Paul C. Buff, Inc. Technical Forum

I am using my Einstein 640 on a position that is hard to reach.
Every morning I have to push the power button to turn it on and have to use a chair.
I found out that when I fix the power button with a piece op tape it will auto power on.
Doesn't that have that any harmfull side effects?

This is not a condition we have thought of and thoroughly tested; but, we do not think there should be any permanent damage to the light from doing this.

However, I briefly tried this, and found that when holding the power button, then made any other button press, the turned off. While still holding the power button, the light came back on with any further button presses. In neither case the light comply with the corresponding command.

You may consider the Cyber Commander for remote power operations of your light.

FYI, this is exactly what the CyberCommander is for...

OK thanks.

Hi,

I am also suffering the same problem with the lack of auto-power on. We currently use around 30 X3200's but want to upgrade to Einsteins. I have already purchased 7 Einstein units to test then I came across this annoying lack of auto power on problem. It would be a trivially easy thing to modify in the firmware (I'm actually an embedded electronics engineer). It seems a number of other customers would appreciate this feature. I understand that the cybercommander would get around this problem for most customers. However, in my case we have strobes mounted in remote locations inside industrial hazardous zones that require lengthy procedures for safe access. They are also 20+ miles away from our workshop.
I'd really like to change to the Einsteins and with a sales potential of up to 50 units over the next year I really hope you can help me out.

Thanks,
Shane

Hi, I'm a wedding photographer and have been using dyna lites for years. while its convenient to have the power boxes below, I needed something that's up high to keep away from kids and random spills. I researched the einsteins and Last year I bought 2. I am very happy with them and would buy 4 more to replace my remaining lights, but there is one FLAW. A digital power button. I work in wedding halls where lights need to be moved fast and often and waiters always unplug my lights then replug to bring things through. No big deal, except when you unplug the einsteins, you need to lower the stand and repower each one on. I use pocketwizard multimax tranceivers, so the cybercommander wont work for me.
Please come out with an additional, Main power on off switch for these lights, and use the soft button as a standby switch.

Ditto. The lack of a hard power switch is killing me. I love the capabilities of the Einsteins... but this one simple thing is causing me a lot of grief to the point where I wish I had never sold my AB's.

Someone told me "just use a cyber commander". Well, no... 1) I have a ton of other triggers and receivers that I am already invested in. 2) The cyber commanders have a high profile on the light when plugged in, that is, there is a real damage of breaking off when transported and stored in place on the light. And I would hate to remove them because of the fragile male pins. 3) I just don't LIKE the cyber commanders. In a similar fashion, I like Ford trucks but not their cars - I like Buff monolights but not some of the other gear.

Seems to me like it would be easy enough to modify firmware to "wake up" upon a signal from the sync port. Or have a simple option to default to "power on" when an electrical connection is supplied by the power cable. How about it, Buff Tech department?

That is a function our engineers are aware of. I cannot say one way or another if or when it will be implemented. There are a lot of irons in the fires around here.

I'm not a PCBuff Tech, but as a former firmware developer I can tell you that the "simple things" are not necessarily "easy"...

Here's a solution. Make a "hard" on off switch like you have on the Bees and when in the on position and unplugged then plugged back in, it goes back on. Problem solved. I want 10 percent of all future profits.