What is Armytek digital CPU brightness control?

I recently bought an Armytek Predator XB-H warm light. When I tried the light I found that it didn't seem to work as specified. No turbo2 level and only 4 main modes except from strobe. Then I noticed that I had not got the Pro version which I at first thought. Pro version has FULL brightness while non-Pro has so called "digital CPU".
I have searched after an explanation without result. Then I measured that the turbomode is significantly brighter(around 600lm) with 2xCR123 compared to around 400lm with an 18650. Does CPU brightness control simply means the brightness depends on voltage?

I don't know the answer, I imagine though that it's their scheme to maintain full brightness til the battery is nearly depleted.
Imo you aren't missing out on the "full" brightness, I've got the pro model with the XB-H warm and the only thing I like about the head tight vs "high"- head loose is that I can switch strobe the light without switching modes.
The only thing you're missing out on is the firefly mode of the pro, and that sits right behind the strobe in the mode order, ugh.
If you order the long tube that comes with the Barracuda (5$?) you can use your light with two protected 18650, that should get you the extra brightness you're seeing with 2x CR123, it also makes the light into a really nice handful, great feel and runtimes.

Thanks for reply!

Interesting that I can get the body for Barracuda v2($8 at Armytek website) to use with Predator. Still the question is if the output is regulated with each configuration, and if 400lm with a single 18650 should run for the stated 1h 30min I can accept it.
The reason I got XB-H when I already have Predator Pro XHP35 is that I supposed that XB-H provides better throw at a given output.
I very soon noticed that my old faulty Predator XP-G2 has a more powerful hotspot related to the output than XHP35 and it should be the same with XB-H.
Apart from that the Turbo2 is pretty much a "burst mode" because 1300lm is too much for a single 18650 for more than a short period (and the light will get so hot it needs a temperature based stepdown which is not the case at 400-600lm level).
When it comes to non-pro Predator XB-H warm the question is what the 510lm level is based on. An average value of 2CR123 and 1x18650? I don't know, but I will consider to order the Barracuda v2 body.

By the way: when I look at the order history from Armytek my first Predator from august 2013 it is written: Armytek Predator Pro v3 XB-H (Warm)... :thinking: But for sure on the head of the light it is printed XP-G2.

Yeah I got a second one when the newer HI output led became available, but I didn't like the mushy hotspot nearly a much as the tighter beam of the XB-H, more useful throw for less battery drain.

The kinda modest XB-H Predator really does shine with the 2x 18650 tube, it's not perfect but it's extremely close to the light I always wanted, kinda like a streamlight but better and cheaper, imo.
I use it to spot house numbers driving at night without lighting up windows, and as an all around trouble light.

Finesse some bicycle inner tube over the battery tube with minimal finger cramping, and another piece over the bezel end and it won't clank;
that also improves grip and takes care of the bold white lettering. I left the cooling fins uncovered, but the light never gets hot the ways I use it anyway.

I hope someone drops in who can answer your actual question.

I think I have 17 Armyteks now including the XB-H Warm Pred Pro which actually has become one of my favorite AT's. I do not know what AT does, or has Cree manufacture, the actual emitters that AT uses in their lights. I consider myself lucky with the specific copy of the XB-H Warm Pred Pro. The tint is just as awesome as that out of the Zebralight SC600 MkIII HI in my opinion. Instead of using the Barracuda tube I am moving more over to 2x18350 sources so I can still get the 8.4volt total with half decent capacity in AW's 800mah IMR cells. I power my XB-H Pred Pro this way and the light seems to love it. Finding legit copies of these specific 800mah 15c IMR AW 18350 cells has become ridiculous lately tread carefully.

I just placed an order for Barracuda v2 tube. And added a tailcap and white diffuse filter. :twothumbs

Celtic, I also love the tint of the XB-H in mine, it adds some cheer in otherwise creepy places and the low modes seem to really benefit from the warmer tint.
I got the Pro for the firefly more than for the strobe, but with the strobe sitting next to firefly in the loop, and no way to disable memory, I end up keeping the light in the non -Pro line anyway.
With two 18650 the low lasts for long enough that I'd starve before the light went out, and it's "low enough" for most uses, as if every other light I haul around didn't have firefly mode.

Swede, I bet you'll love the longer tube.
You've reminded me that a diffuser cap is exactly what my light is missing.
Fact is that my HI model is defective and I never bothered to ship it after going through the taking video of failure rigamoroll, but now that they ship to and from Canada I think I'll do the warranty process over and see if they'll downgrade my replacement to another XB-H warm, non Pro this time. I do like it enough to warrant a spare.

Yesterday I did a runtime test with Predator v3 XB-H. Battery was Eagletac 3400. I used the lightmeter and measured percentual difference. I let the light be on continiously but interupted the test yesterday at 2h45m because it was time for bed. Today I continued the test until the light dropped to firefly mode.

Initial brightness was close to 500lm and dropped only a few percents the first 5 minutes of run. Following approximate difference compared to initial was measured:

*1hour: ~67%

*1h30m: ~60%

*2hours: ~50%

*2h30min: ~38%

*2h40min: ~33%

*3hours: ~23%

First time the light flashed for indicating low battery was at around 2h54m. Other time was at around 3h14m. I may have missed some flash because I was partially in another room. At around 3h40m the light dropped down to firefly mode.
After that the battery was at 3V according to my Keeppower L2 charger.

While I prefer regulated outputs(but don't like a total sudden darkness after that) I understand the idea with this regular version. You will have a lot of time to notice that the turbomode brightness slowly drops and will have time to either use lower modes or replace the cell before it goes down to firefly level.
And here I really wonder: isn't "digital CPU brightness control" just a finer word for direct drive? What's otherwise the difference?

By the way: I recently placed the order for a Predator Pro XB-H model(so I will have both), and a regular Dobermann XP-L.

Today I received the Barracuda v2 body, tailcap and a white diffusing filter. The first I reacted over is that the body is lacking O-rings.
I searched in the package but no O-rings included. I guess that it's just a mistake and that O-rings should have been included, I don't find it as a special item at spare parts.

Anyway; the body fits perfect with my Predator v3 and Dobermann XP-L heads. I could state that because regular Predator v3 is not regulated it's dimmer than Pro version(apart from the very beginning with fully charged cell) with a single 18650, but it's brighter with 2x18650(turbomode). With Predator Pro the brightness remains same with one and two 18650s, though.
Even regular Dobermann is brighter at turbomode with double cells than a single cell.

Weird that you didn't get o rings.
They've got to be a standard size and available at a local hardware store, but what a hassle.

I am curious how you like the ergonomics of the 2x tube, and if you miss the compactness of the shorter tube?

The added length and heft turned it into an ideal bed side and trouble light for me, and doubled runtimes without opening the light up make it a light that I could grab in a blind hurry, (hopefully not a blind panic) to use all night without accounting for spare batteries.
I never used the single battery tube again after getting the double.

eh4 said:

Weird that you didn't get o rings.
They've got to be a standard size and available at a local hardware store, but what a hassle.

I am curious how you like the ergonomics of the 2x tube, and if you miss the compactness of the shorter tube?

The added length and heft turned it into an ideal bed side and trouble light for me, and doubled runtimes without opening the light up make it a light that I could grab in a blind hurry, (hopefully not a blind panic) to use all night without accounting for spare batteries.
I never used the single battery tube again after getting the double.

Click to expand...

Thanks for reply. I would say: I find the standard body more comfortable in the hand for normal use. But the Barracuda body has the advantage that it may be more secure in the hand and I think you are right about the better possibility to grab it in a hurry. The added length can be a drawback when you want to carry it in a pocket but twice the runtime or higher output(depending of if it's Pro-version or not) is positive.

Running the light with two 18650s is better especially if you want to use the Pro versions at turbo2 level. With a single cell it demands unprotected high drain cell to get full output and even with that cell the runtime will not be long with a what I expect pretty fast brightness decline. With two 18650s I think it should be stable output for a certain time. Anyway the problem at turbo2 still will be the high temperature because of the relatively small mass the Predator and Viking actually has, the heat dissipation probably isn't adequate for continious run without cooling.

The only thing I miss with these Armyteks is the possibility to program the low voltage protection for two 18650s. As it is now with two 18650s the Pro versions will run with full output until the protection of one of the cells kicks in(if I am not wrong and the low voltage protection is constructed to work with two cells as well?). I am not still aware of any flashlight with such an advanced feature, though.

I wish I was tech literate enough to be able to not just take apart a V3 AT but dissect the darn things at least once. What is AT's digital CPU brightness control? I have ZERO clue and I think I have 17 Armyteks now. After having had to deal with AT themselves more than once over some pretty basic issues I had with their expensive lights and getting some pretty shady messages back from them I am not sure even AT knows what is being soldered together in their "aluminum capsule while not technically potted this aluminum capsule utilizes a thick viscous substance"(????????????????????????????????????????????)

My personal AT collection took an awful lot of completely unnecessary and quite unappreciated effort on my behalf to get copies of their lights that are as best I can tell correctly manufactured and function as advertised. AT needs to be much more transparent when it comes to just about every way they do business. Their official site is a train wreck. Notice there is no ANSI testing done and no ANSI charts to be seen for anything they sell. They claim that AT product X is capable of Y. Okay once again...how are they coming up with their advertised specs? There is no explanation.

No I am not saying AT or any other light manufacturer to post up design schematics with every detail specified I am just saying AT could easily lead the high end high output LED light market with Fenix. AT just does not seem either willing or capable to do very basic things to make that happen...

All that being said this is how I am using my newer design 2x18650 Barracuda tube which is screwed onto my XHP50 Viking Pro warm. This combo works amazingly well...

CelticCross74,

I really like Armytek with the features, design and matt unslip surface. But I can't find anything in the physical appearance or finish which makes a fair basis for claiming 10times the toughness and waterprofness than the competition. My impression is a quality level similar to Fenix(which is decent), but not to Zebralight. And compared to Malkoff we are really talking about different leagues.
When it comes to OTF lumens my experience based on many ceiling bounce comparisons makes me convinced that Armytek's brightness statements are pretty fair.

I am a bit wondering about the digital CPU brightness control. When I compared the non-Pro versions at turbomode the protected single 18650 gives lower output than a single unprotected single 18650, which provided similar output as 2xCR123 and 2x18650. So maybe it's not really just simple direct drive, as I assumed...

I actually tried my Viking XHP50 Pro with 2x18650(Eagtac 3400) at turbo2. No doubt; initial output is definitely ~1600lm. It dropped after a while but soon stabilised at ~95% of initial output. I continuied for about 10min and at that moment the head had reached uncomfortable temperature for the hand. I think normally this light will not be used at turbo2 for extended period and this test was inside at room temperature. Outdoors, especially when temperature now drops to below zero celsius it will be better for the light at such a high output. So I definitely find the Barracuda body to be useful for all my Predators, Viking and Dobermann. The increased output with Predator XB-H(double vs single 18650) will increase the candela with more than 30%.
And with the Pro versions the brighness will remain same but with twice the runtime.

Early on when the fully customisable Predators were wowing us, they used to have a pretty detailed explanation of the different power management strategies, there was a full regulated, a semi regulated (digital brightness control?), and an unregulated (DD?).
There is this page: https://www.armytek.com/technologies.html

Pure speculation, but I suspect that the light was lovingly, obsessively developed, and then manufacture and customer service was handed off as a recipe to help the profit margins.
My gut says that here's a nice, sturdy, light weight and versatile design with a beautiful, deep reflector and well protected lens, that has electrical components and solder connections of questionable quality... at least in the case of last year's v3 run...

I just wish a talented custom builder would start making top shelf, potted replacement pills for them, that took full advantage of the loosen/tighten interface.