You can re-program it yourself if you want to add SOS or future updates. Need to read around, but you need the PCB from oshpark, the USB programmer from fasttech and some pogo pins - cost is not massive I think it was all < $10/€10/£10 delivered (still waiting for some of it to arrive).
See the main thread on colours, looks like issues with anodising company and no time soon, which is a shame as I am waiting with my 2nd code for colours…
I have the bits for my programming key, but I haven’t yet found the time to put it together. Apart from assembly, this is the easy way.
The SOIC8 clip method isn’t too bad where I’ve used it, but my Emisar lights with the first party programming key are my favorite to flash by far. I’m glad development has moved in this direction.
I have a question about the mechanical lockout. Today I inserted my 4 Sofirm-supplied cells and began screwing the base into the head. There was some flickering of the light in the midpoint of screwing it in indicating current flow. I then tightened it normally, the button light came on, then I unscrewed it a quarter turn and the mechanical lockout kicked in and the button light went off.
But is this truly preventing any current flow if I saw some flickering earlier?
It might depend on where you stop unscrewing it. Easy to test. If you unscrew a ways and push the switch and nothing happens, it’s locked out at that point.
It's bypassed during the flicker. for this particular setup, your threads have to be fully covered with anodizing, if not and there's bare aluminum random spots, you will see the flicker. Believe me this was a pain in the beginning. I had to change the firmware for the BLF Q8 to compensate for it - the constant intermittent voltage connections during the threading would mess up the firmware, til I used a special mode to fix it - think it was a fuse setting, forgot which.
The cause is just a poor anodizing coating. Anodizing is a electrical insulator so any gaps defeat the insulation. Sofirn has been like this all along - I haven't seen one Sofirn light with decent anodizing. They all say "HAIII military grade hard-anodized" but it's far from the truth. Compare it to a MaxToch light, for example. Even some of the Amutorch lights I got have that deep penetrating type of anodizing - difficult to sand away.
So do we love the Sofirn prices? Of course we do! This is the BudgetLightForum after all . Would we be willing to pay for a better anodizing? Maybe some of us would, dunno. I was told by a Maxtoch rep the higher grade coatings are pricey.
For accessories, Sofirn is offering a carry case for the light, but as of right now there are no other official accessories. The planned accessories are still in the design phase, and the designer is currently recovering from complications with having the COVID-19 virus the last couple months.
If you check out the original LT-1 post, the last couple pages have folks showing some items they use with the lantern, like shades and such : *BLF LT1 Lantern Project) (updated Nov,17,2020)