Re: Beginners Budget Rig?
Take a look on Ebay for an ITT 160 monocualr or 260 biocular. Both are entry level gen 3 units that are intended to use as a viewer. They seem to run $800-1000 on a regular basis. They do have a helmet mount for the 260 unit with the exposed front lens (there are several generations of these models), but I can't say how well it works. It will get you in the game. I ran a 260 as my first gen 3 unit and loved it. I only got rid of it because I got a deal on a PVS-7B (which was sold at auction as a gen 2, but had a gen 3 tube in it). There are also gen 2 version of the unit, so be careful when you bid or buy one. The version marked G3 are definitely gen 3, although there are some gen 3 units that aren't marked.
As for the 160/260 performance, it is mediocre as far as gen 3 units go. It will blow away any gen 2 units. But they are noisy (looks like static in low light) and the resolution isn't as good as the latest gen 3 units. On the up side, it doesn't cost $3K either. So you get alot of bang for your buck. You can always sell it when you up grade (and you will upgrade). The other down side is many repair guys won't work on them as they are a pain to open up. Some units have a proble with shorts which cause it to flicker. But if it is good to go intially, you should be safe.