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[OM] Cheap Trix and other stuff -> Cheap multiple T flash set-up specula

Subject: [OM] Cheap Trix and other stuff -> Cheap multiple T flash set-up speculations
From: "Olaf Greve" <ogreve@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Fri, 25 Feb 2000 15:21:11 PST
Hi again,

First off: I noticed a rather dumb typo in the name of the new themed events, of course the title will not be "The Olympus Phote Exhibition", but it should be "The Olympus Photo Exhibition". To further add to this, I noticed a line or two later I had used the <ctrl><c> - <ctrl><v> combination, to "quite handily" copy the same typo again... DUH!!! ;) Also, I misspelled Phillip's name (i.e. "Philip" instead of "Phillip", I must have been thinking about a Dutch TV/video/audio/light-bulbs brand ;) ). So sorry for those typos!

Then, to get to the OM content of this message (please note that I may use the terms "T cables" and "AutoCords" interchangeably, they both refer to the "TTL AutoCord T xxxM" cables, used for controlling a T- series flash off the camera): Frank and I just had some offlist discussion about making cheaper versions of the TTL T cables. Frank mentioned having made an improvised version of a multiconnector that can hook up to three flashes, by just taking two of the 5m AutoCords, cutting both of them in two, and neatly soldering them all together (in a proper type of housing for solidity). Hence eliminating the need to buy a TTL MultiConnector and 2 more T cables!

This idea inspired me to brainstorm about this some more and I came up with the following idea, of which I hope someone can verify if it will really work. Note that any and all ideas written down here are pure theoretical speculation until someone verifies that this can really be done this way:

Let's take Frank's idea and scale it up to a solution that can handle up to 9 T flashes (i.e. the official max. amount Oly mentions in their manuals). When assuming that the real TTL MultiConnectors do not somehow amplify the incoming signal (can anyone verify if this is the case?) one would need to buy/build some sort of housing which is big enough to accomodate 9 outgoing plugs. Take 5 of the 5m T cables and cut them in half, attach a generic 5-pin audio cable to the cut end of each of the cables, use 5 male ones, and 5 female ones for this (so you can plug two cables into one another, if so desired, to just form one "normal" T cable with T connectors on both ends). Note that the cut T cables can also, again if so desired, be extended with some generic 5 threaded electrical wire before attaching the audio plugs to them, although I remember Hans told me recently that there's a maximum total length of the cables used in a multi flash set-up (30m?).

Then make sure the housing has 1 incoming audio connector, and 9 outgoing audio connectors, again interchange 5 male ones with 5 female ones. Now the only thing left to do, is to create the proper "signal" splitting wiring within the housing. This is (hopefully!) a straightforward matter of finding a neat way to connect each of the 5 cables (from each of the 10 plugs) to the proper cables of each of the other plugs. I realise this will involve some awkward messing around with 50 cables, but it should still be doable (I hope!). Of course it's not neat to solder 10 small cables together, so some proper signal splitting blocks are highly desirable. Once this is done and everything is properly shielded you should be ready to roll, and you can attach up to 9 flashes to the newly created "9T-Connector-Box"! Users of cameras without a TTL T outlet, can use the special T cable that has a hotshoe contact on one end of it.

Now, suppose all the above is doable and doesn't require any signal amplifiers, and also assume a TTL Multiconnector to cost some $30, and assume the 5m T cables are also $30 each. Then the following cost picture would evolve for a 9 flash set-up:

-Oly solution: 1 T cable to the first MultiConnector, then from there 3 T cables to three more MultiConnectors, and then 9 T cables to the flashes. Total: 4 MultiConnectors and 13 T cables. (Costs: 17 * $30 = $510). -"9T-Connector-Box" solution: 5 T cables (the length of them is basically immaterial, as they can cheaply be extended by generic 5 threaded electrical wire) - say the 5m versions. 20 generic 5 (or more) pin audio plugs (10 male, 10 female). Some solder, some signal splitters, duct tape, a housing (perhaps customly made from wood or so), and some 3 hours of soldering. (Costs: 5 * $30 = $150 (for the cables), 20 * $1 = $20 (for the generic audio plugs), $30 for the housing and solder, $30 for assorted small stuff like cable splitters, duct tape, etc. -> total: $230)

So, again assuming all the above is possible and that I'm not too far off (on the low end) with the estimates for the costs of the various components, the solutions can mathematically be expressed as (x = amount of attached flashes):
1-Oly solution:
--------------
0-1 flashes: 30x (i.e. each T cable = $30)
2-3 flashes: 60 + 30x (i.e. fixed cost: 1 multiconn. + 1 T cable)
4-5 flashes: 120 + 30x (i.e. fixed: 2 multiconn. + 2 T cables)
6-7 flashes: 180 + 30x (i.e. fixed: 3 multiconn. + 3 T cables)
8-9 flashes: 240 + 30x (i.e. fixed: 4 multiconn. + 4 T cables)

2-9T-Connector-Box:
------------------
0-1 flashes: 30x (i.e. each T cable = $30)
3, 5, 7, or 9 flashes: 95 + 15x (i.e. fixed: small stuff $80 + 1/2 T cable $15 + $15 per attached flash) 2, 4, 6, or 8 flashes: 110 + 15x (i.e. fixed: small stuff $80 + 1 T cable $30 (note this will yield 1/2 unused T cable!) + $15 per attached flash)

So doing the math (after the overkill of mathematical formulas which are more or less irrelevant, but which I wanted to get correct just for the heck of it ;) ), yields a break even point of (a rounded) 2 flashes. So, when you want to use more than 2 flashes simultaneously, the 9T-Connector-Box should be cheaper! Not only should this be the case, but it will also save you the trouble of finding these MultiConnectors, and you'd only have to find 5 T cables rather than 13 if you want to go up to 9 flashes.

Anyone willing to try to put this into practice? (If so, please keep me posted!).

Cheerio!
Olafo


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