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DPChallenge Forums >> Photography Discussion >> New AB wireless Cybersync system
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 08/25/2008 10:56:37 PM · #1
Hey folks, I know many people here use AB strobes, and also many like the strobist route. So I wanted to bring in some information on the newest AB wireless system.

[thumb]714155[/thumb] This is the system. I bought the battery powered recievers, they still offer the AC powered, but since I wanted to use them with my 580EXII flashes I got the battery powered ones. They come with the cord for the strobes, and also a cord that will hook to the 580EXII or any other flash with that port. Its 16 channel and once turned on its active for an hour before going to sleep mode, but if you fire the flash with the test button or remotely the timer starts over.

So how is the range? Well just on some quick testing using my 580's the range seems very nice.

[thumb]714153[/thumb] this is from my front yard all the way to the back yard 100 foot.

[thumb]714154[/thumb] this is from the back of my yard and the flashes are on the front porch around the house lighting up the front yard.

one quick shot in the house with both bounced off the ceiling.

First impressions are very good range, I can fire them at full sync speed even from a distance. They are small and light and come with the required cords. Even better since I had the first system they come with a certificate to mail the originals back one for one for the new system and you get full purchase price of the originals back. So $39.95 back for each of the originals. I bought 2 receivers and 2 transmitters, total shipped $270.00 I'll get back $160.00 from the price I paid for the same amount of the first system. So the trade in deal is worth it. Are they PW? No they obviously arent but for 1/3 the price the range and reliability seems to be there.

I've had the cactus trigger system. I've had the other 16 channel chinese system and now the AB 2.4GHz system and this def seems the best for build, range and reliability.

Anyone else moved to the new system yet? Care to share?
 08/25/2008 11:06:00 PM · #2
Wow, those are tiny little things! It sounds like you're pleased with them. That's great.

I'm still waiting for AB to come out with a replacement for their RadioRemoteOne system. Apparently, they gave up on it, but I'm still hopeful. I really liked being able to adjust the various light levels and test fire remotely. Going around and adjusting each light individually is a pain. Especially when some of the strobes are way up in the air on boom arms.

08/25/2008 11:19:46 PM · #3
With the little bit of testing I've done so far yeah I'm pleased. Next tuesday will be the first test. I have a volleyball game at the local JUCO that I strobe at. We will see how they perform compared to the older system in there. I'll report back after doing so. But for now, the small size, the fact that I dont need a cable to use my flashes or my strobes, they came with all required batteries, and they worked right out of the box. Yeah I'm happy.
Happy enough the others are boxed up to go back tomorrow to get my trade in $$$.

Matt
 08/25/2008 11:24:01 PM · #4
I have to ask, with 5-6 grand in lenses alone why do you quibble over getting pw's?
 08/25/2008 11:32:24 PM · #5
I am waiting for the plus receivers.... did a lot of thinking about options and for me that is the better approach. I am going for the plus receivers when they release in a few weeks with a regular trigger until the commander comes out later in the year. Can be used for hotshoe flashes but with AB strobes gives the full control over them.

It's not that PW's are the obvious choice UNLESS you only need radio in which case they are better. The right setup with cybers will give an option to adjust all the parms on AB strobes (new and existing models) remotely without losing the ability to fire hotshoe flashes; which the PW's cannot.
 08/25/2008 11:34:10 PM · #6
Originally posted by violinist123:
I have to ask, with 5-6 grand in lenses alone why do you quibble over getting pw's?


Well because in the market I am in, the only one strobing at events..........is me. I strobe in my "studio" a couple of times a month, and strobe sports once or twice a month, only in the winter. I normally dont fire my flashes remotely. Usually one on each camera used for fill. Why spend $1000 for PW's that I might use 4 times a month, and with no chance of having to compete for a frequency. I have never needed any more range then what the first set would give me, but they had some issues with battery drain, so given the chance I bought the new ones and lost nothing off the purchase price of the originals.

Matt
 08/26/2008 08:57:30 AM · #7
One bump for the morning crowd.

Matt
 08/26/2008 02:30:43 PM · #8
Originally posted by robs:
I am waiting for the plus receivers.... did a lot of thinking about options and for me that is the better approach. I am going for the plus receivers when they release in a few weeks with a regular trigger until the commander comes out later in the year. Can be used for hotshoe flashes but with AB strobes gives the full control over them.

It's not that PW's are the obvious choice UNLESS you only need radio in which case they are better. The right setup with cybers will give an option to adjust all the parms on AB strobes (new and existing models) remotely without losing the ability to fire hotshoe flashes; which the PW's cannot.

Wow, it looks like some awesome new Buff products are coming out soon! The CyberSync Plus and Cyber Commander sounds like it's just what I've been waiting for. The all-digital Einstein strobes sound great too.

Here's an excerpt from a forum post by Mr. Buff in the Paul C. Buff Forum...
Originally posted by Paul C. Buff:
That said, the base CyberSync transmitter and receiver perform the same basic function as the RFT1. They will wirelessly trigger our light units or those from other manufacturer. Unlike the RFT1, which is based on non-binary variable pulse width technology and no error detection, CyberSync uses full binary encoding with high-level error detection and 16 separate operating frequencies. It's encoding is entirely state of the art as of 2008.

CyberSync uses two independent encoding channels. A very fast channel that sends fire-flash data only (for minimum sync delay) and a longer parameter-data channels that allows virtually unlimited control of operating parameters.

The CyberSync Transmitter transmits the fire-flash command on one of sixteen frequencies selectable with a rotary switch. Itâs very small and fits on the hotshoe and uses a lithium coin cell with over one year life. It is on continuously and always ready to fire. The battery is in a slide out tray for easy replacement.

The CyberSync Receiver is AC operated (50VAC to 260VAC) and also has a sixteen position frequency switch. It receives only the fire command and connects to any light via a sync jack and supplied cord. CyberSync been thoroughly tested as production ready circuit boards. Line of sight range appears to be about 500â and anticipated indoor range is on the order of 100â to 300â depending on obstacles. We have not published exact range or sync delay yet.

These two products are now in FCC testing and are being readied for the earliest possible production. We are shooting for early May but are allowing for unknowns that could possible move the date toward the end of May.

The CyberSync Plus receiver is more complex. In addition to receiving the same fire code, this model receives and verifies parameter controls sent by the compatible CyberCommander. This combination is a study in Apples famed forward compatibility as it gives any Paul C. Buff, Inc. monolight with remote jack ever made capabilities far beyond what they have now, and far beyond any competitor.

By telling the receiver what model Buff light is attached to each of sixteen light channels (via simple programming switches), the Cyber Commander (also hotshoe mounted) can separately adjust each of sixteen lights in terms of flashpower and modeling intensity. It can also tell you the WS, the model watts, the flash duration, the color temperature, the relative power using the âEuro Scaleâ (Elinchrom, Broncolor, etc). It can further allow using any wattage modeling lamp any light model while maintaining WYSIWYG proportionality with the flash across the system. It can bracket all lights up or down in 1/10f increments, can store and retrieve multiple setups of lights and (I wonât explain just how yet) allows one to dial up and read the camera aperture of each or all lights directly in f-stop notation, right from the camera, without a separate flashmeter.


Another excerpt from Paul C. Buff...
Originally posted by Paul C. Buff:

CyberSync basic is a trigger only system. You can connect it to any flash unit using a sync cord. The trnsmitter goes on the camera hotshoe with no wires.

CyberSyncPlus is only useful on Paul C. Buff lights, using our remote control jack (standard since 1986). Cyber Commander is required to facilitate remote power control with CS+. It transmits power control data and many other functions.

This combination adds many feature that didn't exist before on AB, WL and Zeus such as flashmeter function, setting lights in camera f-stops, reading WS, color temperature and flash duration, etc.

A CyberSync or CyberSync Plus can also receive trrigger commands from Cyber Sync transmitter or from Cyber Commander.

Einstein is the core that CyberSync and Cyber Commander was designed around. Einstein is an all digital monolght with extreme accuracy, power range from full to 1/256 power, constant color temperature over this range, decreasing flash durations with decreasing power and an action mode that allows the shortest possible flash durations when needed (as short as 1/10,000 second t.1.)

Instead of requiring CS+, Einstein has a dedicated transceiver slot and a tiny, inexpensive plug-in tranceiver that communicates with Cyber Commander or CyberSync transmitters.

There are many other features. It's small and compact, has metal mounting parts, recycle beeper, powerful fan, etc. It will be available in 500 real WS and 1000 real WS and uses 250W quartz modeling lamp.

Einstein runs anywhere in the world from 100VAC to 260VAC with no adjustment or changing lamps - plug and play. It also tolerates AC input as low as 50VAC without crashing, for use with Vagabond type 12V to 120VAC inverters. Yes, it still requires pure sine inverter, as do all other flash units.

Everything discussed above is cross compatable so you can use any combination of Einstein, WL, AB, Zeus, Cyber Commander, CyberSync receivers, etc.


Message edited by author 2008-08-26 14:47:23.
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