device to check for zone spots or other problems. The best devices are separated and sold as Hand Select. This costs extra.
Mounting:
Mounting a night vision device is left confusing and poorly explained as well. For clarity we will assume we are mounting a Pvs-14 night vision device on a helmet, and we will progress from the helmet out towards the night vision device
There are three separate pieces between the helmet and night vision device. The “Shroud”, the “Mount”, and the “J-Arm”.
Shroud: The shroud is the squared piece which is permanently attached to the front of US military helmets. The mount fits into the shroud.
Mount: The mount is the part with the hinge which allows you to flip the night vision up, and out from in front of your face. Many mounts allow some movement up and down, as well as forward and backward to correctly position the night vision in front of your eye.
J-Arm: The J-Arm attaches to the mount on one side, and the night vision device on the other side. The J-Arm allows the night vision to be rotated to the side. There are also duel J-Arms for mounting two Pvs-14’s.
The J-Arm and Mount connect to each other one of two ways: “Bayonet”, or “Dovetail”.
Bayonet has a wedge shape connector which fits into the mount. Dovetail is a flat triangular connector with no point on the side of the triangle which is towards your head. Dovetail is sturdier and has less movement, but is also more expensive.
Add-ons:
The above is the basic information needed in order to have a functional system. This can be improved with some basic items and some basic instructions.
1) Storage: The battery should not be kept in the night vision device. It is not good for the night vision device.
2) Mounting: You should mount your night vision on your helmet, not your rifle. Weapon mounting the night vision device does allow you to aim through it better. However, the recoil will damage the night vision device over time, and you cannot look at anything without pointing your rifle at it. For example, if your teammate is using hand signals to tell you something, you have to point your rifle at him on order to see what he is signaling.
3) Padded pouch: You should get a padded pouch for carrying your night vision in, so it is less likely to be damaged.
4) Counter weight: You will want a counter weight on the back of your helmet. Even one monocular adds roughly a pound to your helmet, and all of the weight is in the front. This pulls your head forwards, and increases the odds of neck injuries. Many US soldiers have suffered permanent neck injuries from wearing night vision without a counter weight for extended periods of time. A counter weight greatly reduces your odds of injury, and can even be a storage space for extra batteries.
5) Sacrificial lens: A sacrificial lens is exactly what it sounds like. It is a clear plastic lens cover, which covers the front lens of the night vision device. You let the sacrificial lens get scratched instead of the actual lens. You can buy a new sacrificial lens cheap, and you throw the scratched one away.
6) Infrared strobes and glowsticks: An infrared strobe or glowstick is useful for marking a location or person. For example, US soldiers tend to mark themselves with an infrared strobe when there are friendly aircraft overhead. Infrared strobes or glowsticks can mark casualty collection points, buildings that have been searched, helicopter landing locations, locations where two different units are to meet, or (as shown in the movie Blackhawk Down) it could be thrown to mark an enemy location (although a more practical solution might be to mark your own building and tell the helicopters to shoot everywhere else). Infrared strobes and glowsticks can be purchased online. Infrared strobes come in a variety of styles. Some are intended to be helmet mounted (Note: when using helmet mounted infrared strobes to mark your location so friendly aircraft know who not to shoot, you only have one or two people turn the strobes on. If everyone turns them on it is too much infrared light and it will white out everyone’s night vision including the pilot’s.), others are meant to be placed in a location and are roughly the size of your fist. Others are small and click on to the top of a 9Volt battery, these tend to be cheap (about $30) and are somewhat disposable.
7) Legal agreement: When buying a true night vision device, the website you are buying it from should require you to agree to a legal notification. It is actually illegal to transport a night vision device outside the US without first getting legal permission to do so from the government. This is because high quality night vision devices are such a game changer in warfare, that the government does not want them taken out of the country where they could be sold to hostile groups or countries. (This should also impress upon you just how significant an advantage night vision is.) Other countries cannot make quality gen 3 night vision. Not Russia, not China, not anyone. (Although that may change due to the US leaving so many night vision devices in Afghanistan which can be studied and copied).
8) Dusk and Dawn: Night vision is LEAST effective for the first thirty minutes after sunset, and the last thirty minutes before sunrise. As a result these two times are the most likely time for an attack to happen, and it is standard procedure in the US military that everyone is on guard duty for these two thirty minute intervals. (That’s how much more likely an attack is at those two times. Everybody has to wake up and stand guard).
Thank you !
@@chrischris5081that was far more informative than the actual video
night vision is very nice to have on the farm to protect the crops. added bonus is if the crap hits the fan you got it
I got nothing from this video. The whole time it was just “ there’s a lot of information out there” and “too many choices” but nothing to actually help anybody decide.
Are their company’s to avoid?
Is white phos better than green? How/ why?
Positives vs negatives of monocular/ dual tubes
If people are not aligning their night vision correctly, how do you know if you’re doing it right?
What is the best mount to ensure it can be aligned correctly?
What I wish someone would've told me: buy a used/refurb pvs-14 with Omni 7/8 tubes off of GAFS and then figure out the rest later. You don't need white phos, 2400 fom or $7k+ binos to get a capability increase from where you're at now.
Bought a old pvs7. Love it. Probably don’t know what I’m missing but I don’t care
1.) Dont buy night vision from a company who marks it up 20% like Trex
Basically there are two grades. Don’t spend all your money on one part of the system spend it evenly. And number one you can’t afford it.
Thank you! Keep on doing this kind of videos.
I'm glad this video came out. Because I was confused in various areas of night vision.
At 28:13 that was not a mag change, mag never clears the well.
I think it was a malfunction but he thought it was an empty mag. Once he grabs the mag in the gun, he can feel its not empty and realizes it was just a malfunction, reinserts, gun goes into battery, puts away the mag back into pouch. Just my guess.
lol that was pretty funny. I'm connected to this industry, and as an engineer, I've made my share of mistakes rambling about stuff aimlessly (that's just how passionate people are sometimes), so I kind of understand what went wrong with this presentation. It's a great example of what not to do. I'm sure that Scott is the real deal but.. it's really important to understand who your audience is, and speak ONLY to that audience. Need a simple outline of key points, think of each point as a goal to convey a core concept, and you give yourself fixed time to run through each one. You often get only one chance to earn the respect of your audience. That said, he's right that many companies that make this stuff ignore the consumer market almost completely. There are allll kinds of legitimate reasons for that, along with many applicable federal laws that those companies and their employees are bound by.
Bought a PVS14 wp from Nocturnality. Scott himself answered me, took payment, and answered any other questions I had. I cannot say enough good things, props to TRex for bringing an absolute autist connesiure on the channel to make it simple for monke
Looking forward to part 2.
That paralysis by analysis is the real deal.
He spent a lot of time telling us that there are tradeoffs that we need to understand and that the decision is not straightforward, but never gave us any information to choose from among systems that are actually available today. A commensense talk about pricepoints, quality and capability with examples for specific uses and budgets would have sure been helpful.
this video definatly explained alot of unanswered questions but I still feel like I am in the dark on what type of platform or what type of tube to be looking out for. I think I want a white phos pvs14 gen 3 but is that what is realistic for what I will be doing with it?
I feel like most of this video is geared toward someone who has just got their first set, not a buyers guide.
Don’t forget, if you’re budget is XXX, expect thousands in helmet, mount, different laser modules, multiple laser modules for different platforms, switches, the list is massive. Don’t spend all of your budget on just the tube
Bought some J31's and a CE2 COTI. $7k. Love it!
Night Vision is great for clearing houses. But for most other applications I would take a Thermal scope. Thermal scopes win against phosphorus Night Vision the majority of the time. But Fusion vision likely will be the technology of the future.