Optelec Mini - 3.5 Inch Color Portable Video Magnifier - 3.5 Hrs. of Battery Use!

by MAGNIFYING AIDS

Product Features

• Small and light weight. Portable video magnifier.
• Nam brand: Optelec

Product Description

The Compact mini delivers the convenience which is expected of a modern, pocket-size solution. Every Compact mini comes complete with a built-in rechargeable battery, offering 3.5 hours of power. Holding the Compact mini for the first time will surprise many - the ultra-slim design and weight (only 134 grams) makes it the most convenient pocket video magnifier that offers a large 3.5-inch screen. Enjoy the use of the Compact Mini for shopping, travelling or just around around the home. Key Features: ?2x to 11x magnification. ?3.5-inch full colour TFT screen. ?Multiple viewing options: ?Full color. ?Black text on a white background (positive). ?White text on a black background (negative). ?Yellow text on a blue background. ?Yellow text on a black background. ?Camera is centrally positioned for intuitive reading. ?Rechargeable battery offering up to 3.5 hours continuous use. ?Carrying case and wrist strap. # 436553

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• ASIN: B002TTZNOS
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #140,668 in Health & Personal Care (See Top 100 in Health & Personal Care)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars limited usefulness, February 23, 2010

By 

A. Berger - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Optelec Mini - 3.5 Inch Color Portable Video Magnifier - 3.5 Hrs. of Battery Use! (Health and Beauty)

while reading text using the built in folding easel, this 5x device will digital zoom to 8x and 11x, while 2x is ONLY achievable by holding this unit several extra inches from the paper. that can be uncomfortable for prolonged reading of subjects such as a book or article. the focal length is less than a foot from your subject, so you can't read anything while the unit is flat against the subject and you can't read anything more than arms length like some of the more expensive Optelec models. you can snapshot one image into memory at a time, but without any pan & scan control to move the fixed image around the screen.
the CCD, GPU and LED Screen is only 320x240 resolution which is adequate while using regular camera mode magnification, but such a low resolution system causes the inverse video capability (white text on black background) to pixelize too much while attempting to read at 2x, thus rendering most text unreadable. even if you don't mind reading at 5x all the time while using the easel, the inverse video screen image will pixelizes into motion blur while reading (moving the unit horizontally) at a modest panning speed.
this unit may be fine for magnification, and brief duration intermittent demand text reading, but I found it inappropriate while trying to read more than a few lines at a stretch - especially since the unit kept shutting off every 6 minutes as a forced power conservation method which oddly enough cannot be disabled (you must hit a button every few minutes to keep the unit awake). since the CCD is centered, I found this unit to be challenging as a handwriting aid - which really requires the CCD to be positioned at the unit's edge. this unit is poor at reading off a full size CRT or LCD screen (desktop or laptop computer) since it's low resolution hardware pixelizes the magnified image even while held still and using it's regular camera mode.
the international power adapter, built in rechargeable battery, and SMD lighting systems are excellent at providing full brightness for nearly 4 hours of continuous use, with just over 2 hours needed for a full recharge. there is no low battery grace period - once the battery can't keep the unit working at full strength it shuts the unit off till you can recharge it. the unit is fairly rugged, includes a soft black case that hold the unit alone, not the recharger. I recommend regular users cover the bottom lens-less CCD cavity with a square centimeter of screen protector sheeting to keep debris from getting in. I would also recommend wrapping the outer frame with silicon tape to cushion the unit from getting knocked around during daily use. Magnifying Aids turned out to be a very supportive fully staffed reseller for the Amazon buying community, who also sell 2.8X Sports Spectacles great for watching TV, 3X COIL Hand Held Magnifier 3.5 Inch Lens my favorite reading magnifier.