RoadTests: Project vs Unboxing vs Experiment vs Other

I agree, I like seeing what is in the kit or what kit is in the box, especially when there is a lot of stuff I've never seen before.

Some unboxing blogs are much better and more interesting than others and I like watching them to learn what works and what doesn't work in trying to make an interesting unboxing blog. Although I agree unboxing is not the primary goal of a road test, it is definitely possible to make unboxing blogs both entertaining and informative - enhancing the road test.

(I do not claim to have mastered this)

So unboxing an item where issues are involved can be of great value to the manufacturer and the community.

I'm with you on the issues bit (Highlighted), otherwise it is a video or pictures of how well the freight department did versus the journey through the freight route.

I personally am more interested in seeing people look into the product, verify that it works as advertised and validate the device as something "worth" purchasing for specific applications.

I agree that a RT is a test of the product, not your specific project.

There is room to use it in a project and show why it is better than xyz, which demonstrates why it is worth purchasing.

It's very hard to have set rules around RT because element14 and the vendors supply Instruments thru to connectors and SBC.

I'm sure the vendors aren't supplying the goods simply to get an 'Excellent' tick.

Hopefully they are interested in hearing if the user had difficulties so they can improve their product, support or evene the purpose it can be used for.

Mark

I do not find the unboxing to be particularly useful.  Caveat, one vendor sent me a board and it was poorly constructed so I contacted them and provided them pictures of the issues I had with the board and they used that information to look into their quality control.

So unboxing an item where issues are involved can be of great value to the manufacturer and the community.

I personally am more interested in seeing people look into the product, verify that it works as advertised and validate the device as something "worth" purchasing for specific applications.

As an example, I tested a MEMs microphone for Element14 and compared it to a standard Electret microphone.  The testing showed the improvement in frequency response and the effective direction of sensitivity of the MEMs device.

I provided some basic summary and identified my preference based on the data.

So road testing can provide a wide range of information depending upon the test plan and data collected.

As for time and effort data collection, I find it a double edged idea.  Yes it could show how much effort some testing can take, which might encourage some to participate, but it might also scare some away.

Again, I enter a road test with a fair understanding, based on my many years of experience, as to how much time and effort I plan to put into the testing.  Making a job of it would probably convince me not to participate except for exceptional gear.

I think road testing should be a fun and flexible activity.  I think it would lose value to vendors and members if it gets too formalized.  I agree it is a fine line to walk.

DAB

well.... unboxing as the core of a road test I don't like eather. but unboxing as part of a road test I love.

The bitscope blade was quite an involved mini project. It was written up in 6 blog posts over several weeks. The first 3 probably were only an hour each but the Nodes and Controllers were bigger, perhaps 3 hrs each and the same for the last. So total you are looking around 12hrs.

However the roadtest report was completed about half way throught that so to do the roadtest really only took 6hrs.

For the two lots of capacitive sensors I've tested those took around 8hrs each, again spread over several weeks.

David,

As you always do, you make good points.

Perhaps I need to give more clarity on unboxing in a RoadTest.

But first, your points are at the heart of the RoadTest: is the product any good? Would you the roadtester recommend buying it? I would like to see these questions in some form addressed in the review. I don't want to dictate the words you use. But we would like to know if you think it's worth it.

For unboxings...

Before I took over RoadTests, I went through reading a lot of roadtests. Unboxings seem to be the basic fodder at the beginning of the review. Nothin particularly wrong with it. But surely the unboxing is NOT the total review. I would not say they are worthless at all. It's a chance for everyone to see the parts (assuming visuals are posted) and how to do the basic hook up (probably for newbies). I read someone say he didn't have enough USB ports so he had to modify things -- I think he added a hub, so an unboxing / basic hookup could show that. Again, most helpful to newbies.

But a review needs to be "a review" and answer the basic questions of the product.

Thanks.

Randall

Andy,

Great point. We don't have metrics on how one long one actually takes. I'm sure there is a lot of variability.

How long do you think it takes you to do a Roadtest. Say, when you did the Bitscope Blade?

Randall

Douglas,

I surely don't want it to be a lottery. I've contact our legal department to re do the terms and conditions such that it is not defined as a contest. I don't want someone to think it is a game and the best and longest application is the winner.

The winner is someone who provides a useful test plan that would be helpful to someone who is interested in using the product. A good paragraph can do the job on the application as well as a long app.

Hendrik,

You make some great points.

I agree that a project is a great way to really evaluate the product. At the same time, one may not have enough time to complete it given the time we give you for the roadtest review. But that's okay. The deliverable of the roadtest is the review, not the completed project. I think you could do a good review without completing the whole project. My concern is that there have been a few people who've told me that they are taking longer to complete the project and that's what was holding up the review -- or they just gave up.

Remember, we need your help to review the product not just complete a new prototype. So, do the best given the finite period of time you're given. Explain why you think you could not complete it: too big of a concept or technical difficulties or a lack of documentation, et al.

Randall Scasny

RoadTest Program Manager

David Murphy wrote:

 

Personally, I find unboxing style road tests entirely useless

I agree. The unboxing reviews are only really a review of the packaging.

Some of my recent purchases have been influenced by watching certain you-tubers using test equipment and seeing the results.