Community : Document List - FBV MkI / MkII Controllers

The Complete Line 6 Pedal Compatibility FAQ

support@line6.com — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 21:18:50 GMT

Line 6 Floorboard:

ONLY Compatible with: AX212, 1st Generation POD/BassPOD (labeled "Pedal" above Cat 5 Connector"), 1st Generation of Spider (Red Faced) Flextone 1, Flextone II, Flextone HD.

http://line6.com/legacy/floorboard.html

FB4:

ONLY Compatible with: AX212, 1st Generation POD/BassPOD (labeled "Pedal" above Cat 5 Connector"), 1st Generation of Spider (Red Faced) Flextone 1, Flextone II, Flextone HD.

http://line6.com/legacy/fb4.html

FBV4:

Works With: Flextone™ III, Vetta™, Vetta™ II, HD147®, Douverb®, PODxt™, PODxt Pro™, Bass PODxt™, and Bass PODxt Pro™ Spider II, Spider III, Spider IV, POD XT,POD X3, POD X3 Pro, POD XT Pro.

Does NOT Work with: Ax212™, Flextone™ I, II or HD, POD™ 2.0, POD Pro™, Bass POD™, Bass POD Pro™ and

Spider 1

http://line6.com/legacy/fbv4.html

FBV or FBX Longboard:

http://line6.com/footcontrollers/fbv.html

Works With: Flextone™ III, Vetta™, Vetta™ II, HD147®, Douverb®, PODxt™, PODxt Pro™, Bass PODxt™,POD X3, POD X3 Pro,Bass PODxt Pro™ Spider II, Spider III.

NOT compatible with Ax212™, Flextone™ I, II or HD, POD® Pro, Bass POD®, Bass POD® Pro and 1st Generation (Red Faced) Spider™ Spider IV, Spider Valve, Spider Valve MKII, POD HD

**FBV is only compatible with POD 2.0 units with pedal jacks labelled "FBV Pedal." It is not compatible with older units which have pedal jacks labelled simply "Pedal."

*FBV is not compatible with Spider II 15 or Spider III 15.

FBV Express MK1(Does not have USB Port):

http://line6.com/footcontrollers/fbvexpress.html

Compatible With: Spider Valve, Spider Valve MKII, Spider II, Spider III, Spider IV, Flextone IIi, Vetta, Vetta II, HD147, POD 2.0, POD XT, POD XT Pro, POD X3, POD X3 Pro, Bass POD XT, LowDown, POD HD Desktop/HD Pro

NOT compatible with: Ax212™, Flextone™ I, II or HD, POD® Pro, Bass POD®, Bass POD® Pro and Spider 1

*FBV Express is not compatible with with Spider II 15 or Spider III 15.

**FBV Express is only compatible with POD 2.0 units with pedal jacks labelled "FBV Pedal." It is not compatible with older units which have pedal jacks labelled simply "Pedal."

FBV Shortboard MK1 (Does Not Have USB Port):

http://line6.com/footcontrollers/fbvshortboard.html

Compatible With: Spider Valve, Spider Valve MKII, Spider II, Spider III, Spider IV, Flextone III, Vetta, Vetta II, HD147, POD 2.0, POD XT, POD XT Pro, POD X3, POD X3 Pro, Bass POD XT, LowDown, POD HD

NOT compatible with: Ax212™, Flextone™ I, II or HD, POD® Pro, Bass POD®, Bass POD® Pro and Spider 1

*FBV Shortboard is not compatible with with Spider II 15 or Spider III 15.

**FBV Shortboard is only compatible with POD 2.0 units with pedal jacks labelled "FBV Pedal." It is not compatible with older units which have pedal jacks labelled simply "Pedal."

FBV2 (Does Not Have USB Port)

http://line6.com/footcontrollers/

Compatible With: Spider Valve, Spider Valve MKII, Spider II, Spider III, Spider IV, Flextone III, Vetta, Vetta II, HD147, POD 2.0, POD XT, POD XT Pro, POD X3, POD X3 Pro, Bass POD XT, LowDown,

NOT compatible with Ax212™, Flextone™ I, II or HD, POD® Pro, Bass POD®, Bass POD® Pro and Spider 1, POD HD Series

*FBV2 is not compatible with Spider II 15 or Spider III 15.

**FBV2 is only compatible with POD 2.0 units with pedal jacks labelled "FBV Pedal." It is not compatible with older units which have pedal jacks labelled simply "Pedal."

FBV Express MKII:

http://line6.com/footcontrollers/fbvexpressmkii.html

NOT compatible with: Ax212™, Flextone™ I, II or HD, POD® Pro, Bass POD®, Bass POD® Pro and Spider 1

*FBV Express MKII is not compatible with Spider II 15 or Spider III 15.

**FBV Express MKII is only compatible with POD 2.0 units with pedal jacks labelled "FBV Pedal." It is not compatible with older units which have pedal jacks labelled simply "Pedal."

FBV Shortboard MKII:

http://line6.com/footcontrollers/fbvshortboardmkii.html

NOT compatible with: Ax212™, Flextone™ I, II or HD, POD® Pro, Bass POD®, Bass POD® Pro and Spider 1

*FBV Shortboard MKII is not compatible with Spider II 15 or Spider III 15.

**FBV Shortboard MKII is only compatible with POD 2.0 units with pedal jacks labelled "FBV Pedal." It is not compatible with older units which have pedal jacks labelled simply "Pedal."

FBV MkII Control & POD HD Edit Crash On Startup (PC)

support@line6.com — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 09:18:26 GMT

Q: I'm on a Windows PC. Why does Line 6 FBV Control or POD HD Edit (300/400/500) programs "hang" at the logo screen and never go past this startup splash image?

A: Users who have "virtual MIDI Cable" software (a known example is: Hurchalla Maple: http://www.maplemidi.com/Maple_driver.html ) installed on their systems may experience a stalled state where the FBV Control or POD HD Edit program logo appears onscreen and the program remains "stuck" trying to load.

Please uninstall your virtual MIDI Cable software application and then try re-launching the FBV Control or POD HD Edit program.

If you need to have a virtual MIDI Cable program running on your system, please consider using LoopBe1: http://www.nerds.de/data/setuploopbe1.exe

or Bome's MIDI Translator Pro: http://www.bome.com/products/miditranslator

[Video Tutorial] How to Calibrate an FBV MkII Shortboard Pedal

support@line6.com — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 23:16:46 GMT

Please be sure to update your FBV Mk II at the following link prior to performing the calibration sequence.

FBV Mk II (Express and Shortboard) software update

support@line6.com — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:33:10 GMT

This document explains how to update your FBV Mk II (Express or Shortboard) controller using Line 6 Monkey. You will need to connect your FBV Mk II controller using a USB cable to your computer, then run the Line 6 Monkey application. If your software is out of date (or you want to reflash for trouble shooting purposes), you will want to update using the following directions.

Line 6 Monkey Installation and F.A.Q.USB Connectivity with Line 6 Devices

1) If Monkey asks you to register your gear, you can select “remind me later”.

2) Select the "flash memory" to highlight (in blue), then select "update selection".

3) Select "I Accept" for the software agreement and select “continue”.

4) Decide if you want to restore the factory defaults, then select your choice (if you are reloading software for trouble shooting, select "yes")

5) Select "yes" to continue to the update

6) wait for the flash memory to update and be installed, then select "OK"

7) When your unit has been sucessfully updated Line 6 Monkey will look like this:

FBV/Shortboard/Express/FBV2 (Mk I and II) Controller Series: Calibration and F.A.Q.s

support@line6.com — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 17:14:27 GMT

Q: Where can I find the manual for my Line 6 controller?

A: Instructions on how to use your FBV controller can be found in the back of your specific amplifier's user manual. See the link below.

user manual

Q: Which Line 6 controller works with which device?

A: Please see the chart for more information on which controller will function with each Line 6 device.

FBV compatibility chart

Q: How do I engage the Wah?

A: To engage the wah, simply press toe down on the foot pedal until it clicks over and you see the WAH light turn on. It takes a fair amount of pressure to get it to click over (if you get no results, try putting your entire weight on the toe position when you are standing). Over time this function will get easier.

Q: Is it possible to control MIDI devices using the Floorboard via my Line 6 unit? For example, when I change to a specific channel/bank on the Line 6 unit, is a corresponding MIDI Program Change message sent from the MIDI Out to my other MIDI device?

A: Yes, the Line 6 unit will send MIDI program change messages via it's MIDI out port when controlled by the floorboard.

Q: Where are the sounds stored on the FBV board?

A: The presets are always stored in the Line 6 unit, the FBV series only changes/controls the Line 6 device.

Data Cable FAQs

Q: What type of cables are used with the Line 6 controllers?

A: The Line 6 controllers use a standard CAT-5/6 cable with standard RJ-45 ends. These cables are very common in data connection and can be found in most local computer outlets. The FBV controllers ship with a black 25' cable included in the box.

Q: How long can the CAT-5/6 cable be before I have communication errors?

A: We have tested with cable lengths up to 50' with no problems.

Q: Can I use a "cross-over" CAT-5/6 cable with Line 6 gear?

A: You CANNOT use a "crossover" CAT-5 cable, as it may send voltage to unintended locations of your FBV Controller and damage the unit.

Q: I used a new data cable to connect my FBV series controller and I saw smoke?

A: It sounds as if you may have used a network "cross-over" cable, which has a different wiring configuration (but the same RJ-45 connection) as a standard CAT-5/6 cable. If this is the case, voltage that was intended to power the the pedal were routed to the wrong place, resulting in damage to the pedal. This FBV series controller will need to repaired/replaced.

Q: Can I use a CAT-5 data splitter from my Line 6 unit(s) to run multiple FBV controllers on stage (or run multiple Line 6 units from a single controller)?

A: No, The FBV controller was designed to work on its own with a single amplifier. If you feel this is a feature you would want to implement, please submit a feature request:

feature request

FBV Express F.A.Q.s

Q: Why doesn't the tuner feature work on my FBV Express?

A: The tuner feature on the FBV Express only works when used with amps or units that feature a built-in tuner. For example the Spider II HD75 has no built in tuner, therefore the tuner on the FBV Express is disabled.

Q: Can I access more than one bank of presets with my FBV EXPRESS?

A: No, the FBV Express will only access the A, B, C or D channels of whatever bank your unit is selected. For example, if your POD XT is sent to BANK 5, then you would be able to access and change between 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D.

FBV and Shortboard F.A.Q.s

Q: What is the difference between the FBV and the FBX controllers?

A: These two pedals are identical. The pedal was originally released as the "FBX" controller, but the name was changed soon after the release to the "FBV" controller.

Q: Are there any control functions on the FBV controller that will not work with all Line 6 devices?

A: The FBV controller was designed for use with the Line 6 Vetta. While the majority of the buttons (i.e. A B C D) will work correctly, some buttons (i.e. amp 1/2, stomp 2/ 3, tremolo, favorite channel) may or may not have a function on your Line 6 Spider, Flextone, PODxt, POD X3, etc. See the documentation and FAQs for more specification application information.

Q: I cannot see the patch name when editing my XT unit from my FBV (shortboard) controller?

A: You will be able to see the patch name in the view window of the XT device, but you will not see the changes in the FBV controller window.

External Expresion Pedal FAQs

Q: What type of pedal do I need to use for an optional expression pedal with my Line 6 controller?

A: The Line 6 EX-1 is the recommended expression pedal for additional control, and is connected to your Line 6 controller with a standard mono guitar cable. It utilizes a 10k Ohm pot.

Q: When using an EX-1 expression pedal with an FBV shortboard, can I re-assign the EX-1 to control something other than volume?

A: The Ex-1 expression pedal cannot be reassigned to a function other than controlling volume.

Q: What are the specs for the EX-1?

Line 6 Expression Pedal (EX-1) F.A.Q.s

FBV Mk II Questions

Q: What is the difference between the original FBV series and the Mk II series Express and Shortboard controllers?

A: The Mk II series Express and shortboards will control any device that could be controlled by the Mk I controller. See the following information for more specific physical changes:

- The Mk II units have a USB port that can be used to control Line 6 device or your Midi Controlable computer application.

- The Mk II shortboard viewscreen is 4 5/8"wide by 1/2" high, as compared to the 6" wide by 3/4" high viewscreen found on the Mk I shortboard.

- See the dimensions chart for other physical changes on the Mk II series:

Line 6 Product Dimensions

Q: I noticed there is no driver for the FBV Mk II controller for connecting by USB. How is the FBV Mk II series recognized by a computer?

A: The FBV Mk II series uses a class compliant driver that is already installed on your machine. Please see the following link if your machine is not recognizing the FBV Mk II controller:

USB Connectivity with Line 6 Devices

Here is a screen shot of what it will look like on your Windows machine:

Q: Can I use the Mk II series pedals as an interface to my "MIDI-only" amplifier (i.e. Axsys, Flextone, HD147, Vetta) to update via Line 6 Monkey or edit using Line 6 edit?

A: No, the Mk II device will not act as an interface for your "MIDI-only" device.

Q: Can I change the assignements of the FBV buttons on the my computer that control my Line 6 device?

A: The control assignments of the FBV mk II can be changed to whatever assignments you need on your computer, but the re-assigned buttons will not be recognized when connecting to a Line 6 device (the Line 6 device will only see the function(s) that were pre-determined).

Q: My FBV device is no longer functional after bringing my computer out of "sleep mode"?

A: This issue can be seen with many class-compliant driver devices. You can either turn off the "sleep mode" or restart your computer for the FBV Mk II unit to be recognized by your computer after coming out of sleep mode.

Calibration Procedures

Note: FBV Mk II controllers will need to have firware 1.10.0 or later installed for the calibration procedure, using Line 6 Monkey 1.31 or later. See the following link for more information on updating your firmware using Line 6 Monkey:

FBV Mk II (Express and Shortboard) software update

FBV Shortboard Mk. II: (Note: Before performing the calibration routine, please disconnect any expansion expression pedals IE: EX-1)

1) Hold the D button while connecting the CAT-5 cable on the FBV. The display will read “CALIBRATE PEDAL” until the D button is released, at which point it will read “1 PEDAL TOE”.

2) Press and hold the internal pedal toe-switch until the LCD changes to “2 PEDAL MIN”. This should occur instantly.

3) Set the heel to (minimum) position, press the D button. The LCD will change to “3 LCD MAX”.

4) Set the toe position (maximum) and press the D button. The LCD will change to “CHECK VALUE 127”.

5) Move the pedal and verify that the value reaches 0 in the minimum position and 127 in the maximum position.

6) Press D to exit

FBV Express Mk. II:

1) Hold D while powering on the FBV. Upon release, the pedal display will read “1”.

2) Press and hold the pedal toeswitch until the 7 segment display changes to “2”. This should occur instantly.

3) Set the heel to the heel (minimum) position, press the D button. The 7 segment display will change to “3”.

4) Set the toe position (maximum) and press the D button. The tuner LEDs above the 7 segment display will light.

5) Move the pedal and verify that the tuner LEDs sequentially turn off as the pedal moves to the minimum position, and refills when moved to the maximum position.

6) Press D to exit

FBV Express (Mk I):

1) Unplug the RJ45 cable from your FBV EXPRESS

2) Move the expression pedal all the way to the toe down position

3) Hold down the A and D switches

4) Plug in your RJ45 with the switches still depressed and hold this for 10 seconds (you will see the LED go blank)

5) Move the expression pedal to the heel position and then all the way forward to the toe.

6) Shift all of your weight to the toe position (you will want to stand up) until the WAH light switches on.

7) Wait 10 seconds and click back to VOL. Your FBV EXPRESS is now calibrated.

FBV Shortboard Calibration (Mk I)

1. Attach the CAT-5 cable from your Line 6 device to your FBV shortboard. Power on the Line 6 device. The FBV Shortboard LEDs should cycle and the display should read "LINE 6" with the backlight lit up.

2. Once the pedal is fully powered and showing the the preset from the Line 6 device, move the ONBOARD expression pedal to the center position, roughly halfway between the toe (maximum) and heel (minimum) position.

3. Press STOMP + DELAY + REVERB and hold for three seconds to begin calibration of the ONBOARD pedal.

4. Move the ONBOARD pedal to its MAXIMUM position (pedal all the way toe down) and press down hard enough to click the pedal's toe switch. You want need to stand up and put your fullweight on the pedal to ensure the pedal switches over you will hear a slight "click" sound. The second number grouping (from the left) in the display should read "127"

5. Move the ONBOARD pedal to its MINIMUM position and press down (pedal all the way heel down). The second number grouping (from the left) in the display should read "0".

**If you have an EXTERNAL pedal, hook it up to your FBV SHORTBOARD now and continue on to step six. If you do NOT have an external pedal, simply turn off your Line 6 device, you are done calibrating.

6. Move the EXTERNAL pedal to the center position, roughly halfway between the MAXIMUM and MINIMUM position.

7. Press BANK DOWN + STOMP + DELAY and hold for three seconds, to begin calibration of the EXTERNAL pedal.

8. Move the EXTERNAL pedal to its MAXIMUM position (pedal all the way toe down).

9. Move the EXTERNAL pedal to its MINIMUM position and press down (pedal all the way heel down).

10. Turn OFF your Line 6 device. You have just calibrated your EXTERNAL pedal.

FBV/FBX Pedal

1. Connect your FBX to your amp. The LEDs should cycle and the LCD should display "LINE 6" with the backlight lit.

2. Move both pedals to their center positions roughly halfway between the MAX and MIN position.

3. Press AMP1 + AMP2 + PITCHSHIFT/TREMOLO and hold for three seconds. This will reset the calibration values for the pedals to their default values.

4. Press AMP1 + AMP2 + DELAY and hold for three seconds. This will now display the pedal information for the LEFT pedal.

5. Move the LEFT pedal to its MAX position (pedal all the way toe down) and press down hard enough to actuate the pedal's toe switch. NOTE: You will only see 000 in the first column (AAA) until you click the toe switch down.

6. Move the LEFT pedal to its MIN position and press down (pedal all the way heel down).

7. Check the range on the MAX (number displayed on right hand side of the display) and MIN (number displayed second from right hand side of display) values to see that they are within spec (Pedal Testing section above).

8. Move the pedal to its MIN position. With the pedal just sitting there, check the number displayed in the second column (BBB). It should read 000. Press the pedal down at the heel position. This number should still read 000.

9. Press AMP1 + AMP2 + MODULATION and hold for three seconds. This will now display the pedal information for the RIGHT pedal.

10. Repeat steps 7 through 9 only for the RIGHT pedal.

FBV Series Trouble shooting procedures:

Calibrate the pedal (using the methods previously discussed).
Ensure that all washers/nuts/screws are seated correctly and tight.
Use a different CAT-5 cable to be sure the cable is functioning correctly.
Use a different Line 6 device to ensure the problem is not in the CAT-5 input of the Line 6 device.

If the unit is out of warranty: Open the bottom of the unit by removing the screws, and tighten the hex nut that holds the pedal to the chassis (the torque is 19 psi.)

If you have no success with the following trouble shooting, please take your controller to the nearest authorized service center using the link below"
Authorized Service Center