Standardized UI for ALL flashlights!

It’s not unusual for people to own multiple flashlights, perhaps for different purposes.
The problem is that each flashlight has it’s own UI and requires learning. Sometimes you have to learn 5 different UIs and this is very ineffective. What if you need to light something fast? Like power goes out, it’s complete darkness and you need light fast. With so many different UIs you can easily get confused and start with strobe or something.

Anyways, the bottom line is that there is no need for different UIs because the ramping UI is by far the best. Easy to operate and you select exactly how much brightness you want. There’s no need for 5 different modes. So ramping UI replaces most of the complicated and unnecessary extra modes.
Also, electronic lock-out is useless. Nobody uses it! It makes turning the light on again a mess. So that’s another useless mode out.
Same for beacon. Nobody needs that.
The only useful extra modes are strobe, momentary and battery check and these can be assigned to multiple clicks because they are rarely used.
Double-click should be reserved for switching leds, like on lights with multiple colored leds.
That’s it. Very simple to operate UI. And all flashlights should have this.
What do you think? How can we get all manufacturers to follow it?

The firmware used by BLF from our own members is pretty “standardized”. Not officially by any governing organization, but at least recognized by manufacturers and enthusiasts.

I would say that perfect for you is terrible for me.

I support options and reprogramming capabilities.

I’m all for this concept too, but we passed the on/off Maglight generation and flashlight technology, design, style, performance and execution has gotten so diverse I don’t think people can ever agree on one UI.

I’d say the VAST majority of lights I’ve seen anyone own use mechanical switches or buttons, so any ramping that would require an e-switch is out simply because of that.

If we really want to talk about muggle lights a simple 2-mode low/high UI is really the way to go. Anything else is a solution looking for a problem.

This is not standardization, it is uniformization.
What are we going to do with manufacturers and users not following the Great Standardization, send them to reeducation camps ?
And people trying to innovate, will they be considered deviants ?

Please keep in mind that not all people have the same preferences, needs and way of using things.

good one.

little late for april fools day though.

wle

Sorry but it is ignorance to think that what works for you is the best and everybody have to line up.
If it was true, there were no so many UIs.

Some people do need electrical lock and other need strobe. Some need 1 mode and other 5 modes.

Also it is not always possible to use the same UI on different lights with different HW.


You can learn to flash UI and flash all your lights with the same UI that fits best for you.

The lights with mechanical switches should only have 2 modes, hi and low.
But the switch should only switch between 1 mode and off when using it normally.
The 2nd mode can be activated quickly by pushing forward the button like on the Fenix. Then the light remembers the selected mode for normal switching

Why? Can you tell me a single rational reason why someone needs 5 levels when ramping can provide 1000s of levels?

i would like 8 levels

.3 1 3 10 30 100 300 1000

that’s it

no memory
on is one press, off is a long-ish press
with fast switching via short/half - presses

MAYBE the ability to go back one level by a long press or something

after 1000 lumens, back to .3

it’s like ramping but way faster and ignoring level changes that cannot be seen

wle

Just because people think they need something doesn’t mean they do. Most people believe they need a 4K TV or phone but in reality anything over 720p is an overkill. Just wasted energy for no benefit.

Why would you need 1000s of levels when you just need 3. :wink:
Why would you need 820 lumens when 800 makes no differences ?
N.B.: Actually, there is no ramping UI with 1000s of levels.

We cannot agree if we need standard UI or not, do you believe we can agree on 1 standard UI?

Here is one reason: With ramping, you never know exactly at what output level you are, which means you can’t accurately estimate runtime.

I wouldn’t go that way!! I guess that even if ramping can give us those “levels” or more, having preset established levels is a way to be sure of what we will have when we do the next press on the switch! For people that don’t use ramping, that is a major thing. You will have level X and then Y and that’s what you expect (or need)

Also, and again, we will all have different UI preferences. So I believe we won’t need to get too rational or too emotional :smiley: :innocent:

EDIT: There is no “One Ring to Rule them ALL” in what concerns to flashlights! :face_with_monocle:

How do you know that nobody uses it? Just because you don’t, it doesn’t mean nobody does.

I use lock-out on my Nitecore Tip every time I travel with it to prevent accidental turn-on in the bag.

I think you are barking up a wrong tree. The whole beauty of BLF community and the manufacturers that tailor to it is the variety that it offers. We all like different things, and having different UIs and flashlights gives us options.

I have a driver with 3 constant current levels (no PWM) how do you plan to use your standard UI with it?

A control ring (rotary) maybe ? :wink:

Ahah, I knew you’d catch this one :smiling_imp:

I guess even with a control ring people would still need/want different things as UI, either it was preset levels, rampings, stepless dimming or anything else :smiley:
But, for sure, a control ring is a good way to please many people. (While another amount would still dislike :smiley: )
:beer: