Electrical contact points in light head?

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wyager

wyager

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So, both my fenix and quark have 5 or so small contact points in the head... what are these for? Factory programming? Sorry if this is a dumb question, I've just never heard them mentioned....
 
ti-force

ti-force

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And this is what they look like on the other side :D -


IMG_8367mod.jpg

IMG_8365mod.jpg

IMG_8391mod.jpg

IMG_8394mod.jpg
 
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wyager

wyager

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Wow, they really butchered those DIP headers.... yeah, it looks like an ISP interface for programming the chip. What would be really cool is if they gave us .hex files we could use to switch between, say, tactical or standard heads by just reprogramming the lights :whistle: (please?). I suppose there could be a danger of having someone else copy their circuit design, but their interface isn't particularly hard to mimic....
 
ti-force

ti-force

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wyager said:
Wow, they really butchered those DIP headers.... yeah, it looks like an ISP interface for programming the chip. What would be really cool is if they gave us .hex files we could use to switch between, say, tactical or standard heads by just reprogramming the lights :whistle: (please?). I suppose there could be a danger of having someone else copy their circuit design, but their interface isn't particularly hard to mimic....
Click to expand...

No habla espanol! English translation - I don't have a clue what you just said LOL.... :D. I understand what you're saying, but I don't understand programming LOL...

What are DIP headers? Is that the six pins running from the bottom board to the top board?
 
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K

ktm032

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wyager said:
Wow, they really butchered those DIP headers.... yeah, it looks like an ISP interface for programming the chip. What would be really cool is if they gave us .hex files we could use to switch between, say, tactical or standard heads by just reprogramming the lights :whistle: (please?). I suppose there could be a danger of having someone else copy their circuit design, but their interface isn't particularly hard to mimic....
Click to expand...

The .hex file is an extension that the asm(assembly) language is on. This is a language between humans and logic that is understood by microprocessors. Its basically another language that translates short words into logic that the computer understands. Its like .doc for word or .jpg for a picture. It takes some time with any language to understand and translate. The dip is the pins that interface with the chip, a plug etc. Isp is short for who knows what but my take is this thing hooks up like pic and does not need a special cord or adapter to interface with a computer to program or flash it.

It would be awesome in the future to have a bluetooth or some type of fruquency to reprogram without opening the flashlight. Or even a micro sd/wifi(or w/o wifi) slot so you can just reprogram it yourself without having to expose the guts or hook anything up. Then again this would be too easy, companies wouldn't like this at all.
 
wyager

wyager

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ktm032 said:
The .hex file is an extension that the asm(assembly) language is on. This is a language between humans and logic that is understood by microprocessors. Its basically another language that translates short words into logic that the computer understands. Its like .doc for word or .jpg for a picture. It takes some time with any language to understand and translate. The dip is the pins that interface with the chip, a plug etc. Isp is short for who knows what but my take is this thing hooks up like pic and does not need a special cord or adapter to interface with a computer to program or flash it.
Click to expand...
Basically. Sorry, sometime I forget I'm not on an electronics forum :p

DIP header=metal pins that join circuits together
ISP=in-circuit serial programming-this is how you upload a program to a microchip
.hex file=the file you upload to the microchip that contains the program


I hope that clears it up. As for adding wifi/microSD to a light... that would take a lot of money, space, and time. It would be easier to add a simple serial interface.
 
ti-force

ti-force

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ktm032 said:
The .hex file is an extension that the asm(assembly) language is on. This is a language between humans and logic that is understood by microprocessors. Its basically another language that translates short words into logic that the computer understands. Its like .doc for word or .jpg for a picture. It takes some time with any language to understand and translate. The dip is the pins that interface with the chip, a plug etc. Isp is short for who knows what but my take is this thing hooks up like pic and does not need a special cord or adapter to interface with a computer to program or flash it.

It would be awesome in the future to have a bluetooth or some type of fruquency to reprogram without opening the flashlight. Or even a micro sd/wifi(or w/o wifi) slot so you can just reprogram it yourself without having to expose the guts or hook anything up. Then again this would be too easy, companies wouldn't like this at all.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the explanation, and :welcome:.

It sounds like you're pretty knowledgeable with programming, and it would be neat if the user could link up with the light via bluetooth, or even using a cable and program different modes in a user chosen sequence.

Wyager,

I butchered up the DIP header :D. Sorry, the DIP header and the complete circuit had to take one for the team; the homebrew modding team that is :D. It made a great sacrifice. Click here for more info.
 
wyager

wyager

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Oh, I see, I was gonna say I'd never seen a factory soldering job melt plastic that bad :crackup:I'm gonna go read about your mod now....
 
ti-force

ti-force

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wyager said:
Oh, I see, I was gonna say I'd never seen a factory soldering job melt plastic that bad :crackup:I'm gonna go read about your mod now....
Click to expand...

:crackup:.... Yeah, I think the melted plastic was a failed attempt by myself to unsolder the pins :ohgeez:, but I can't remember for sure. As you can see, I quickly put the soldering iron down and reached for the cutters to separate the boards :D.
 
wyager

wyager

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ti-force said:
:crackup:.... Yeah, I think the melted plastic was a failed attempt by myself to unsolder the pins :ohgeez:, but I can't remember for sure. As you can see, I quickly put the soldering iron down and reached for the cutters to separate the boards :D.
Click to expand...
Believe me, I've done that too... I have a little USB adapter that plugs in to prototyping boards and the plastic is barely hanging together....
 
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