FW3A, a TLF/BLF EDC flashlight - SST-20 available, coupon codes public

Standardization such as all flashlights use one UI? Not likely to happen.

No. No one UI. Use one way to talk with Bluetooth controllers, so any compatible controller knows how to turn on any compatible light. Or how to dim it down etc. The light can have any UI. So can the controller.

And not all of them - just enough to not have to fear about the standard dying out.

If you want a standardized bluetooth interface which isnā€™t likely to die out, about the only way that can happen is to make an open-source driver with open-source firmware, get a couple brands to use it, and find someone willing to keep companion apps updated on several platforms. It might be doable within a year or two if someone was motivated enough to do it.

For now though, Iā€™m mostly just trying to get companies on board with the idea of working with the community, and building a common firmware platform which supports a variety of hardware and a variety of user interfaces. Basically, trying to make it possible to do with flashlights what we do with computers ā€” let the users mix and match hardware and software as desired.

Nothing to say about Bluetooth.

Howā€™s the FW3A ?

I have started ordering extras

Can I be added to the list for 1 with the LH351D emitters please?

Absolutely interested. Two, please. (One of each emitter) :smiley:

Well, Flashy Mike used a self-written Bluetooth App for his 2018 scratch build contest lantern.

Can I be added to the list for an Hi CRI version
Ty Geoff

Thatā€™s really cool. A working prototype is a big step forward. Thereā€™s still a lot more to the process for making a widely-used standard, though. With the code and schematics and stuff, and some motivated people, we could probably find ways to fit it into smaller hosts and extend the functionality and get it into lights by multiple companies.

Something Iā€™d personally love to see is a USB-capable or bluetooth-capable bootloader which can be used to flash firmware over a fast and universal connection. This would enable all sorts of fun things.

For a little while, I toyed with the idea of flashing over the ā€œoptic nerveā€, but it would take a couple hours and the link only goes one direction, so it wouldnā€™t be able to correct errors. Very inconvenient and risky. Bluetooth or USB would be a lot faster and safer.

Manker once told me that Nextorch has some kind of patent on the "programming via USB" thing

Yes, it isnā€™t the end, but I think itā€™s a good beginning. With, as you said before, some open source hardware and firmware, it could grow bigger, faster. What do you mean about the bootloader? Are you talking about a bootloader in the flashlight?

Oops.

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-ab&q="programming+via+USB"+patent

Well, but, China ā€¦

Itā€™s early days yet. Pogo pin connections are a start, allowing a ā€œbare metalā€ re-flash.

Putting a bootloader into the MCU, whilst obviously possible, would just be a waste of space and resources, of no utility to the vast majority of consumers who would never use it, nor want it, nor even know how. And adding cost. Nevermind the complication of adding USB or Bluetooth connectivity.

These are just torches. They should not be over-complicated, just because it is possible.

Easily turned on and off-able is my test, combined with handing them to ā€œmugglesā€ to see how they manage.

Even I need crib sheets to understand some none-intuitive BLF stuff, I cannot retain all of it in memory, and no, my brain is still pretty sharp. It may make perfect sense to the designers, but, practically, a lot of it is unused/unusable. I like to play around with new things like all of us, but after a while determine a configuration that suits me, and never change it afterwards.

Configurability, and personal choice is great, but is it actually necessary, or worthwhile, in such a simple basic device as a torch ?

Frankly I think that some of the people developing code might contribute to the greater good better, if they applied their talents instead to e.g. 3D printing, CNC control, and other such useful stuff.

As for the hardware designers, ploughing the same old furrows, no real innovation, well, if it still works for them and their customers, so be it. The clever ones are probably too busy in their day jobs to be distracted with trivial things such as torch drivers.

I think that I have reached ā€œpeak torchā€, and donā€™t have a use, or a want, never-mind a need, for much more.

well, consider how far weā€™ve come from the days when all the ā€œbudgetā€ flashlights came with ā€œnext mode memoryā€
Imagine a world in which the manufacturers had stayed with that kind of flashlight .

You can get plenty of head-torches where you just have to wave your hand in front.

Thought control ? well that might be coming.

So little innovation actually happening here.

E.G. an ā€œUltimateā€ lantern that doesnā€™t even have a PIR motion detector to turn it on. And off.

Never-mind any sort of remote control. Bluetooth, WiFi, even just a dedicated keyfob.

Even my Poundland selfie stick came with a bluetooth remote button that works. Coin cell included. For Ā£1.00

Meanwhile the discussion there still seems to be all about USB C vs. micro.

And how the battery-bank output is so difficult. Again, I can go to Poundland and buy one there, that even includes a poor 18650, for Ā£1.00, and works very well. Boosts up my ā€™phone nicely, when required.

Basic stuff.

EDDDDDITTTT-
Iā€™ll take one of each, XPL-HI & Samsung emitter,
that is whenever it is done

Please put me down for 1 light with Samsung emitters.

This is a sweet looking light, thank you guys for doing this.

Remote control of lights is useful. And once you get BT you enter security nightmare. Firmware upgrade is a necessary but deeply insufficient band aid.

Oh yes there is one thing people can't do and that's get off the damn thing .

Get off your phone !!!

Interested in one with LH351D