Ideal UI for EDC lights

[meuge]

I've been thinking of what would be the ideal solution to all the demands of CPF members, and I think I figured out a UI that would literally please everyone.

Switch: forward clicky

UI: 4 bezel-set modes (preferably with tactile feedback and resistance to switching).

1. Max (>200lm)
2. General - Click to cycle - Read (1lm) - Low (10lm) - Medium (30lm) - High (90lm) + Mode memory when turned off.
3. General memory (momentary included)
3. Strobe (click ...---... within 10 seconds, to switch to SOS, another ...---... to switch to "locator SOS" @ 25 lumens)

Battery: whatever gives me a >30 min @ MAX @ >200lm as well as >16 hours on Low

This gives us all the options that people on CPF have demanded:
1. Momentary MAX
2. Momentary Custom Level
2. Momentary Strobe
3. Multiple Levels
4. Lack of need to cycle through
modes to get to the one you want.
5. SOS present, but hard to activate.

However, this would probably require a fairly complex circuit, in order to take advantage of 4 bezel turn settings.

P.S. For me, the ideal-looking format for this light would be aka Novatac 120T.

 

[Oddjob]

I've been thinking of what would be the ideal solution to all the demands of CPF members, and I think I figured out a UI that would literally please everyone.

Switch: forward clicky

UI: 4 bezel-set modes (preferably with tactile feedback and resistance to switching).

1. Max (>200lm)
2. General - Click to cycle - Read (1lm) - Low (10lm) - Medium (30lm) - High (90lm) + Mode memory when turned off.
3. General memory (momentary included)
3. Strobe (click ...---... within 10 seconds, to switch to SOS, another ...---... to switch to "locator SOS" @ 25 lumens)

Battery: whatever gives me a >30 min @ MAX @ >200lm as well as >16 hours on Low

This gives us all the options that people on CPF have demanded:
1. Momentary MAX
2. Momentary Custom Level
2. Momentary Strobe
3. Multiple Levels
4. Lack of need to cycle through
modes to get to the one you want.
5. SOS present, but hard to activate.

However, this would probably require a fairly complex circuit, in order to take advantage of 4 bezel turn settings.

P.S. For me, the ideal-looking format for this light would be aka Novatac 120T.

How do you alternate between low and high?

 

[MikeLip]

I've been thinking of what would be the ideal solution to all the demands of CPF members, and I think I figured out a UI that would literally please everyone.

Switch: forward clicky

UI: 4 bezel-set modes (preferably with tactile feedback and resistance to switching).

1. Max (>200lm)
2. General - Click to cycle - Read (1lm) - Low (10lm) - Medium (30lm) - High (90lm) + Mode memory when turned off.
3. General memory (momentary included)
3. Strobe (click ...---... within 10 seconds, to switch to SOS, another ...---... to switch to "locator SOS" @ 25 lumens)

Battery: whatever gives me a >30 min @ MAX @ >200lm as well as >16 hours on Low

This gives us all the options that people on CPF have demanded:
1. Momentary MAX
2. Momentary Custom Level
2. Momentary Strobe
3. Multiple Levels
4. Lack of need to cycle through
modes to get to the one you want.
5. SOS present, but hard to activate.

However, this would probably require a fairly complex circuit, in order to take advantage of 4 bezel turn settings.

P.S. For me, the ideal-looking format for this light would be aka Novatac 120T.

Too many modes. I'm an old fart. I need simple.

Only one set of of brightness modes, with max in there. I don't want to have to switch modes to reach max.

Dump SOS. No one really uses SOS (I HAVE SPOKEN ) - they just want to attract attention if they're lost, not send a Morse code signal. Besides, fewer and fewer people seem to know the SOS sequence anyway. Keep a findme beacon at a VERY low power setting, and a "help - I'm lost in the wilderness" beacon of max power flashes every couple seconds. Those should be off by themselves.

 

[Marduke]

Gatlight/Titan infinite variable brightness with the addition of a forward clicky. Turn it to where you want it, use it like a single mode light until you want a different level of brightness. In the absence of "infinite levels", a 10 position bezel selector ring would also be acceptable.

1xAA and 2xAA size format (UF C3 style extension tube option)

 

[robo21]

This is a little more than I need or want. My Novatac 120P fills the bill perfectly for me.

Lots of control/flexibility, extra low for reading, low, med, hi and everything in between AND in any order I want them. And I never have to cycle through SOS, disorienting strobe, locator strobe, etc. unless I want to.

 

[meuge]

How do you alternate between low and high?

Twisting between MAX and General would always give you MIN and MAX. If you set General Memory to Low, then Twisting between MAX and General Memory, would always give you MAX and LOW.

 

[2xTrinity]

Clever idea. It has a lot of the benefits of the LF2 in that is has mode memories, and direct access to high and low, but one of the reasons peopel don't like that light is that the interface is diffucult to program, making it a poor choice for a gift to a non "power-user". I personally would suggest a "simpler" variation on your suggestion:

Forward clicky tailcap
brightness selectable by bezel twist (increases logarithmically from <1lm to max)

If I were to give that to a non-techie, all I'd have to explain is this: "press the button to switch on, twist the dial to change brightness". Rather than how to program memory modes, cycle through strobes etc.

 

[Tremendo]

My EDC now is the Nitecore Defender.
1) Forward clicky
2) single AA, easy to replace anywhere, at home rechargeable = virtually free
3) 2 stage - High and fully adjustable low (down to about 3 lumens).
4) Strong solid feel, waterproof, etc.
5) Maybe 120 - 150 lumens on AA.

It used to be the Firefly 3, which is a little smaller and has a tailstand.

For me, an adjustable level is VERY important for EDC. The Nitecore's is easy to change as needed and is my current favorite.

 

[FrogmanM]

The Piston Driven Design for my LS27 is perfect! Best UI IMO 'cause its super KISS.

Mayo

 

[Sub_Umbra]

I prefer precise pre-programable output levels over infinately adjustable brightness control. Once the user bumps the light up a bit to complete a short task it is very difficult to return to a level as low as before the bump. Henry makes a compelling case in a White Paper on the HDS site.

I'd like a light with a UI similar to the Photon Freedom except with output steps and perhaps two buttons -- one for brighter and one for dimmer. With a two button interface the light could be adjusted both up and down without switching it off like the PF when one wants to change directions in output settings.

 

[Sub_Umbra]

Double post.

 

[sed6]

SOS mode..."Hey look over there, could that light be the lost hiker we're looking for?" "Nah, he's not flashing SOS."

 

[MikeLip]

I prefer precise pre-programable output levels over infinately adjustable brightness control. Once the user bumps the light up a bit to complete a short task it is very difficult to return to a level as low as before the bump. Henry makes a compelling case in a White Paper on the HDS site.

I'd like a light with a UI similar to the Photon Freedom except with output steps and perhaps two buttons -- one for brighter and one for dimmer. With a two button interface the light could be adjusted both up and down without switching it off like the PF when one wants to change directions in output settings.

That right there is the beauty of the U2. There you go - make the U2 levels programmable! And if you absolutely must have strobe and beacons and UFO-attractor functions, a light press on the tailcap switch could get you there.

 

[wojtek_pl]

UI for EDC ? The one Novatac's 120P has.

 

[robo21]

UI for EDC ? The one Novatac's 120P has.

I couldn't agree more!

 

[fluke]

On and Off

 

[robo21]

On and Off

 

[greenLED]

I've been thinking of what would be the ideal solution to all the demands of CPF members, and I think I figured out a UI that would literally please everyone.

Switch: forward clicky

Sorry to disappoint, but no. The only thing I agree with your list is the forward clicky. On/off is best; high/low as you depress a button or twist the tailcap comes in second. Anything more and things start getting superfluous.

 

[Fird]

First off, let me say that there's been about 10 of these threads since I first got on CPF not too long ago, and the question is unaswerable, even with a compromise system, because of the number of users and how they differ in the way they use their EDC's on here. That's why we have no-name craplights with "on" and "off," and Novatec 120P's and both sell!

That said, my preference:

Gatlight/Titan infinite variable brightness with the addition of a forward clicky. Turn it to where you want it, use it like a single mode light until you want a different level of brightness. In the absence of "infinite levels", a 10 position bezel selector ring would also be acceptable.

1xAA and 2xAA size format (UF C3 style extension tube option)

BINGO!

Push button forward clicky = on/off AND MOMENTARY at whatever brightness is selected by the:

Twist bezel, one way for more brightness (I don't even care if it's CW or CCW), other way for less brightness. 10 positions, or even 5 positions would be sufficient, but why not mount a small potentiometer mechanism in the bezel and let it control the digital driver for 'infinitely variable.'

Simple enough for my grandma's dog to figure out, but functional enough for me to use.

Fird

 

[xevious]

The folks behind NovaTac and HDS did a lot of research in coming up with a programmable UI. I think NovaTac's is superb (I don't have an HDS, so I can't say). Yeah, it's not the kind of light anyone can grab and understand how it works right away. But that's not the intent. Like any good tool with options, it takes time to learn how they work. And the EDC-120P is very logically thought out. The every day functions are easy to remember. The only time you need to consult the manual is when selecting an option you haven't used in a long while. Hardly an issue. And if you lose your manual, it is easily retrieved in electronic form from NovaTac's website.

Sub_Umbra makes an excellent point. Most users have a few settings they like to use frequently--allow the user to program them for quick access. Having a range of 10 or so presets is flexible and requires no foreknowledge, but presents a usability issue when you want to rapidly change levels without having to deliberately "tune" in to a particular level each time. And what is nice about the EDC-120P is being able to quickly adjust your presets (a little brighter, a little dimmer--no problem).