Wait or not to wait?

[Avetwithptsd]

I have decided to go with Cobra bc I like their event planner and other functions over ignite.

Now the question is did I wait until Black Friday to buy or buy it now?

I am just a backyard shooter and don’t plan on shooting anything until I get this unit. No rush in other words. So I am not sure how much of a delay they get with the Black Friday sale.

Also 72M or 32m to get with the starter pack?

Any word on when the 18R3 comes out? I think I read somewhere it is going to cost more but when you add in the audio box I plan on getting it will add up and might be worth waiting for the 18R3 since I heard it will have the audio box built in. Thoughts?

[KDirk]

If no rush, then by all means wait until the Black Friday sale. As stated previously, if you can justify the cost of the 72M, go with that and bundle it with a starter kit for the additional savings. Also, I recommend against onboard cues. Instead, get modules with DB25 outputs and use slats to connect your igniters. This let's you place the module further from the "action" and lessens the chances of damaging it due to sparks, flame, etc. coming in close contact with it. I also don't recommend going with Centronics 50 pin type cabling, it is more costly, and the connectors are a little easier to damage. DB25 gives one the greatest flexibility, and is compatible with a very wide range of slats (both Genuine Cobra, and aftermarket types that are readily available.

I know of at least one person who burned a couple of 18M's completely to the ground (no recognizable portions of it remained, was all melted and burned up) because they were too close to large cakes that ignited the plastic and started a raging fire. The plastic content of the Cobra modules will burn quite well with a sufficient source of ignition.

No price has been announced yet for the 18R3, but I suspect it's going to be quite a bit more expensive than the current 18R2. As awesome as the 18R3 looks, it is probably overkill for anyone not using it professionally on a constant basis, and that segment of the market is precisely why Cobra developed the 18R3, based on feedback from big pyro operators.

[Avetwithptsd]

KDirk

Thanks for the advice. Now I need to figure out how to use slats. I am new at this. So YouTube here I come.

[KDirk]

No problem. The learning curve on this stuff isn't too bad, of course I'm a tech minded sort from way back, so took to it quickly. Slats are great because they allow you to remotely locate your expensive modules safely away from pyro that is being shot, reduces physical wear and tear on the module connections (because you are wiring the igniters to the spring terminals on the slats, and a slat is a lot easier and cheaper to replace if it gets messed up, than having to tear down and replace a cue strip in a Cobra module).

Another nice thing about slats is that most DB25 equipped types not only allow a full bank of 18 cues on one cable (and one slat) but also have pass through connectors on the opposite end, so you can daisy chain more than one slat together with DB25 cables to fire more than one slat concurrently off the same channel/bank. This stretches your cues further (but you have to observe the firing power limit/wiring distance per cue of the Cobra module, of course) because now you can double or triple up the number of items fired at once from a single cue.

This is especially helpful if you want to spread your firing field out some distance to have a "left and right" set of shells, cakes (or whatever) to light up a larger portion of the sky instead of having everything concentrated in one spot, right up the middle so to speak. I've done this in my last couple of shows and it makes a huge difference in how "big" the show is perceived.

Of course, you can also set multiple modules to the same channel/bank assignments and achieve this same effect, but this requires more modules and effectively reduces the number of discrete cues you can then fire. I've done this too, where the distance between modules I wanted to fire in sync (typically during a finale) was too far apart to be practical with a direct link by DB25 cable.

I usually use my 18M's for this, as I chain fuse a whole lot (usually 250+) of canister shells together in custom built 30 and 50 tube racks, and generally use one cue per rack, with a few cues set aside for firing big cakes during the finale. But, you will find there are any number of ways you can approach this. Once you are familiar with the intracacies of the Cobra hardware, it is easier to envision how this all works together for physically wiring up your shoot site with multiple modules, slats and associated cabling.

[Avetwithptsd]

I got it now. I was going to ask why not just put a fire blanket over the expensive stuff. But you answered that question with the wear and tear part.

Why 18s over any other ques?

Quick plug? Mini or regular? And why?

Hope you don’t mind all the questions.

[KDirk]

I have stayed with regular spring terminals type slat, and bare wire end initiators. I have one 18M that has both quick plugs on cues 1-12, and mini spring connectors on 13-18 (along with a DB25 out for all 18 cues on external slats) but that was a custom job facilitated by a buddy of mine who does top notch custom PCB work, and is not an option Cobra sells themselves. The rest of my modules are strictly DB25 outputs (36M has 2 connectors, 72M has 4, as each bank of 18 cues requires it's own DB25 out, and the module can be configured as to bank and channel assignments).

I have mostly mini 18 spring connector slats in parallel configuration, as well as a a few genuine Cobra serial slats, these require terminators at the outgoing DB25). Also have a couple of full sized parallel 18 cue slats. Same buddy of mine who made the custom cue strip PCBs for my 18M (he had made these originally for his own use, and had a couple of extra sets) made these really nice 36 cue slats built into a Seahorse case (same size as the modules fit in) that has 2 DB25 inputs and 2 outputs (for daisy chaining to other slats). These are slick, as they are self contained and can handle 36 cues across 2 channels/banks in one handy enclosure. I use them mostly for cakes. For canister shells, I mount slats directly to the side of my mortar racks.

I haven't really taken to quickplugs. I know some swear by them, but they not only cost more for the initiators with the plugs, but the sockets on the slats (or onboard module cues) can be fairly easily damaged when tearing down post show, if you have helpers who yank the spent initiator wires out of the sockets. I get the convenience of quick plugs, but I see the downside as likely increased repair and maintenance needs. I also try to minimize the amount of waste from a show, so I make a real effort to eliminate plastic debris that may end up scattered around the shoot sight. To that end, I haven't used quick plugs, and any canister shells I buy that have plastic cap plugs on the top end have them removed before loading into racks. Gotta figure the mess of many hundreds of those little plastic discs scattered all over the place really isn't very responsible. Since I'm usually shooting on someone else's property, I strive to be courteous. All of that also lessens my burden for post shoot cleanup a bit. Non plastic bits are all pretty well biodegradable (paper, chipboard, clay filler) so if any get missed on cleanup, it isn't creating a huge long term problem.

[Avetwithptsd]

Which do you prefer? Talon? MJG? Or ematch?

[BMoore]

If not in a hurry, wait until Black Friday. They usually ship fairly quickly. They know a lot of us shoot NYE and seem to try to get the Black Friday orders shipped out in time for that at the latest.

The most versatile module is the 18M. Just starting out that’s what I’d go with. 36M and 72M work best for shells where you have a lot of shots in one spot. I avoided slats for a long time being of the opinion that plugging in cables was counter to the idea of a wireless system. When I got my 72M I invested in slats just to help organize all the wires, but the concept of using slats is growing on me. It’s not a one size fits all. Sometimes I’ll use an 18M, sometimes I’ll run a slat and cable. As you grow, you’ll develop a “toolbox” of equipment that adds to the flexibility of the system. Quickplugs are a massive timesaver if you are a one man show or have inexperienced helpers. The initiators or e-match are more expensive so you have to analyze the cost/benefit. Personally, the only way I would use speaker terminals is if I were shooting professionally where the employer was supplying wire, or if I was shooting frequent last minute shows where I had to use whatever wire I could get my hands on.

As far as the 18R3, there isn’t much information just yet. Maybe we’ll know more before Black Friday. Initial feedback is that it will be geared more towards professional display companies while the 18R2 will remain and continue to be supported/upgraded for the average customer.

[Avetwithptsd]

Thanks. For the input.

I just like the display of the R3. I know as a backyard shooter I don’t need it.

[KDirk]

I use both MJG initiators, and some talons yet. If something is timing critical, I will "poke" it (cake or canister) and insert a MJG. For less critical timing items (if I can just let the fuse burn off) on things like cakes, I'll use Talons.