When you buy the J arm attachment, get the one with the auto on/off switch built into it.  For some reason this one is "shorter" and gets the PVS-14 closer to your eye.  I bought this one the first time from TNVC, then cheaped out and bought the non-switched version on my 2nd setup.  After 5 minutes of playing with the new setup I now only use the first setup unless someone else wants to look through them.  

At some point I will go back and pay for the "switched" one, for the second setup.

-Ryan

It all started back in 96, the first was a Moonlight Gen0 pocket-scope from the Sharper Image which I promptly returned due to not so hot performance; so after much thought I went with an ubercheap T3C-2 scope (a Gen0 Russian monocular) which was better than the Moonlight Gen0 at 1/10th the cost. Then in 98 I got a good deal on a dual tube Gen0 Dipol D-2MB which I liked, but unfortunately I didn't keep for very long. After losing the D2MB I held onto my Gen0 T3C-2 until in 2014 it broke, and after trying a cheap Armasight Vega, which was total crap... I decided to try my luck and purchased a new old stock Gen2 ATN "Night Spirit 2" and I was immediately blow away how much better it was than my Gen0s... night and day. So while I owned the Gen2 I tinkered with it, pushing it to try to make it better, cranked the gain up to the wazoo... headmounted it... until one day I decided I needed to try a Gen3. So before buying any housing I went ahead and secured my first tube (a pretty much spotless 2009 L3 Autogated Omega aviator tube) and then a week after having the tube I got a Pitbull housing with PVS-14 optics. First time I tried it I was absolutely BLOW AWAY, shortly after I got another tube, an MX-10160A that was spotless and got myself another Pitbull housing followed by the N-Vision bridge to bino the two. After having my dual setup, I started assembling my first PVS-7, shortly after finishing I sold the Night Spirit to fund the night vision war machine and decided I needed another PVS-7; then another and then another one. I am done assembling night vision devices for the foreseeable future... maybe a COTI will complement the loadout down the road.. but thats another story.

If I had to do it all over again, I would've gone Gen3 straight instead of buying a Gen2.

G.

I should add before I do a longer write-up, I meant to say picture quality vs clarity. Focus is/was not the issue.

My PVS-14 thoughts:

Couching your expectations is key. Night vision allows you to see at night, better than your natural night vision. Don't expect anything like what Hollywood sets you up to believe.

The more IR sources you have, the better.

In general, people talk a lot about the cost of the unit but the accessories add up quick too so take advantage of the experiences of those who have gone before you. I almost bought a new Rhino mount before I found out that they are on Ebay and likewise for a steal. Same with a 3x magnifier. Since I am never betting my life on the equipment, used accessories work just fine for me most of the time.

Here's my tip: go with the Gen 2 Rhino mount. The weight savings is worth the slight increase in price (if shopping on ebay/used market). Paired with a Crye Precision Night Cap.....phenomenal

WEIGHT! Maybe i missed it being said, but weight adds up quick as well so keep it in mind, especially since you are typically putting all the weight on your head and not even centered on top....be prepared the first time you go on an hour long night trek because it will take its toll on you

Weapon mounting is fun, but not as useful as head/helmet mount. So dont feel the need to blow the $$$ on a weapon mount. If you never get one, you aren't missing out on much. An IR laser is cheaper and more versatile.

Ive had my PVS-14 about 6 months, only used it for prolonged periods of time roughly 5 times, but its already proven it was worth the money. Just going out on a pitch black night and seeing all the stars that I couldnt see with the naked eye was awesome. Sneaking up on a deer in the woods was amazing.

Same haha. But I bought a SPARK monocular by Armasight for under $500, let my friend try it, and he liked it enough to buy it off me. So while he isnt as cool as me he can keep up with me and im not running around alone in the night anymore

plus, i liked the SPARK enough that i bought a second one when i found a deal on it again. It is my loaner unit and for that application it works brilliantly.

Alright, got a chance to fine tune my nod and here are my observations. 1. I followed TNVC's focus instructions and it made a significant difference. 2. I was looking through my nod in high levels of light (well lit neighborhood) with too much gain and slightly out of focus. I also looked through the nod in pitch darkness in my basement without adjusting the focus (basement is maybe 40'x30'). 3. I didn't know visual noise is common in extreme dark/low light conditions. 4. I changed my contacts yesterday after about 2 months of use I'd say that made the biggest difference in clarity. In conclusion, my nod is awesome and I'm to blame for my misconceptions.

    I was able to try out my newly acquired  TNV/PVS-14 OMNI VIII and DBAL (NV Entrance Purchases) this past Saturday on a hog hunt here in Central Texas. I had tried it out at my home in Houston and was amazed off the back but was aware from reading that there was too much city light to really see what it can do. So I get out on the property about 10:30PM (starlight w/ no moon clear sky all night & early morning) off a country road with tree line surrounding out to about 100 yards open field. I am blown away and give out an "O' Shit" like the first time i shot suppressed. Even more amazed when I look up to bare witness at the infinite amount of stars in the sky. Later once in some open hill country with visuals out to 500 yards it really shined. High price to pay but was worth every penny to me.


~ I was using the PVS-14 with a quickmount so I walked with it as a monocular and would mount when a shot presented itself. While the DBAL was weapon mounted.

Observation:
   
    For hunting and stalking a helmet would have been a god sent but mine is on backorder till end of september so that will be welcomed. I feel a helmet mounted illuminator would have been ideal for scanning versus taking the DBAL off and placing back on. When I weapon mounted the PVS-14 I found the Aimpoint T1 to be sufficient and put to rest the idea of purchasing an EOTECH XPS3. The reticle was crisp clear and for the given hunt scenario the FOV was not an issue.

   I would have to agree the NV & thermal combo stated before would be an ideal combo, as there were times where it was unclear if I was looking at a group of hogs in high grass or some mini Texas bushes that show up as dark figures against the grass. I did encounter many deer and ID was clear out to 150 yards. However there were times were at further distance it was unclear if there were big hogs or small calfs laying under a tree or by a water hole. A NVD helmet mounted with a thermal weapon mounted I feel would complete the load out for dream hog hunting but the NVD alone at the moment is still entertaining and exciting.

    Inclosing not much I would change; if the PVS-14 performed beyond my expectation with just starlight I could only image a half moon performance. The PVS-14 came in with an SNR of 28.6, Halo @ 0.9 and resolution at 64.