*BLF LT1 Lantern Project) (updated Nov,17,2020)

sigh

The fallback position to any critical comment on the LT1 is always, “woe is us, we’re unpaid volunteers, you guys don’t appreciate our efforts, and we’re doing the best we can.” That of course is absurd. I appreciate the effort. I understand the reality of the project. However, I also don’t believe that’s an automatic valid excuse for every easily rectified oversight / mistake. That’s a reasonable explanation if someone starts whining that you didn’t do a DFMEA or didn’t do thermal modelling or FEA on the mechanical design or something. That’s not an automatic reasonable explanation for everything or anything.

If you want to have a pity party I guess you can. I spent many hours working on that horrific manual. “Never contributing anything positive” my eye… Further, I made no attack. I didn’t blame anyone. I made a dispassionate & well reasoned argument as to why it makes no sense to buy a bunch of lanterns now, miss Christmas 2019, and then sit on them for a year. I’m sorry you take it so personally that someone might want to wait for lanterns with bugs worked out instead of buying the early releases, especially when they’re gifts for non-flashlightaholics. There’s just no reason to buy them now with the intent to give them as Christmas gifts in 2020.

You could try giving them as gifts before they might actually get used by the recipients. Sort of a “random act of kindness”.

After seeing how the project was coming along I put my name down for four lanterns, as it is obviously a groundbreaking piece of technmology that is likely to be copied by others in the future, and it seems like a perfect gift for several people that I know. Regarding the option to purchase I never had a specific date in mind, especially as I entered the group buy fairly late. It doesn’t really make much difference whether I give them to people for Christmas, or as birthday presents at a later point.

As the Chinese say - 无所谓 (wu suo wei)!

Maybe it could have been a good idea to move from a “development thread” to a “production and distribution thread”, once the LT1 was ready and the first codes were being send out.
So that the developers can sit back and relax (I remember feeling very satisfied once production of the Q8 started and reports came in that mostly people liked the thing) while the inevitable (as seem proven in the past) chaos of production in batches, buying and then random distribution (in time and order) and then customers who are/feel mistreated, and then finally everyone getting their lights, takes place elsewhere.
Good and bad experiences with the actual light by customers, and found design flaws, can be reported again in the development thread.

But as everone is free on an internet forum to post where one likes, it probably will not prove possible to keep it separated. :wink:

Thanks for this update! An off timer for sunset would really be great :slight_smile:
But you are right. First things first.
It’s highly appreciated, that you put so much work into this platform!

Which attiny is used in the LT1? I guess the larger 8k model, right?
So for notable more space we will have to wait for a future 16 or 32 K version….

just got my code,ordered from amazon. any issues to know about?

Yes

1) It won’t charge from a USB-C charger using a USB-C to USB-C cable. (It will charge from a USB-A charger using a USB-A to USB-C cable.)
2) Flat top or near flat top cells may mechanically interfere with the potentiometer on the bottom of the driver board. (It can be removed from the driver board as it’s unused)

Sure hope I get the code soon as I want to use it when traveling in January. Looking forward to the Lantern.

Ok, cancelled it now. Thanks!

There are no options from which to select.
Onlu credit cards visible Payment Methods and you cannot select/deselect anything from it. :expressionless:

Lurker here, so how do I get a code for Amazon. Thanks in advance.




what number are u on the list? They are sending out 30 PMs a day.

1.) It depends on your charger. If your charger works with USB PD it won’t work.
I have a USB C (both ends) charger which does not support PD which works

Have you asked to be placed on the interest list before this? If you are not already on the interested list you cannot be added at this time. In the future, after those on the group buy interested list have been sent GB codes you nmight be able to get a discount.

This is the most confusing GB I’ve seen for any product, and while understanding the scale of the undertaking it comes off as a lack of foresight and planning on the part of Sofirn. It’s been a BIG interest list for quite some time…

I just can’t wrap my head around why it’s been handled the way it is, LT1s for sale on other sites (with a significant discount!) while the first batch of codes had just been sent, wut?

I’m 1237/1238, any idea where about on the list they are now?

from what I’ve read it is only up to Sofirn with no input from BLF
and precious little output

educated guess around 800, based on being told they were at 674 on Nov. 14

This is by far one of the largest group buys I’ve been a part of. That adds complexity on its own. What also doesn’t help is that as much as I appreciate all of Sofirn’s efforts, they definitely did not choose the most efficient method for distributing codes and getting these lanterns in people’s hands.

This isn’t directed at anyone in particular, but as far as all the delays are concerned, lets all try to remember that unless you have actually placed an order at this point, neither Sofirn nor any member of the team responsible for the LT1 is under any obligation to provide you with anything. No money has been exchanged and no agreements have been made. All we’ve done at this point is say “I want an LT1” and had our names placed on a list. I understand I haven’t been waiting as long as some of you and we all really want lanterns in our hands, but we will receive them in due time. Just need to be patient for a little bit longer. :+1:

Would it be possible for someone to make a “how to” on updating the LT1? Thanks in advance.

If you find my post about non-destructive SP36 disassembly and flashing, that might be a good springboard to start from. You should be able to use the same hardware I did if you unscrew the driver and gently pull it out a little.

The LT1 also has a set of contacts for a programming key. If you build one of those (or find someone who will sell you a prebuilt one) you don’t have to remove the LT1 driver board.

It shouldn’t be too long till someone with the right programming parts gets an LT1 and posts something more useful.