DriverVN3 and DriverVNX3 Development

[MAD777]

Yes, I do like say a double click for turbo from off and say a triple click for strobe.

HUGE plus on this!!!
If I want turbo or strobe, it's generally an emergency! At that point, I don't need to be patiently stepping through 5 modes, only to go past turbo to moonlight.

 

[Skylumen]

Here is what I got so far so keep it coming

DriverVN3 – Rear Clicky Switch
Lowest 1% possible?

1. 100

3. 5 - 100 | Memory
4. 5 - 100 | No Memory
5. 100 - 5 | No Memory
6. 30 - 100 | Memory
7. 30 - 100 | No Memory
8. 100 - 30 | No Memory
9. 70 - 100 | Memory
10. 70 - 100 | No Memory
11. 100 - 70 | No Memory

12. 1 - 30 - 100 | Memory
13. 1 - 30 - 100 | No Memory
14. 100 - 30 - 1 | No Memory
15. 30 - 100 - 1 | No Memory

16. 1 - 5 - 15 - 50 - 70 - 100 | No Memory
17. 100 - 70 - 50 - 15 - 5 - 1 | No Memory

18. Strobe
19. 100 - Strobe | No Memory
20. Strobe – 100 | No Memory
21. 1 - 5 - 30 - 70 - 100 – Blink1Hz - BLINK3Hz | No Memory
22. 100 - 70 - 30 - 5 – 1 – Blink1Hz - BLINK3Hz | No Memory
23. 5 - 30 - 100 - BLINK.5hz -BLINK1Hz – BLINK2Hz - BLINK3Hz | No Memory





DriverVNX3 - Momentary Side Switch
Lock Out with 10 quick press?
Lowest 1% possible?

1: 100 ** 100% ***STROBE

2: 5 - 50 ** 100 ***STROBE
3: 50 - 5 ** 100 ***STROBE

4: 1 - 30 - 70 ** 100 ***STROBE
5: 100 - 30 - 1 ** 100 ***STROBE

6: 1 - 20 - 50 - 70 ** 100 ***STROBE
7: 70 - 50 - 20 -1 ** 100 ***STROBE

8: 1 - 5 - 15 - 50 - 70 - ** 100 ***STROBE
9: 70 - 50 - 15 - 5 - 1 ** 100 ***STROBE

10: 100 ** STROBE
11: STROBE ** 100
12: 5 - 20 - 50 – BLINK.5hz -BLINK1Hz – BLINK2Hz - BLINK3Hz - ** 100 ***STROBE

 

[ven]

Great stuff vinh as the lock out will save undoing tail cap a good bit on the lights with carriers

 

[MAD777]

Is there any way to have a double-click with a rear clicky switch for turbo? Or at least perhaps, hold the switch down for momentary turbo?

 

[psychbeat]

Looks good to me
I'm only using the mechanical switch version and either use 2mode w mem #3 or 3mode w mem #12

 

[Bigwilly]

Looks good. Really like VNX3 instant acess to 100 and strobe.

 

[lumentia]

Vinh, I really appreciate that you're asking us for input. I know it can be hard accommodating everybody's wishes with mode groups. There's so many different ways we use these lights and everybody has a different take on what is perfect. Honestly I wish we could program them ourselves by just plugging into a USB port and quickly setting the mode # and levels with our smartphones.

But I digress. Here's is my take:
My thoughts below are a little jumbled, but at the end I'll have an organize list of my preferences for mode groups. Might take a few edits.


Lockout: 3 or possibly 4 clicks for lockout would be much better. 10 clicks is just too many. I use lockout alot on lights where you can't unscrew the tail cap to lockout (fenix)as long as it's quick to do. If a light is prone to coming on by itself, and is inconvenient to lockout, it becomes a shelf queen or sold. My tk75vn was that way.

I like 3 and 4 mode lights. More is just too much unless there are shortcuts to moonlight and turbo.

1% low is great. If the light has moonlight, it is still a great 1st mode up from ML unless it a tight beamed thrower in which case I would only need 2 modes, low would be just to get me into position and help navigate in situation where turbo would be too much. But lets face it, turbo is why I buy v54 throwers. So medium and turbo is all that's needed, unless we're talking about a S&R light where turbo would get too hot and wouldn't last long enough so 65 to 70% is a nice high, with turbo just a double click away.

So for a 3 mode thrower, 20%- 70% -**100%


20 or 30% for a next mode up from low is too big a jump. 10 to 15% would be a nice step up from low without being too wasteful or blinding for medium range tasks. It would also set you up nicely for the next mode:

Next mode of 40 to 50% is nice and bright while giving you roughly twice the runtime of turbo if you know you'll need it to last . It's easy to do the mental math in a search and rescue or emergency situation.

70% is too close to turbo for edc type lights, and makes for too many modes.

No more than 4 regular, non hidden modes. 4 is perfect in fact. 3 is good too, but only if they are spaced right.

 

[jmpaul320]

there a lot of good ideas here

what about a self destruct mode? jk

 

[MAD777]

I'm liking the idea of 3 regular modes, maybe 10-30-50, plus 2 hidden modes, ML & turbo, accessed via a hold down & a double-click respectively.

 

[MAD777]

OK, here's a can of worms for you. Each of these high powered lights has a level which can be run continuously, at room temperature, without overheating. Wouldn't it be nice to have that as the upper level of a 3 level light? Then turbo would be a double-click.

BUT, this would be different for each light. Enter the can of worms! Could this be a user programmable level. That would be similar to being able to program how long a light stays in turbo (as is doable with some of Vinh's lights).

For instance, my SL2 is my fastest heating light. I cannot run it indefinitely even at 30% (at room temperature) without it overheating after several minutes. All those levels beginning with 30 and higher are wasted. But other V54 lights can stay cool enough at over 50%.

Alright, maybe that was a can of snakes! but Vinh did tell us to think. I'm done thinking now.

 

[Skylumen]

OK gotta read all the new comments and then sleep on it.

 

[cistallus]

I agree moonlight should be available for any light. Perhaps have a programming sequence that basically chooses if the 1% level really means 1%, or moonlight.

For the electronic switch, do the double and triple asterisks indicate the immediate/hidden modes accessible with that many taps?

I agree with a previous poster than a programmable DriverVN would be wonderful. Via PC and micro-USB; or how about Bluetooth and an app?

 

[drummer132132]

I didn't see a post from earlier that already mentioned a mode group of 1 - 5 - 15 - 30 - 50 **100 ***strobe so I guess pretty much ignore my post if you already read it.

 

[KITROBASKIN]

This is what I have been doing with an Oveready Wasp head. It is an outdoors configuration for areas where coyotes and bigger critters may be.

Mechanical Clicky
No memory: 100%, then maximum that does not overheat the light for continuous use in ambient temperature outside at night (about ~35% but can be higher on subfreezing nights), 100%, ~10% (substantial enough light for long term navigation).

This keeps 100% a double click away when the light is on already. Of course, 100% is a single click from off.

Having a six mode option would be good to get a lowest-low sublumen (if possible) mode in, but still have 100% a double click away.

It is easy to get to the lower modes with the beam down and away to the side, so as not to flash the eyes going through 100%. There is no hurry to get to the lower modes but Always want 100% nearby; a double click away.

I don't know if this configuration is even possible with the excellent VN drivers, and may be too esoteric for many.

 

[Skylumen]

Richard from mtelectronics is planning to fly over to my place to visit next week. He plan to stay for may be a week so we will definitely have time to talk about DriverVNX3. We will come up with something solid and then consult to see if Dr. Jones can write the software. I am very excited to see Richard. Great to see old friends!

 

[psychbeat]

Maybe a BOOOOOOST driver for 6&12v emitters off single cell in the future..... ?
would be cool.

 

[Skylumen]

Maybe a BOOOOOOST driver for 6&12v emitters off single cell in the future..... ?
would be cool.

It would be but so far these kind of drivers kinda sucks

 

[Prepped]

+1 to a lower than 1% mode. If my ToolVN had this, it would literally be the best thing since sliced bread.

 

[DellSuperman]

It would be but so far these kind of drivers kinda sucks

Why is that so?
The efficiency is poor..?

 

[LessDark]

I also thought lights like the H10 and PD40 had quite okay efficency? Would be awesome...