QX-5 Computer Microscope: Amazon.co.uk: Software

System Requirements

Platform: Windows NT / 98 / 2000 / Me / XP
Media: Software
Item Quantity: 1

Product Features

View specimens collected around the house, backyard, or even your school lunch tray
Magnify objects and view them on your PC, up to 200X
Take snapshots and time-lapse movies
Manipulate images with drawing and painting tools
Experiment with your creations using special effects and sound
Share your discoveries through e-mail

Product Description

Manufacturer's Description

Get closer to the real world with the Digital Blue QX5 Plus Computer Microscope

Discover an intense new view of the world with the Digital Blue* QX5* Computer Microscope. Includes viewing and creative editing software, Parent Quick Start Guide, and lab supplies. Take the microscope out of its base for close-up viewing and taking snapshots of specimens. Magnify objects up to 200X and view them on your PC. Manipulate newfound images on the PC with cool effects and paint tools, then showcase your creations by making time-lapse movies, slideshows, posters and stickers. You can even e-mail your images to friends.

Box Contents

Digital Blue QX5+ Computer Microscope

Software CD-Rom to view, capture and manipulate images - Special effects enhanced for Intel Pentium Processor

Lab Supplies:

2 Specimen Jars

Tweezers

2 Containment dishes

Eye Dropper

Sample Slide

Slide Clip

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Customer Reviews

12 Reviews

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

Average Customer Review

3.6 out of 5 stars (12 customer reviews)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

37 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Don't expect too much and you wont be dissapointed, 16 Nov 2005

By	Keith Joseph (West Berkshire, England) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)

This is a rather fun �80 toy microscope that has a built in CMOS detector so that images can only be viewed via a Windows PC. The all plastic construction (including lenses) limits the accuracy of focussing and the on-screen image resolution is adequate rather than good. This microscope was originally marketed by Intel and built by toy manufacturer Mattel as the QX-3. Now Digital Blue have taken it on after Intel discontinued production. The QX-5 is an upgrade having 640 x 480 pixel resolution rather than just 352 x 288 in the original QX-3. Have a look at micro.magnet.fsu.edu/optics/intelplay for very detailed scientific description of the original QX-3 and advice on what to use it for. Every school in the UK was given one in 2002. Scientifically inclined youth (and school teachers) should also be very interested in the book `700 science experiments for everyone', published by UNESCO and available from Amazon for about a tenner.

I installed the QX-5 software under Windows XP Pro on a 1.2MHz Athlon PC and the software worked fine. The only downside is that the software changes the CRT screen refresh rate to 60Hz and doesn't switch it back to the flicker free 85Hz. So a trip to `Start, Control Panel, Display, Settings, Advanced, Monitor' is required to set the graphics back to their correct setting (check these before you run the software). Otherwise the software and USB microscope run very well. It comes with a small prepared `slide' (a cardboard and plastic array of things like insect parts) plus a reasonable archive of digital images which you can add to.

Once on the PC the 640x480 images can be manipulated and pasted etc, and it does time-lapse for things like crystal growth, and there's a fair bit of control of the time-lapse intervals from 0.1 second to 1 hour intervals. I have a QX-5 at home for the kids, but like most kids with microscopes they can get bored with it after running out of things to view - so web and book searches for ideas is useful. Note that you can also get pretty good hi-res images of things like nuts and leaves from a cheap flatbed film scanner (not the Lide type), but this microscope is far more kid friendly and being very light it bounces well. The main microscope body can be detached from the stand to view things.

The QX-5 has not got the resolution of even a standard 'school' compound microscope though, largely because you see it all 'enlarged' on a large computer screen, it uses plastic lenses and has a low resolution detector (but you can share the view with friends). So you may find the QX-5 a real disappointment if you expect too much of it in terms of image quality. However it is rather fun to use and has transmission + reflection white LED light sources built in to view specimens. The software is also very kid friendly and the increased resolution over the QX-3 is very welcome. So overall, recommended for pre-teen budding scientists.

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14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars QX5 Great For The Kids., 2 April 2005

By A Customer

I purchased the QX5 Microscope for my son's birthday a few week's ago and i must admit that it is great fun to use.

My son loves the QX5 so much because he enjoys discovering the new thing's from the garden and when he goes on school trips to the local forest. He logs all the pictures and strange imges on his pc which is great for a product priced around the �70 mark.

Great buy for kids keeps them occupied for hours and a great learning tool for them too.

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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent for kids, not powerful enough for adults., 20 April 2006

By	ClubPit (Northampton, England) - See all my reviews

A very robust bit of kit, easy to setup and use. The software is top notch, the kids will get to grips with it in seconds. I unleashed this on our four sprogs and sent them off finding stuff to examine. Tadpoles, spiders, all manner of bugs & critters, bogies, ear wax. You name it, they stick it under the microscope.

The time lapse was superb for keeping tabs on the frog spawn growing into a tadpole. All in all the perfect spring/summer project to keep the little ones entertained during the weekends and holidays.

It loses one star only because the x200 magnification is a bit useless. At that mag the picture is blurred and grainy. But for the other two mags it's perfect.