Elinchrom Skyport Speed problems

cwoodard

I just purchased an Elinchrom BX 500 ri strobe and a Skyport Speed transmitter.

I can't get the skyport working! I can trigger the strobe with a cable, but not with the transmitter.

I have verified:

- the battery is in right on the transmitter
- the frequency on both is the same (i tried changing it)
- the strobe is set to group 1, and the transmitter is set to ALL or Group 1 (neither works)
- the mode is set to the same thing on both (standard or speed - neither work)

I have emailed the US Elinchrom distributor asking for support, but no response yet. Is there another place I can contact for tech support? Got the strobe from B&H and the skyport on Amazon via Adorama I think it was.

Does anyone have any other ideas for what to try to get it working?

Thanks!

ziggy53

What happens when you try the "Test" button of the transmitter?

cwoodard

Nothing

Sam

Even though the battery is new or came with the unit can you test it?

Also are you sure the frequency's are the same?

What distance are you testing with? Some times they don't work when they are too close to each other.

Sam

cwoodard

I can order another battery for it, not sure how to test it otherwise? The green light blinks when I turn it on and when I set the speed vs standard mode.

I double checked the frequencies against the frequency chart in the manual. Started out with default on both, which is 1 and then changed them both to 3.

I am pretty close to the strobe. I will try standing further away to test it, but that's not going to work long term for me given my setup

ziggy53

It does sound like the transmitter and receiver are not communicating. Reset everything back to default and try again.

cwoodard

I reset everything and got it working pretty much! I have to use the small cable that came with the skyport to connect the transmitter and my camera, but now it's working. The test button triggers the strobe with or without that, but the strobe will only fire when I take a photo when I'm using that cable. Not sure why, I checked and re-checked that I have the transmitter fully seated. And I really have no idea why it's suddenly working! But at least it's working Thanks everyone!

mastmann

You might be in speed mode in one device and standard mode in another. Turn on your transmitter look to see if the light is blinking once or twice every 5 seconds. If it blinks once every 5 seconds you are in standard mode, twice every 5 seconds you are in speed mode (to get between them hold down the test button for 5 seconds). Now that you know the difference it's time to check your BXRi's. Enter their menu by pressing the up and down power arrows simultaneously until you see the display blink. If R.1 is showing you are in standard mode. If you want to go to speed mode use the up arrow to go to R.2. Wait a few seconds and the display will go back to normal. Matching the modes may resolve your issue.

In standard speed mode Skyports are compatible with all other Skyport modules and Elinchrom device with Skyport built-in. When it speed mode Skyports are only compatible with Skyport speed modules and any Elinchrom device with Skyport built-in.

Hope that this helps.

Mark Astmann
Product Lighting Manager
Manfrotto Distribution

cwoodard wrote: »

I just purchased an Elinchrom BX 500 ri strobe and a Skyport Speed transmitter.

I can't get the skyport working! I can trigger the strobe with a cable, but not with the transmitter.

I have verified:

- the battery is in right on the transmitter
- the frequency on both is the same (i tried changing it)
- the strobe is set to group 1, and the transmitter is set to ALL or Group 1 (neither works)
- the mode is set to the same thing on both (standard or speed - neither work)

I have emailed the US Elinchrom distributor asking for support, but no response yet. Is there another place I can contact for tech support? Got the strobe from B&H and the skyport on Amazon via Adorama I think it was.

Does anyone have any other ideas for what to try to get it working?

Thanks!

cwoodard

I think I might have goofed with the mode on the transmitter, although I'm still not sure why, when I finally got it working, it only worked with the cable connecting the transmitter and the camera.

I just returned the BXRi for an exchange because the modeling light wasn't working. As soon as I get the new one I'll be trying it out with the skyport again and will double check that I've configured the mode correctly.

Thanks very much!

mastmann wrote: »

You might be in speed mode in one device and standard mode in another. Turn on your transmitter look to see if the light is blinking once or twice every 5 seconds. If it blinks once every 5 seconds you are in standard mode, twice every 5 seconds you are in speed mode (to get between them hold down the test button for 5 seconds). Now that you know the difference it's time to check your BXRi's. Enter their menu by pressing the up and down power arrows simultaneously until you see the display blink. If R.1 is showing you are in standard mode. If you want to go to speed mode use the up arrow to go to R.2. Wait a few seconds and the display will go back to normal. Matching the modes may resolve your issue.

In standard speed mode Skyports are compatible with all other Skyport modules and Elinchrom device with Skyport built-in. When it speed mode Skyports are only compatible with Skyport speed modules and any Elinchrom device with Skyport built-in.

Hope that this helps.

Mark Astmann
Product Lighting Manager
Manfrotto Distribution