A rant on UI

[RedLED]

Mick,

Just get a Surefire.

 

[kromeke]

Or get a Ra. one level, two levels, three levels, or four levels. You get to pick and choose.

For me, it is program once and forget about it. I like the four levels. I remember enough to access the strobe if I ever think that I need it.

Of course there is also Novatac. I'd recommend a "P" model so you can customize it the way you want it. Of course, it was designed by the same guy behind Ra.

or get a Surefire U2. It has a "volume" knob.

But to each his own.

 

[kaichu dento]

actually the fountain pens are a bit the same as the torches for me. I've got a dozen or so on my desk (and I even still occasionally use that old one that always needed jolting) but every one of them does something or other slightly differently to the rest and I still can't find just one that's exactly perfect for me...........

It sounds to me like you are perfectly cut out for these forums!

 

[Ksailork]

One of my symptoms of flashaholism is that I enjoy trying the different lights of a variety of manufacturers. By the nature of that, I've seen a variety of UI's and think I have handled them without much difficulty. One thing I have found is that some of the other characteristics of the flashlight will offset an awkward UI. As others have said, there is no perfect.

But I am not always on top of things. I'll admit, many times I have clicked when I should of twisted, and vice-versa. I'm sure that one of these days I'll hit an intruder with a moonlight mode or SOS. I can only hope that his/her laughter will give me that extra advantage I need.

 

[f22shift]

the quark tac ui is actually my favorite. it makes it a simple 2 mode light for multiple applications. and if you lend it out you just preset it to something general. it would be pretty hard for someone to enter into programming i think.

 

[thedeske]

Wouldn't it be interesting if Fenix or someone offered a KISS series of their existing lights. ON/OFF or perhaps HIGH/LOW/OFF

I'd love to see how they sell over a 2 year span.

 

[USACelt]

deleted

 

[RedLED]

One of my symptoms of flashaholism is that I enjoy trying the different lights of a variety of manufacturers. By the nature of that, I've seen a variety of UI's and think I have handled them without much difficulty. One thing I have found is that some of the other characteristics of the flashlight will offset an awkward UI. As others have said, there is no perfect.

But I am not always on top of things. I'll admit, many times I have clicked when I should of twisted, and vice-versa. I'm sure that one of these days I'll hit an intruder with a moonlight mode or SOS. I can only hope that his/her laughter will give me that extra advantage I need.

Hey, you can always throw the light at the Perp.

 

[hyperloop]

i was thinking about this and was wondering if a UI could be engineered to do something like:-

1. control ring with programmable modes (3 or more)
2. tailcap switch - forward clicky

how it would go (please be merciful, still muddling my way through this)

(a) go to the mode you wish to program
(b) press and HOLD the tailcap switch till the light blinks
(c) release the switch (light should now be clicked on)
(d) light ramps up to max then moves on to the various blinky modes.
(e) click off to set the mode

repeat for all other modes on the control ring

Advantages (as i see them):

- instead of doing 3x 1/2 clicks etc you just press and hold for about 5 seconds or so, this allows the light (once programmed) to have a momentary switch (my Jetbeams have a forward clicky so when i try to use it in momentary mode to flash a few times it just switches modes or worse enters programming mode)

- combining a control ring and programming capability gives a lot more flexibility, you can leave the ring at your preferred mode and KNOW that your light will come in the exact mode you want.

- There are, of course, times when its an advantage being able to change modes by just 1/2 clicking as you don't have to use another hand to twist the control ring but if the control ring is machined well, it MAY be possible to change modes with one hand. The only light with a control ring that i own is a Fenix TA30 and its very difficult to change modes with one hand. Perhaps others who have lights with control rings can chip in with some input.

if this is a UI that can be done, i'd like to have a light like this.

 

[JaguarDave-in-Oz]

(a) go to the mode you wish to program
(b) press and HOLD the tailcap switch till the light blinks

How would the torch's circuitry know that you're just "holding" the light rather than having just switched it on?

For that you'd need a proper two stage switch that provided a different signal when half pressed to when switched on. That would mean a need for a third current pathway other than through the body and the battery. You'd have to run a wire or copper trace etc and have to use a different type of switch to the one currently used.

 

[hyperloop]

well, i am not trained in the relevant areas which is why i was just wondering if this is possible, sort of like how my Nitecore Smart PD will ramp up or down when i hold the tailcap button down when the light is on.

 

[JaguarDave-in-Oz]

It's piston does transfer switching to the head so that's possibly another way of doing it without an extra electrical path form the rear.

It would introduce a further complication to your switching method though since the only way you get momentary on those Nitecores is to unscrew the head so far out that the switching ring looses contact with the piston when it's "unpressed" so that would introduce a third switching method (tailpress, selector ring, head loosen).

Do-able though I think.

 

[carrot]

It's piston does transfer switching to the head so that's possibly another way of doing it without an extra electrical path form the rear.

It would introduce a further complication to your switching method though since the only way you get momentary on those Nitecores is to unscrew the head so far out that the switching ring looses contact with the piston when it's "unpressed" so that would introduce a third switching method (tailpress, selector ring, head loosen).

Do-able though I think.

If you were familiar with the design of the original PD lights, such as the McLux III or the Arc6, you would understand that the design which you refer to already exists and is quite well proven.

 

[JaguarDave-in-Oz]

If you were familiar with the design of the original PD lights, such as the McLux III or the Arc6, you would understand that the design which you refer to already exists and is quite well proven.

I must admit that I've not ever actually looked for a torch that has both control ring brightness selection coupled with a piston switch.

Or do you just mean the piston switch arrangement itself? What I described is how nitecore D10's do it but they don't also have a control ring as Hyperloop wanted. If those other two you mentioned do have both then it looks like he's found his torch.

 

[jcw122]

Personally I went with the Tactical UI for my Quark because I thought the Regular UI was stupid....like you said, I don't want to have to worry about cycling modes when I only want one or two.

I think there is another important thing with UIs...and that's RESEARCHING how the light's UI works before you purchase. I did extensive research on the various UIs on the lights I was looking at before I purchased one. The Tactical looks complicated, but I knew it was realistic *before I even bought my first light* that I would only need two modes most of the time.

Once you get used to a UI, it doesn't become as annoying. It's probably annoying because you have multiple lights with various UIs.

 

[carrot]

I must admit that I've not ever actually looked for a torch that has both control ring brightness selection coupled with a piston switch.

Or do you just mean the piston switch arrangement itself? What I described is how nitecore D10's do it but they don't also have a control ring as Hyperloop wanted. If those other two you mentioned do have both then it looks like he's found his torch.

Just the Piston Drive. It offers two stages (and a virtual stage on the Arc6) depending on how hard you press on the PD. A twist of the head for constant on, for either stage.

 

[Foxfyre]

For Hyperloops idea of a UI how about adding a three (or as many as you want) position control ring to an RA or tail switched type light?

Put the ring to the position you want a mode in. 10 fast clicks on the tail switch to open the programming menu for that ring position, single click to what you want that mode to be and then press and hold the switch until the light goes out, say for 3 seconds.

Repeat for the other two (or however many) ring positions and you're done.

Turn the ring to what you want the light to do. Click the switch for on or off, press for momentary on for as long as you hold it down. Turning the control ring with the light on switches modes instantly without the on/off flash that occurs with a clicky switch.

Still working on figuring out the ramping part.

 

[GarageBoy]

I actually like the Quark regular (Fenix) style of swtiching modes. Once again, just tap the reverse clicky to change. I only dislike it when it gets cluttered with modes

Physical controls is the way to go

Arc 6 works pretty well a a 3 mode light. Press for low, harder for high and press hard, quickly for blow your retinas

 

[carrot]

Well I must say I disagree with you on several counts but I do agree on the overarching philosophy that most UIs are too complicated. That is why my preference is for the simple UI of the PD or 2-stage switch, press lightly for low and press harder for high.

 

[Foxfyre]

I agree with Carrot. Simple clickys seem much better (well, at least for me they are), especially when someone finds themself in a stressful situation.

I wonder if a switch that combines a clicky with a strain guage might be a viable idea?

Press on, press off. The harder you press to turn on the brighter the light gets, the gentler you press the dimmer? Press again to turn off.

It takes advantage of a persons adrenaline rush. In an emergency they'll tend to press real hard turning the light on thus getting full brightness when they need it and without their having to think about it.