Cyber Commander- Crossing My Fingers

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Archive 2009 · Cyber Commander- Crossing My Fingers

louhand
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p.1 #1 · Cyber Commander- Crossing My Fingers

I just ordered a Cyber Commander, 4 Receivers, and an extra Transmitter.
Unfortunately, I need the CC by November 16. They said two weeks back order, and I am crossing my fingers in the hope that I can get it in time for the wedding I need to shoot.

Also, will use the transmitter for my SB-800 when shooting w/o my AB's and hopefully for a second shooter coupled with my Cyber Commander.

Am I correct in the second shooter concept whereby I set the CC and either trigger will trigger the lights correctly?

Thanks in advance.

Oct 27, 2009 at 08:54 PM

GeekChicPhoto
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p.1 #2 · Cyber Commander- Crossing My Fingers

Yes, both shooters can trigger the flashes. If you are using hot shoe flashes, you might run into recycle problems, especially if you and your partner are constantly shooting.

Oct 27, 2009 at 09:14 PM

dmward
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p.1 #3 · Cyber Commander- Crossing My Fingers

I've done the two shooters with one strobe deal a couple of times, including last Saturday.
With an monolight set to lower power setting, it is rare for the light to not keep up.
I used an AB 800 at 1/4 power and I don't think there was a missed shot.

I did a portrait session awhile back and let a friend shoot along. There were 4 AB800s and an ABR involved. All at 1/2 power or less and there was not a black frame from the session.

I've done similar wedding using two triggers, not Cyber Sync, on a single strobe (Dynalite) again set to lower power setting with some missed frames, but I don't know if it was a trigger or light issue. But for the most part it works.

QFlash or Canon or Nikon flash I think it would me much more of a concern.

BTW, Radio Shack sells a Y connection that works great if you want to use two different brand triggers on a single flash. That's what I did for the Dynalite set up.

I've out run those by myself.

Oct 27, 2009 at 11:46 PM

Matt Leitholt
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p.1 #4 · Cyber Commander- Crossing My Fingers

To my knowledge you can. What I did was I ordered my CC separately from my receivers and transmitter so I could get my Cybersyncs and be using them and not have to wait for the CC to ship. It never hurts to have an extra transmitter for a backup or a second shooter if needed. Hell, I might even use the transmitter on camera and keep the commander in my pocket.

Oct 28, 2009 at 12:34 AM

a2rob
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p.1 #5 · Cyber Commander- Crossing My Fingers

I would download and print the instructions to familiarize myself with the unit now!
You may get frustrated with the operations if you do not have any prior knowledge
of the instructions....

Oct 28, 2009 at 12:05 PM

E-Vener
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p.1 #6 · Cyber Commander- Crossing My Fingers

Absolutely +1 on a2rob's advice. The CyberCommander is a sophisticated tool and you don't want to learning it's ins and outs while on the job.

Oct 28, 2009 at 12:43 PM

RDKirk
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p.1 #7 · Cyber Commander- Crossing My Fingers

Hell, I might even use the transmitter on camera and keep the commander in my pocket.

That is Paul Buff's suggestion.

It's the way I worked with the old Radio Remote 1, which was an outstanding remote control (it's years old, but still more effective than the Profoto Air that's just been released), but it was only a so-so trigger. I used a different radio trigger and kept the RR-1 control unit on my belt.

Oct 28, 2009 at 02:00 PM

louhand
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p.1 #8 · Cyber Commander- Crossing My Fingers

Thanks for all your help.
My first batch of transmitter and triggers should arrive tomorrow.

My fingers are still crossed for Cybercommander delivery.

Oct 28, 2009 at 03:34 PM

louhand
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p.1 #9 · Cyber Commander- Crossing My Fingers

I got my Cybercommander but can't get it to work.
Unfortuntely, the tech-support hours are out of phase with my office hours.
I did call support and they told me that I need to depress all the AB800 buttons on the back of the unit. I need to set up a channel, which I did 16 on the CSR+ with a frequency of 5. All this matched the Cybercommander. The sync plug is plugged in, but not connected to the CSR+. The telephone jack are seated. I set the CC display to FLASH and activated channel 16. Keep in mind this is the only light set up for now.

A couple of things:

The modeling light is at full power, no matter what I do to the CC.
I couldn't get the unit to trigger.
I changed heads ti a second AB800, and triggering was sporatic at best, and no matter what I did it was at full power.
Batteries are fresh in the CC.

Am I missing something here?
Any help would be appreciated.

Nov 06, 2009 at 01:48 AM

jprezant
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p.1 #10 · Cyber Commander- Crossing My Fingers

did you use the same csrb when you switched lights? maybe the sync cord
is jacked up?

Nov 06, 2009 at 01:58 AM

louhand
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p.1 #11 · Cyber Commander- Crossing My Fingers

jprezant wrote:
did you use the same csrb when you switched lights? maybe the sync cord
is jacked up?

I did a complete swap with a second unit and same situation.
I just bought 3 CSR+ and a CSRB+ for my SB800.

Nov 06, 2009 at 02:11 AM

kenyee
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p.1 #12 · Cyber Commander- Crossing My Fingers

louhand: are the bees charging up all the way when you fire them w/ the CC?
And do you have fresh batteries in the CSR+?

Nov 06, 2009 at 03:36 AM

louhand
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p.1 #13 · Cyber Commander- Crossing My Fingers

kenyee wrote:
louhand: are the bees charging up all the way when you fire them w/ the CC?
And do you have fresh batteries in the CSR+?

AB's are fully charged. When they do fire on occasion they are always full power.
THe CSR+ is AC dirven so no battery isses there.

Nov 06, 2009 at 03:39 AM

tamara328
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p.1 #14 · Cyber Commander- Crossing My Fingers

Just as a point of reference, before I activate the Cyber Commander my lights are set at the highest power but fire at a low power when the test button is pushed on the CSR+. It's only when I disconnect the jack cord or open one of the saved set-ups do my lights power up to full. It's the same on two different lights so I'm assuming that's the way it should be because everything is working now. Do your lights fire at the same power with and without the jack cord?

Nov 06, 2009 at 04:11 AM

louhand
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p.1 #15 · Cyber Commander- Crossing My Fingers

tamara328 wrote:
Just as a point of reference, before I activate the Cyber Commander my lights are set at the highest power but fire at a low power when the test button is pushed on the CSR+. It's only when I disconnect the jack cord or open one of the saved set-ups do my lights power up to full. It's the same on two different lights so I'm assuming that's the way it should be because everything is working now. Do your lights fire at the same power with and without the jack cord?

OK, here's the siequence:.

The AB800 is turned on with the CSR+ attached..
One end of the SYNC CORD is plugged into the AB800 only.
The telephone jack cord is attached to both the CSR+ and the AB800
All buttons on the back of the AB800 are depressed.
The modelling light is at full power and no mater what the flash power is set to, it triggers at full power. Triggeringi is from the CSR+

Next, with the CC activated with the correct channel and frequency, it will have no effect on the power. and triggers sporatically.

This is very perplexing.

Nov 06, 2009 at 04:35 AM

louhand
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p.1 #16 · Cyber Commander- Crossing My Fingers

I spoke to PCB Tech Support. We figured out that the CSR+'s were defective in that they coTuldn't control the AB800. I used a CSRB+ (Battery Version) and it worked fine.
They are testing 3 new CSR+ units and will send them out to me ASAP.

Thanks for all your help.

Nov 06, 2009 at 03:40 PM

Matt Leitholt
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p.1 #17 · Cyber Commander- Crossing My Fingers

Thanks for keeping us updated, it will probably help in the future

Nov 06, 2009 at 10:38 PM

louhand
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p.1 #18 · Cyber Commander- Crossing My Fingers

Latest update: 3 new CSR+'s have been shipped.

Here's a photo I took with my CC and CSRB+. I put the AB800 inside a Wescott Apollo softbox facing backwards. That is to say, it is very difficult to make any adjustments. In the past, I used the Wired Remote which was quite time consuming and unsightly. Making adjustments wirelessly from the camera.. PRICELESS! Thanks Paul.

This image is copyrighted by the owner

Nov 07, 2009 at 02:51 AM

louhand
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p.1 #19 · Cyber Commander- Crossing My Fingers

Latest update:
3 New CSR+s have arrived.

I ran some preliminary tests on a single light and they seem to work.
I need to get them going on all three lights to complete my testing, but I have a feeling they should function as described.

Kudos to PCB support. (As usual.)

Nov 11, 2009 at 11:37 PM

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