Wanting a custom e switch UI wrote and flashed onto a driver. Or even a finished light. Willing to pay.
Edit see dream UI below ( Warning bad photos, bad writing.)
Edit. Emisar D4, Emisar D1, Skilhunt H03, FW3A and Novatac (if someone what to try) are the host lights I am wanting this UI for. XM-L2 or XP-L2.
Edit. I will call my dream UI “Mimic”
This attempt Failed
Third Attempt Third Attempt. Update 10-10-18
To start off, there are some technical questions:
Each of those questions can change the whole project from pretty easy to very hard.
For example: If you want an Emisar D4 with a Zebralight-like UI, that's pretty easy (and already done by Toykeeper).
But if you want some XHP35 light with a boost driver - good luck with that.
Lights in mind are Skilhunt H03, Emisar D4 and the FW3A when it comes out. Would like one of each.
Hoping for a 3 channel driver. Thinking of making a video on how I would like the UI.
Edit 10-4-18 Got some bad photos of the UI.
Edit 10-6-18 Started another to see if others would be interested in this UI
Some things have changed from crap photos to the Text in this thread Would you buy a light with this user interface?
Ok, I know my Spelling and hand writing are very poor. I hope this give everyone the idea of how this UI could work.
This UI covers all I think I want in a light.
Quick access to 3 levels of your choosing. G1-G2 and half Max
Memory
Stepped ramping. With reversing. I like it to calculate run times.
Instant Momentary Max. 4 clicks- press
Instant Momentary Strobe. 5 clicks-press
Auto OFF
Start in low
Start in Half Max around 500 lumens.
Start in Beacon, Strobe or Bike flasher (you pick)
What would this UI be good for??? EVERYTHING
More later
Sounds like the concept is a work in progress.
What kind of budget do you have? Hiring software developers usually isn’t cheap.
Yes, just a concept. Or maybe you could call it a dream.
Budget, hmmm, I am poor , but I am willing to sell off my other lights, or even work overtime.
I am hoping you are interested, This UI in a few lights would be the end of a long quest for me.
Edit, very much like some of your work :sunglasses:
Reserved, going to open it up some.
OP needs to nail down the specification.
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I have been thinking about building a flexible driver development board. One that can hold a couple of different ATTiny pinouts. I know everyone uses the ’85 because of the package. — Pads for AMC7135s, pads for an FET, a bread board area and screw terminals to connect to a host.
I’m sure it is easier to just buy a couple drivers and kludge but where is the fun in that…
Easiest is to buy something like https://uk.farnell.com/c/tools-production-supplies/prototyping-tools-breadboards/prototyping-ic-adapters for the SMD parts (MCU), and a breadboard such as K & H AD-11 Advanced Solderless Breadboard - 958 Tie Points | Rapid Online
And a bag full of leaded passives, even ones that you have salvaged from WEEE (a solder sucker and braid come in handy, and you might learn a little from taking such things apart).
As well as a lot of pre-made jumper wires, just to save tedious effort DIYing them.
No excuse for not trying things out, messing about, learning. Instead of sitting behind a PC playing with Eagle, (better KiCad) and sending underdeveloped designs to e.g. OSH Park for fabrication.
If something works on one of these breadboards, it will almost certainly work much better on a PCB. But it’s sort of a rite of passage to make it work cleanly under all circumstances, and satisfying.
You do need a ’scope though. (As well of course as a PSU or just a cell, and a multimeter.) There is a USB PC dual channel ’scope available from Hantek that is adequate to perhaps 20 MHz, which might be good enough on a budget. Even comes with a couple of probes. For £50. Total bargain. Even just for the probes.
You might not even need a soldering iron, if you learn how to dab solder paste onto SMD pads and warm it up with a hot air gun. But I would strongly recommend buying a very good iron, and learning how to use it.
This is not a tool to cheap-out on, nor the solder, and other materials. But Rosin flux and IPA for cleaning are quite generic and dirt cheap, and just work. It’s only when you want to do something a little more tricky that you might need more specialised stuff.
One of my test setups:
This test setup costs about 10$ including programmer and all components.
You don’t need FETs and AMCs for testing, power LEDs would be too bright for longer testing anyway. Use simple 5mm or 3mm LEDs, one for each channel, connected to the MCUs output port with a resistor between. Much better for fine tuning and detecting bugs.
Many MCUs are available in DIL casings which you can fix on the breadboard without any adapter. There a adapter boards for surface mount versions of MCUs available at OSHPARK, made for a dollar or two.
A scope is helpful indeed, but frequencies can also be measured with most multimeters. A multimeter is required for sure.
No sleep last night.
Changes coming to 3 4 5 clicks
345 clicks is a lot …
I’ve got the basic tools and passives. I don’t have a decent oscilloscope anymore. I use MacOS and Ubuntu which might rule out the USB Hantek. I’d rather have a stand alone tool anyway. I don’t own a laptop… (sorry for the thread hijack —- I’ll go away now)
True that.
Hmmm, quoted myself, guess I need to learn the internet
I haven’t used it, but Sigrok runs on linux and MacOS and supports the Hantek USB scopes. The Digilent Analog Discovery also has software for MacOS and Linux. I hear you on a stand-alone scope, though.
OP needs to nail down the specification.
Yes I do , I have it. Just getting it across to words. Maybe I make some Photos.
Indeed, The USB devices are all very well as starter ’scopes, but nothing beats a real one, with tactile knobs for timebase, trigger level, post (and pre. on DSO) triggering delay. Basically the more knobs the better, touch screens, buttons and PC interfaces just get in the way.
Fortunately these are even affordable for first-world hobbyists, and it seems rather good. E.g. Amazon.co.uk
And Hantek DSO5102P Digital Storage Oscilloscope (DSO) Review - Maker Advisor
Other makes are also available.
20 years ago I had to pay £5000 each for LeCroys, with lesser specification and capability. Nowadays of course that sort of money gets you a LeCroy with almost unbelievable capability. It is so cheap to kit out a professional R+D lab nowadays, when the capital equipment is now such a small proportion of a skilled engineer’s salary, and of course mostly tax-deductible.
As long as you make enough money to have to pay tax in the countries where you do business, which is rather important, but that seems not to be understood by some companies.
Ok, Got some Photos of how I want the UI to function. If anyone see any problems. Or has any Questions please let me know.
This UI could do what many different lights can do and many things lights cant do.
I believe it is very easy to navigate, and there isn’t much that needs to be remembered.
CP 1/2Max another CP-Max CP is not remembered
CC Jumps between to groups
P Press, ramps up from off, and up and down from on.
P after 3-7C, Think P for program, Or P for Pick a level.
3C Constant on Strobe, Beacon, Bike flasher, or an extra level
4C Squeeze light. Light only lights while button pressed. Power cycle to exit.
5C Squeeze to 3C or max strobe. Light only on while button pressed. Power cycle to exit.
6C Auto off. Light shuts off after time has passed
7C Extra disco modes, mood lighting, party flashers, battery Check. etc etc.
The G1 G2 brightness spacing probably needs more thought, as well as the ramp speed, and press times.
I see your point. I ordered a programmer, ATtiny 85 on a board, and ribbon cable from FastTech.
I have stacks of these freebies from PCBWay. They must use them to fill out empty spaces in panels. The whole setup will be well under $10
