datacommando

Thank you, Sir, for your understanding in this matter (stock reply number 3075562) ;) . Although, for my part I have to state, this is an issue that has gone on far too long without a proper resolution, and now I am starting to realise that this is not the place to find one. I would have liked to use that great Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy quote: "Would it save you a lot of time if I just gave up and went mad now?" but, maybe not. Unless you have experienced this "Hell" it means nothing. I will wait for the imminent Firmware update that Digital_Igloo has stated should fix this weird enigma. If I find I'm not returned the audio ecstasy that I previously enjoyed, sadly Helix will have to be ditched! As a very, very long time Line 6 customer - that will not be a decision taken lightly, but if it comes to it... Flame off.

To a silverhead from a greybeard: Sir, which bit of this do you not understand? I have absolutely nothing to gain by lying. I'm simply stating the facts of my experience with this box of tricks. And, I have been using MIDI equipment since the very first keyboard to implement it - a Roland JX3P. Yeah, I really should get out more, but I'm currently spending my whole life trying to fix this black box. Well, I'm gonna have to check that out link for myself - audio to MIDI could be fun and way better than all that weird pickup stuff on the Roland Guitar Synths. FYI, I have tried the latest Line 6 Driver to no avail - fact is, it made everything worse! Once again, a driver issue doesn't explain why it worked perfectly and then stopped. Theoretically it should never have worked at all, and the comments from "silverhead" seem to indicate the same, but I do insist that it did work exactly as stated.

I just use the real thing - they don't cost a lot. It's simply some sort of handheld fancy electromagnetic gizmo, powered by a 9v battery.

That's fantastic, absolutely amazing! Ye Gods - where on earth did you find that little gem? I think I may require a large can of "Bull Sheet Repellent" for that one. It will be good when they can get any decent MIDI functionality between Helix and OSX. That may well have been the situation with the POD HD. I never bothered doing any MIDI stuff via my old HD500 as I was already rigged up using FireWire on my Focusrite. Although, I have to take issue with your statement - "Neither does Helix..." Er..., excuse me - yes it does. Or at least, mine did! I don't know how many times I have to say that before it eventually sinks in! BUT, let me restate this one more time for the general info of everyone on this Helix forum who has missed it, or failed to comprehend my dilemma regarding Helix MIDI implementation. From late November '15 to early March '16My Helix worked perfectly while connected by USB to my iMac 5K Retina 27" running El Cap. A controller keyboard was coupled to the MIDI in DIN of Helix and all MIDI messages were recorded straight into Logic Pro X, Portamento, Aftertouch, Pitchbend - and please note: that was everything! I did not dream this - trust me it's the truth. Now the MIDI is screwed and audio is only available on Channel 1 & 2. In the style of the famous 'Monty Python Dead Parrot" sketch, I say - It simply stopped working, ceased to be, expired, ended, finished - it's an ex-Helix, etc. And the thing is - not one contributor to this message board, newby, Uber Guru or Line 6 Product manager has come up with even the vaguest reason why! A support ticket elicits a "level 1" response along the lines of RTFM. Just got to hope that the next Firmware upgrade fixes it - otherwise, I may drag it out in the yard and pop a couple of rounds through it!

Hi klangmaler, I understand what you are telling people who have certain issues, that they should report the faults through that bug-report channel, although sadly and from my personal experience, that doesn't always work - no matter how detailed the description. I have been kicking up a fuss all over this forum for the past 6 weeks, complaining and starting threads about various issues with Mac USB and MIDI faults. I have tried every "fix it" trick that I know (quite a few). I even took out a support ticket. Result? Not that much - but, eventually Digital_Igloo (a Line6 product manger) did reply to a comment, when he advised me to install the Beta version of the OS X USB Driver. Sadly this made no difference to my problem. Since then "DI" has further informed me that the next Firmware update should fix my ongoing MIDI problems. Let us hope that is correct, but since having a Helix working perfectly from November until early March, no one on this forum, or from Line 6, has been able to offer any, or even vaguely, convincing explanation as to why it no longer functions as it should. Which is surprising, because it did straight out of the box. Let's face it nobody on here has even the slightest clue! If, and when, I install this predicted firmware fix, and if it doesn't work - that's it - the box is being returned as not fit for purpose! Flame off! Now I'm really depressed!

Ye gods - and I thought I had problems! Damn, that's some weirdness - voodoo if ya ask me! Stick in a support ticket and let us know how it pans out. That sure is strange, even though we all know the whole thing is really is a big box of magical tricks put together from alien technology! Maybe Carol Anne is on the inside, putting her hands on the screen and saying "They're here" We need to know, that's for sure.

Yay! Coolio! You've made a happy man very old! ...(or something like that)

soundog, The active sense thing definitely seems to be doing something in there: as I had previously detailed from my Midi Monitor record way back in this thread, at the beginning of April, I got this – 16:09:01.242 From HELIX Note Off 16 D3 0 16:09:01.243 From HELIX Note Off 16 G♯2 0 16:09:01.244 From HELIX Note Off 16 A♯7 0 16:09:01.324 From HELIX Active Sense 16:09:01.624 From HELIX Active Sense 16:09:01.925 From HELIX Active Sense Yep! that really is an active sense message approx every 300ms - except I could only pick that out of the stream coming from MIDI Thru? Active Sense messages would stop as soon as I turned off the MIDI Thru option - very strange! Let's hope that Digi_gloo is correct about the next Firmware Upgrade putting an end to this very odd problem. Now I just need to fix the screw up with the audio only happening as fully processed on Channels 1 & 2, no re-amp options whatever!

Sorry about dragging out this thread, DI, but I guess I had to just throw in the extra comment because you mentioned these real heroes. Do you actually think that Mr "Sequential Circuits" Dave S and "Sensi", Ikutaro Kakehashi San (梯 éƒå¤ªéƒŽ) would tolerate with this unsolved MIDI stuff. I don't think so! ã‚ã‚ŠãŒã¨ã†ã”ã–ã„ã¾ã—ãŸ

Let's hope that the confirmation will be sooner, rather than later - then I can get back to recording instead of typing this stuff every day!

DI. Damn, I hope those 5 years weren't during the period when a certain firmware upgrade for the Roland GR33 Git Synth totally fritzed a whole bunch of 'em. I shall just have to hope that you were the "guardian angel techie" who slipped out the engineers "factory default" disk images containing the MIDI files that enabled some of us end users, all around the world, to fix it. Of course Roland denied such a software fault had ever existed. They insisted the main board needed a replacement at 3 times the price I had paid for my pre-owned unit, even though there was no actual hardware fault. (I've still got the email audit trail on that one) - good fun eh? The usual run around - got to be expected really. So, regarding the new Mac driver with 10.11.4 - for my part - sorry, but it didn't work for me. Fact is, it made everything worse, so I removed it - you can find comments in my various rants regarding this, especially on the thread which you started:- http://line6.com/support/topic/19809-helix-mac-driver-100-public-beta-now-available/ Not only was I minus MIDI but the Helix audio is now no longer able to create and re-amp a dry signal - I can only get fully processed audio on chl 1 and 2. Various DAWs were used to test eg: Logic Pro X, Pro Tools First, Reaper and of course the real no brainer - GarageBand. I was going to check out Ableton Live and Reason but was so depressed I couldn't face even more disappointment. Ye Gods - this thing worked right out of the box, recording all required MIDI info and multi-channel audio, for 4 months and now - nothing! With the month of May fast approaching, I'm seriously considering sending this unit back to the retailer for a replacement, and let them chase Line 6 for a fix. Does no-one listen? The new driver does not work in my instance! Now hear my screams! This lemon needs to be fixed. Tell me I have a rogue unit!

Hi Digital_Igloo, Hmmm, active sensing? Well that's interesting. As I understood it, Roland, implemented Active Sense as some sort of low level self checking "safety" feature and that the "Hey, I'm still here!" thing, along with certain SysEx data dump requests, is what some old greybeards, like me, sometimes used to refer to as MIDI handshake. Although, I think the handshake thing has a sightly different interpretation nowadays. You can check your stuff for active sensing using the old school trick of unplugging the MIDI cable while holding down a note on your master keyboard. If the slave unit stops making a sound, you have active sensing, if it carries on playing/droning – then you don't – simply hit the panic button, and that will kill the stuck notes. As, noted – in one of my previous posts, above – I found that the MIDI Monitor software detected, that as soon as Helix stopped sending the note on/off messages, it looks like some sort of constant handshake thing was happening - until you switch off the MIDI thru and then the "From HELIX Active Sense" messages stop - instantly! Only happening on MIDI Thru? O.K. you have stated that the next Firmware should fix these MIDI problems - yay, that would be fantastic, but it still does not explain why I was able to use my Helix to record MIDI absolutely perfectly from November 2015 up to early March 2016, when it simply just stopped. I had the full thing, aftertouch, pitchbend, portamento, whatever. Guess what, I figured a way to fix how to record MIDI by simply buying a $5 (less than £3:50) Chinese MIDI to USB cable that takes Helix out of the equation. Furthermore, much as I appreciate your comments above, it goes no way to explain why I now no longer have the ability to record audio into a DAW, other than on channels 1 and 2 complete with all effects. I'd like some sort of "active sense" that could show me where everything else went. For 6 weeks I've not been able to use this thing as it has been claimed it can be used - for recording! I now have a very lovely black metal brick! And still no reply from my support ticket! Yep - not very funny! HHHHHHHEEEEEELLLLLLLPPPPPPPP ME!

Just a thought, that maybe worth a shot in the dark. How about creating a Pro Tools Aggregate I/O device which includes the Helix - see if Pro Tools can see it then! Oh, yeah – if ya ain't already done it – always worth giving the Mac a reboot!

Hi bloozach, Although there are many others on this forum who are having various issues with El Cap OS X and Helix over USB, I'm a little confused about the exact nature of your problem, so maybe some further info would help figure it out. Did your Helix function correctly previously, or is this an issue with it straight out of the box. You state that you managed to update the Firmware – (but not which version?). That seems to indicate that you did manage to achieve a 2 way connection between your MBP and Helix - so that worked fine! Now, I'm guessing that you did that via the "Line 6 Updater" app and at the same time got the D/L of the Beta Helix Editor app. During the many fun filled hours I have spent trying to solve the problems with the USB on my Helix and iMac another thing which I noticed was the Helix Editor did not want to play nice, or sometimes would not launch at all, if the Updater software is still open. Don't know if that's a thing you have been experiencing? Seems, as if for some strange reason, the Helix only wants to connect to one application at a time. Also, did you get and install the Beta version of the Helix USB Driver? I ask because I tried the new driver and, in my case, it just made everything worse, so I removed it. Does your USB audio work properly, i.e., no pops, crackles or odd distortion? Have you been able to successfully record/re-amp audio through the DAW of your choice? I'm asking all this as it may help to clarify if this is a problem on your set-up with El Cap, or the Helix. Regards

Hi ricksteruk, Interesting concept, but I would really be impressed if Line 6 could get the USB audio MIDI to function correctly on OSX. Think about those the possibilities... Wonder if DI will vote for that? He shifted my Ideascale request for the dedicated Mac USB driver from "in review" to "in progress" in a few short hours. Wow, joy and happiness. Trouble is - as far as I'm concerned, it was a major fail. Didn't work! And we have had no more notice of progress or intentions to rectify the issues via this forum. So, cool idea - just don't hold your breath! Line 6 need to get the base functions up to speed before drifting off on other pipe dreams. Just my opinion, but a fix for the USB problem - "This would make Helix's routing even more powerful"!

Spikey, Deep sixing a PC is possibly the best thing to do with it! ;) (another feeble attempt at humor)

Hi musicimpossible, Let's just hope that your "musicimpossible" handle does not come true. There is a caveat to all of this following info, which is: Proceed at your own risk! O.K. straight out of the box, the theory is that nothing needs setting up. You should connect the Helix to the mains power, some sort of amp/speakers setup on the 1/4" or XLR outs from the rear panel of the Helix so you can hear the thing - (at a pinch you could use a set of headphones) - and then the USB cable from Helix into a spare USB slot on the iMac - note: do NOT use a hub. Continuing with the the theory, now power everything up - then from your iMac Finder "Go" menu item select the "Utilities"option and navigate to and launch Audio MIDI Setup. Now, along with the various 'Built-in' options, you should also see your Helix, sporting 8 channels available. Select your Helix and make it the default "In/Out" device. That's it. Simple - no drivers, nothing else needed - it should just work. Check by playing back a track from iTunes, YouTube or whatever and the pristine audio should come tumbling out of your speakers - Faultless! Yep, faultless. Well, I must say it was that way for me, right from back in November until the early part of March when It just stopped - for no apparent reason. I have since been advised via this Forum that Line 6 were in the process of writing a dedicated USB audio driver to solve all the issues with Helix and Mac OSX El Cap. I was delighted to download and install the Beta version of the driver only to find, to my horror - in my case, it simply made the whole thing worse - Logic Pro X was recording processed audio only on channel 1&2, no more dry signal for re-amping, so I removed it. I am still waiting for a response from Tech Support after raising a ticket on this issue. The initial reply from a Level 1 techie, was basically - read the manual. Yeah, right! You can read more of my feeling regarding these USB/MIDI faults here: http://line6.com/support/topic/19463-bizarre-audio-midi-fault-its-driving-me-nuts/ http://line6.com/support/topic/19809-helix-mac-driver-100-public-beta-now-available/ This will either be me wishing you "Good luck and enjoy your new toy", or saying "Welcome to Hell" Hope this helps.

Hi BobTheDog, Thanks for that. Yep, I think you're correct – I guess I simply got the "Level 1" tech support, "please read the documentation that came with your equipment" thing. That's a little annoying, although putting in an initial support ticket is limited to the amount of allowable input characters (bit like Twitter) so it makes it difficult to relay a problem that is, say, a little more –"out of the ordinary". I replied to the above missive, requesting that my "issue/problem" be passed to someone who may have a little more experience in solving these types of extraordinary digital weirdness (got to be Level 3 or 4, easy). I further suggested that a quick trawl of my constant "ranting" posts on this forum would reveal more than enough background to this, and all the helpful possible solutions that have already been suggested and tried (and failed), so we don't have to keep going over the same old tired stuff, time, and time again. As Sherlock supposedly said "When you have eliminated the impossible whatever remains however improbable must be the truth". O.K. – so, as with all the X Files – "the answer is out there"! Hi, Ho Silver - Go get 'em, Line 6! Find me an explanation and solution! Sooooooooooon.

I do not believe the response I just got from Line 6 Tech Support after raising a ticket about my problems with this stuff. The ticket had been marked as "Assumed Answered", but it's very poor and can be effectively summed up as: Hi,works in Cubase, Reason here as expected (didn't try the other DAWs but if the channels are there it should work) of course the apps need to support assignment of separate output busses per track as described on page 45-46 of the manualmake sure to adjust the global-settings according to the manual(Global-Settings, Ins/Outs, select the input device you're using, if you're using a Variax via VDI-In"guitar" won't work, easy to oversee )and select the 2nd patch correctly (eg USB 3/4) for reamping, not Return 3/4 by accidentdepending on the assigned ports in the DAWwhat do you mean with : I still have no MIDI communication via DIN to USByou must activate "MIDI over USB" in GlobalSettings/MIDI-Tempo to have MIDI data also via USBcheck it via a MIDI Monitor and switch between two patches, you should receive MSB/LSB/PrgChg with settings ON via USB on the Mac and nothing on "OFF"you can use MIDI or USB for I/O but Helix has no MIDI patchbay functions to patch MIDI data between the portsBest regards Looks like I've essentially been told to go away and RTFM! Most helpful? I don't think so! Let's see what happens now when they get my reply!

Hi silverhead, The support ticket has been raised. I will wait to see how it progresses. Hi TexLefty65, Glad to hear that you have had success with the new driver, but for me it just got a whole lot worse. This is madness - when I got the Helix last November, I hooked it up to the iMac and straight out of the box, everything worked - no drivers needed! Yay! All the intervening upgrades to OSX and Helix FW were applied with absolutely no issues. Then at the beginning of March the MIDI functionality ceased and audio distortion started to creep into the picture - all for no apparent reason. As noted in some of my previous rants on this forum connecting up Helix to my old iMac caused the same problems on there! Anyhow the ticket has gone in now - I just want it fixed so I can get on with my life instead of having to type out all this stuff.

Oops! Sorry that your MIDI has also gone – one of the perils of testing. I guess I should have put a "don't try this at home, kids" warning on there. Anyhow, my audio is behaving just fine from iTunes, YouTube, DVD and whatever else - it's the DAW recording end of it that is totally screwed. As requested and FYI, re: LPX – after installing the new driver, when Logic is opened it brings up a dialogue box stating the previous interface is missing. So, when you open an existing, or new project you must change the audio device from (Helix Audio) to the new Line 6 Helix option. The brackets indicate the other device is not available - see original post above by Digital_Igloo. From that info, I think you can guess that – Nope, I'm not using the "System Setting" option. Furthermore, if I now create a new stereo audio input on Ch 1&2 with another new mono audio in on Ch7. Arm all inputs to record, the VU meters show activity on 1&2 but 7 simply flat lines - nothing happening. Re-test by switching inputs to 3&4, then 5&6 and all other combinations - again nothing - no VU readings, total silence. So the situation is, I can now only record the fully processed Helix stereo out. Same thing in ProTools and, well, GarageBand is just too simple to get wrong! At one stage, I was stepping through all the in and out options in LPX and Helix, when I inadvertently had both ends set on channel 8 - Wow, what amazing digital feedback. Luckily, I had the volume low enough for the howl round not to blow my monitors. Good job I wasn't wearing "cans" either. Weird, but it only happened on channel 8 and I don't fancy repeating the experience. IIRC, I believe I saw another thread on here, somewhere, where someone was now having similar issues - only they were using Wondoze 10! Damn, whatever next? So, nothing works like it is shown on the nice diagram in the user manual, other than stereo in and out. All other channels and MIDI over USB are vapour! Now, I really am starting to despair!

Hi BobTheDog, Good idea. Thanks for asking, that's the first thing that I would have considered asking and or checking out too, although I think it maybe a fault in the hardware of the box So, let me just say I only had time to check this out on the usual suspects (in the world of Mac OSX) i.e., Logic Pro X, GarageBand and Pro Tools First. I was going to try with Reaper, but sadly I was so depressed I couldn't be bothered and I just gave up! I've switched back to my previous set up, (not that it helped) as I'm now starting to think that this not/or has ever been a software issue, but that it could possibly be a dodgey component in the USB/MIDI section of the board inside the black box of alien science. My head is really starting to hurt now - but the doctors have said I will not get the voices of the clowns telling me to kill again! ;) Well – not just yet! :) AAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRGGGGGGG!

O.K. Helix/Mac User folks, I'm still here and still ranting. I've got an extra item that I would like to add to the "Know Issues" bullet points above. • I'm not entirely sure why, but it doesn't appear to work for me! Fact – it’s worse! Sure – it now shows available sample rates from 44.1 to 96KHz, but what happened to everything else. I still have no MIDI communication via DIN to USB and now I find that it’s only possible to record Helix into the DAW on channels 1 and 2. That means a “wet†signal from the Helix of whatever amp and effects are in the patch. ARRRRRGGGGGG! Also, why do the Helix inputs/output now show up as 4 pairs of Streams? What is that all about? Apple System Info shows 8 functional Audio Channels: Line 6 Helix: Default Input Device: Yes Default Output Device: Yes Default System Output Device: Yes Input Channels: 8 Manufacturer: Line 6 Output Channels: 8 Current SampleRate: 44100 Transport: USB and USB as: HELIX : Product ID: 0x4241 Vendor ID: 0x0e41 Version: 2.00 Serial Number: 2582638 Speed: Up to 480 Mb/sec Manufacturer: LINE 6 Location ID: 0x14100000 / 2 Current Available (mA): 1000 Current Required (mA): 100 Extra Operating Current (mA): 0 So, why can I now only record 2 channels with effects - where has the re-amping capabilities gone? When I discovered this I decided to remove the new driver and revert to the previous Core Audio version, (people need to have Core Audio in order to run all those fancy plug-ins). Even then there is still no available audio in other than paths 1 & 2. This is complete madness. As for the promo statement on the cheat sheet: USB Helix can act as an 8-in/8-out 24-bit/96kHz audio interface for recording to Macs and PCs; reamping and MIDI are provided. Well not on mine. It gave up on MIDI over 5 weeks ago and now I seem to have lost any decent recording capability. Damn this thing - it works great - if you don’t want to hook up to a computer, record and re-amp!

That's an amazing little box of tricks, but an additional expense to solve a problem that you really should not have. Seems that you're not alone with the MIDI implementation on the Helix and a "control everything" senario. Check out this other thread about more MIDI usability issues, here: http://line6.com/support/topic/19754-helix-not-as-good-as-hd500-for-midi-control-close-to-unusable/ Hope you are not encountering these clock problems too. ;)

Mike, Dammit, you are correct - and that quote from the blurb is the exact same one that I used, to prove Helix is a controller, in a similar discussion in another thread - DOH! I'm a real idiot. So, having re-read the manual (again), I sort of see your dilemma. No mention of Pitch Bend via MIDI. Is it not possible to achieve what you need by using the expression pedal MIDI CC set with a Min Value and Max Value? I have used this technique on a Variax with the tone knob mapped to and controlling the feedback amount into one of the delay models. A continuously variable effect. Although, what parameter would you need it to change? Mapping to a pitch shifter model, maybe? Dunno. Regarding your other thread question about a MIDI hold function momentary button, in the manual on Page 38, the Note on/off section that says "sustains only when the switch is held". Is that function not available through Command Center? I've never really checked that stuff out. if it's not there, it needs to be fixed. Maybe, stick in a request for these items on the Ideascale page. I'm probably looking down the wrong end of the telescope and totally wrong - once again!