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CTB-08


mattera68

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I have 2 of the CTB16PC boards and plan to buy 4 more, I am doing a mega tree this year that needs 40 channels and I am wondering if I can use the CTB-08 along with everything else and not be a problem? That way I dont have 8 extra channels at the base of the mega that i would need to go somewhere else.

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Guest wbottomley

mattera68 wrote:

I have 2 of the CTB16PC boards and plan to buy 4 more, I am doing a mega tree this year that needs 40 channels and I am wondering if I can use the CTB-08 along with everything else and not be a problem? That way I dont have 8 extra channels at the base of the mega that i would need to go somewhere else.


You can mix every LOR controller together without any problems.

This has been covered here: http://lightorama.mywowbb.com/forum25/22472.html
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To answer your question, all LOR controllers can be used with/are compatible with each other.

You might consider upgrading to a 16-channel PC board though. The cost isn't much greater, and it's nice to have backup channels "just in case".

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When I first started with Light O Rama I did as you are going to do. But having some years behind me now I would not go the way you are headed.

Here is why

You have better programming options with the 16 channel boards. They upgrade easier. The cost of the 8 channel board is almost the price of a 16 channel board (board only).

You said you didnt want to have 8 channels doing nothing. How about plans for next year. How about some strobes. A lighted ring around the bottom of the tree. I never hurts to have the extra channels Im sure you can find something to put on the extra channels to turn off and on.

On the 8 channel boards I do notice that some of the functions lag a little behind and are not as sharp as with the 16 channel boards.

I really think you would be better off using the 16 channel boards. I have almost retired all my 8 channel boards but I did find a project for them this year that does not require any fancy programming just a simple on off program with a little fade in there too.

Anthony

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Guest wbottomley

Anthony in Houston wrote:


On the 8 channel boards I do notice that some of the functions lag a little behind and are not as sharp as with the 16 channel boards.


Hummm..... Anthony, you have my concern up now.

Hopefully that won't happen to me with the 3 new ones I recently bought.
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Mountainwxman wrote:

Anthony in Houston wrote:

On the 8 channel boards I do notice that some of the functions lag a little behind and are not as sharp as with the 16 channel boards.


Hummm..... Anthony, you have my concern up now.

Hopefully that won't happen to me with the 3 new ones I recently bought.

About half my controllers are CTB-08's (at one time, before the PC series controllers were available, it had the cheapest cost-per-channel). I've never noticed this...
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Guest wbottomley

Tim Fischer wrote:

Mountainwxman wrote:
Anthony in Houston wrote:

On the 8 channel boards I do notice that some of the functions lag a little behind and are not as sharp as with the 16 channel boards.


Hummm..... Anthony, you have my concern up now.

Hopefully that won't happen to me with the 3 new ones I recently bought.

About half my controllers are CTB-08's (at one time, before the PC series controllers were available, it had the cheapest cost-per-channel).  I've never noticed this...


Shewww.... That one had me sweating!

I'm using them for my spinners/snowflake stands.
DSC01786.jpg
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Two years ago I did a mega tree and a fan..the mega tree was using the 8 channel and the fan was using the PC controller. I programmed both with identical program and they had the same colors and channel layout. You could see the mega tree go blank for a split second when it changed from one color to the other. There were also some difference in twinkle in the two.

Now granted most people will not notice this but when you program it and are looking at it you do see something.

Other than that these are great controllers and as stated it was the cheapest cost per channel and that was why I purchased them.

They are good and still in use.

Anthony

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I included a CTB-08 in my first purchase in 2007. In 2008(?) there was a firmware upgrade for the 16-channel controllers to allow fading shimmers and twinkles. However, this feature was not available on the CTB-08 (maybe it is now?) and the firmware upgrade on the CTB-08 had to be done by swapping the chip.

Because of this, I replaced the CTB-08 with a CTB-16PC and gave the CTB-08 to another LOR user.

I used the extra 8 channels for an arch.

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Steven wrote:

I included a CTB-08 in my first purchase in 2007. In 2008(?) there was a firmware upgrade for the 16-channel controllers to allow fading shimmers and twinkles. However, this feature was not available on the CTB-08 (maybe it is now?) and the firmware upgrade on the CTB-08 had to be done by swapping the chip.

Because of this, I replaced the CTB-08 with a CTB-16PC and gave the CTB-08 to another LOR user.

I used the extra 8 channels for an arch.

I swear I remember reading that the CTB-08 (non-D version) was now firmware-upgradable like the other controllers, but now I don't see that on the sale page.

I've had some of my CTB-08's since 2003 and there's only been one firmware upgrade in all that time, since the PIC has to be replaced to upgrade firmware. Meanwhile I've watched the other controllers get cool new features, better LED performance, etc. I've been tempted to sell my CTB-08's and replace the with PC-series boards (and gain a whole lot of channels in the process) but I've never pulled the trigger on it.
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Guest wbottomley

Tim Fischer wrote:


I swear I remember reading that the CTB-08 (non-D version) was now firmware-upgradable like the other controllers, but now I don't see that on the sale page.


I did too as I bought 3 from the Feb sale.

Maybe Dan or John can confirm this.
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My CTB-08 has always performed flawlessly. I like it because I just throw it at the base of my mega tree (while hoping it doesn't break!) and I only have to run 1 extension cord for the star of my tree.

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Mountainwxman wrote:

Tim Fischer wrote:

I swear I remember reading that the CTB-08 (non-D version) was now firmware-upgradable like the other controllers, but now I don't see that on the sale page.


I did too as I bought 3 from the Feb sale.

Maybe Dan or John can confirm this.


I bought one at the Feb sale also. Now I see there is no Twinkle, Incandescent Only, and on the firmware download page there is no link for the CTB-08.

I will have to keep these things in mind when I use it.
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rstately wrote:

I bought one at the Feb sale also. Now I see there is no Twinkle, Incandescent Only, and on the firmware download page there is no link for the CTB-08.

I will have to keep these things in mind when I use it.

Unless things have changed since my firmware version (which is quite old), there is twinkle, just not the fading twinkle. Same with shimmer.
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Tim Fischer wrote:

rstately wrote:
I bought one at the Feb sale also. Now I see there is no Twinkle, Incandescent Only, and on the firmware download page there is no link for the CTB-08.

I will have to keep these things in mind when I use it.

Unless things have changed since my firmware version (which is quite old), there is twinkle, just not the fading twinkle.  Same with shimmer.


Thats good to know, I have not tested mine yet, I'm just reading the user guide.
It dose not say Twinkle and the user guides from other controllers do.

Thanks for the info,
Ron
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I can't say I like the direction this thread is taking. I bought 4 CTB-08's during the winter sale thinking they would be perfect for fill-in spots in the yard in places I'm adding channels but didn't want to devote a 16 channel board. I've been around the block enough to know all about "buyer beware" and all that rot, but I had come to believe that LOR was above that. And now I'm sitting here feeling more and more betrayed with each sucessive post I see in this thread. I had no idea the 08s don't support fading shimmers and twinkles - I sure didn't see that posted on the product page on the website. Had I known I never would have bought them for they're no good to me... what do you think the odds are that LOR would swap all four of them for two CTB16PC's?

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George don't get too upset until you talk with LOR. I know Dan had planned to do a firmware version that included these. As I noted above, my firmware is quite old, and the only way to replace firmware on my version at least is to replace the entire pic (it's socketed, so it's not hard, but obviously harder than downloading like you do on other controllers)

I'm sure LOR will return your controllers, especially if they're unused. You're right - they do make great "filler" controllers - that's one reason I like them.

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I was going to say...my controller does all the lighting effects (even the new ones). It's JUST like any other controller...but can't do standalone. Otherwise, don't be worried that it's inferior to any other LOR products because it's not.

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lkcubsrule wrote:

I was going to say...my controller does all the lighting effects (even the new ones).  It's JUST like any other controller...but can't do standalone.  Otherwise, don't be worried that it's inferior to any other LOR products because it's not. 


So do you run LED's on them?
That is my biggest concern.
Thanks,
Ron
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