Paul C. Buff, Inc. Technical Forum

I have not been able to fire the flash with the cyber sync attached including phone type cable...by flash I mean use of test flash button. The test button on the flash head does fire the strobe...but not the one on cyber sync. I have provided a circuit that has been confirmed OK with an outlet tester. This is a B800 unit.

The use of the telephone cables will override any setting on the flash unit itself. When this happens, the flash unit may not function properly, until a Cyber Commander is introduced and gives input to the reciever to pass to the light. If you are using a CST and the telephone jack (with no Cyber Commandr at all), then the light will very likely not fire as there is no input given to the light. If only using the CST, one shoud use the standard sync cord from the reciever to the light.

If you are using a Cyber Commander, then there is a set up proceedure to follow. Make sure the frequencies match, go throught the "open from studio" function, and ensure the the light is not set to "Stand By" in the Cyber Commander menu.

This is a generalized answer, however i will need more information to be more specific, in particular, do you have the Cyber Commander, and are you using it in this attempt to trigger the lights? once i have this, i can give more instructions specific to your set up.

TS

I have the CC and have only a tentative setup but have not successfully fired the flash in the type of test now listing: tried to fire using camera with pc cord direct to flash head but CS with phone cord was attached.(no fire) and have tried to fire using CC with small pc cable to camera and CS+ attached to head with phone cable and again no fire.

Have you been able to make any adjustments to the lights, such as power up or down? do you have a small white bar at the bottom of the graph that corresponds to the light you are trying to adjust? (is there a gray one?). What frequency is the CyberCommander on? What frequency is the CSR+ on? What channel is the CSR+ on?

TS

I had hoped to do a step by step get the unit to fire then I could work on CC as a separate issue of study. That is not going to be the case so my question for you...will you walk me through the CC setup procedures or must I file a new topic? I really need help and very stuck. Larry

I can, though it may take a little while to get it typed up, so bear with me.

TS

I appreciate your willingness to help me that way, my sincere thanks.

These are the basic steps to get one light working with the CyberCommander. The Sequence is important, so please follow them in order. be sure to note left and right joystick operations in these instruction

Getting your light set correctly
-plug receiver into light via power cord, and power cord to the wall
-set your light’s power slider to the far right (full power) and depress all model lamp buttons
-insert a plug into the sync jack of the lights (sync cord, dummy plug, etc. This just disables the slave eye)
-Set the frequency of the receiver (this is indicated by the darker end of the notch cut into the dial, odd numbers are marked, even numbers are unmarked and in between the odd numbers)
-Set the desired channel, see above for selection process.
-Power on your light
-Plug in RJ11 cord (telephone cord)

Setting up Cyber Commander-turn Cyber Commander
-with the right hand joystick, press to the right twice to enter the “Set Up” screen (if the CC times out, repeat this step to return to the “set up” screen)
- with the right hand joystick push up or down to highlight “Frequency” in red, and press in on the same joystick
- with the right hand joystick, press up or down to set the same frequency that the CSR+ is set
- with the right hand joystick, press to the right or left to exit that screen
- with the right hand joystick, press up until “open memory” is highlighted in red and push in on the same joystick
- with the left hand joystick, scroll to the right or left until “studio” appears in the lower left corner under the word “memory”. (other text can be “internal” or “CH”, be sure to not use either in this scenario, if you do, you will have to go back and reset your frequency .)
- with the right hand joystick, press in
-the the words “opening from studio” will appear , then change to “finished opening” when done
- you should now have a white or grey bar at the bottom of the graph, under the corresponding channel your light’s receiver is set to
- with the right hand joystick, press to the right once to exit screen

(start here for additional lights)

- with the right hand joystick, press down until “light settings” is highlighted in red, and press in with the right hand joystick
¬- with the left hand joystick, press to the left or right until the selected channel corresponds the one your receiver is set to, CH1, CH2, etc.(GRP1, GRP2 etc are groups, and are a more advanced set up, do not try to attempt to use these now) Be sure this channel is always in the lower corner. It can be changed inadvertently, but appear other changes are made.
- with the right hand joystick, press up or down if needed to highlight “model mode” in red.
- with the left hand joystick, press up or down, and choose from “Full”, “Track”, or “Off” (“ADJ” is for the forthcoming lights). This will set your modeling lamps as you would normally set them on the back of the light itself.
- with the right hand joystick, press down until “power” is highlighted.
- with the left hand joystick, press up or down until “stand by” is highlighted, then again until “On” is highlighted. Doing this ensures no pre-existing setting will remain for this channel.
- The remaining options are for the forthcoming lights, and are not applicable, therefore no adjustments are necessary
- with the right hand joystick, press to the right to exit the screen
- with the right hand joystick, press down until “spec lights” is highlighted in red, and press in with the right hand joystick
-make sure your desired channel appears in the lower left corner, if not, use the left joystick to move left or right until it appears
- with the right hand joystick, move up or down until your series of light is highlighted in red, and press in with the right hand joystick
- with the right hand joystick, press up or down to select the model of light is highlighted in red, and press in with the right hand joystick
- with the right hand joystick, press up or down to highlight the wattage of model lamp installed is highlighted in red, and press in with the right hand joystick
- with the right hand joystick, press to the right twice to return to the main “flash” screen (highlighted with blue trim)

Your CC is now set up for use with one light.

Initially, you may need to press the left hand joystick to the left until “All” appears in the lower left corner, then press the right hand joystick. The lights should fire.

Now, you can scroll with the Left joystick to the individual light, and make power adjustment with the left hand joystick, moving up or down.

Pressing in on the left button will fire the lights, while doing the same with the right hand button will fire the selected light(s) and take a meter reading.


TS

Just a couple of questions before I get started on setup...I don't know where the dummy plug is for the slave, could I use a 1/8 jack with no electrical hook up for a dummy plug? also do I use the phone jack from CS+ to head (not sure I'm clear on that point)? Larry

any standard sync cord will work as a dummy plug, just dont connect the other end. If you have an old pair of headphones or sync cord, you can cut the wire and use that.

Yes, the telephone cord will go from the CSR+ to the matching jack in the head.

TS