diff --git a/nodes/hardware/76-blinkstick.html b/nodes/hardware/76-blinkstick.html
index f3a6b0890..bac60436c 100644
--- a/nodes/hardware/76-blinkstick.html
+++ b/nodes/hardware/76-blinkstick.html
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
 
 <script type="text/javascript">
 	RED.nodes.registerType('blinkstick',{
-		category: 'advanced-output',
+		category: 'output',
 		color:"GoldenRod",
 		defaults: {
 			name: {value:""}
diff --git a/nodes/hardware/76-blinkstick.js b/nodes/hardware/76-blinkstick.js
index 291ca3018..10eb9913c 100644
--- a/nodes/hardware/76-blinkstick.js
+++ b/nodes/hardware/76-blinkstick.js
@@ -19,9 +19,7 @@ var blinkstick = require("blinkstick");
 
 Object.size = function(obj) {
 	var size = 0, key;
-	for (key in obj) {
-		if (obj.hasOwnProperty(key)) size++;
-	}
+	for (key in obj) { if (obj.hasOwnProperty(key)) size++; }
 	return size;
 };
 
@@ -32,31 +30,30 @@ function BlinkStick(n) {
 	this.led = blinkstick.findFirst(); // maybe try findAll() (one day)
 	var node = this;
 
-	node.log("started");
 	this.on("input", function(msg) {
 		if (msg != null) {
-			if (Object.size(blinkstick.findFirst()) !== 0) {
+			if (Object.size(node.led) !== 0) {
 				if (p2.test(msg.payload)) {
 					var rgb = msg.payload.split(",");
-					node.led.setColor(parseInt(rgb[0]), parseInt(rgb[1]), parseInt(rgb[2]));
-				}
-				else if ((p1.test(msg.payload))|(p2.test(msg.payload))) {
-					node.led.setColor(msg.payload);
+					node.led.setColor(parseInt(rgb[0])&255, parseInt(rgb[1])&255, parseInt(rgb[2])&255);
 				}
 				else {
 					try {
 						node.led.setColor(msg.payload);
 					}
 					catch (err) {
-						node.error("Incorrect format: "+msg.payload);
+						node.warn("Incorrect format: "+msg.payload);
 					}
 				}
 			}
 			else {
-				node.error("No BlinkStick found");
+				node.warn("No BlinkStick found");
 			}
 		}
 	});
+	if (Object.size(node.led) === 0) {
+		node.error("No BlinkStick found");
+	}
 
 }
 
diff --git a/nodes/hardware/77-blink1.html b/nodes/hardware/77-blink1.html
index c9110dbf6..00579ce8b 100644
--- a/nodes/hardware/77-blink1.html
+++ b/nodes/hardware/77-blink1.html
@@ -14,7 +14,11 @@
   limitations under the License.
 -->
 
-<script type="text/x-red" data-template-name="blink">
+<script type="text/x-red" data-template-name="blink1">
+    <div class="form-row">
+        <label for="node-input-fade"><i class="icon-signal"></i> Fade (mS)</label>
+        <input type="text" id="node-input-fade" placeholder="0">
+    </div>
     <div class="form-row">
         <label for="node-input-name"><i class="icon-tag"></i> Name</label>
         <input type="text" id="node-input-name" placeholder="Name">
@@ -22,15 +26,16 @@
     <div class="form-tips">Expects a msg.payload with three part csv string of r,g,b.</div>
 </script>
 
-<script type="text/x-red" data-help-name="blink">
+<script type="text/x-red" data-help-name="blink1">
 	<p>Thingm Blink1 output node. Expects a msg.payload with a three part csv string of r,g,b.</p>
 </script>
 
 <script type="text/javascript">
-    RED.nodes.registerType('blink',{
+    RED.nodes.registerType('blink1',{
         category: 'output',
         color:"GoldenRod",
         defaults: {
+            fade: {value:"0",required:true,validate:RED.validators.number()},
             name: {value:""}
         },
         inputs:1,
diff --git a/nodes/hardware/77-blink1.js b/nodes/hardware/77-blink1.js
index dd4597d06..95257c211 100644
--- a/nodes/hardware/77-blink1.js
+++ b/nodes/hardware/77-blink1.js
@@ -19,28 +19,42 @@ var Blink1 = require("node-blink1");
 
 function Blink1Node(n) {
 	RED.nodes.createNode(this,n);
+	this.fade = n.fade||0;
 	var node = this;
-	try {
-		var blink1 = new Blink1.Blink1();
-		node.log("started");
 
+	try {
+		var p1 = /^\#[A-Za-z0-9]{6}$/
+		var p2 = /[0-9]+,[0-9]+,[0-9]+/
 		this.on("input", function(msg) {
-			if (msg != null) {
-				var rgb = msg.payload.split(',');
-				// only do it if three parameters...
-				if (rgb.length == 3) {
-					blink1.setRGB( (rgb[0]*1)&255, (rgb[1]*1)&255, (rgb[2]*1)&255 );
+			if (blink1) {
+				if (p1.test(msg.payload)) {
+					// if it is a hex colour string
+					var r = parseInt(msg.payload.slice(1,3),16);
+					var g = parseInt(msg.payload.slice(3,5),16);
+					var b = parseInt(msg.payload.slice(5),16);
+					if (node.fade == 0) { blink1.setRGB( r, g, b ); }
+					else { blink1.fadeToRGB(node.fade, r, g, b ); }
+				}
+				else if (p2.test(msg.payload)) {
+					// if it is a r,g,b triple
+					var rgb = msg.payload.split(',');
+					if (node.fade == 0) { blink1.setRGB(parseInt(rgb[0])&255, parseInt(rgb[1])&255, parseInt(rgb[2])&255); }
+					else { blink1.fadeToRGB(node.fade, parseInt(rgb[0])&255, parseInt(rgb[1])&255, parseInt(rgb[2])&255); }
 				}
 				else {
-					//let Andy do fancy colours by name here if he wants...
-					node.log("received "+msg.payload);
+					// you can do fancy colours by name here if you want...
+					node.warn("Blink1 : invalid msg : "+msg.payload);
 				}
 			}
+			else {
+				node.warn("No Blink1 found");
+			}
 		});
+		var blink1 = new Blink1.Blink1();
 	}
 	catch(e) {
-		node.error(e);
+		node.error("no Blink1 found");
 	}
 }
 
-RED.nodes.registerType("blink",Blink1Node);
+RED.nodes.registerType("blink1",Blink1Node);