Tri-V2 Information

Data

Flashlight Enthusiast
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Tri-V2


The sale will be Wednesday Dec 12th at about noon eastern time. Please look for a new thread in my forum (this forum).



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EDIT: =================================================================================================

inserted here is additional information from some of the posts throughout this thread and some new information about the new flashlight.

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The Tri-V flashlight was conceived on a whim. I never expected it to go anywhere. However, as it started to materialize it garnered considerable interest from a small group of flashlight enthusiasts. So, I kept on with it and built prototype. I liked how it worked and so did the other people who played with it. I know many of you have an original Tri-V or had one and understand what it's all about. But for those who are new to this I'm going to try to write up a description about what makes this flashlight different. Everything here pertains to both the original Tri-V and the new Tri-V2 except for the details in the color section. The original Tri-V was released 2 1/2 years ago. So yes, a long period of time has passed but I am finally excited and proud to announce the Tri-V2.

What makes the Tri-V2 unique? That it has 14w of power in your pocket? That it is made of solid 6al4v titanium? That it has a 6 mode selector switch? That it is easy and fast to use? That it is microprocessor controlled user programmable? No, there are other lights that do these things.

It is unique because it is Tri-Variable: it gives multiple power levels, multiple beam patterns and multiple color temperatures of white. All in a small EDC size.


Power
The multiple power levels thing is generally well understood. All of the SPY flashlights have had this feature since the beginning in 2005. But the way the SPY does it, affords you the ability to select the exact amount of light (battery consumption) that you desire with great ease and speed. As an example let's say you're out at night and you need all the light that the SPY can muster without draining the batteries too quickly. Spin the dial all the way up to the full power and then back it off 1 click. In just a split second you will have it set without even looking at it.


Beam
Getting a SPY out of your pocket and projecting a very narrow and powerful beam of light at a tree line that is 300 feet away is fun and useful. That same incredibly strong beam is also a formidable defensive weapon. Or say, using the flood to light up an indoor area with a smooth glow is useful for creating ambiance, for searching for something on the floor or for lighting up a photography subject. The different beam patterns are useful for different things. Additionally, the flood and the reflector can be mixed together creating yet a fourth practical and very useful beam pattern.

Color
There are 3 color temperatures available to the user of a Tri-V2 flashlight. Technically there are 7 color temperatures but I want to talk specifically about 3 of them. The first of the three is the color of the emitter that has the reflector. That is a cool/neutral white color at about 5700 K to 5300 K degrees. The second is the flood emitter that has a warm white color of about 3300 K degrees. And finally the third white color is what you get when you turn on both of these emitters at the same time. Of course this yields the mixing of the 2 colors and that results in a color temperature somewhere between the two. Mixing the bright white spot with its 6500 K temperature with these other two emitters may be useful for some but it does not come in the default configuration.

I can't characterize all that you could do with these variables and so I'm not even going to try. There's a lot to be played with in the mixing of these three emitters and I strived to create programming that will enable the end-user to have fun trying different configurations.

The Tri-V2 will be available with two different color temperatures for the reflector emitter. One is slightly cooler at about 5700 K degrees and the other is more neutral at about 5300 K degrees. I admit they are not hugely different but they are different nevertheless. If you prefer one over the other then please specify it in your order.

Of course if you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask them in this thread or in an e-mail. I admit this is a complicated flashlight, not complicated to use, but it took a lot to build this and program it. There is a wealth of information spread across several threads in my forum about this flashlight.

The tri-V2 comes with a new lock mechanism. I know what you're thinking, oh my gosh he changed it again! Well you're right, this time it is easier to use and I find it to be the best so far. Activating it is quite simply achieved by spinning the switch from off all the way to P6 and back to off again very quickly. I find it something that I never do in casual use of the flashlight. Therefore, as before, if you enable this feature with a PU2, you will have a simple and quick way of locking the flashlight so it will not come on in your pack while it is being jostled around.

The SPY flashlight comes with a lifetime warranty to the original purchaser of the light.

The aspheric lens is focused to the plane of the top of the XR-E dome. That means that if you look in it you will see greatly magnified every imperfection in that emitter. Don't do that! ;)

Tri-V2 is not water proof, do not get it wet. If you do get it wet immediately take the batteries out and leave it in a warm place to dry.



As you all know the Tri-V2 is similar to the original Tri-V. The big differences are the mark 4 version of the STFu converter board and the replacement of the MC-E with an XP-G emitter. Much has already been said about the emitter replacement but I will recap by saying that it makes the light much more rounded and makes for the practicality of running the flood and reflector at the same time, a feature that I have included in the default programming. The new converter board primarily came about due to the need of having greater fidelity in the current source circuitry. It now has a more stable output in the very low levels. But one of the other big advantages of the new Texas Instruments buck converter IC is increased efficiency.


My thanks go out yet again to Wayne (dat2zip) for designing the all new circuit. It is an amazing feat of engineering. It is so tiny yet so complex and when it does its job, its complexity goes unnoticed, as it should.


It has been 2 1/2 years since I started the process to build more Tri-V flashlights. I'm very excited to finally be bringing these new lights to market. Truth be known, after the first batch of Tri-V flashlights, I swore I wouldn't build this flashlight again. It's so incredibly labor-intensive that I just didn't want to do it. But in the months after the sale, I received a large number of requests for more of these flashlights. The retail price of the Tri-V is unchanged at $3200. However the CPF discount for the new flashlight is changing. Essentially, the price will increase by 20% over the original Tri-V. The Tri-V2 in standard finish is $2395. The optional SW GG finish is the same price ($400) as it is for any of the SPY flashlights. Therefor the Tri-V2 with the SW GG is $2795.


For the sale this week, there will be approximately 25+ flashlights available. There may be a few more before the end of the year. Next year, I will be able to build more once I get more of the new converter boards. None of these first 25 has the SW GG finish. I do however have 4 tri-V2 bodies prepped for SW GG. I will make them available to the first four people who order them when the sale is posted. If more than four people post that they want the SW GG version of the flashlight, that's no problem I will extend this pricing to them until the flashlights are built and shipped.

I am still working on photos.

Cheers
Dave


EDIT:

I have some more news. I just received a box full of 12 exotic leather holsters made by none other than Art of the Hide. They will be available to purchase one per flashlight. They will not be available separately. The price is $300. If you want one it will ship with your flashlight. When I post the sale I will have a photo of each of the holsters with a number beside each one. So please do not forget to specify which number holster you want. They're all right-handed, in other words if you put them on your right side the flashlight will be facing forward. Putting them on your left side is not really that big of a deal and would work if that's how you roll. Some are black and some are brown there are several different hides. They are drop dead beautiful.

click image for larger view

4 shark
4 alligator
3 elephant (#1,2 and 5)
1 water buffalo (#12)


Great update Dave, what are the new default settings of the Tri-V2?

F=flood
R=reflector
S=spot

P1 is F @ 5 mA
P2 is F&R @ 50 mA
P3 is F&R @ 200 mA
P4 is F&R @ 1000 mA
P5 is F @ 800 mA
P6 is S @ 1000 mA

There are still 4 configuration slots. And of course you can program the settings to anything you like.


Cheers
Dave

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Please, PayPal allows you to enter several separate "gift" addresses. I'm talking about a physical addresses like of your home, your work or your school. Please enter those addresses ahead of time. That way if you want me to send to an alternate address you can select it at the time of payment. I do not like typing in addresses.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is the original post in this thread:

There will be a Tri-V2. It is in the works now and I thought I would put up this thread so I can put up some of the details as they come. And have a central place to answer the questions I have been getting in email.

The Tri-V2 is almost identical to the Tri-V. It looks the same on the outside save for the flood emitter. I am replacing the flood emitter: the MC-E will now be an XP-G. This change is going to make mixing the flood and the reflector better as they will both have the same output when both are on. The look of the flood area is not completely done but it will likely be very similar to the Tri-V's flood emitter.

The other two emitters are not changing. I looked at replacing the spot emitter but there is nothing as good as the XR-E when setting behind the aspheric lens.

I am thinking about running some SW GG prototypes of the Tri-V2. I do not know how this will turn out but I will post some pics of that. We will see.


Cheers
Dave
 
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Data

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I would like to ask how the XP-G compares to the MC-E in terms of output?

Mike

The Tri-V2 flood will be limited to 1500 to 2000mA output TDB. That will not be as bright at the MC-E was at 2400mA but it is still really bright. As for the color it will still be the same warm tent that I used in the original Tri-V. However, I still point out that mixing it with the reflector is now a better proposition and so opens up that mode of operation a little more.


Cheers
Dave
 

easilyled

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The V2 sounds great in respect of mixing the flood and reflector and also that the flood emitter is a little more protected.

However, as a proud V1 owner, I'm also pleased that there is a higher output potential as a result of the MCE.

I'd like to think therefore that each version is equally "desirable" in different ways.
 

Data

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The V2 sounds great in respect of mixing the flood and reflector and also that the flood emitter is a little more protected.

However, as a proud V1 owner, I'm also pleased that there is a higher output potential as a result of the MCE.

I'd like to think therefore that each version is equally "desirable" in different ways.

I agree.

The Tri-V2 is not intended to be an upgrade over the Tri-V. I never would have guessed the demand for this light would still be here but it is. So I am going to build a few more. The flood emitter changes are really to make the light a little easer to mix and to make assembly easier for me. In everyday use the Tri-V2 will not be very different.

The MC-E flood is fun setting out there all by itself, I am trying to make the XP-G equally as fun. I know it is not protected, but its heritage will live on just the same.

Cheers
Dave
 

blitzlicht65

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Hi Dave:wave:,

will there be a lense over the flood emitter now?

If not, can we use the lens caps which were made for the original Tri-V (same size)?:sssh:



Thanks.:)
 
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Data

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Hi Dave:wave:,

will there be a lens over the flood emitter now?

If not, can we use the lens caps which where made for the original Tri-V (same size)?:sssh:



Thanks.:)

There is no lens over the flood emitter as before. The existing lens caps will fit the Tri-V2 perfectly.

The Tri-V2 flood emitter is more protected than the MC-E was but only because it is set down in a pocket that makes it unlikely to be touched. It is still not covered with any lens and so it is still possible to look directly at the emitter. This just looks and works better without the lens.

Cheers
Dave
 

njet212

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Indonesia
Dave, is there any other reason behind xpg R5 thinking for flood emitter?

XML neutral white has been available now, i'm curious and would like to know more why you don't consider XML as flood emitter? I think it will produce nice bright flood output


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Data

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Dave, is there any other reason behind xpg R5 thinking for flood emitter?

XML neutral white has been available now, i'm curious and would like to know more why you don't consider XML as flood emitter? I think it will produce nice bright flood output


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Two XP-G emitters mixed together will provide a powerful beam. The XM-L would not mix with the reflector any better than the MC-E would.

But even ignoring that, the XM-L would not fit in that tiny spot. The XP-G is mounted to a metal core PCB that allows soldering beside the emitter for the installation. The XM-L is so much bigger there was no room for soldering. Suffice it to say, that space in the Tri-V is limited.

When the Tri-V was new, I programmed the flood up to super high power levels but later found myself cutting it back to save on battery life. The flood is the kind of light I find myself using when I am doing photography, inspecting another object or as a night-light. So, in my reflections of the Tri-V, I found that I use the flood for longer periods of time and high power on the flood by itself was not practical.



Cheers
Dave
 

fyrstormer

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You know what I could really go for: something that would let me plug my Tri-V into a computer to set the levels using a GUI. The knob programming UI is better than nothing, but it leaves a lot to be desired in regards to ease-of-use .
 

Data

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You know what I could really go for: something that would let me plug my Tri-V into a computer to set the levels using a GUI. The knob programming UI is better than nothing, but it leaves a lot to be desired in regards to ease-of-use .

I agree, that kind of solution belongs in the SPY. But the problem with it is not everybody has a PC (some have macs) or an iPhone (some have android or windows or BB). So it would require an interface to several different devices. Devices that would most of the time not be with you (except the smart phones). And forget about a cable, that is too much of a pain.

I wish there was a uP that had built into it an interface for bluetooth that would fit in my super tiny light. Then I just need you fyrstormer, to spend the few months it would take to write the code and make it all work! :p I must point out that others have tried this and never got to market! However, I am going to keep looking at the problem till a good solution presents itself. Thanks for the ideas.

Cheers
Dave
 

fyrstormer

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An application written in Java could run on all major operating systems without any need for porting. As for the cable, what do you use to upload the firmware in the first place? USB? Is there any way to tie into that?
 

easilyled

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An application written in Java could run on all major operating systems without any need for porting. As for the cable, what do you use to upload the firmware in the first place? USB? Is there any way to tie into that?

Wouldn't a USB port compromise the water-resistance?
 

fyrstormer

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Actually, I was thinking of a custom connector made of four small neodymium magnets set in epoxy in the side of the casing. The magnets would have alternating polarity (N-S-N-S) so the similarly-magnetized mating end of the cable would be unable to stick to the magnets in an inverted orientation. Think of the way an Apple MacBook power cord attaches, but with four electrical contacts. Inert pieces of metal touching the connectors should do nothing, on account of USB ports needing power from the host computer in order to function, but just in case, a small rubber-coated steel plate could stick to the magnets normally to prevent them from contacting any other conductive items.

I know that sounds complicated, but Data actually has the CNC lathe that could make this happen, and the additional parts would be relatively inexpensive compared to the cost of a Tri-V.

Alternately, fitting a micro-USB jack into the inside of the case works too, but it would have to be able to power the driver since the batteries would be removed if the case were open.
 

Data

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An application written in Java could run on all major operating systems without any need for porting. As for the cable, what do you use to upload the firmware in the first place? USB? Is there any way to tie into that?

The only way to interface to the uP is through a device programmer that Atmel sells. It is a USB device that is about the size of a large computer mouse. That interfaces with the STFu with a special set of contacts and needs an external power source. Then add to that the Atmel programming suite that runs in windows is not something the casual user would ever install and then figure out how to use.
 
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