Originally posted in old forum on Tue Aug 21, 2012 3:51 pm
I recently bought this board from Madhouse Darts for £34.28 (had a 10% discount code). I was intrigued more by the new claim of a
"Seamless playing surface for higher scores" on the box it says Patent Pending, not sure if that will ever be granted unless they have a unique way of achieving a seamless playing surface. The new digital number ring is something I liked the look of too, but the HD which stands for High Definition is more of a cash in on the recent buzzwords associated with new TV's.
Thats not to say the board does not look nice and clear when you open it up, but in all honesty it is no clearer than what my Bulls Advantage 2 was when that was new, and I have had that over 2 years now.
Anyway lets get on with it, here is the box pics and contents:
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There is instructions on the box and a checkout chart is printed on the box too:
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A checkout poster is included and a small instruction booklet along with the fixing bracket and rubber studs:
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The board straight out of the box:
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Has a nice clean look to it, but I think that is more enhanced by the white powder coated spider and its just how my Bulls was when new, sadly it looks a mess when it starts chipping from contact with darts points.
The new Digital Number ring is something I like but some people prefer the traditional number ring, I like the way the numbers are flat against the board and think it gives it a neat look.
Number Ring fixing bracket:
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The Black Steel band round the board, not sure how this is fixed, must be glued maybe? On my Blade 4 it is screwed in:
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The Bull area:
Could be my eyes but I thought my bullseye looked a little off centre?
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Treble Segment:
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Board Logos:
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It seems like the biggest selling point of this board is the Seamless playing surface, it is a nice clear and smooth surface but I dont know for sure if Unicorn have really come out with anything new here, my Bulls Advantage 2 was a very clear board when I first got it and in fact I think it was even clearer than the Eclipse HD.
Here is a pic of my Bulls Advantage 2 when it was about 6 months old, no visible seams!
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Here is some close ups of the Eclipse HD Board:
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Here is the board affixed to my stand without my light on:
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With my light on you can see the shadows around the spider:
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That is the same problem I have with my Bulls Advantage 2, is the raised spider, its one thing I dont like and much prefer the flush spider of the Blade 4, you need to have your lighting strong and directed right to avoid little shadow lines like that.
Here is close ups of the spider:
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You can see the shadow cast by the high wires in that pic, also notice the board is nice and smooth too.
I think the colours of my Blade 4 are a little stronger than the Eclipse which I like better too, on the Eclipse it seems like the ink has not penetrated deep enough into the sisal and I noticed a few areas that looked a little blotchy.
Blade 4 and Eclipse Hd side by side:
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Blotchy areas:
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there is a few spots on the board like this too:
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No major problem really, but expected a little better finishing quality to be honest.
I tested the density of the board with my soft tip dart as I had done so with my Blade 4, I find the Unicorn less dense than the Blade 4 and had not trouble pushing the soft tip dart in anywhere on the board, where as I could not penetrate the green areas of the Blade 4 very easily (I think that has something to do with the ink?). But the Blade 4 is definitely denser than the Eclipse HD, the Bulls 2 is still the densest board though. But the Unicorn Eclipse does not seem to heal up as well as the Blade 4 and my hole marks were still visible after a few days:
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Some measurements:
The thickness of the board, its a little thinner than the Blade 4:
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Big Segment, this is where the comparisons get interesting, I was expecting the Eclipse to have bigger measurements but it has less, the Eclipse is 47.5mm and the Blade 4 is 48.4mm (check my blade 4 review)
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Trebles and double segments were inconsistent in sizes, most were 8.7mm as opposed to the Blade 4 where all the ones I measured were 8.9mm
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The Bulls area is also smaller on the Eclipse HD, the Bulls Eye on the Eclipse is 11.6 but 12.4 on the Blade 4
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Conclusion:
If you really want this board you will buy it no matter what, you wont be totally disappointed with it and may actually love it. But for me it is more of a choice of do I like the spider on it, well yes and no, it is better and neater than the spider on my Bulls Advantage 2 but I was never keen on the way the spider is raised above the board and that is why I still dont like the spider on the Eclipse. Also after measuring the 2 boards scoring areas and finding the Blade 4 has more scoring area I after wonder what the claim on the box of "Higher Scores" is all about. The sisal is denser on the Blade 4 and I think overall it still has the edge, so for me the Eclipse gets a respectable 8 out of 10.
I recently bought this board from Madhouse Darts for £34.28 (had a 10% discount code). I was intrigued more by the new claim of a
"Seamless playing surface for higher scores" on the box it says Patent Pending, not sure if that will ever be granted unless they have a unique way of achieving a seamless playing surface. The new digital number ring is something I liked the look of too, but the HD which stands for High Definition is more of a cash in on the recent buzzwords associated with new TV's.
Thats not to say the board does not look nice and clear when you open it up, but in all honesty it is no clearer than what my Bulls Advantage 2 was when that was new, and I have had that over 2 years now.
Anyway lets get on with it, here is the box pics and contents:
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
There is instructions on the box and a checkout chart is printed on the box too:
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
A checkout poster is included and a small instruction booklet along with the fixing bracket and rubber studs:
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
The board straight out of the box:
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Has a nice clean look to it, but I think that is more enhanced by the white powder coated spider and its just how my Bulls was when new, sadly it looks a mess when it starts chipping from contact with darts points.
The new Digital Number ring is something I like but some people prefer the traditional number ring, I like the way the numbers are flat against the board and think it gives it a neat look.
Number Ring fixing bracket:
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
The Black Steel band round the board, not sure how this is fixed, must be glued maybe? On my Blade 4 it is screwed in:
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
The Bull area:
Could be my eyes but I thought my bullseye looked a little off centre?
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
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Treble Segment:
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Board Logos:
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
It seems like the biggest selling point of this board is the Seamless playing surface, it is a nice clear and smooth surface but I dont know for sure if Unicorn have really come out with anything new here, my Bulls Advantage 2 was a very clear board when I first got it and in fact I think it was even clearer than the Eclipse HD.
Here is a pic of my Bulls Advantage 2 when it was about 6 months old, no visible seams!
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Here is some close ups of the Eclipse HD Board:
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Here is the board affixed to my stand without my light on:
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
With my light on you can see the shadows around the spider:
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
That is the same problem I have with my Bulls Advantage 2, is the raised spider, its one thing I dont like and much prefer the flush spider of the Blade 4, you need to have your lighting strong and directed right to avoid little shadow lines like that.
Here is close ups of the spider:
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
You can see the shadow cast by the high wires in that pic, also notice the board is nice and smooth too.
I think the colours of my Blade 4 are a little stronger than the Eclipse which I like better too, on the Eclipse it seems like the ink has not penetrated deep enough into the sisal and I noticed a few areas that looked a little blotchy.
Blade 4 and Eclipse Hd side by side:
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Blotchy areas:
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
there is a few spots on the board like this too:
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
No major problem really, but expected a little better finishing quality to be honest.
I tested the density of the board with my soft tip dart as I had done so with my Blade 4, I find the Unicorn less dense than the Blade 4 and had not trouble pushing the soft tip dart in anywhere on the board, where as I could not penetrate the green areas of the Blade 4 very easily (I think that has something to do with the ink?). But the Blade 4 is definitely denser than the Eclipse HD, the Bulls 2 is still the densest board though. But the Unicorn Eclipse does not seem to heal up as well as the Blade 4 and my hole marks were still visible after a few days:
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Some measurements:
The thickness of the board, its a little thinner than the Blade 4:
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Big Segment, this is where the comparisons get interesting, I was expecting the Eclipse to have bigger measurements but it has less, the Eclipse is 47.5mm and the Blade 4 is 48.4mm (check my blade 4 review)
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Trebles and double segments were inconsistent in sizes, most were 8.7mm as opposed to the Blade 4 where all the ones I measured were 8.9mm
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
The Bulls area is also smaller on the Eclipse HD, the Bulls Eye on the Eclipse is 11.6 but 12.4 on the Blade 4
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Conclusion:
If you really want this board you will buy it no matter what, you wont be totally disappointed with it and may actually love it. But for me it is more of a choice of do I like the spider on it, well yes and no, it is better and neater than the spider on my Bulls Advantage 2 but I was never keen on the way the spider is raised above the board and that is why I still dont like the spider on the Eclipse. Also after measuring the 2 boards scoring areas and finding the Blade 4 has more scoring area I after wonder what the claim on the box of "Higher Scores" is all about. The sisal is denser on the Blade 4 and I think overall it still has the edge, so for me the Eclipse gets a respectable 8 out of 10.