Review Lengths - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 13, 2011, 11:32:27 am
content: Completed my latest product review (it's a scope) and it's around 55min WITHOUT the teardown which I decided to have in a separate video.It takes around 15min of ranting before I even turn it on!Now, given that a good multimeter review can be almost 30min, and this is a fair bit more involved than a multimeter, what do people think about an almost 1 hour review? Am I insane?It's just my usual waffling and I ended up with almost 1 hour of edited video this timeDave.

author: Slobodan
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 13, 2011, 12:06:51 pm
content: Your long reviews are great.

author: kcs
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 13, 2011, 12:26:15 pm
content: It would be great to have two versions of product review - longer and shorter one. Where shorter one would consist of some fragments and conclusion from the longer one.

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 13, 2011, 12:26:26 pm
content: Depends on the product & how much there is to rant about...There may be people who'd like a shorter 'edited highlights' version but I appreciate that's probably going to be a pain to edit down.Something else that may be worth thinking about is doing a short 10=15min vid on more products, and a vote to see which ones might be worth going more in-depth on later

author: onemilimeter
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 13, 2011, 12:36:01 pm
content: Quote from: mikeselectricstuff on February 13, 2011, 12:26:26 pmAgree...

author: Bored@Work
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 13, 2011, 01:13:28 pm
content: Quote from: EEVblog on February 13, 2011, 11:32:27 amLet me guess, you are obliged not to release the review until a certain date, coming up real soon now?

author: saturation
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 13, 2011, 01:37:11 pm
content: So long as there is real content, it can be any length, as he dives into each section in detail.I can always break up playback into sections for playback when I have time; I normally download the whole video, because I'd like to freeze a frame to read better the dials and settings or drawings, and regularly playback at the fastest speed that's intelligible; normally 1.5x is fine and at most 2x, it cuts the time down without changing anything.

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 13, 2011, 01:51:10 pm
content: Quote from: saturation on February 13, 2011, 01:37:11 pmAgreed. You can hardly expect a review of something like a scope to be the same length as a DMM (especially if it's the tenth or so, which mean you can spend less time explaining basics). There may be some sample bias in this poll, however, people who are less interested might be less likely to be on this forum.

author: Kiriakos-GR
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 13, 2011, 06:29:42 pm
content: The main problem that I had faced , when I did try to make an youtube video in Greek, about the 28II ( That I never published) ,was that you have zero awareness to whom you are referring at ?The novice needs lots of things to explain to him.The half-novice needs less .The expert needs lesser .I have no idea about scopes , but even in multimeter s, what looks so far interesting, are that the "take it apart" in such detail ,takes away valuable time , from presenting more usable info, like the true NEW functionality s - capabilities.The only solution that I have think so far ( about the EEV) , would be an introduction video to multimeter s basics.And its one new presentation of an product , to have only the specific extras that this model has to offer.

author: Lance
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 13, 2011, 06:39:33 pm
content: I like the stuff you put in your reviews. So long as the information presented is useful I don't mind the length. Those little stories about what happened in the industry that you sometimes talk about are somewhat interesting to listen to.

author: Zad
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 13, 2011, 07:02:42 pm
content: So not the new Tek scopes that they have been pushing for the last few monthsTo quote Colin Chapman; add lightness. The Element-14 site is an example of people adding more and more, without thinking about the end user. You probably don't have the luxury of being able to do this, but when I am writing a big report or presentation, I like to get it finished and then leave it alone for at least 24 hours before I do a full read-through. That way, you get a better perspective on what is important and so what deserves most coverage.I'm not sure editing down a big video to 15 minutes really works that well unless it was planned from the start. What I am going to suggest does kinda go against some of the EEV ethos, but how about scripting a 15 or 20 minute overview? I don't mean written out in full, that would be awful, just watch your own full length video and make 5 or 6 cue cards with bullet points on to make sure you cover the important parts but don't go wandering off into the how or why something is the way it is. You retain the (edited down) video footage from the full version, but gear it to a newly recorded audio track. This forces you to think about what is important, the major functions rather than the sexy marketing stuff.I'm fine with the full length geek's cut edition with DVD extras, I can watch that stuff all day, but 15 minutes is much more Internet friendly and more likely to be watched by the casual audience. If you are doing measurements though, they are often better in PDF form, along with detailed photos and diagrams.

author: dengorius
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 13, 2011, 07:10:03 pm
content: If you ask me the longer the better. You can always skip ahead if you get bored

author: Neilm
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 13, 2011, 07:20:48 pm
content: An hour long review of a new resistor is well over the top.An hour long review of a new scope might not be long enough.For my view - as long as you don't keep going back over the same points (and I haven't seen one yet) I'm happy with the longer review.Neil

author: cksa
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 13, 2011, 07:51:13 pm
content: The longer the better! Can't get enough of dave's videos!!!

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 13, 2011, 08:35:08 pm
content: Quote from: BoredAtWork on February 13, 2011, 01:13:28 pmWhatever gave you that idea?Dave.

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 13, 2011, 11:28:39 pm
content: DaveI have no problem with long informative reviews. A viewer can always watch in installments.... like a soap operaYou can never have too much information on an interesting subject.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 14, 2011, 12:01:50 am
content: Thanks for the feedback.I've decided to have a crack at a condensed 10-15min version, so there should be 3 videos. Short summary review, full review with all the waffle, and a teardown.Dave.

author: radiocrazier
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 14, 2011, 12:48:51 am
content: Hey EEVblogI'm chinese new comer,I could not enter the YouTube in any way,and I use some softwares to enter to your website,do you have some ways or links to download you blog video?I like to watch to your video and learn more.thanx!!

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 14, 2011, 01:06:05 am
content: Quote from: radiocrazier on February 14, 2011, 12:48:51 amYou can subscribe to the RRS feed:http://feeds.feedburner.com/ElectronicsEngineeringVideoBlogDave.

author: BrickBoiler
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 14, 2011, 01:09:26 am
content: I like the long reviews. Say what you want to say and to hell with the clock.

author: PetrosA
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 14, 2011, 03:51:33 am
content: Dave, remember that your equipment reviews are why a lot of us started coming here in the first place. There's NOWHERE else on the net to find reviews like them. As I see it, if you spend 30 minutes reviewing a $300-$900 DMM (still waiting for the new Metrawatt) or an hour reviewing a scope that may cost thousands of dollars, there's absolutely nothing wrong with that - in fact the review will probably seem short. Equipment in these price ranges are big investments for the non-corporate buyer and watching a competent, in-depth review is part of that investment. The work you've put into your reviews in the past has been really beneficial to my knowledge of test equipment and I have every intention of sitting through your future blogs as well. Screw the casual viewer with a 10 minute attention span. Your reviews aren't for that kind of person and I think you know that or you wouldn't do 60 minute editsCheers!

author: PeterG
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 14, 2011, 06:29:38 am
content: I am looking forward to this review. It will be good to see the review and maybe pick up a few tips and tricks to using a DSO to its fullest.I wonder if Dave will end up with a shinny new scope or will there be a mega competition sometime in the future.Regards

author: JohnS_AZ
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 14, 2011, 04:14:13 pm
content: Puffing up a short review to meet some minimum time would be bad.Omitting good observations to keep the review under some maximum time would be bad.For a video you produce for your own channel, it's kind if a zen thing: It takes how long it takes. :-)

author: Excavatoree
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 14, 2011, 05:31:48 pm
content: Quote from: PetrosA on February 14, 2011, 03:51:33 amI share these sentiments. Well said.

author: Bored@Work
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 14, 2011, 06:05:28 pm
content: Quote from: EEVblog on February 13, 2011, 08:35:08 pmI could make a fortune from fortune telling

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 15, 2011, 01:39:43 am
content: Quote from: JohnS_AZ on February 14, 2011, 04:14:13 pmYup, that's pretty much it.I rant about the things I want to rant about, play with the things I want to play with, and the video ends up at whatever length it end up as.Don't expect any systematic testing, I don't have a system, for anything!Dave.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 15, 2011, 01:48:28 am
content: Quote from: Darkman1969 on February 14, 2011, 06:29:38 amActually, I now plan on doing a few short (yes, actually very short) blogs on various aspects of using a DSO.QuoteNo mega contest I'm afraid, unless a certain company wants to donate one for said purpose.Yes, I have been promised a scope, which will be awesome for use in the lab and blogs, but the two I have for review are the demo units so they have to go back next week :-(Not before I've torn them to pieces and shot as much as I can though ;-)Dave.

author: Russel
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 28, 2011, 04:06:24 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on February 15, 2011, 01:48:28 amExcellent! I am looking forward to them!I enjoy your video blogs, long or short. Keep up the good work!