Paul C. Buff, Inc. Technical Forum

My cybercommander settings got messed up yesterday during a shoot and i played around with it trying to fix it. this morning i went into settings/configuration and hit bootload. now, i cannot get it to even power on. i have tried re downloading the current software, taking out batteries, new batteries, nothing. it will not even power on anymore. someone please help. i will have to cancel a shoot this afternoon if i cannot get it going.

If you have a CST for back up, or have a friend who can loan you theirs, you can still do you shoot without the CC, you'll just have to adjust each light manually at its control panel.

If you have or can borrow only one trigger receiver combo that is not Paul Buff gear (PW, for example), you can set the other lights to slave mode, trigger one, and still get your shoot done.

Can't really help you directly with the CC issue, except that you repeat from scratch the firmware download and install process.

This is where the CC shines in its versatility. You have the option to save an important setup in the micro SD card just in case something like this happens. It's quick and easy. No matter what happens, you can recall any setting that you save. ;)

RMS

Saved configs would be of zero value at this point since the CC appears to be toast. This situation does, however, speak volumes about the need for backup gear. A CST would've saved the day, and they don't cost much more than dinner for two. PCB will ultimately Solve the problem, but you're on standby until they do. Live & learn. By the way, even though you said you've replaced batteries, it wouldn't hurt to try some new lithiums just to rule out the easy stuff.

Ok, first, format the card, but not on a Mac. If you have formatted on a Mac, use a card that has not been (2GB or smaller) or format on a PC to FAT(a.k.a. FAT16). If you only have a Mac accessible, delete all content on the card, but do not format! FAT on a PC is FAT32 and not supported.

Load the new firmware on the card. The file path should be PCBUFF folder which contains the CCMDR folder which then contains three folders FIRMWARE, LOAD, CONFIGS. Firmware and Load should have the same .hex file in them. Configs may or may not be empty, either is OK.

Remove one battery, insert the card, then reinstall the battery. You should get a flashing white screen for about 25-30 seconds.

The main things are cards formatted on a MAC or a card over 2GB will not work! Also, if using a Mac, they have been known to strip the PCBUFF and CCMDR folders.

thanks guys. I do have the CST, but even that would not fire anything yesterday. I ended up metering my lights with my sekonic meter and had to go wired from my camera to my main light. UGGGG! Oh, how I had forgotten how much being wired really sucks. The convenience of the cybercommander makes shooting seem impossible when you are without it.

I did get back up and running this morning. I feel like an idiot though-it was my batteries. its strange the brand new set of batteries out of the package were bad. I thought to check that again and lo and behold, another set of fresh batteries did the trick.

I love my cybercommander, but one wrong little push of a button during a shoot can totally screw it up! I don't know what happened at my shoot day before yesterday, but it messed me up for yesterdays shoot. Today i am good again.

For the the record though, I am ordering a spare cybercommander to have on hand that i can grab for next time a setting gets messed up because i may have happened to push a wrong button during a shoot. I wish the design were more foolproof. Its just too easy to be metering and then turn the cybercommander around to let the light hit the dome and before you realize it, you are out of the mode you were in. You may have hit the button to take you into the model lamp mode, or something else.

When you get your second CC. I would recommend storing it either without batteries or set to a different frequency. The reason for this is because the two Cyber Commanders cannot have the exact same settings at all times (unless you set them both identically and leave them), and if the one not used should refresh, the lights will update to its settings and not the settings of the unit you are using.

Oh, am I glad that you reminded me of that before i might find myserlf in the middle of another shoot and cursing quietly again so that my customers won't hear me. I find this equipment to be essential for my work now, but darn it can be such a PITA when it messes up. I find it to be so easy to mess up at times, but when it works, it makes my work such a pleasure when my lights are so perfect that anything straight out of the camera is right without much post work at all-even white backgrounds.