P3D Re: V-M virtual viewer

[Dan Shelley <dshelley@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Michael Kaplan wrote:
> 
> >Is it just me, or is anyone else disappointed in the new VM Viewer?
> 
> It's not just you. IMO the new viewer is a disaster - optically,
> mechanically, and from a design point of view. Fisher-Price could have
> hired industrial and optical designers to produce a superlative,
> high-magnification viewer that probably could have sold for under $20.
> I'm personally very disappointed.

I on the other hand am very impressed. It's a giant leap forward, and
for less than $5 US it's an amazing bargain. I am impressed that VM is
working so hard to improve their optics - you should see the side by
side comparisson of their old and new projectors. WOW! 

IMHO, before you start comparing this viewer to your expectations for a
$20 viewer, remember that this is meant to be a step up from the
existing production viewers, but that is still available for trhe same
basic cost. I hope that VM produced an "adult" viewer sometime, and they
were told that in Green Bay (good folks by the way!) but this is not
that viewer yet. For what it is, I liked it. For what it can be, I like
it even more... IE - The achromat lensed version Steve Berezin has
whipped up was just plain IMPRESSIVE. I can't wait to get my purple one.
(Steve ran out at the show...)

> Another note: my spot check of 18-dozen Model L viewers of Mexican
> origin showed a defect rate of over 50%. The main problem was defective
> casting of the plastic lenses. In the meantime, Fisher-Price has
> quarantined unsold Model L viewers and will spot check them for flaws.
> I've been informed that production has resumed in Mexico and the problem
> has been corrected. I've yet to see the results, though.

This was addressed in Green Bay. They also showed the new version of the
Discover viewer/binocular which has a new diffuser that does not have
the "bumpy" texture on it that caused image degradation. They are trying
hard, and are listening. =)

Dan Shelley
dshelley@xxxxxxxxxxxx
http://www.dddesign.com/3dbydan


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