I don’t think the price would be very good going with a fully custom driver, at least not from these guys.
So for now it’s going to be the two sided NANJG style driver with “The Star” modes. Maybe if this actually works out I’ll try and find someone to do the BLF driver in bulk for us.
What is the going rate for 10?
It’s $30 plus shipping. Shipping will be exact so for you it’s a couple extra bucks.
at $3~ a pop, custom firmware, extra chips already on the board
Put me in for 10
What will the default be (standard Nanjg 105 build w/ extra chips on top)
L>H (H>L w/ star), memory on (off w/ star), moonlight off (on w/ star)?
This is from THE It’s his firmware.
That's the default config.
All of the configurations listed:
- No stars connected (default) => L->H, with memory
- Connect Star #4 (Disable mode memory) => L->H, no memory
- Connect Star #3 (Revert mode order) => H->L, with memory
- Connect Stars #3 & #4 => H->L, no memory
- Connect Star #2 (Tacticool mode) => Strobe -> Turbo -> Low, no memory (0.5s on to forget current mode - mode change requires quick half clicks)
- Connect Stars #2 & #4 (Single mode) => Turbo
..and then there are some hidden (mostly blinky) modes, which work in all above configurations. Currently they are (subject to change):
1. LowLow
2. Disorienting strobe (randomly alternating 13-19.5Hz 60-40% duty cycle)
3. Motion stopping strobe (10Hz, 2% duty cycle)
4. Beacon with background (1Hz - 50ms Turbo / 950ms Med mode)
5. Slower beacon with background (0.4Hz - 50ms Turbo / 2450ms Low mode)
6. Beacon (1Hz - 50ms Turbo / 950ms Off)
7. Alpine distress beacon (50ms Turbo / 9950ms Off, repeat 6 times, 60s Off, repeat 6 times, 60s Off, ...)
8. SOS
9. Turbo that stays on (no timer)
Current mode spacing is:
0.1% (0.003A) -> 2% (0.1A) -> 25% (1A) -> 100% (4.2A), with ramp down to 50% (2.1A)
nice
These sound really good for people who can’t or haven’t got into the driver programming game yet, or those like me that have a problem soldering those pesky 7135 chips.
Only problem i can see is, once you install one of these drivers you’ll probably want to do all your compatible lights with them!
Very Cool, I changed the first post so they can look at your post to know how it works. That covers a lot of ground for sure.
Do people really know what SOS is (the flashing is what catches their attention, not the actual letters)…would be cooler if it just flashed Morse Code “BLF” 
But…that of course if for a “later build” 
Any comments on the mode spacing or hidden modes? Let's make it near perfect before producing hundreds of these.. :)
Especially the order of hidden modes is important. LowLow must be the most used hidden mode, so that's #1. I feel strobe might be the second most important, maybe not most used though. How about other modes? Are they in a good enough order?
Anyone (with the ability to flash drivers) willing to join and help in beta testing of the firmware?
I would agree that LowLow should be first on the hidden. I have never used strobe. I think 90 seconds on the turbo stepdown should be fine as well.
I forgot today was already Saturday (pitfall of being retired) so I won’t hear from the supplier until Monday. I did e-mail and ask them the basic questions. Can they flash, will other people also be able to flash theirs as well, etc.
This looks great but do we really need all the blinky modes? I understand they’re hidden but it’s still too much.
I would be happy with just these modes in hidden:
1. LowLow
9. Turbo that stays on (no timer)
2. Disorienting strobe (randomly alternating 13-19.5Hz 60-40% duty cycle)
4. Beacon with background (1Hz - 50ms Turbo / 950ms Med mode)
8. SOS
My thinking is that extra hidden modes do not bother, as you never have to cycle them through. The firmware is using "short cycle memory" for hidden modes: Route from Strobe to another strobe is: Strobe -> L -> M -> T -> L -> M -> T -> LL -> Strobe -> Strobe2
They just need to be in a correct order, most often used ones first.
[quote=CRX]
I would be happy with just these modes in hidden:
1. LowLow
9. Turbo that stays on (no timer)
2. Disorienting strobe (randomly alternating 13-19.5Hz 60-40% duty cycle)
4. Beacon with background (1Hz - 50ms Turbo / 950ms Med mode)
8. SOS
[/quote]
Turbo that stays on is the last hidden mode on purpose. It's potentially dangerous, so it must be the hardest one to get activated.
I see what you mean. I’d definitely be in for a few of these anyway.
I haven’t read up on the custom firmwares/ drivers yet and that OSH Park thread is getting more daunting everyday
Sounds complicated. 
@18sixfifty, while the has stepped in with his own firmware offering and personal presumptions without considering the needs of the group, most of us have already chimed in loud and clear for several years about how useless and annoying ANY blinky modes are (including the hidden ones). Why would anyone want to bring them back when we all hate them so much? Nothing is more irritating than an inadvertent cycle into a hidden blinky mode. Can you please offer this in the standard 4 mode firmware that we have all grown to love and appreciate? (candle, low, med, high) Add a 5th mode for more even mode spacing if you really must. Its far more intuitive but certainly unnecessary. You’re only adding .5A to the base driver. Also, a timer on turbo is really pretty lame, especially at only 3.5A. If someone cant feel that the light is burning their hand, they probably have much greater physical or mental issues to deal with. Many of us have several hosts that can withstand +5A continuous for 10 minutes or more without overheating, so this would be just another huge annoyance (whether hidden of not).
Just say no to the silly blinky modes and the useless hidden foo-foo. 
If you must, please offer the driver in 2 firmware versions so the buyer can chose which one they want. I have a feeling you will sell far more of the standard version.
Also, my customers have spoken. No one buys my custom lights with blinky modes or hidden mode groups when I offer them without that nonsense. They dont like it, they dont want it and they wont buy it…. so I cant support it either.
Thank you.
@FP: I hear you. But just to make facts straight:
1. Rest assured that TheStar firmware is not based on my personal presumptions. It was designed to support as many needs (in a GB light) as possible, and has been "beta tested" by many people.
2. We are not adding 0.5A, but raising the current 50%: 2.8A -> 4.2A.
If most of the people here happen to hate TheStar, we have still couple of options:
1. Select another FW and get permission to use it in mass production
2. Further develop TheStar to suit your needs
3. Mark this thread as SPAM (and forget it)
Actually after THE mentioned his firmware I PM’d him and we discussed this. I asked him if I could use his firmware. I really can’t see any problem with having hidden blinkies (some people do like them, I get asked to keep blinkies in a few of my builds).
I have a feeling this isn’t going anywhere anyway. Like usual there are simply too many people wanting different things. Also there just are not that many people interested. Lot’s of people viewing but not that many people showing interest.
I’ll keep it open for a while longer but I’m pretty sure they won’t go for less than 500 drivers and it doesn’t look like we will hit that. Too bad because I thought it was a pretty good idea.
Point taken and thank you for your thoughts and corrections. Ive probably sold around 500 C8 lights. Ever since offering them with Moonlight - 2% - 50% - 100%, I havent sold a single C8 with blinkys of any sort… none, even when dropping the floor on the price. People are put off by them from the get-go and any further explanation only annoys them. Why? Because blinky modes annoy most people. Thats also what you, I and everyone else has read for years.
Im sure you’ve put a lot of effort into making the ultimate blinky/do-all FW. Im glad there are those that will appreciate the added modes and the gadgetry that comes with it. But the masses have long ago already decided what they like and dont like, and that still hasnt changed.
So why not offer it in 2 versions? For my initial order, Im in for 1 x with you blinkys to check out your gadgetry and mess with people during Halloween and 20 of the std star UI. Can this be provided?