Paul C. Buff, Inc. Technical Forum

I just recently bought two CSRB+ units, the Cyber Commander and the CST to use with my AB800 and ABR800. The first time I tried to use the Cyber Commander at a shoot after practicing with it at home, the ABR800 would erratically strobe, and if I powered it off and back on, then if it didn't strobe, it wouldn't trigger at all over the RJ11, even if I pushed the test fire button directly on the CSRB+ unit. Fortunately everything works fine if I use the phono-jack and CST and fore-go the Cyber Commander... but that's not what I bought it for obviously. So back at home I tried it again determined to figure out which component was responsible for the problem but everything once again worked fine. So, next photoshoot I hooked it all up again and the same problem again! On a lark, I decided to unplug the lights from the Vagabond II and plug them into the location's wall outlets with an extension cord and wa-la, no more strobing and everything worked. So, my question.. am I not going to be able to use the Cyber Commander in conjunction with the Vagabond II?

That's interesting, as I have had the funky "runaway strobe" effect happen on occasion, but only when I first set up a lighting arrangement for a shoot. In each case that I have seen, there were no CSRB+ units involved. Only CSR+ units. There were no Vagabond units involved either. Just wall outlets for power, and in different locations.

The only common threads have been the fact that a CC was active at the time, and that the lighting was being arranged for the first time in the shoot. Fiddling with the RJ11 connectors, or pulling/resetting power plugs cured the runaway strobing in every case, and it never happened again during any one shoot.

I don't know why it happens for certain (yet), but I do know that the Vagabond is not the cause, nor is the CSRB+ unit, as I own neither item. Nor is the problem related to the wall outlet the flash unit is plugged into, as it has happened to me even when all of my gear was plugged into lab clean, dedicated power outlets. The only constants I am certain of are A.) Only happens at initial setup for the day, and B.) a CC unit was in play EVERY time.

I still think it is related to a software bug in the CC that rears it's head every now and then when the CC first says "hello" to your flash gear upon initial setup, but that's just a guess based upon my own observation, and I don't have access to CC software code, so it will remain a guess.

No doubt though that the more exact the details offered by other CyberSync users about their individual "runaway strobing" events, the better able the PCB tech staff will be to zero in on the common elements, and quickly determine how best to swat the bug.

Voyager

This anomaly has happened to me once out of ten times being the last time I used it. I had done nothing different from all the other times when hooking everything up. It happened to only one out of the two lights I am currently using. I had posted this in another thread of a similar title stating that I had thought it to be a software issue but TS responded saying it was more than likely a grounding problem. The outlet I used was ruled out because I've used it many times before in the same setup with no issues leading me to believe it may have been one of the RJ11 connections (but no way of telling). A complete power off, disconnect, power up and reconnect solved the problem just like others have done. This makes me think that this could be the number one if not one of the top issues with CC(when the unit is powered up and running)that's a real mystery waiting to be solved.

RMS

Did you follow the powerup sequence that I think might be in the CC manual by now? I.e., plug the CSRB+ in w/ power off, then power up the ABR800 first at full power (modeling lamp to full as well), then power up the CSRB+?

What you're seeing is probably the same opamp low voltage thing that we saw way back w/ radiopoppers and the vagabond. Some bees are just more sensitive to it and others don't have an issue. If you push the test fire button, it probably flickers like it did w/ my B1600 that had this issue (the other did not and my WL does not)...

The RJ11 would ideally be plugged in after the light is on.

What is the s/n of your VII?

The serial number is 008351

on that flavor of VII, there could be an internal issue that can cause that. We can correct that for you if you send in the inverter and battery cables (you can send the whole thing in if you want a complete look over, if you wish).

Absolutely I will send it in. Do I need an RMA?

No RMA required, just your name, contact info, and a note describing the problem.