YLP coupon for BLF

That gekko’s a nice look

Gekko 1.0: Gekko 1.0 — Online store — YLP light

Coupon code: Gekko21 (valid until 02/23/2021)

@fnksb
Back in 2019 we talked about the project under working name:Stark (2*21700 8*SST20 Hi CRI 4000K)
(YLP coupon for BLF - #87 by fnksb)




(More info and pictures here (Russian): Фонарик с тачскрином... | Мастерская: INFERION)

On below video someone is using a button on the other side of the flashlight to increase/decrease brightness.

Is that space on the left side of the touchscreen to control brightness? Or is it just an indicator?

This flashlight has one of the best design I have seen all time and has a huge potential for an amazing UI if they didn’t implement any gimmicky function, with 2 buttons the UI possibility are almost endless but I for one would love to keep it simple, one button operation with the touchscreen (if its really a touchscreen) to switch around different screens showing some instead of all the numbers.

I hope they don’t make the same mistakes as with the M43, amazing design and driver engineering, but overly complicated UI.

Thanks. The cost in US dollars with the coupon code and shipping came out a lot lower than I expected based on the estimates on the website. Came out to $36 shipped rather than $36+7=$43 that I was expecting :slight_smile: :+1: . I’ve been following the mega Fonarevka thread, and it didn’t take much for me to click buy.

Is the switch the same as the Unicorn ? The size looks similar but can’t know just from the pics. I didn’t like that it was too small and had a noisy click.

Before you buy, a quick summary of what I’ve understood via Google translate:

  • Inferion had not enough time to finish the firmware, although YLP delayed the release. The current firmware mostly imitates the behavior of the Unicorn, but uses different code. So there are none of the new features like multiple moon modes, auto brightness etc.
  • Moon mode is not as moon as planned, but slightly lower than in the Unicorn.
  • There are several differences in behavior compared to the Unicorn. For example 1C from turbo switches off, 2C returns to previous level, moon is not in the main rotation but only reachable from off via 1H.
  • They discovered some bugs, but production has already started. For example, turning on the flashlight in moon mode starts in a brighter level and fades down for a few seconds.
  • Another bug is that smooth ramping is not smooth - there is noticeable jitter (because Inferion mixed left and right shift in the lower byte of the brightness variable).
  • The magnet in the tailcap is exposed. Not sure what this means regarding durability.
  • The light comes without a clip. The included silicone holder appears to be identical with the one of the Wurkkos HD20 (from the pictures).
  • The initial 900 lm are reduced to 300 lm after some minutes due to heat. Thermal regulation seems to be great, as expected from Inferion. 400 lm should be possible if temperature limit is set to 75 °C.
  • Not sure if I’ve understood this correctly, but several times they wrote that hotglue was used instead of thermal paste?!
  • The driver has external flashing pads for updates, but YLP refuses to provide update files (warranty, don’t want the firmware to be public) and doesn’t accept returns for updates (too much work).
  • They say you can’t expect more from a light that is this cheap. IMHO they should have set their goals lower if this is true.

Overall I’m pretty disappointed by this light. The hardware seems decent for the price and Inferion made a very efficient and good firmware for the Unicorn. But with this release the firmware appears to be in a beta state at most. Too many bugs, not the expected features. I planned to buy at least one, maybe two or three. Now I will wait for an improved model. If YLP would allow firmware updates this would be different.

@thefreeman
The switch should be improved. Not so hard to press and bigger.

Thank you for taking the time to summarise all this. Well that’s disappointing.

Btw all my info is from https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=&sl=ru&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fforum.fonarevka.ru%2Fshowthread.php%3Ft%3D44328&sandbox=1

I probably jumped the gun a bit with my purchase and should have waited another week until a just before the coupon code expires before buying as people are just now receiving the light and giving assessments. However, at least for me, those deficiencies that you mention are not going to be a problem. I don’t use moonlight in the headlamp form factor - will be using mainly 300 lumens and up with active movement providing cooling, and in the cold (headlamp season equals cold season for me). The smooth thermal control and good efficiency were the main attractions, and I’m guessing from the description that the TIR will provide a good pattern for my type of usage. So I probably would have purchased this early version as a backup/alternative for my larger headlamp anyway.

That wasn’t hot glue under the star. That’s what (cheap) thermal paste often looks like. I have a tube of something similar looking or the same myself.

Yeah, seems like some cheap stuff. Meanwhile AEDe posted some photos of the inside of the head:

http://forum.fonarevka.ru/showpost.php?p=1330296&postcount=2573
http://forum.fonarevka.ru/showpost.php?p=1330301&postcount=2576

Problem is that the shelf is very thin and not flat, the center under the LED is slightly concave. The 1 mm thick MCPCB doesn’t even make contact with the shelf because it sits on the rims of the screw holes! The thermal design is a total failure.

For using it as a simple light at 200-300 lm it is OK. But I expected much more after the Unicorn.

The initial 900 lm are reduced to 300 lm after some minutes due to heat. Thermal regulation seems to be great, as expected from Inferion. 400 lm should be possible if temperature limit is set to 75 °C.

I should correct this. The main auditory for this light in Russia is not a flashaholic, but odinary user.

So

  1. TK set for comfort temperature from box.
  2. The measure of lumens was not in the lightbox, by lxometr in phone.
    So this is ABOUT 300 lmens, may be 350
  3. Measures was taken in room temperatre and no movement.
    But due great TK work, in real street night movement, i think, real throw wold be around 450+ lumens. Stable lumens. If temperature allow, TK wold turn back light flow up to 900lmens

Anyway, user can try to change TK limit.

The driver has external flashing pads for updates, but YLP refuses to provide update files
Not. New firmware not finished yet, so YLP don’t discuss ability to reflash until readiness of new firmware.

They say you can’t expect more from a light that is this cheap. IMHO they should have set their goals lower
Only real expluatation wold show, if this flashlight is brilliant or not.
Anyway, by the low price any user takes from the box well built L-shape flashlight.
With direct current reglation, workable TK, comfort weight and HiCri lght.

The thermal design is a total failure.
We need direct temperatre measure on head of FL and on LED pad.

Hi D’AVerk,
Do you know anything about the Stark 2*21700 8*SST20 Hi CRI 4000K (YLP coupon for BLF - #229 by rost333)?
If so, can you share it with us please? Thank you!

can you share it with us please
It is on development stage, as far as i know.
But in one discussion between Inferion (driver developer) and fnksb (YLP executive by such projects) was mentioned that anyway, no changes in idea, because all have been ordered yet. Of course, this could be about Gekko, but contest of discussion was about Stark

So, we all are in waiting position. FL would be interesting, i think, because of changeable light distribution, like in Panda3, but with improved UI, power and battery capacity. And of course touchscreen )

Thank you! Let’s wait :wink:

Don’t understand me wrong, 300 lm is fine for a light of this size!

But IMHO they should discuss this. I’m not interested in this light with the current firmware, but I would buy some if it is possible to update the firmware later.

IMHO they should discuss this.
How they can divide the skin of an unkillable bear (Never divide the skin until the bear is dead!), and give promisses.
In firmware adoption MAY BE could be neccessary changes in hardware, so new firmware simply wouldn’t work correct on old hardware. And anyone would be angry on them by their promisses.

Anyone know if YLP are able to ship the UK again? I can get stuff shipped from China/EU ok currently. But don’t know how to check from Russia.

I ordered a Falcon F15 beginning of the year. but I think COVID restrictions meant it couldn’t be shipped. I said to keep the order open rather than refund, as I’d still like the light. But don’t know what the current situation is.

Thanks.

As I know, delivery to UK is possible, and your order was already shipped some time ago.