POLL: EEVlabs - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 11, 2022, 12:32:48 am
content: So I've had this idea for a few years now and you might have heard me mention it before.Well, now I'm thinking about taking this seriously, but it needs community input and funding to happen.The plan is to have a lab that takes test equipment and other product testing seriously and methodically, having standardised testing and product shoot outs etc in a controlled way.Equipment could be given comparitive scores etc. The community would of course have input into all shaping all this.This requires:1) Set up a new company EEVlabs (for legal, accounting, and even just mental division reasons from the EEVblog)2) Rent a big space, a combined office/warehouse/rollerdoor type space. My current lab is clearly not suited.3) Hire at least one, possibly two full time employees to work on this. This would include an on-air talent (in addition to me, in fact they could be the lead presenter)4) Set up a Patreon or some other monthly donate thing to bring in funds. Say $5/month minimum.5) I doubt Patreon would be enough to pay for all this, so all videos would be sponsored where possible. Obviously this may creates conflicts of interest. It could be that no company that is being tested in that video gets to sponsor that video. This could mean taking unrelated to engineering sponsors.I would of course oversee it all and participate, but the idea is to keep the EEVblog the same, just doing my random unsponsored stuff. EEVlabs either pays for itself or it dies trying.It would of course need at least a few hundred thousand per year in funding to keep this afloat.Another funding option might be for me to take sponsored videos on the main EEVblog channel to help pay for it, at least initially, as it's unlikely to suddenly get 100k subs and like 50k views per video right ff the bat? But I don't know, maybe if I just launched the EEVlabs channels with just me in my lab for starters and see what subscriber traction it gets?If it works then I go bigger.Yes, if you watch Linus Tech Tips you'll know that he's basically doing this with absolutely enourmous manpower and money, and it's working. But yes, that market segment is an order of magnitude bigger than the test gear and related markets.Test equipment would be an obvious place to start, but doesn't have to be limited to that. Could be other markets as well.Thoughts and comments please. Does this have a chance of succeeding or am I nuts?

author: ehughes
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 11, 2022, 12:48:37 am
content: I think it would be helpful for pros making purchasing decisions for real equipment. The EE market is small/niche. Opening up the scope a bit to include test gear from other disciplines may make it more financially viable. Acoustics, optics, materials science, etc.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 11, 2022, 12:54:12 am
content: Quote from: ehughes on September 11, 2022, 12:48:37 amYes, I don't see it being limited to electronic test gear, but that's at least a place to start.Solar/EV gear might be a market as well.For those in Australia, think like a Choice magazine type thing.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 11, 2022, 01:03:22 am
content: I don't think a 2 person team is enough. You'll need specialists in several fields in order to really dig down into the nitty-gritty of test equipment or whatever you are testing. Even equipment that is well researched as a collective effort on this forum, may turn out to fall short on basic stuff but which nobody cared to test. Just look at the huge amount of work that is done on the comparison of 3 oscilloscopes (can't find the thread right now). I have been doing some oscilloscope tests just to see what the basic functionality is and each one of them takes me a couple of days of work.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 11, 2022, 01:06:26 am
content: Quote from: nctnico on September 11, 2022, 01:03:22 amI agree, but you have to start somewhere. Two would probably be a minimum, as I wouldn't be there 100% of the time, and it gets a bit unmotivating if it's just one on their lonesome.Heck, an EEVlabs channel could be started with just me with the premise of all videos on that channel being sponsored. If decent money rolls in that it gets expanded.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 11, 2022, 01:10:01 am
content: Quote from: nctnico on September 11, 2022, 01:03:22 amI know, which is why I balk at product shoot-outs or even single oscilloscope reviews these days.Guess why you haven't seen a through review of the new Tek 2 series I have...Every time I look at it with the motiviation to do it, I just think of all the stuff I need to setup and do it, and it gets put into the not enough time basket.

author: artag
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 11, 2022, 01:11:50 am
content: You could have guest engineers to do products from time to time rather than permanent payrollI think sponsorship degrades the idea. Nobody trusts that. If you want to be a Which? of test equipment you need to be rigorously independent.

author: Muttley Snickers
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 11, 2022, 01:14:53 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on September 11, 2022, 12:32:48 amYou're nuts!I don't know, but to give a fair and proper assessment or evaluation on any product really requires having extensive knowledge of the product itself and being completely versed in its operation and configuration.Anything less than a full commitment from you or your staffs part will be heavily criticised with endless facepalms from the audience. It is very common for people to criticise that which they do not fully understand.

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 11, 2022, 01:26:09 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on September 11, 2022, 12:54:12 amSolar and EV markets are in a good place for this sort of thing, IMHO. I know I have questions about solar.QuoteThat was my first thought after reading your intro.No small exercise.Quote from: artag on September 11, 2022, 01:11:50 amA fair comment - but, as Dave has indicated, there are ways to approach that. For example, would a sponsor for solder wick be a bad thing if you were examining soldering stations?Certainly, this is a big undertaking to be done properly and it's going to require baby steps at first to find a path that will work, with the ability to expand.Quote from: EEVblog on September 11, 2022, 12:32:48 amGuarded "yes" on the first part, resounding "yes" on the second.Recommendation: Avagoyamug.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 11, 2022, 01:29:02 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on September 11, 2022, 01:10:01 amIMHO one of the problems will be how to produce an entertaining and to-the-point video from what is mostly running tests and presenting test results. In the end that is just bone-dry stuff. Maybe keeping on complaining about pet-peeves like Munro does on his car teardowns helps to lighten things up a bit.Also editing the videos is a huge job that will require extra hands. Another one of my favorite Youtubers is producing a video every work day and he has someone filming and editing more than fulltime.@Dave: IMHO this step takes you into content-production-firm territory where you really need to manage video production and do this on a regular / fixed schedule in order to keep videos being produced on time and revenue coming in. Are you ready to be a boss & manager? I think the comparison with LTT is correct but I bet it is not all fun & games behind the scenes over there.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 11, 2022, 02:13:13 am
content: Quote from: artag on September 11, 2022, 01:11:50 amIt wouldn't be an oscilloscope shootout sponsored by Keysight or Tek or Siglent. It'd be all the usual sponsor suspects you see on other mainstread channels. I get contact by these companies daily and always turn them all down. The plan would be accept almots anything that pays the bills.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 11, 2022, 02:14:25 am
content: Quote from: Muttley Snickers on September 11, 2022, 01:14:53 amYes, but the whole idea is to develop a set of standardised tests, developed in conjuction with the community.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 11, 2022, 02:20:00 am
content: Quote from: nctnico on September 11, 2022, 01:29:02 amCorrect. That's always a perpetual problem.QuoteIt's actually not hard to film stuff as you do it.Editing, yes, it takes time away. I wouldn't see a full time video editor in-house, but that could be contracted out.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 11, 2022, 02:24:43 am
content: Quote from: Brumby on September 11, 2022, 01:26:09 amYes, I totally see this initial feedback flopping, and I essentially know the result of the poll before even running it. I'm sure many people would want to subscribe to and watch such a thing, but it's almost certain that people wouldn't want to pay for such a thing on a scale that makes it viable.So why did I even post this if I know the result? To float the dream idea out there and work backwards to what is viable.BTW, there is also a poll on Twitter:https://twitter.com/eevblog/status/1568763569529057280Currently 72% would sub and watch, virtually one willing to pay for it, 13% not really interested, and 12% think it'll flop.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 11, 2022, 02:25:45 am
content: Quote from: artag on September 11, 2022, 01:11:50 amNot workable I'm afraid, you need consistency of production and presentation.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 11, 2022, 02:35:51 am
content: As for starting small, the steps would be:1) Work on EEVlab branding and have that set from the get go.2) Have some content in the can. e.g. Tek 2 series, new Rigol scopes I'm getting soon.3) Announce the EEVlab channel with maybe one unsponsored video and get an initial subscriber base. Tell everyone that everything teardown and review related will now be on EEVlab channel and it will be a (non conflict) sponsor funded channel.4) Find sponsors based on the first video(s) response. It helps that I have a big established channel already, but I suspect sponsors won't come on board until the channel has an initial sub and view base.#5) Find a good contract video editor so that time is taken away from me.5) Produce content slowly as I have time. Build from there.

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 11, 2022, 02:36:49 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on September 11, 2022, 12:32:48 amTo me: The most interesting part of "Test Gear" is the part thatcan'tbe tested with standardized testing.If we're going to compare two multimeters using standard tests with bullet points then an Aneng can easily score as high as a Fluke.How do you assign a hard number to "bang per buck"?Edit: Take Joe Smith for example. I watch his videos because he does everythingexcepttest multimeters to see if they're bang on accurate. He rubs them with gasoline, zaps them with grill starters, twists the knob until it breaks, etc. It's fun to watch fancy $700 meters fail miserably where $50 meters survive.

author: gnavigator1007
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 11, 2022, 02:40:00 am
content: So I voted I think it will flop, but I also want to say that I would be interested in the content and would contribute a small amount monthly.Just look at how long it's been since a video was added to EEVdiscover & that the uSupply is still not available. You've clearly already got a lot going on. A project like you're talking about would be a much larger investment of your time and money. I'd worry that the rewards would be limited by the niche nature of the test subjects.

author: joeqsmith
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 11, 2022, 03:02:39 am
content: I wouldn't waste your time with it. If you have already put together a budget it would be interesting to see.

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 11, 2022, 03:14:08 am
content: I haven't voted yet but it sounds expensive and but I can't see myself sitting through hours of Youtube videos to find information that I could find in two minutes on a web site like this one:https://lygte-info.dk/info/DMMReviews.htmlMaybe you could knock together a pilot video showing the sort of thing you have in mind.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 11, 2022, 03:20:12 am
content: Quote from: Fungus on September 11, 2022, 02:36:49 amMy plan for a long time has been to have such testing facilities. Thermal/humidiuty test chambers, vibration tables, automated knob turners, ESD, mains brownout and spike testing etc.EEVlab could be a torture test lab only perhaps?

author: maxwell3e10
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 11, 2022, 03:57:41 am
content: This would be a great undertaking if it results in morequantitativeevaluation of test equipment. I think a good example ishttps://www.audiosciencereview.com/Amir deserves a lot of credit for pushing audio equipment manufacturers to improve their products in measurable ways. As a result, there is often more quantitative information available on the performance of an $100 consumer DAC than professional test equipment costing 100 times more. In the old days manufacturers (e.g. HP) would include a lot of info and plots in their datasheets. Now they focus on making datasheets to hide the weak points.From the practical perspective, evaluating audio equipment is easier because there are only a few types of equipment. Amir's approach is to run exactly the same tests on all similar pieces of equipment and present plots in exactly the same way. This makes it faster to do and easier to compare. He does it all himself and I don't think it's his source of income. But with standardized procedures one could train a tech to run the tests on common pieces of equipment (oscilloscope, function generator, power supply) in a few hours. The goal would be not to play with equipment in an entertaining way, but to get hard data on its performance quickly.P.S. Perhaps one can encourage people to subscribe by letting patrons request specific additional tests.

author: Black Phoenix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 11, 2022, 04:10:45 am
content: To be sincere I didn't voted because I'm conflicted.I would like to see such project. Normally I take instead how Gamer Nexus been doing such kind of stuff with his standards for reviews and equipment they now own and use in his new office building.I don't talk about LTT because I, although was a subscriber since the beginnings (coming from NCIX) I unsub them when they were moved to the new big warehouse (before they had the adjacent one converted to a machine tool shop and this new LTTLabs) since the format I liked was starting to dissappear. Also the cringe YouTube thumbnails and clickbait titles is something that is a pet peeve of me. Although I understand the reason why they do I still think that for something who tried to look professional it diminishes the quality of the production (but that just me). And other reasons regarding Linus itself and how he tackles some stuff, but that's for another day.But at the same time I fail to realize, other than having a standards for reviewing stuff, how did this new Labs stuff (that a lot of people now is thinking on doing) is going to differ of a normal indepth review or round up I see other reviewers do, some of them with equipment and standards on par with the best.I would not mind supporting it or even providing man hours to the cause to be sincere.

author: Warpspeed
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: September 11, 2022, 07:25:27 am
content: Choice Magazine is a good example of this type of activity, and I did subscribe to that for about a year.The problem was, they hardly ever reviewed anything I was even remotely interested in.Its main value to me was at the local suburban library that held all the back issues.If I ever did decide to buy an ironing board, or a mouse trap, I could always research it for free at the library.That was back in in ancient times before the internet.Likewise, If I was in the market for a soldering station, or a multimeter today, a quick internet and U-tube search would turn up a lot of very useful info.Its a great idea, but the practicality and expense of it all, hardly seems justifiable.

author: manicdoc
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 11, 2022, 07:34:36 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on September 11, 2022, 02:14:25 amIt's an interesting idea, although I would think those who are the most interested in such test results would be in a position to get their mits on equipment to test for fit to the required purpose OR know someone who can help them reduce the choices to sufficient a degree that the differences left can be overcome (questions on this forum about what test equipment to get would in effect be in competition). As in the more expensive the kit (talking well North of 10k here) the more seriously someone would be in picking it. What you do might have some bearing on their decision-making, but not sure it would be critical I think, with that amount being spent it has to be directly justified. Plus the number of people doing this rapidly tails off...Remember Linus has a whole ecosystem of interchangeable PC bits to play with and contrast & compare with on a very dense set of price/feature curves (he has literally 100's if not 1000's of things to compare and the infrastructure to do so) - plus an audience who are pure fanboys for their bit of beloved kit. For him, it makes sense to produce what is essentially mental button-pushing precision comparison clickbait as he wins whoever ends up foaming at the mouth; it's a critical mass comparison war and he makes $$$ no matter what. A bit like the entertainment fight arena in Altered Carbon, but with slightly less blood & tissue damage, and more measurements... He knows exactly what he is up to.

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 11, 2022, 08:31:17 am
content: A dream is just that until the stars align for it to happen therefore what's brought this dream to the front of the queue Dave ?What are you to do for staff and this the big one, staff of sufficient caliber ie. qualifications and experience to have any chance of pulling this off ?Don't overlook their capabilities or lack of could impact on your existing reputation unless you have a Shahriar up your sleeve to help pull this off.As for some standardized testswell in this day and age with the rapid changes in just the last 5 years by the time you've drafted them, they will already be obsolete.I'm with Muttley based on that you've shared with us thus far.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 11, 2022, 08:49:23 am
content: Quote from: manicdoc on September 11, 2022, 07:34:36 amIt's actually opposite of what you think here.Cheaper stuff are the items that people will trust a reviewer on. For expensive stuff (>$10k) typically you'd get a loaner unit from a local rep and test its suitability for your specific application.Review on really expensive gear also get very few views because it's outside of most people's budgets, so they generally aren't going to spend the time looking at it all.

author: tv84
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 11, 2022, 08:51:34 am
content: I think that, unfortunately, the idea is condemned from the start. Maybe one day...Some rumblings about my opinion:Unless you hire some of the members here in the forum, continuosly, you will never get the definitive evaluations that you are hoping for (or at least me under the "EEVLab" flag). TE is a very small niche and one needs hyper special guys to comment freely on them (going overboard of TE is even worse as, one of these days, we'll be here discussing coffee machines and, at that moment, I'll know I've reached my stop).Having such a supposedly "serious and methodic" evaluation might detract members from commenting: the beauty (and the bad) of the thing today on the forum is that, sometimes, you have people participating in a discussion that are orders of magnitude away in terms of knowledge But that doesn't detract them from commenting. (it's like talking about a football game, anyone is entitled to they opinion and reserves the right to express it). Without comments from members you'll loose the "community contibution" that you are expecting.OTOH, a "EEVLabs testing/certification seal" might be destroyed in seconds if a forum guru finds an error or totally disagrees with what is being shown.I agree with a "EEVLab" brand (seems kind of cool!), i think it may start to have some credibility BUT you have to go with the crowdsourcing way.Things like Rudi's enormous workhttps://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/functional-comparison-of-rs-rtb2000-siglent-sds2000x-and-keysight-dsox1000/is something that you should encourage, help, guide and/or even reward with a "EEVLabs seal".This could make some of the big gurus here do similar contributions in order to have something with the "EEVLabs seal" in their curriculum. There are many already spread all over the forum that are just not organized or filmed as a videoclip.

author: J-R
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 11, 2022, 09:12:35 am
content: My suggestion would be to consider testing/reviewing more mainstream consumer products. Feel free to also continue with the electronics gear, but if you really want to expand you will need to appeal to a wider audience. I personally enjoy Project Farm's Youtube channel and have been very happy with my purchases made after considering his tests/reviews. I've can't remember ever buying his top rated product, but the information he provides has helped me to pick what I needed/wanted.Ultimately your content might be a mix of individual product reviews as they come out, along with the occasional "shootout" style where you pit maybe a dozen competing products against each other. And don't be afraid to review something mundane like an extension cord, because a lot of people just want someone to show them a good product so they can buy it and move on.

author: iMo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 11, 2022, 09:12:58 am
content: Hopefully you have registered your new domain EEVlabs.com already - as the first step

author: J-R
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 11, 2022, 09:15:50 am
content: Quote from: imo on September 11, 2022, 09:12:58 amUh oh, it's available, quick Dave!!

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 11, 2022, 09:32:35 am
content: I think solar/EV etc would be a better bet than test gear - I'm not sure the testgear market is big enough for this to be viable, and most people interested in it will often already have a lot of knowledge.Something more consumer oriented gives the opportunity not only for equipment reviews but also general educational content.As for sponsors, I think they'd need to be non-industry companies to avoid any impartialaity.

author: Domitronic
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 11, 2022, 09:51:58 am
content: I voted for "Sounds ok, I may or may not watch, depends" and i would like to explain why. My impression is that for test equipment you are biased, either conscious or unconscious. That is the reason why i would not pay for it. For example looking how your opinion about Tektronix changed over the years. For a long time there were almost no positive comments about Tek and since they sent you a series 2 test device it seems to have changed a bit. As everybody I'm also biased and have my personal preference of test equipment i use at work. Thats fine in general but a problem for a company dedicated to independent tests. Like confidence in test equipment brands there would also be confidence in test equipment reviewers. Even if the plan would be to have a fixed set of criteria to test. There is still a lot which is hard to put in numbers like usability.I like your videos for entertainment and also to learn new things. For years i have seen most of your videos. But not for independent product reviews. Your strength is entertaining nerds and also some good educational videos in my opinion. Product reviews are also very fun to watch but more for the entertainment factor.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 11, 2022, 11:04:30 am
content: Quote from: tautech on September 11, 2022, 08:31:17 amI disagree. You can standarise tests to a high degree and add / delete sections depending on functionality. Take my RTM3004 review for example:https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/rohde-schwarz-rtm3000-review/These tests can be performed by any reasonably well instructed lab technician. The whole point of having a test plan is that almost anybody can execute the tests. And it doesn't take years to write. Sure, refinements can be made based on issues that aren't covered yet. Also, the blank parts in a test plan OR seemingly weird behaviour which the manufacturer can't or won't explain, can be areas where the audience can engage. It is prudent not to call something a bug until after giving the manufacturer a chance at least to explain what is going on according to them.A bigger problem I see is that there are verious brands that keep changing their firmware (fixing bugs, creating new bugs, adding features) so any test result will be basically outdated when new firmware is released.Maybe there is money to be made to have EEVlab do firmware testing for test equipment companies. Just like Munro takes cars apart so car manufacturers can learn what the competition is up to.

author: madires
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 11, 2022, 12:00:10 pm
content: Maybe it's a business opportunity. However, being a bit selfish here, I think it would occupy you so much that EEVblog would change and suffer. Also, there are already many 'product testers', anything from simply promoting products to trying to be unbiased and performing proper tests. In my experience, those tests can give you a just rough overview about what to expect from a product, but they are rarely able to tell you if a product is the right choice in your specific situation, especially when you have requirements which aren't checked. As a tester you can't test every feature and possible usage scenario because of money/time constraints. So you have to focus on some limited points which you think are important. The curse of testing.PS. I don't watch Linus Tech Tips

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 11, 2022, 12:13:44 pm
content: It really just boils down to what sort of sponsorship money can be make from doing it vs costs incurred.If it brings in the money then it brings in the money.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 11, 2022, 12:49:24 pm
content: Quote from: Domitronic on September 11, 2022, 09:51:58 amErr, nope. They sent me a 3000 series that is worth a lot more than the 2 series, and I absolutely hammered that product. So much so that they didn't talk to me for like 5 years or something.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 11, 2022, 12:52:35 pm
content: Quote from: imo on September 11, 2022, 09:12:58 amEEVlab.com is taken.

author: Wim_L
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 11, 2022, 12:59:03 pm
content: Quote from: EEVblog on September 11, 2022, 03:20:12 amMultimeters might be a particularly difficult case.Not only do you have the normal destructive testing and CAT ratings (which means you can expect to not just test one meter, but destroy a series of them), but there's another issue: confidence in the result.Will a multimeter give repeatable and correct results? And will it still do so after ten years? Yes, if you're a company that relies on accurate measurements, those meters will be sent to calibration labs at manufacturer-specified intervals, so in theory that shouldn't matter. In practice, a meter that stays within specifications after a decade by design, where the calibration consists of nothing more than a simple check to confirm it's still okay, is much nicer to deal with than one that drifts to the maximum allowed limits during each calibration interval. That's not something easily tested, that's confidence building up after many years.

author: Bud
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 11, 2022, 02:48:24 pm
content: This proposed name creates a confusion with existing EEVBlab.

author: HighVoltage
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 11, 2022, 02:48:54 pm
content: Quote from: EEVblog on September 11, 2022, 12:52:35 pmEEVlabs.com is free !It was also called the "HPlabs" and not "HPlab"

author: joeqsmith
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 11, 2022, 02:54:03 pm
content: https://www.consumerreports.org/Ask yourself, could you give the 121GW a fair shakedown? Watching your earlier videos of handheld meter, compared with the 121GW, I suspect it would be difficult. As a seller you would need to resolve this conflict of interest.One advantage to my tests, there isn't a lot of room for bias. While I often receive comments about bias, I tend to stick with the data. The transient generators I designed/constructed put out the same waveforms regardless if there is a $700 Keysight meter attached or a free meter from Harbor Freight. Products that do better are not because I wave my magic bias wand.You may want to consider following standards that are already in-place rather than coming up with your own. You could then procure OTS equipment. They could also be maintained by the supplier. Coming up with your own standards and designing/maintaining the equipment to run them seems like a poor choice for a business.Again, I would be interested in seeing your business plan. The costs to setup/maintain/operate such a lab alone would be very interesting.

author: armandine2
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 11, 2022, 03:15:33 pm
content: If not you, who? - Jeff Bezos could afford it, and a few Joe Smiths might do it.Good luck.

author: andybrandi
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: September 11, 2022, 03:59:11 pm
content: Quote from: artag on September 11, 2022, 01:11:50 amI don't think a sponsorship from NordVPN, Squarespace, Skillshare or the like would hurt credibility in this case.Anyway, I like the idea and I'm curious to see how it is going to turn out. That said, joeqsmith made a good point that I'd like to reiterate:Quote from: joeqsmith on September 11, 2022, 02:54:03 pm

author: ebastler
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 11, 2022, 04:23:56 pm
content: Even when run under a separate brand, I am not sure EEVlabs would be compatible with the EEVblog "vibe" and with Dave's personal strengths and image. A "serious" test channel would require a more structured and disciplined approach, not only to the test procedures but also to the way the videos are presented."No script, no fear, all opinion" does not cut it for an EEVlabs channel. Sure, if you brand it separately and even have a different person be the lead presenter, you could take an entirely different approach. But then, would the new channel benefit from your personal popularity? The spontaneuous, informal, sometimes rambling style is what you are known for.

author: manicdoc
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 12, 2022, 12:12:37 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on September 11, 2022, 08:49:23 amYep and that's the problem, where the money is proportional to the risk, ain't there.Unless you have about $200k to throw at it, which you are prepared to risk losing fully outright, I wouldn't be going there (not to mention the time sink and emotional rollercoaster, not to beeverunderestimated; been there, it sucks). I don't see how you can derisk this, as the 'worth' is only possible with the commitment upfront. No meaningfully MVP'ing this, you have to ramp up the investment darn quick. The only way to slightly derisk is to go wide, but that will require a lot more investment up front, in effect try many things in the hope something sticks... Then you would be getting into spaces that have existing competition... Plus consuming more time... not good.Having known you for many years, and what you appear to like doing & where your joy is, I'm not at all sure this is a good fit for you; given all the other 'stuff' it requires to stand a chance of working.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 12, 2022, 02:15:55 am
content: Quote from: Bud on September 11, 2022, 02:48:24 pmYeah, not the best co-incidence.

author: TheDefpom
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 12, 2022, 10:35:09 pm
content: Pity I’m in the wrong country… you know how I like to review test gear, even though I’m not really an “expert”.An idea that crossed my mind is to do guest spots, maybe just getting different people to review and test items, the reviewer gets to keep the gear as payment, I know I would do it.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 13, 2022, 12:01:43 am
content: As predicted, such an idea isn't going to get funding.So back to the original idea of filling my dungeon with gear that you'd like to see used to in tests.Please post your ideas in this thread:https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/eevlab-equipment-list/

author: bson
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 13, 2022, 12:03:53 am
content: Take a look at Project Farm, which does practical shootouts between various mechanic shop items like ratchet wrenches, engine oils and power tool batteries. His supporters get to nominate what they'd like tested. While a bit different, there might be something applicable.

author: Neutrion
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 29, 2022, 06:54:17 pm
content: Wanted to post this a few months before, but better late than never:There are a number of tests with test equipment what you could already do with your existing equipment, and which would not require an extreme amount of resources.Like with Oscilloscopes those done by Performa01.But even with multimeters many basic stuff is almost never tested Like the crest mode with rare single signals (blind time).The highest ohms test voltage, and with this, the in-circuit measurement capabilities(also for capacitance testing), the bandwith of the Volts or current range, or the DC-bias scenarios which we were debating about in the bm789 topic.And of course, some test with some commercial household stuff would be also amazing especially regarding durability or repairability issues, but I agree the others here that it would not be easy to do.Like light bulb light quality and durability test (although in the EU luckily there is some rule now that the R9 of the RA scale needs to be tested exquisitely, and also the flickering) but since the Fastvoice blog in Germany died down, there is less and less competition on the field of light quality it seems.And recently I run into the mostly non existing thermal protection issue in hand blenders.What is the maximum duty cycle and power an induction plate can endure, and what amount of enviromental electromagnetic radiation can we count with with different modells?The duty cycle would be also interesting to test with radiation type plates.And so on...

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 19, 2023, 11:31:26 am
content: Aaaaand, you guessed it, I'm still thinking about this.But I'm back with a new plan:I hire one person full time to do this in the existing EEVblog lab.Videos are called EEVlab to differentiate them from EEVblog which would remain the sameFocus is product reviews and shootouts in a consistent and concise styleNew hire would have skills and interest in test gear and testing, automation, and video editing. Although it's possible video editing could be outsorcedEEVlab videos are paid for by in-video sponsorship, NOT of the product/brands being tested. Could be completely unrelated sponsors. I don't care if it's Dollar Shave ClubNew hire can be on the screen talent, could be voice only, or possibly they could write scripts that'd I'd butcher myself. Flexible here, depends entirely on the hire.New hire also takes does my shipping and brokers ad/sponsorship deals freeing me up to do more existing EEVblog content.At least one new shoot-out video every month, maybe two if pipeline possibleNew fancy concise video editing, giveing a summary video, and maybe a 2nd channel extended version if you want all the gritty details. I don't think this works unless it's really polished contentAll equipment is purchased so there is no potential biasIf I could secure say $5k/video sponsorship money (I've been offered this kind of money before) then it could almost pay for itself.Obviosuly the whole plan is based on finding someone suitable and keen. If they don't have a "can-do" attitude and requires my input on absolutely everything then it won't work.Worst case is I waste say a years salary on someone, and maybe piss off some viewers because I'm now taking sponsorship money (and they don't understand it's for EEVlab videos only)Ok case it eventually brings in enough sponship money to break even, and I gain an employee and more time for my own content.Best case it works so well I rent a bigger place to do more stuff and maybe hire another person etc.I have set up a NEW POLL above, please vote again!Existing poll results attached.

author: Muttley Snickers
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 19, 2023, 12:04:33 pm
content: Quote from: EEVblog on March 19, 2023, 11:31:26 amPerhaps you could do a pilot episode first and provide a link to it in the Supporters Lounge for feedback and a better indication of the concept. I'm not sure I would go to the trouble of finding and then hiring someone without being absolutely certain there was a good chance of a decent audience.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 19, 2023, 12:13:23 pm
content: Quote from: Muttley Snickers on March 19, 2023, 12:04:33 pmThat's the thing, it really hinges on getting someone to focus on this and what they can bring to the table.It's one of those, if you build it they will (hopefully) come things.But yes, initial videos would be released to supporters to get feedback on content and style. I suspect it would take a few months to get the first video out. You'd need a few months to focus on how things will be structured, editing various styles of video to A/B test them with supporters etc.Baselines views would surely be my existing test equipment reviews and shootout videos.It's basically just hiring someone to make dedicated review videos, and taking sponsor money because it's not an "EEVblog" numbered video.

author: Muttley Snickers
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 19, 2023, 12:19:47 pm
content: I don't think it quite works like that and the best example I can give is this: Customers called my company for me, not for me to send somebody else.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 19, 2023, 12:22:13 pm
content: Quote from: Muttley Snickers on March 19, 2023, 12:19:47 pmEasy, I make a cameo in every video and maybe at the end of every video we each give our subjective verdict in addition to the objective verdict.

author: wilfred
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 19, 2023, 12:23:06 pm
content: If your intended audience isn't your supporters then feedback from them might not be representative. I'd seek feedback from a group not self-selected from supporters or forum members. If money is at stake.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 19, 2023, 12:30:10 pm
content: Quote from: wilfred on March 19, 2023, 12:23:06 pmAgain, it's more a if you built it they will come kind of thing.Feedback is still useful regardless of the group, you'll always have some overlap. For example, if you produced three different video styles and one of them gets no votes then it's obviously a turd and not worth considering.There's basically no way to do this without throwing some money at it, even if it's just me spending a month making a polished pilot video and getting someone to edit different versions.

author: tv84
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 19, 2023, 04:56:09 pm
content: Your Yin is trying to convince us to allow your Yang to do the thing...Where before was "I think it will flop" now it's "It's unlikely to work"...For your mental sake, give it a try or you'll be always wandering... no matter the cost!

author: Bud
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 19, 2023, 05:25:55 pm
content: As long as sponsorship theme does not spill into the main channel I am fine with the proposal. My only comment would be - are you sure you want someone else to manage sponsorship deals.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 19, 2023, 05:30:11 pm
content: Quote from: EEVblog on March 19, 2023, 11:31:26 amAnd this is where it falls apart... don't expect somebody able to do intelligent work to also do 'dumb' (*) work like handling shipping. That is the perfect recipy to make people look for another job quickly besides sucking at getting the shipping done the right way. Get someone else to do the shipping and broker the sponsorship deals yourself.* Actually shipping properly does require to have a working brain. Make sure stuff is packed right and deal with customs forms, tariff codes, missing parcels, etc.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 19, 2023, 10:19:08 pm
content: Quote from: Bud on March 19, 2023, 05:25:55 pmSponsored content would be on the main EEVblog channel but would be labeled EEVlab

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 19, 2023, 10:24:38 pm
content: Quote from: nctnico on March 19, 2023, 05:30:11 pmThe problem is that the shipping does not warrant a full time person to do it. I had a part time person doing it, but it ultimately wasn't enough hours a week to make it worthwhile for anyone. It takes longer to get here than it does to do the work every day or every 2nd day.I just did the shipping this morning, took me 10 minutes for a few packages.