So, the other day I received the 2 adapters I ordered from @thefreeman, already tested them flashing my TS10 and I am glad to say they both arrived in perfect working order:
Given that I already had another adapter, a “USB-C to UPDI Key V3” which I got from @GCHart about 1 year ago, here’s an unsolicited review of them both:
Both connect via USB-C to a computer, and work either with USB-C to USB-A (tested) or USB-C to USB-C cables (not tested as I can’t get any of my USB-C-toting devices to work with USB-C-to-C cables – but I believe @thefreeman and @gchart when they say it works).
Both have a PWR LED that illuminates the area ahead, very useful for positioning the adapter’s pogo pins on the flashlight flashing pads;
Both use the same USB-to-Serial chip, a WCH CH340N, plus a bunch of passive components;
Both are well-built, compact and practical and have worked for me for dozens of times without a hitch, with both my TS10 and my FC13 Wurkkos flashlights (especially @gchart’s, which I’ve had for more time).
Both work great independent of the voltage, but I’m more comfortable flashing at 3.3V as 5V is close to the top of the voltage range for the ATTiny MCUs (6V IIRC);
@TheFreeman’s has duplicated, separate signaling pads to all the 3 pogo pins:
They are unused for now, but it’s great future-proofing in case I get some other UPDI device (flashlight or not) that I need to flash, and that doesn’t follow the built-in pogo pins order and/or spacing.
Conclusion: my rating for these adapters are both 5 ; they are both great and @gchart and @thefreeman do a great service to the community by offering them (and both were very kind to accomodate my quite tricky shipping requirements given that I’m currently neither in the US nor the EU). @TheFreeman’s have a slight edge due to working at 3.3V (safer IMHO) and the separate signaling pads, but OTOH @gchart’s has the advantage of seniority, having served me without fail for almost an year now (although I have no reason to suspect @TheFreeman’s won’t do the same, it’s not there yet)
My suggestion is, buy whichever is more convenient for you, basically depending on your location; they are both great and you won’t regret buying either of them.
I would like to add some info, as I’ve gotten ‘thefreeman’s’ adapter (I don’t have GChart’s though).
The “additional signaling pad” which you mentioned has been useful, since I connected a dupont wire to them to flash a TS30S Pro (the TS30S Pro also uses the same ATTiny1616, but the pins are spaced farther apart than the ones on the TS10, TS11, TS25, FC13 or LT1S Pro.)
I connected another dupont cable extension to flash a Q8 Plus (which also features the same 3 pins (farther spacing) as the TS30S Pro, but 2 pins are swapped) – since I didn’t quite understand what the “V G D” (TS30S Pro) and “G V R” (Q8 Plus) meant, it was sort of through testing that I find to swap the position of 2 wires, and then I was also able to flash the Q8 Plus successfully. ( I used “Read” mode while I was testing which pin is correct for the Q8 Plus)
(
“R - +” corresponds to “D G V” on the TS30S Pro
“R + -” corresponds to “R V G” on the Q8 Plus
)
(re: using USB-A-to-C and USB-C-to-C cable on thefreeman’s adapter:
while connecting to my desktop PC (Windows), I used a USB-A-to-C cable
while connecting to my Android phone, I used a USB-C-to-C cable
both worked flawlessly)
I’m specially thankful since those exact two lights (TS30S Pro and Q8 Plus) have been in my sights since forever – and one of the reasons I haven’t bought either of them has been exactly their nonstandard flashing pad layout.
Your post is totally relevant here, but it’s so great that IMO it also deserves a spot on the Anduril Flashlight Reflash Reference topic; in fact, I just sent a heads-up to its OP recommending yours be included:
thefreeman and I collaborate a bit on these, and my newest batch that I’ve been shipping out has the same 3.3V output now. And when I run out of this batch, my next one will include those “separate signaling pads”. I haven’t really had a need for them, but it certainly doesn’t hurt to have them available for those one-off layouts.
– but I believe @thefreeman and @gchart when they say it works).
