[new]: GetMode() and SetMode()

[pklaus]

The modes are partly documented here:
https://www.blinkstick.com/help/tutorials/blinkstick-pro-modes

Mode 3 is hardly documented but mentioned at some places like

• https://forums.blinkstick.com/t/led-count-detection/145/2,
• https://forums.blinkstick.com/t/blinkstick-client-2-0-rc-release/342/7, and
• BlinkStickClient/Forms/ConfigureBlinkStickDialog.cs#L179

[pklaus]

I guess mode 0 and 1 only make sense on the BlinkStick Pro as it has the solder pads for analog (or PWM?) RGB output.
Should we safeguard the users to not use those modes on other devices? Does the older/original BlinkStick even respond to GetMode() / SetMode()? I don't know. It would be good to get some feedback from a person who actually has such a device.

[pklaus]

I found yet another place where the modes are named:
https://github.com/arvydas/blinkstick-client/blob/a626386/BlinkStickClient.CLI/Options.cs#L49

0 - RGB LED, 1 - RGB LED inverse, 2 - WS2812, 3 - WS2812 mirror

(While I currently call it 0 = analog RGB, 1 = inverse, 2 = addressable multi LED, 3 = addressable mirrored multi LED in the comment explaining the function.)

What's most unambiguous and concise version for the library's users?

[different55]

Probably would be helpful to call out the 2 analog RGB options by the type of LED. One of the modes is common anode (mode 0) and the other is common cathode (mode 1).

I can't find any info on how the OG or Nano Blinksticks respond, only the other devices which are all technically Pros under the hood.

Only other thing, it isn't super clear that "mirrored addressable" means "Sorta addressable, but if you set the first LED the other 7 will follow." Maybe just that, "First 8 LEDs copy the first LED"?

[pklaus]

Good points. Sounds good to indicate the hardware wiring for the analog modes. So what about the following:

// The possible modes are:
// 0 = analog RGB (common anode),
// 1 = analog RGB (common cathod),
// 2 = addressable WS2812 LEDs,
// 3 = addressable WS2812 LEDs in "mirror" mode: setting the first LED color also changes the other 7.
// After changing the mode, wait for ~10 ms with further queries.

I do own a BlinkStick Nano. It reacts to GetMode() and SetMode() just like the "Pro". It has two WS2812 LEDs. In mirror mode, the second LED is also updated when changing the first, as expected.

[different55]

Right, forgot the Nano had 2 LEDs. Maybe that makes it more Pro than OG? Maybe the firmwares aren't specialized at all, although I know the Flex in particular has its brightness limited to 25% so that it doesn't draw more than 500mA.

Ah, well. The phrasing you have there sounds clear enough with the extra info that I'm not sure we need to have a separate explicit warning anyway.