I know, I know, TNVC is going to be the first thing stated.

Are there other options? I would love to support a site sponsor, but additionally, I want to make sure that I'm not overlooking another viable option. Competition keeps the industry honest, and if I can save $750 for something comparable, well then, I might just save that money and put it towards an ATPIAL-C.

Is TNVC the gold standard, and worth the extra coin? The 5 yr warranty is also appealing.

Thanks in advance.

JRH Enterprises PVS-14

Site sponsor at the bottom.

For the money you spend TNVC's PVS14 is a solid unit which I can say because I've looked through a couple of their tubes. That being said JRH does offer a 10 year warrant from where they get their NODs from and I haven't yet handled on as of yet, so hopefully someone else can chime in with their experience. What's important is you compare data spec sheets as not all Gen3 tubes are created equal. What I'd be looking for is:
1) SNR 26 and above
2) lp/mm 64-72 or above
3) less than 1.0
4) minimum to no amount of blems on the tube
5) manual gain
6) autogated

Nods are kinda like diamonds ie the better the grade with minimal flaws the more money it'll cost you, but the happier you'll be in the long run. Which IMHO TNVC has a excellent balance for their in house built units especially for the price. Then again you can by a Gen3 with a low preforming tube and a lot of blems, but with a low cost. Just an FYI I do not have a TNVC product and there are a lot of great companies out there, so I'd do my research first to get a idea of what to look for, then check several companies to compare and contrast them for your self.

I would like to add to what Munny has to say: I would rather have a bunch of small blemishes than one big one because, in real world use, the small ones disappear.

Stick to a cottage house like the site sponsors. The big box stores churn out diamonds and turds in the same lots and you never know what you're going to get. If you want security, stick with a place where you can talk to the guys that are responsible for the quality of the unit. We don't just parrot this stuff for fun.

The other thing that you need to consider is your application. Most people are pretty closed minded when it comes to this aspect and they think that what is best for someone else is what is best for them, too. Someone headed into the deep dark has different requirements from someone actively navigating a dynamically lit area. You might let some of the specs slide in favor of others if the application calls for it.

Cough up some of what you plan to do with it and we can talk about it.

90%+ will be night hunting (hogs), dark areas, not urban.

I have access to a family friends property which it will be used on.

Second. Got mine from JRH and couldn't be happier.

Lean on the SNR and resolution big time.

Do not worry about halo or a few blemishes.

I would still want manual gain.

I wouldn't worry about autogating too much if you'll always be in the deep dark but it's almost standard nowadays.

There's my $.02.

If you will be in very dark areas then a good spec Gen3 unit will serve you well for hunting and navigation. As SOT stated small specs/blems will disapear into your back ground amd will only show up against a white wall. If you will be using a IR light that is invisable to your game you could buy a lower spec tube or even step down to a Gen2+. By doing so can save about 1,500 which could be put to other uses. It all depends on your scenario you plan on using your NODs. I use a Gen2+ unit and will eventually upgrade to a TNVC tube when fumds allow. My Gen2+ is very clear and performs very very well until you get to almost pitch black conditions where you cant see your hand in front of your face which is where a high spec unit will start to shine.

If I was in your shoes I would try to scrape up a few more $hundreds and get a PVS-14 with a high spec filmless L3 tube. I hunt mostly in dark wooded areas and I've realized that when there is almost zero ambient light those higher specs make a big difference. My first PVS-14 had a very nice OMNI V tube in it, 21 S/N and 1800 photocathode sensitivity, a while later I upgraded to a OMNI VII tube, 28 S/N and 2200 photocathode sensitivity. In urban areas both tubes were awesome, but out in the dark woods the difference was huge, a little is a lot when you are riding on the edge of the tubes limitations. I wish I would have skipped the OMNI VII and went with a filmless because they perform the best in the darkest conditions.

I got my PVS 14 from lowdown3 and I'm pleased with it !
Great guy to deal with !



I've also bought some night stuff from TNVC & those guys are great also !

If buying brand new, i would also go filmless if at all possible. Probably green for price.

With a 10 year warranty, your tubes have excellent specs and your regular price is in par with TNVC's sale price, I definitely will consider you when I upgrade my NODs.

Scoop up my TNVC PVS-14. There's about 25 hours on it and I have sentinels on the way.

Was very happy with my Nightlong PVS14 I had before getting Sents

I would want good SNR, and good (low) EBI.   I would not care about blems, especially in zone 3.