Videoscopes are inspection tools that capture images from inside holes, bores or cavities. They are combination bundles of optical devices and light sources that can be used in normally inaccessible locations.  Images are displayed in real time, recorded onto tape, and/or stored digitally.  Videoscopes resemble fiberscopes in appearance and operation.  However, instead of deriving a fiber optic image from a bundle in the probe, videoscopes use a charged couple device (CCD) in the distal tip to capture the image and transmit it back as electronic pulses.  A connected CCU converts these pulses, into real time video images, which may be displayed on a monitor for viewing, in addition to storage.  Generally, videoscopes provide sharper and more detailed images than fiberscopes produce, and these images can be transmitted over greater distances with a low level of image degradation.

Videoscopes are available in a wide range of configurations, with many optional features that may allow for easier use and more clearly produced images.  Some of the more common configurations include the viewing angle of the device, its resolution, frame production rate, and video format and color output type.  Optional features include whether the device has a 2-way or 4-way articulating tip, or whether the device can accommodate interchangeable tips; whether the tip can rotate or is fixed; is the entire device flexible or just its neck and tip; and the adjustability of the light source to provide brighter, higher resolution images without edge fading or hot spots. 

Videoscopes are widely used in medical fields, including cardiology, dentistry, and reproductive analysis. In industrial applications, videoscopes are often used for visual inspection of the internal surfaces, or inner diameter (I.D.) of tubes, piping, cylinders and castings, and for examination of engines and structures, and quality assurance testing.  Videoscopes can also be found in security applications, most notably airport security.