POLL: EEVlabs

[Neutrion]

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...

[EEVblog]

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 same
• Focus is product reviews and shootouts in a consistent and concise style
• New hire would have skills and interest in test gear and testing, automation, and video editing. Although it's possible video editing could be outsorced
• EEVlab 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 Club
• New 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 possible
• New 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 content
• All equipment is purchased so there is no potential bias

If 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.

[Muttley Snickers]

Aaaaand, you guessed it, I'm still thinking about this.
But I'm back with a new plan:
(snip....)

Perhaps 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.     

[EEVblog]

Perhaps 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.   

That'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.

[Muttley Snickers]

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.

[EEVblog]

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.

Easy, 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.

[wilfred]

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.

[EEVblog]

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.

Again, 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.

[tv84]

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!

[Bud]

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.

[nctnico]

• New hire also takes does my shipping and brokers ad/sponsorship deals freeing me up to do more existing EEVblog content.

And 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.

[EEVblog]

As long as sponsorship theme does not spill into the main channel I am fine with the proposal.

Sponsored content would be on the main EEVblog channel but would be labeled EEVlab

[EEVblog]

And 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.

The 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.