Texas Avenger "TA" Driver series - Triple channel + Bistro or Narsil + Clicky or E-switch - The Ultimate open source driver!

redhawk · 2018-01-19T14:25:01.000Z

You can use the Diode for Bistro HD OTSM

Thank you! Looks like there are about 70k in stock, so I should be able to get a few this time

Texas_Ace · 2018-01-19T17:31:45.000Z

Mike C:

Agro:

Lexel:

You can use the Diode for Bistro HD OTSM

I am not building OTC based drivers anymore

Why?

OTC? Been there, done that, ain’t going back. OTSM is much more consistent.

Yep, ditto, I won’t be building any OTC drivers anymore, I am so over it.

Lightbringer · 2018-01-19T19:27:19.000Z

OTC/OTSM?

Texas_Ace · 2018-01-19T20:08:46.000Z

Lightbringer:

OTC/OTSM?

Off time cap is the old way of timing long presses, it is inconsistent with temperature and I generally don’t even use long presses because of that.

OTSM uses a cap to keep the MCU powered for a few seconds after the light is turned off so it can run a timing and get precise timing of clicks so it is not effected by temperature or anything else.

It only currently works with Bistro HD from Flintrock that I know of. I have yet to try it myself actually, hardly built a light all last year and the few I did were all e-switch lights so I never had a need.

I am about to build some boost drivers that will be using it though and I am looking forward to it. I will be replacing my EDC first thing.

Lightbringer · 2018-01-19T20:24:10.000Z

Texas_Ace:

Lightbringer:

OTC/OTSM?

Off time cap is the old way of timing long presses, it is inconsistent with temperature and I generally don’t even use long presses because of that.

OTSM uses a cap to keep the MCU powered for a few seconds after the light is turned off so it can run a timing and get precise timing of clicks so it is not effected by temperature or anything else.

I’m still not grokking the distinction (btw, whut’s “OTSM” stand for?).

I thought even the cheapie drivers with 3-pin µCs used that small cap to keep the µC alive just that second or so to be able to “remember” long enough when switching modes, when the switch interrupts power when half-pressed.

At first I thought it was a distinction between on-time and off-time when saving modes, but goggling the acronyms didn’t turn up anything meaningful.

Texas_Ace · 2018-01-19T20:53:11.000Z

Off time sleep mode.

OTC, reads the voltage of the cap and assumes the time the light was off based on the voltage in the cap when the light is turned back on. Only needs a very small and cheap cap, 1uf in most cases.

OTSM, uses the MCU timer to count exactly how much time has passed by keeping the MCU alive. It needs a very large cap, ~47uf in the above example.

Lightbringer · 2018-01-19T21:12:53.000Z

Texas_Ace:

Off time sleep mode.

OTC, reads the voltage of the cap and assumes the time the light was off based on the voltage in the cap when the light is turned back on. Only needs a very small and cheap cap, 1uf in most cases.

OTSM, uses the MCU timer to count exactly how much time has passed by keeping the MCU alive. It needs a very large cap, ~47uf in the above example.

Ah, that makes lots more sense, tnx!

I was going to do something similar to prevent Possessed Trunk Syndrome (ie, trunk pops open at random from spurious signals or just ghosts in the machine), and was even thinking of reflashing a cheap driver (w/ zener mod) to do that.

The official fix is a 2-shot relay, but for one reason or another it “doesn’t fit” my car. So I figured it’d be simple to make my own, using a relay to keep the power-signal broken unless the first hit powers the driver (and enables the relay) and the second hit is just a pass-through to the trunk-release latch. Just needed a way to keep the µC alive the few seconds to recognise the second hit and quickly power the relay as soon as it senses voltage.

Thought it almost hysterical to use a flashlight’s driver to do that.

Flashy_Mike · 2018-01-19T21:41:11.000Z

I was part of the team which developed the OTSM code and now I finally learn what this abbreviation stands for. We didn’t use this term at that time if I recall right. Thanks! :student:

Mike_C · 2018-01-20T10:51:55.000Z

The capacity in OTSM cap is sensitive to voltage and temperature like with OTC, but it’s irrelevant because the timing is precise.

Think of a cap as a bucket of water. Turning off the flashlight is like draining the bucket.
OTC: When the flashlight is off you are draining water at a quick but unknown rate. When you turn the flashlight back on you try to find out how much water was drained by looking at how much is left in the bucket, but because you don’t know how much was in the bucket to begin with you can only estimate.
OTSM: When the flashlight is off you are draining the bucket at a much slower rate, but more importantly you are also measuring exactly how much water is being drained. When you turn it back on this exact number is available to you.

OTC works well enough for single short off presses. People have been doing this a long time, it works pretty good. In the above example it’s like simply checking if there is any water left in the bucket at all. But if you are going to time both short and long off presses it can be difficult. Have a look at this thread, and check out the results in post #15: Off-Time Memory Dependent On Altitude? - Resolved!. Try to reliably measure 1.5 seconds long off time presses with that light and you’ll run into problems.

Chatika_vas_Paus · 2018-01-26T20:03:28.000Z

Can I use this fet

Texas_Ace · 2018-01-26T20:56:05.000Z

Leviatan:

Can I use this fet

Yes, it should work fine. Looks like a normal Sir404 to me.

Lexel · 2018-01-26T21:57:16.000Z

quite expensive

I can sell you a better Infineon FET for half that price

Texas_Ace · 2018-04-01T16:56:26.000Z

I have updated the license on these drivers in the OP.

Clarifying that these drivers are open source for personal use like always.

For commercial use though you must now contact me and get my permission before using these drivers in any from. After having the TA name attached to completely sub-standard and defective drivers this has become necessary in order to keep knock-offs from ruining the name / brand.

From now on any commissarial use of these drivers, designs, layout and particularly the name and brand must come exclusively through me. You must show me the complete design and parts list you plan to use before you start production.

I want to see these used in commercial lights but only if they are done properly and to spec.

zeroflow · 2018-08-28T21:43:25.000Z

Hi Texas Ace, I am looking for the 21mm Skilhunt H03 Version of your driver but I can’t seem to find it on oshpark.

Do you have the files for that version somewhere or is that a modified version by Lexel?

Greetings

Texas_Ace · 2018-08-28T21:53:56.000Z

I only made a few light specific drivers, most were more universal in nature. All the drivers I have made are in the OP minus the MT09R / MT03 and GT70 drivers (which are on my to do list).

So you might be looking for a driver lexel customized.

skinny_tie · 2018-08-29T10:52:26.000Z

Texas_Ace did you design the driver for the new Astrolux S43?

I think I remember you mentioning that you were working with Banggood on an update to the S42.

BlueSwordM · 2018-08-29T11:36:07.000Z

Yep. He did.

Hopefully, now they aren’t just using a FET arrangement, and a better lower resistance FET, along with a much more responsive UI.

That made for piss poor efficiency on all modes, and a bad UI.

Texas_Ace · 2018-08-29T13:03:54.000Z

skinny_tie:

Texas_Ace did you design the driver for the new Astrolux S43?

I think I remember you mentioning that you were working with Banggood on an update to the S42.

I was not aware they had announced it yet.

Yes, I actually have a prototype sitting on my desk now. A few minor things they still need to tweak but it seems to be working good.

It is a TA based driver with a custom charging circuit setup for a 500ma charge rate. All running on NarsilM of course so the firmware is far far superior. I HATE the S42 but I actually really like this new light, except for the LED’s but then they are CW in the prototype so that figures lol. I plan to swap them out at some point.

Agro · 2018-08-29T13:54:11.000Z

So:

Thorfire
Lumintop
Astrolux
Haikelite
Sofirn
Emisar
FireFlies
(guess) Mateminco

either have or will soon have lights with BLF ramping firmware? :partying_face:

Texas_Ace · 2018-08-29T13:58:50.000Z

Yep, you also guessed right on Mateminco, I am working with them directly as banggood did not want to proceed with the project.

I think the flashlight manufactures are starting to see the benefit of good firmware.

I am so spoiled now I won’t use lights without Narsil / Bistro or some variation of them.