Quote:
Originally Posted by Ricochet
- Gen 2+: This where shit gets good. Your images are cleaned up and you can semi-effectively move around and fight. Make sure you get a unit that works well with IR and has low noise. Now most tubes will have interference, look for units/tubes that don't have spots in the center area of the viewing area, but off to the side may be normal. They are certainly and investment, but don't have to be ridiculous. You'll still get blinded by flash lights though. (If your taking this seriously but don't want to spend a fortune, live here.)
- Gen 3: Definately a step up, but it's almost overshadowed by the massive price jump. Once again I'd go down or up instead of wasting my money.
- Gen 3+: These are very pricey but badass. Not all units are equal so do serious homework before investing, because even used units can be very expensive. If I was gonna bother going this big I'd get an auto-gating unit to cancel out unwanted light sources. The difference between one of these and any others is huge. (Want to kick absolute ass and love night vision long time? Got some extra thousands? You live you.)
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I will firmly disagree. All NODs will get blinded by flashlights, not just Gen 2. Autogating exits for high end second gen units as well, and it helps with dynamic lighting conditions, but does not negate the effects of a light source directed at you.
Not all Gen 2+ is good. There is very good stuff, there is still bad stuff. I've looked through the shit stuff it was bad. I've also compared my teammate's civilian XD4 in a PBS-14 housing. Compared with my OMNI VI ANVIS setup and various PVS-14s, I was THOROUGHLY impressed. It is definitely as good as most of the Gen 3 out there, but you can see almost the same amount. Slightly worse in all categories, but I could still make out the important details and spot movement.
I'm going to assume you're talking about regular film non autogated compared to thin film and filmless autogated here. Thin film and filmless are a continuation of the development of NOD technology which will constantly raise the performance ceiling of tubes being manufactured. That does not however mean that there is no point in buying a non auto gated Gen 3 unit. Nick came across some OMNI IV(?) ANVIS tubes, the clarity and tube performance was very similar to VII spec tubes. There are lots of misconceptions surrounding the auto gating feature, I don't completely understand it myself. Yes it does help protect the tube, it does help with dynamic lighting conditions and maintaining resolution. It is not an absolute necessity. With a non autogated unit, you will still see in the dark, you will still frag, and you will be on a more or less even playing ground with the gucci autogated guys. Non autogated tubes still have automatic brightness control.
The thing about high end night vision is that as cost goes up, marginal gains decrease. Spending an extra thousand dollars on a super gucci Gen 3 setup compared to a more easily obtainable one does not mean you are going to tangibly see the add 1k benefit all the time. You will only really notice the difference some of the time in a few specific sets of conditions.
I have my eyes set on filmless white phosphor tubes some time in the future. I know for a fact that the actual field performance gains will be minimal in comparison to the cost difference, but some people just have to have their eyes set on the newest and coolest toys.