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• Magnification or Power
  Refers to the degree of enlargement of your target. With a 2.5x night vision, a 2.5x power means that you are magnifying something 2.5 times  larger than you would see it with the unaided eye. 
• Field of View (F.O.V.)
  Refers to the width of the viewing area seen through the night vision. It is defined by the width in feet or meters of the area visible at 1000 yards or meters. Wider field of view make it easier to find and track a moving subject. Generally, F.O.V. decreases as magnification increases. 
• Bright Source or Over-Light Protection
  An electronic circuit that turns the power to the night vision device down or off when it is exposed to bright light (such as automobile headlights). This protects the image intensifier and extends its life. The device will recover and resume normal operation in 1-2 minutes.
• Eyepiece Focus
  Used to match your night vision scope or binocular to your specific eyesight.
• Image Intensifier or Intensifier Tube
  The active component in a night vision system that amplifies light and presents a usable image.
• Infrared (I.R.) Illuminator
  Provides a light source for the system to amplify, yielding enhanced images in very low light conditions such as caves where no ambient light is available for amplification.
• Phosphor Screen
  Positioned at the back of the intensifier tube, the green phosphor screen renders a visible night vision image. The human eye is most sensitive to green contrasts.
• Photocathode
  Converts light (photon energy) into electrons (electrical energy) which are then amplified in the intensifier. The objective lens focuses available light on the photo-electric surface of the photocathode which is excited and passes electrons within the tube.
• Resolution
  A measure of the ability to render and display a detailed image. Image intensifier resolution remains constant and is expressed as the maximum number of line pairs per millimeter (lp/mm) that can be discerned when a black-and-white stripe pattern is focused on the photocathode.
• Objective Lens
  Collects all available light and focuses it on the image intensifier. It also provides image magnification. The best objective lenses have low magnification (5x or less), are high-speed (f2 or faster) and are coated for maximum efficiency in the near-infrared bandwidth.

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• Generation 1
  Does not require an active infrared light source. Instead it amplifies the existing light several thousand times to let you see in the dark. It is currently the most popular type of night vision in the world. These units provide a bright and sharp image at a low cost, which is perfect, whether you are boating, observing wildlife, or providing security for your home.
• Advanced Night Vision (Generation 2 & Generation 3)
  Utilizes fiber optic bundles to eliminate distortion and noise resulting in a high-resolution, high-contrast premium image. Superior contrast allows you to see dark subjects against darker backgrounds. Lower distortion renders a flatter, less rounded image with crisper details. 2nd generation is primarily used by law enforcement or for professional applications. 3rd generation is the latest in night vision technology.
• Night Vision Binocular
  Two complete sets of optics and image intensifiers that are connected together and share a common power supply.
• Night Vision Monocular 
  A Night Vision device for use with one eye.
• Audio Monocular
  Audio Monocular - Features direct sound amplification technology. Headphones, boom microphone and recording port included.

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1. Available light (starlight, moonlight or infra-red light) is gathered by the front Objective Lens, where it is transmitted through a set of optical lenses to the Electronic Intensifier Tube (E.I.T.). 
2. High levels of energy, produced by the device's complex power supply, knock out electrons from the Photocathode Screen, located on the front of the Electronic Intensifier Tube.
3. This same energy creates a highly static field, pushing the electrons to the Phosphorescent Screen, a sensitive layer, located on the back of the EIT. These electrons strike the Phosphorescent Screen with great speed, causing the screen to illuminate. 
4. This process produces an image, which is then magnified by the Ocular Lens located at the back of the device. By looking through the ocular lens you will see the image as if you just looked through a regular optical device, except the image will appear in a monochrome green color.
5. Finally, the Ocular Lens provides adjustment for your particular eyesight, while the Objective Lens lets you adjust the focus according to the distance of the object you are viewing.

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