OK, what microchip family is used predominantly in flashlights?

I guess PICs are not used, what is?

What microchip family is used predominantly in flashlights?

What language is used most, C, C++, assembly ??

I have worked as a programmer with PICs in assembly, so I thought I would ask.

Thanks, Stan

My builds are mostly from here Oshpark Projects
therefore Attiny 13, 45, 85.
I think there might be PIC based flashlights out there, just don’t know where exactly.

> I guess PICs are not used […]

Fitorch P25 uses a PIC.

https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/54371/19

Be a hero and write code for it.

It appears there are some flashlights using PIC microcontrollers, including the Fenix E16 (probably other Fenix lights, too) and the drivers made by LED4Power:

Google search for Anduril PIC Microcontroller on BLF

A body of knowledge within BLF has been built up over many years around the Atmel ATTiny series, and a lot of code has been shared for this family. Some really popular firmware among flashlight enthusiasts is written for these chips. C/C is used.

ATtiny family

Convoy L6 runs a 30mm board with a PIC12F683. I think my friend has a programmer….

Zebralight uses PIC16LF1705.

A lot of lights use PIC - the issue there is that all the enthusiast firmware was developed for ATTiny. So enthusiast drivers and manufacturers are based on ATTiny.

It would be awesome if the community could get involved with PIC MCUs and potentially flash them. It would be a boon to be able to easily fix bad user interfaces on what are otherwise many excellent lights.

is flashing a PIC easier than an ATTiny?

Thanks for all the responses. When I was writing code for the F877 (+others), I used the round flat programmer from Microchip, probably the ICD2. Later used a 44 pin surface mount version, more functionality also . Its been a decade ago. I imagine the ICD has been updated, but I see a lot of pic programmers by various companies now. It is easy enough to program and reprogram.

The ICD is also an in circuit debugger, run/halt, set breakpoints, allowing user to step thru the code, inspect PIC registers…. all using a PC.

I have not used a ATTiny, so I am not knowledgeable about it. There is quite a learning curve jumping into a different micro family. using C makes the code more universal, but the program code still needs to access and control the special purpose counters, timers, a/d, PWM, and other special and unique I/O circuits to each family of micros…

Thanks, Stan

I use the attiny family of MCUs