Conclusion:

The Seek Thermal CompactPro Android thermal imager really is a powerful tool that has numerous applications in industry, and thanks to the price and mobile phone integration, now at home. The review covered a handful of useful examples of how the CompactPro could be useful around the house, but the list really could go on and on. After I wrapped up the review I used it on some electrical wiring that I was concerned might be overloaded - seeing no heat above ambient on the wire made me happy. I also aimed it at all of my double paned windows on a cold night, and was less happy to see that one pane was more blue than the rest, indicating that the insulating gas may have leaked out from between the panes.

In addition to all the practical uses around the house, I hope we can use the CompactPro for projects like we used to execute... Analyzing computer components and determining where additional cooling might be useful in order to help improve stability / performance.



The two "Cons" listed below are not really negatives for the device, but just things that I hope will improve with time. With the Fluke Ti-32 I have access to, I would regularly access the files it created from my desktop, and found it useful to be able to click on any point and see the temperature of anything in the image. For now, the CompactPro will give you the color map of colors, and will only tag the temperatures you select at the time you snap the picture. You can have a good idea of the temperature from the coloring, but once the radiometric file format becomes available this will become an even more powerful tool. The other con is related to the fairly slow adoption of USB OTG. Most flagship phones will support it, but if your phone budget is not that big, be sure to shop around for one that definitely supports USB OTG. Just having a better than average phone, bought in the last year or two, does not mean the CompactPro will work with it.

As mentioned near the beginning of the review, the CompactPro sells for $499, whether you choose the Android or iPhone version. Compared to other solutions that might offer similar performance, this is a drastically more manageable price. Several thousand dollars for a thermal imager might be acceptable in industries where a dedicated device is necessary, but being available at a price point that home owners and contractors can afford just opens up so many opportunities to take advantage of this technology. If you are interested in the technology, but $499 is still a stretch, the non-Pro version of the Compact is available for $249. It doesn't capture as many pixels in each shot and it can not see as far, but for around the home and smaller projects, these limitations may be OK knowing that you paid half as much.

In the end, the Seek Thermal CompactPro Android thermal imager earns the Bigbruin.com "Great Idea" and "Recommended" awards.



Pros:

» Way more affordable thermal imaging solution than what has traditionally been available
» Interface is fairly intuitive and easy to learn
» Excellent tool for contractors, do-it-yourselfers, and even for gadget enthusiasts
» Can definitely help home owners save money on utilities and stay more comfortable
» Can help enthusiasts analyze their components to identify areas needing better cooling

Cons:

» Radiometric file format is not quite here yet, and hopefully it shows up very soon
» Not all phones have USB OTG support - make sure yours does before spending any money

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