Paul C. Buff, Inc. Technical Forum

First of all, I must say that this Cyber system is amazingly capable, helpful, and well designed!

But like almost all new products, there are a few bugs to work out.

I have 1 Cyber Commander, and 6 receivers, being used with four AlienBees B1600s and two B400s. Using the manual, Setup was straightforward, smooth, and logical.
But then I started to encounter problems with some of the modeling lights not turning off properly when their group was deselected.

So I did a thorough test, eliminating all variables. Brand-new, REALLY fresh (1.6v) alkaline
batteries were installed in all units (receivers and commander). (1.5 and 1.4v (less fresh) batteries were also tested with no difference in the results). The same (perfectly working) RJ-11 connecting cable was used to test all units and combinations. All electrical contacts were treated with WD-40, which is an excellent electrical contact cleaner.

The bottom line is that there seems to be a problem in the electronics of SOME (but not all) of the Cyber Receivers (both battery and AC powered) as they come from the factory. I have had NO problems with the Commander (other than the very short battery life), and I have not updated the firmware.

Some of the receivers work perfectly with all lights: they adjust as they should and flash when they should, at the appropriate set power, and the modeling lights also adjust properly and turn off when their group is deselected.

Some receivers work OK. When you switch from modeling lamp off (group deselected) to modeling lamp on (group selected) the modeling lamp surges to full bright, and then within a second or two subsides to its proper setting.

Some receivers work marginally. When first plugged in and started, they will not turn the modeling light off. But then the modeling light will start to flicker, slowly dim, and eventually (properly) extinguish. From that point on, the receiver seems to work adequately for the remainder of the session.

Some receivers work properly with some lights, but not with others. The combination that works properly varies from light-to-light and receiver-to-receiver. By properly mixing and matching, I have been able to get a complete set of 6 lights and receivers to where they are all working adequately. Sometimes after a while, a reciever will quit working properly with a light, and will need to be moved to a different one.

Out of the 18 recievers that I have tested:
4 (all CSRB+) have worked perfectly (the only ones that did not surge the modeling lamps)
1 (CSR+) worked OK, but surges the modeling lamps
2 (CSR+) worked marginally (required "warming up", and even then surges the ML)
11 (both types) worked with some lights but not others
ALL worked with at least one or more lights.
2 lights (both B1600s) worked adequately with all receivers.
There was no pattern in working/not working between the B400s or the B1600s. (My B1600s are about 2 years old and my B400s are about 1 year old.)

If you do not need the Cyber Receivers to appropriately turn off the modeling lamps, then you will probably not have any problems.

I hope this helps the user community, and also helps the designers to track down and fix the problems.

Dave

How many units did you operate at one time? All of them, one of them, some of them?

Many, many combinations. One at a time. All of them together, and some of them together in various groups.

Did you ever get this resolved? I am having same problem with my AB800. Modeling lamp goes to full on when not in selected group or when set to standby