BlinkStick powering USB outs on-off?

#1

Hello guys!

I have just received a couple of BlinkSticks to play with and their ease of use is fanstastic, they just work on different operating system with a sane API that is not exactly easy in the USB world.

Were you thinking about expanding beyond the pixel control?
I am, certainly, thinking about an own project that is about controling bigger lamps (probably USB powered, but maybe AC powered). BlinkStick firmware and driverlesness are fantastic. Now if instead of LED control it could have a couple of USB outs turnable on/off and/or ability to control the external relay.

I am not sure if it’s something in your strategy, so I figured I just ask.
Are there any plans of going in such direction?

#2

Thank you very much for your kind words! I’m pleased to hear that you like BlinkStick :smiley:

I had ideas to go beyond LED control, however creating a universal API that would be able to attach to multiple sensors and output devices is not easy. There are just so many ways you can communicate with a device. I’ll revisit this idea and will get back to you if I come up with something.

#3

Thing is I was actually looking for something cross-platform for simple control of external devices as main point of my possible product would be zero or nearly-zero installation effort (for busy people), not that much the cool visualization, i am actually ready for quite a lot of tradeoffs there :smile:

BlinkStick shines in this super-simple installation way, even though it seems like for you it’s more of a secondary feature (it seems to me that BlinkStick is more about “creating art” rather that about “convenient control”).

Well, that simple installation to any OS is worth so much, that I’d personally would be eager to take many other tradeoffs (e.g. control just a couple of output devices and just have on-off for start), but that’s certainly about my particular case.

Well, good luck anyway! I think I’ll check this place once in a while to see how things go in this custom control regard.

#4

Ease of installation and use was my primary design goals for BlinkStick. I’m very pleased to hear that you find it one the most compelling things about the device!