datacommando

Hi, After you complete the restore from back up, you will notice that the next time you restart the hardware, it will run the “Rebuilding Presets” routine. This is perfectly normal as it ensures that all you older presets are optimised for use in the new firmware. Also, any time you install a preset created with an earlier version of the firmware (e.g. your backup files, a preset downloaded from CustomTone, etc.), the Rebuilding Presets function will run again after the next restart - this is an expected housekeeping routine for the unit. Hope this helps/makes sense.

Hi, Thanks for the clarification, about your situation, and I’m glad you have found that reverting to the previous firmware seems to fixed the issue of “freezing”. Not ideal, but at least it is functioning. It seems to be very odd that you actually managed to install 3.6, but would lock up after a short time. Did this happen while being disconnected from your MBP or was it still on the USB? It appears to me that there is some sort of mysterious voodoo involved with USB and firmware update glitches. As for your Helix being “quite old” - I don’t think that is the real problem. I have and my Helix since 2015 and it is in use in my studio for several hours almost every day. I’ve lways managed to keep up to the latest firmware revision. Hope this helps/makes sense.

Hi, That’s because you are trying to import files designed to be used in dual processor devices into your HX Stomp. The presets here are specifically for use with HELIX, HELIX LT & HELIX RACK. If you want to check out the presets for your Stomp, ensure you have a backup of all your stuff (this should have been done prior to updating the firmware), then restart your HX Stomp whist holding down footswitches 2&3. This will load the new presets for you to check out, play around with, save or whatever. Then whenever you wish you can simply reload your own saved presets from your backup bundle. Hope this helps/makes sense.

Hi, Glad to know that you have managed to update your Helix Rack successfully - finally! Apologies, yes, the safe boot/update encoders 1&6 are correct, exactly as stated at helixhelp.com - I will edit my instructions. Re: Factory Reset - From the Release Notes for v3.6 Firmware: Perform a factory reset. IMPORTANT! MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A BACKUP FIRST, AS A FACTORY RESET WILL ERASE ALL YOUR WORK! Helix Floor/LT: While holding footswitches 9 & 10 (bottom row, 2 middle switches), turn on Helix Floor/LT Helix Rack: While holding knobs 5 & 6 (2 furthest right knobs below the screen), turn on Helix Rack HX Effects: While holding footswitches 6 & TAP (2 farthest right switches on the bottom row), turn on HX Effects HX Stomp: While holding footswitches 2 & 3, turn on HX Stomp HX Stomp XL: While holding footswitches C & D, turn on HX Stomp OPTIONAL: Performing a factory reset loads the new 3.60 Factory Presets, but restoring from your backup will overwrite these. Spend some time exploring these and export the factory presets you want to keep (or drag them to your desktop). If you have unused setlists in Helix Floor/Rack/LT, you can also export the entire FACTORY 1 bundle for loading into an unused setlist later. From the top File menu, select Restore From Backup... If you don't have any important presets in Setlist 1, click the disclosure triangle next to Presets and uncheck the first setlist's box; this will retain 3.60's FACTORY 1 setlist. Select the backup file created in Step 1 and click Restore Backup. Hope this helps/makes sense. Note: In a similar thread on here, it was suggested that anyone having an issue with trying update using HX Edit, should raise a ticket with Customer Support reporting details of the error. There is a possibility that this may be a bug in the update routine, and the more people who can report this, then the more chance of a fix. My ticket is already in listing the Unknown Error [code - 2004] specifically.

Done.

Hi, Five hours is an extraordinary length of time to run the update. There is definitely something not right for it to take such a long time. You didn’t say if this was while you are still connected to the internet, because it appears to me that the File Transfer Protocol is flakey, and that is why HX Edit puts up the error message. Here is the way I did the update on my Helix floor in local/offline mode. I have swapped all references to Helix to Helix Rack. First - remove all prior installations of Line 6 HX Edit - on a Mac ensure there are no aliases pointing back to an earlier version. Now go to the "DOWNLOADS" menu at the top of this page and from "- Choose Hardware -" select Helix Rack, then under "- Choose Software -" select HX Edit, now select your PC/Mac OS from under the "- Choose OS -" tab, then click “Go”. From the next page you can select HX Edit 3.6 for your Helix Rack, repeat the download procedure for the Firmware v.3.6 Flash Memory, and the Line 6 Updater version 1.27. Download all these items to your computer and note where they are. Unplug the USB cable from both your computer and the Helix Rack, then turn the HX Rack off, and then on again while holding in Encoders 1&6 while turning the power on. This will put your Rack into “Safe Boot” mode, at this point you may see a black, or error screen, but just keep going. Ensure that HX Edit is closed and reconnect you Helix Rack to your computer with a known good USB cable - do not use a hub, some front USB ports on PCs act like a hub, so use one of the ports on the back. Ensure you are disconnected from the internet, also Shut down all Line 6 software or any programs that use audio, like DAWs, iTunes, Spotify, video games, etc. If your computer's sleep timer is set relatively short, disable it, as the update can fail if your computer goes to sleep. Make sure external devices are not currently sending MIDI to Helix/HX. If you're unsure, unplug Helix/HX's MIDI IN port. Now launch the Updater Utility that you downloaded earlier, and then select "Offline Mode". Your Helix and current firmware version should now show up in the window, click on the dark green coloured band and you should now have the option to select a local file - click “Choose File”, point it at the Flash Memory file you downloaded and let it get on with the update. If you are updating from a firmware version prior to v.2.80 the installation may appear to happen twice - this is normal as the Core operating system is being modified. When it completes, you need to perform a factory reset on your Helix Rack, then you can install the new HX Edit v.3.6 software, perform a restore from backup using the file you created before starting the failed update,and you should be good to go. Please note: After you complete the restore from back up, you will notice that the next time you restart the hardware, it will run the “Rebuilding Presets” routine. This is perfectly normal as it ensures that all you older presets are optimised for use in the new firmware. Also, any time you install a preset created with an earlier version of the firmware (e.g. a preset downloaded from CustomTone, etc.), the Rebuilding Presets function will run again after the next restart - this is an expected housekeeping routine for the unit. No guarantees are given or implied, you do this at your own risk. If it doesn’t work, raise a ticket with Customer Support - you may have a hardware issue that cannot be resolved by anyone in this user forum. Hope this helps/makes sense.

Hi, It’s like using the “get out of jail free” card. All the elements that are in the payload bundle of the Firmware Update can be downloaded as separate files. It is usually used as a last resort for a failed firmware update. In fact Line 6 has the basic instructions listed here in the “Knowledge Base” area of this forum - (see link below). I, amongst several other regular users of this forum, have developed an instinct for how to deal with some general weirdness that can surface during the course of flashing the Helix firmware. What we haven’t been able to fix is user error. AFAIK, you didn’t encounter “user error”, but rather more likely some strange disruption to the FTP on the servers. Line 6 has spent quite some time trying to make the Firmware update installation process as user friendly as possible, but as we are aware, if it can go wrong, it will. Hope this helps/makes sense. Here’s the Line 6 Recovery Info. Enjoy your new update.

Hi I had this exact situation last week after logging in to my account. I'm running OSX Catalina (10.15.7) and my installed version of HX Edit detected the update and started to download the new HX Edit v3.6, but at about 70% it stopped and a message appeared on screen which said it would launch a web browser for me to manually download the editor. I did that without issue and installed HX Edit 3.6 After launching HX Edit 3.6 it detected my Helix and I started the firmware download and installation once more . Again, part way through the process HX Edit threw the towel in and popped up the message - “"HX Edit Failed to download firmware update file. Please check your internet connection and try again. Unknown Error. [code -2004]. First time this has ever happened to me, and I put it down to network traffic, or possibly a busy server. I don’t have other things open, or running in the background, while updating. Using the web browser to download all the components for a local off-line install, it did not present an issue - my internet connection was solid. Then using the Line 6 Updater, while disconnected from my local network and the internet, the installation was quick and flawless. Done, no problems! I have no idea what caused HX Edit to flag an “Unknown Error”. and there seems to be less “update bricked my Helix” posts on this update, but it is still not totally pain free. As for young Mr Cordy’s presets, the are in the update, but if you followed the procedure of reloading your back up, you will have overwritten them. Don’t panic! You can go to this thread and grab them. Hope this helps/makes sense.

Hi, A couple of things about your post confuse me. Firstly, when asking for assistance with an issue it really is a BIG help to know what your computer and OS are. I don’t see that here. Secondly, you said that you installed v3.6 “Successfully”, but other than saying that all “the new amps/effects are there”, no mention of if the device conformed to the auto restart, preset rebuilding process. It is a quite important thing for a clean install. Did you also restore your Helix from the backup bundle you made before updating. Now you have a Helix that freezes after a short period and a reboot clears this but is a temporary fix, including “all manner of factory resets” to no avail. Now what bothers me is that you said “attempted to re-install 3.60 using Installer 2.70. No luck.” I guess you actually mean the Line 6 Updater Utility v.1.27, but once again don’t elaborate on how, or what made this fail. The Updater is the failed update recovery tool. I don’t understand why this didn’t work. Filling in some of these holes in the report might help narrow down what may be causing the issue. If you have opened a ticket on this, then the Line 6 techies are going to require the same sort info in order to help you. Hope this helps/makes sense.

Hi, Prior to updating your Helix firmware to the latest version, HX Edit suggests that you make a back up of the current state of your hardware. This can be any, and all presets, setlists, IRs, Favourites etc. The back up bundle is your "Fail Safe" option. Sometimes the Firmware Update may have some new Factory Presets added, but this is not always the case. This latest version has some of the earlier factory presets modified to utilise the new cabinet profiles. The new cabinets are a kind of very special IR and are additional to the previous type of cabinet in the HX family. Anything you created using the earlier cabinet models will not change via the update, although you have the option to swap the new for old cab models either on the device or via HX Edit. Amp and Cab choices now have both the new and legacy types available to use. Any other IRs that you may have created, bought through the Line 6 Marketplace, or other third party suppliers, are totally unaffected by the changes in the Core operating system of your Helix and will be in the same slots and should behave exactly like they did before the update. Hope this helps/makes sense.

Hi, Generally speaking you should not need to download the Line 6 Updater utility, other than when you have a unit in a “failed” state, or have chosen to do a local offline firmware update. Also, avoid having HX Edit, and the Updater open at the same time. Hope this helps/makes sense.

That’s a very good point. It would be helpful to others who stumble over this. I even consulted the latest version of The Big Book of Helix Tips and Tricks by @craiganderton, but that was just as vague as the Owner’s Manual, other than using crossover for a whole bunch of bi-amping tricks, and the mixer block for parallel paths, which allows the user to determine the overall levels.

As I indicated earlier the crossover and dynamic splits are not something I have ever really messed with, but I understand why you would use them with bass. I decided to trawl through some of the older posts on here trying to find any specific references to crossover and dynamic split points. Nope, nothing really obvious, other than a comment from the guy who I pointed you to previously. He commented - “I think a new "split crossfader" block or better a "merge crossfader" parameter! would be a good addon for a new firmware”, but that was back in 2019 and nothing as surfaced thus far. All other mentions are about the 3db pan law instance. The other thing is - I was looking for split block info, but my impression is this is more relevant to the MERGE block. Plus the Merge block does have an adjustable level control. Ultimately the control is in your hands. The only way that you may get any clarification on this is to raise a ticket with Customer Support, and tell them your findings, then maybe they can explain what should be actually happening to the levels. More science, or wizardry, no doubt. Hope this helps makes sense.

You didn’t specify, but as you posted this in the “bug reports”, I imagine you’re referring to v3.6 firmware, and previously everything was fine and now it has changed? When weird and unexpected things happen, the best thing is to perform a factory reset on your hardware. In some cases it is advisable to reinstall the latest firmware. As for the crossover and dynamic splits, I have never had a need to use either of those options in almost 8 years of using my Helix. Did you read the link posted by @rd2rk in the post above? Physics is science, not an opinion. Hope this helps/makes sense.

Yep, don’t overthink it!

There is a reason (Pan Law) and here is a post on the subject from a few years back. Hope this helps/makes sense.

Hi, Replacing your root hard disk drive - Go here are read this:- Hope this helps/makes sense.

For the full run down on preset compatibility between various parts of the Helix ecosystem, check out the HX Edit Pilot’s Guide > Page 4 > Preset Compatibility https://line6.com/data/6/0a020a3f1068664480499d1b73/application/pdf/HX Edit Pilot's Guide 3.60 - English .pdf Or, click on the Question Mark icon in in the lower left window of your HX Edit GUI. Hope this helps/makes sense.

Hi, Just to clarify. All Helix, LT, Rack and Helix Native presets are compatible. HX Stomp and Stomp XL are only compatible with each other, but not the larger units which have twice the DSP available. HX FX is a law unto itself (no amps). Presets created for the POD GO are not interchangeable with the Helix family of devices, they are a different format and use a different architecture. Hope this helps/makes sense.

Hi, I have several different external loopers that I can use with my Helix floor, one of which is a Boss RC30 with the built in drums. Never had any issues with patching this in. Stick an FX Loop block at the end of the signal chain. This will feed a fully processed stereo signal from your guitar for you to capture in the Boss. The resulting loop and drum backing will return into the HX Stomp and with no other effects added is sent out to your Yamaha monitors. If you wish to leave out certain elements of what is fed into the looper use footswitches to turn on/off as needed. If you feel you want to add a touch of reverb to the loop return, either add a reverb block or move the return before it. Hope this helps/makes sense. EDIT: Someone asked about this sort of thing previously and I put together a preset that he could edit, but it was for Helix floor. Here's one you can play around with in your HX Stomp. Modify to suit your rig. Boss RC30 Stomp.hlx

Hi, It would appear to me that you have pushed your HX Stomp XL beyond it’s capabilities. I checked on Ben Vesco’s site to check the DSP Allocation Poly Sustain Line 6 Original delay hx 53.33 69.47 n dynamix flanger Line 6 Original modulation hx 5.20 7.07 12.3 Same issue can occur if you use 12-Sting in your preset 12-String Line 6 Original pitch/synth hx 50.67 57.62 n Check the full list for v3.5 firmware here: https://benvesco.com/store/helix-dsp-allocations/ One mono Poly Sustain block requires 53.33%, or 69.47% in stereo, of the total DSP before adding anything else, such as a Peavey Vitriol amp block which can add another 49.33%, and you have passed the 100% of processing power available. Always work within the limitations of your device. Hope this helps makes sense.

Let’s give this one more shot - Recover from failed update procedures v.3.6 First - remove all prior installations of Line 6 HX Edit - on a Mac ensure there are no aliases pointing back to an earlier version. Now go to the "DOWNLOADS" menu at the top of this page and from "- Choose Hardware -" select Helix, then under "- Choose Software -" select HX Edit, now select your PC/Mac OS from under the "- Choose OS -" tab, then click “Go”. From the next page you can select HX Edit 3.6 for your Helix LT, repeat the download procedure for the Firmware v.3.6 Flash Memory, and the Line 6 Updater version 1.27. Download all these items to your computer and note where they are. Unplug the USB cable from both your computer and the Helix, then turn the Helix off and then on again while holding down Foot Switches 6&12 while turning the power on. This will put your Helix into “Safe Boot” mode, at this point you may see a black, or error screen, but just keep going. Ensure that HX Edit is closed and reconnect you Helix to your computer with a known good USB cable - do not use a hub, some front USB ports on PCs act like a hub, so use one of the ports on the back. Your Updater cannot detect the hardware in a failed state if HX Edit is running. Ensure you are disconnected from the internet, also shut down all Line 6 software or any programs that use audio, like DAWs, iTunes, Spotify, video games, etc. If your computer's sleep timer is set relatively short, disable it, as the update can fail if your computer goes to sleep. Make sure external devices are not currently sending MIDI to Helix/HX. If you're unsure, unplug Helix/HX's MIDI IN port. Now launch the Updater Utility that you downloaded earlier, and then select "Offline Mode". Your Helix and current firmware version should now show up in the window, click on the dark green coloured band and you should now have the option to select a local file - click “Choose File”, point it at the Flash Memory file you downloaded and let it get on with the update. If you are updating from a firmware version prior to v.2.80 the installation may appear to happen twice - this is normal as the Core operating system is being modified. When it completes, you need to perform a factory reset on your Helix, then you can install the new HX Edit v.3.6 software, perform a restore from backup using the file you created before starting the failed update,and you should be good to go. Please note: After you complete the restore from back up, you will notice that the next time you restart the hardware, it will run the “Rebuilding Presets” routine. This is perfectly normal as it ensures that all you older presets are optimised for use in the new firmware. Also, any time you install a preset created with an earlier version of the firmware (e.g. a preset downloaded from CustomTone, etc.), the Rebuilding Presets function will run again after the next restart - this is an expected housekeeping routine for the unit. No guarantees are given or implied, you do this at your own risk. If it doesn’t work, raise a ticket with Customer Support - you may have a hardware issue that cannot be resolved by anyone in this user forum. Please don’t go for a walk while doing this. Hope this helps/makes sense.

Hi, I have never encountered that error message reported in any posts on here. I’m with @PierM on this one - perform a Factory Reset in the hope it clears the glitch. Please ensure you have made a backup of your presets before resetting to factory defaults, and verify that your firmware version and HX Edit are the same. You also mentioned Poly Sustain being greyed out - any item that displays greyed out mean there is insufficient DSP available to load it. Poly effects are real memory hogs and a single Poly block can take 50% of the DSP in one chunk. My guess is that trying to load a second Poly Sustain has pushed the DSP over the edge, as shown in the “oper’n” block you mentioned. It would seem to indicate a failed to load operation. Hope this helps/makes sense.

Hi, What the Release Notes actually states is: A few 3.50 factory presets have been updated to utilize 3.60 cabs where appropriate The easy way to check is to what is in the 3.6 Factory Setlists is check out this post. Hope this helps/makes sense.

Well, the Release Notes do say - halfway through the update to 3.60, Helix's LCD reads "Boot Failure. Entered Update Mode!". If you’re not there, how will you know when it reaches the halfway point of the operation. I guess you could read that as “please don’t go for a walk, this update requires you full and undivided attention”. This is from the last round of failures - Follow the link above, any reference to HX Edit, Firmware, Line 6 Updater etc., means the latest available versions (3.6 or 1.27 for Updater) Hope this helps/makes sense.