本帖最后由 nextorch 于 2011-4-28 17:43 编辑
花絮:
这是一篇来自美国CPF论坛专业评测员Dave Wise 关于myTorch 18650智能手电的评论。之前发布了英文原版评论,论坛筒友反应英文太多,建议翻译成中文。非常感谢筒友的建议及支持,版主(我)特意请了NEXTORCH 美国分公司的Jenny Li帮忙将此评论翻译成现在的中文版,在此对Jenny表示深深的感谢,也希望此篇译稿能够带给大家一些方便,一些收获。请积极拍砖吧!!!原文来自:http://www.laymanslights.venturous.org/blog/2011/04/nextorch-mytorch-18650/
正文:
myTorch 18650 智能手电评论
各位,推荐一款可以连接电脑的手电!NEXTORCH myTorch系列手电把现有技术融入了手电中。这是否会太过,或者太激进?还是这是手电变革的下一个阶段呢?
l Meat and Potatoes 基本部分介绍
你们或许已经看过我之前为可编程手电写的评论(JETBEAM JET-3M),或许你已经看过一些令你印象深刻的可编程手电(armytek-predator),然而到目前为止我还没有发现一款手电有比myTorch更复杂的编程界面。之前所有的可编程手电都是通过图形用户界面实现的,而myTorch的编程软件NEXTURNER是是可以下载到电脑上编程的。这一编程使用USB接口上载模式到手电中。NEXTURENER可以让你设置接近无限种模式的组合,并且可以把你喜欢的模式上传到myTorch网站上或者存储起来以便以后直接上载使用。
l USB Port USB连接
虽然NEXTORCH根据不同的电源偏好推出了一系列的手电myTorch Series,但是我拿到的只有首先推出的18650。18650自身存在一些的特色——并不包括在其他的版本中,但同时也和其他的版本共同拥有一些特性。myTorch的大小设计和外观设计非常的完美。氧化层工艺很好,很光滑,完全的适配,我拿到的这一样品目前为止它起到很好的保护作用。它的铬合金的头盖圈和尾盖圈带给使用者很好的视觉冲击,给它朴素的外观增加了一个亮点。荧光尾盖实现荧光的效果比我见过的手电达到的效果要好。荧光部分的镶嵌做得很精致,大面积的接触面使得可以很好的按压开关。
l GITD Clicky 荧光尾盖开关
虽然这款手电名称为18650,随电筒配送的18650电池比平常的标准18650要大个。我认为这样的不同是在于为了让其可以使用USB进行充电——USB数据线也包括在内。我拿其他的18650电池尝试,电筒也可以正常的使用,但是不能够使用USB数据线进行充电。相反地,myTorch的18650电池并不能装进其他18650手电中,因为其体积比一般的18650要大。考虑它独特的连接方式——使得它的供电电源变得独特,但是在紧急时刻又可以使用标准的18650电池供电。然而对于它是否可以使用电压较高的CR123A电池,我还没有验证——这涉及更复杂的电路。我正强迫自己去尝试了解这方面的知识。
myTorch18650使用的是Cree XP-G R5 LED,将其深陷一个相关一般电筒较深的橘皮反光杯中。其根据ANSI FL1标识的最高流明是200lumens,并且光斑很集中。与它这一水平层级的手电比较,它并不是像其他杂牌一样的粗工艺产品。很欣赏它有着宽泛的光晕和明亮的光束,当然这归功于LED。
l 构造上的评论
如此重点强调可编程,但NEXTURNER界面我很惊讶的其还是存在某些缺失。
每个应用设置都是以流明的百分率进行衡量及标识的;当你选择爆闪频率和客制化设定的时候会不一样,这里的定制化是通过改变手电的亮暗间隔时间来实现的。myTorch手电是没有预设的SOS模式的,在同一个定制化模式中不能实现可调的亮度。我成功的设置了一个相对比较成功的SOS,但是一般来说SOS都需要认真的思考才能合理设置。我很希望在以后的NEXTUNER软件中看到更多的编程选项。
定制模式的亮度选择的缺失最可能的原因是myTorch自身使用了相对较低频率的PWM去完成他模式的改变。当然这不会对手电的使用产生干扰,但是对于像我这种对PWM很敏感的人来说,这一缺失是明显的。希望NEXTORCH能找到一个可行的方法提高PWM的频率。
当我接触到myTorch的时候,第一个事情让我觉得很不可接受的是手电对于植入它里面的模式的记忆功能没有在任何一个文件上提及。它很大可能是根据我植入手电的模式排列,在我按亮手电之后一个一个按顺序的切换。显而易见的,回到最初模式是需要一段挺长的时间的。我这个样板回到初始模式的时间是关掉手电后15-20秒。我希望这个时间可以短一点,但是一旦我了解到这是为了怎样的原因而设定的,会在行为上容易预测点。
l 总结
作为第一款畅销的USB编程手电,myTorch是一个里程碑。在这一看起来纯属把玩的产品实现为真正的技术,同时设定了可接受的市场价格,myTorch不仅仅是一个胜利,还是会是手电产品市场这个游戏中变革者。
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嘿,你可以把你的电脑放进我的手电了!NEXTORCH(纳丽德)myTorch智能手电系列采用独创性的前沿科技——STT智能手电技术,将便携型手电带入了新的里程。这是否是手电的再次革新?
Dave Wise,CPF论坛知名的评论员。在见到myTorch 18650之后,忍不住表达了他对myTorch 18650的喜爱。不仅仅是myTorch独具革命性的特性,更是因为myTorch给使用者带来的乐趣及方便。
Dave 的评论,中肯且富有建设性。文章中没有广告,没有夸张,里面有的是对myTorch 18650客观的描述及切身使用心得。通过这篇文章,相信您可以了解到国外用户是如何看待myTorch及myTorch带来的成果。值得您一看![/align]
——NEXTORCH 版主推荐
NEXTORCHTM myTorch 18650 review on CPF
——by Dave Wise on Apr.07, 2011
Hey! You got your computer in my flashlight! The Nextorch MyTorch brings current technology to a new level in portable lighting devices. Is this too much too soon, or just the next step in flashlight evolution?
Nextorch MyTorch 18650
Meat and Potatoes
You’ve seen me review lights with programmable modes before. You’ve even seen some lights with some pretty impressive programming capabilities, but thus far, I have not yet found a light with a programming interface as complex, yet intuitive as the MyTorch. All the programming for this light is done through a graphical user interface via the Nextorch Nextuner application downloaded on your PC. This program uses a USB interface to download your selected modes to your torch. Inside the Nextuner you have nearly an unlimited number of mode combinations, and even the ability to save your favorite configurations to either share with others through the MyTorch website or merely set aside for later use.
USB Port
Though Nextorch offers a quartet of options for your choice of power source, I had the opportunity to try out the premier 18650 model. This flavor has a couple of options that I don’t believe are included with the other versions, but shares a large number of common features with lower end models. The fit and finish of the MyTorch is absolutely excellent. The anodizing is smooth and completely uniform and thus far it has resisted visible damage quite well in my care (it’s even been baby tested!). Its chrome bezel and tailcap rings are a nice visual touch offering a classy addition to its otherwise understated appearance. The Glow in the dark tailcap switch is far better implemented here than any other I have yet seen. It is nearly flush mounted covering the extremely short throw reverse clicky, but its large contact area makes it a very easy target.
GITD Clicky
Though it is called an 18650, the cell included with this torch is notably larger than any other 18650’s I have yet used. I believe this is owed to a unique contact configuration that allows it to also be charged via the included USB port. I have tried some other 18650’s and they seem to power it just fine, but don’t appear to posses the ability to charge the same way. Conversely, the included cell is actually so large that it doesn’t fit into a single one of my other 18650 capable lights. Combined with its unique contacts it effectively makes this a proprietary power source that can handle standard 18650’s in a pinch. I have no idea whether it is capable of handling the higher voltage of a pair of lithium primary CR123A’s but with this much sophisticated circuitry involved, I am loath to attempt to bring forth the magic blue smoke.
Nextorch 18650
This particular model is equipped with an R5 bin Cree XP-G emitter nestled in a relatively deep lightly stippled reflector. It is capable of producing 200 ANSI FL1 lumens at the top end of the spectrum and is fairly well focused. It’s definitely not an uber-thrower like some lights of similar size, but will hold its own in an outright distance comparison. Thankfully it is graced with the wide corona and bright spillbeam that is typical for this LED. Combined with extremely few artifacts and you have a resulting beam with no distractions and a wide range of usability.
Cree XP-G
Constructive Criticism
With such a heavy emphasis on programming, I am surprised to see a couple of features lacking in the Nextuner application. Each setting in the application offers you the option of a % of total luminance, your choice of strobe frequency, and a “Customize” setting. This customize setting allows you to program a sequence of flashes by delineating how many milliseconds the light will stay on and how many it will stay off. There is no pre-set SOS mode or option for variable brightness in the customize settings. I managed to fashion a relatively decent SOS, but it was something that had to be thought through. I’d love to see future versions of the Nextuner software increase the number of options it offers.
The likely reason behind the lack of brightness selection for the custom modes is that the MyTorch uses a relatively low frequency PWM to accomplish its variability in constant modes. This isn’t something that causes any genuine usage distractions, but to someone sensitive to it as I am, it is readily noticeable. I am wishing that Nextorch would somehow find a way to increase the frequency to a less noticeable level.
One thing that threw me off at first was how this light seemed to have a mode memory not spoken of in any of the literature. It appeared that it was always coming on in the next mode in sequence when I turned the light on. Apparently this was really because of the inordinately long period of time before the light reverts back to its starting mode. My sample took between 15-20 seconds of being off before it came back on in first position. I wish that this could be somewhat shorter, but once I learned what to expect, it was more predictable in behavior.
Nextorch MyTorch 18650
Conclusions
Being the first mass-market USB programmable light is a huge milestone in and of itself. Doing so with this level of panache takes some real skill. Combine those with a seriously affordable price point and you have more than just a winner, you have a game changer. |