Brazzy

Hahahah I hear Ya!

All you need to do is get another set of speakers if you don't want to have to keep disconnecting and reconnecting speakers. If you get two sets of speakers (one for Pod and one for computer) all you should have to do is power down your Pod and the computer should find the other set of speakers. This stuff is easy but if your not familiar with it all one can become confused. After you get enough experience things these things get easier. This really has no relevance to your actual problem but; I know people that all ones got to do to completely throw them off is change the layout of the web page they go to for their email. I mean it's that easy to mess them up. I've seen them completely lost cause of this type of thing.

Your shared experience is surely helping me with a better attack at the guitar all around. If it weren't for this forum and the internet I would be in the dark. I'm happy too and going to be using my HD500 for a long time to come, lol. I'm not going to get a Helix right away if at all. I like it but it's out of my price range at the moment, lol. Besides I like the tone I get now and as my fingers cooperate better and playing improves, the tone thing becomes not as critical.

Here too, Brazzy, I'm wondering why you aren't using L6 Link, and if there's any way you can A/B these connection schemes, and if so, what do you hear? I mentioned in one of my other posts that after I got my DT back from the shop the DT's firmware update was not updated which lead me to believe that the tech just replaced a board and didn't update it. It was updated before I sent it back but anyway when I tried to use the the L6 Link and it didn't work. Yes it didn't work, so while I was updating the DT's firmware I was looking at the MIDI implementation guide and decided to hook up the Pod with the one MIDI cable I had here and try it to see how that operates. I set up a patch using just MIDI, plugged the Strat into the front of the amp and was pleasantly surprised compared to what I remember the L6 Link sounded like the first time I used it but that before I started to realize I was having technical issues with the Amp itself. When I found good tone using the MIDI from the Pod to control the DT I just started having fun, which is what it's all about IMO. When I started having fun I forgot about the L6 Link, lol.

I've never had a MAC. Here's the manual link > http://line6.com/data/6/0a06434dfb244f7b7f489af64/application/pdf/POD%20HD500%20Advanced%20Guide%20v2.0%20-%20English%20%28%20Rev%20A%20%29.pdf Starting at 9-1 is some set up instructions.

You might need to unplug the Pod USB and then unplug your speakers from the pod and plug them into the computers speaker jack. Does your computer have it's own speakers or is it a desktop?

Very good video Pete! Thanks doing such a good series of videos on this subject. Cheers!

Have you tried just unplugging the Pod? You don't need to turn it off. If you unplug the Pod your computer should go to it's own soundcard.

Yes, I've witnessed this, lol. Good tip "PG"!

Your Welcome. Yes it needs to be turned on if it's USB is connected. You can also just switch to the computers soundcard manually at anytime although it may not suit you. If you disconnect the Pods USB your computer will revert to it's own soundcard. If you reconnect the Pod's USB you may have to make sure it's the default again or it may automatically become the default. Lately, I've been running Win 8.1 OS and more than a few times I've had to manually make sure the Pod is the default after disconnecting and reconnecting. Also, I've got a KB37 and noticed that If I just leave it's USB plugged in and I restart the computer it will connect as the default soundcard but the midi part won't work unless disconnect it and reconnect it's USB. Weird thing but it's happening, lol. Easy workaround really. Remember, there's really no dumb questions. Also, if you don't want to use the computer/Pod USB you can run the computers headphone out into the Pods mp3 input. Not a bad way of connecting since the Pods USB can be delicate and broken easy if not careful and your not recording anything anyway. Just a thought.

Leave the speaker connected to the pods headphone jack and then make sure your computers sound settings have the pod as the 'default" playback device. You can hear your computer through the pod as well as your guitar. You can also adjust levels with the "volume mixer". I the manual > http://line6.com/data/6/0a06434dfb244f7b7f489af64/application/pdf/POD%20HD500%20Advanced%20Guide%20v2.0%20-%20English%20%28%20Rev%20A%20%29.pdf > go to page 9-10 for windows set up.

Yes you can.

I didn't actually know that the amps front input was disabled when L6 Link was enabled. I think you can still operate multiple DT's with MIDI since the there are different channels, but I'm not completely sure where the controllability ends, lol. I think the main idea with the L6 Link was to be able to all the available options with just 3 cables (for 4 DT's). I'm a tinkerer but I make sure I limit my technical tinkerings so that it doesn't consume me. I always make sure I play guitar more than tinker with tech. A man's gotta know his limitations, lol. Self discipline is key. Have fun jamm'in with your friends sounds like fun and music I would like too. Thanks for for all cool ideas, keep it going!

I've only just recently tapped into the MIDI realm. I'm a little slow with this stuff, lol. You've got a good idea in that I should be able to do a 4, 3 or 2 cable method and still be able to use the virtual chain to control effects before and after the preamp. Hmmmmmmm. I'm going to have to see what happens when I try a few things.

That looks different from my version of HD500 Edit, Hmmmmm.

I once had an issue where I noticed my sound turned into a kind of tremolo sound all of sudden then I noticed the ceiling fans were on. One of them was 7ft above me. These s@ckers had a b@d@ss pitch to them too, lol.

Very cool finding "C". I like your experiments. Thanks for sharing. I don't know what HD500X Edit looks like. Your saying it's different than HD500 Edit. All I know is I have great tone with my DT and I'm going into the front with the guitar and I'm controlling via MIDI with my iPad and HD500. I call this an advancement for me, lol. I may never use L6 Link again but ya never know. I would still like to see/hear that Line 6 will try to get the Helix to work nicely with the DT's. Although if they don't I should still be able to go into the front of the amp with my guitar and control the DT via midi with it and an iPad like I'm doing now. Versatile functionality is everything with these devices IMO. I would think that Line 6 would do everything possible to make as much happen as possible with the Helix or any other device they decide to engineer and manufacture. Line 6 is pretty smart in my book. Just look at all things they've made, it's mind boggling. LOL :)

Interesting, I don't think it will hurt anything. I might need to try this out for kicks. Long time ago I wondered about this.

I hear ya on the tweaking, lol. Pretty soon I'm going to get nicknamed "Tweaky" Hahaahaha. As far as reading goes I read a little bit at a time since my coconut can only handle so many tweaking instructions. The one thing that will get you there is trial and error, That's the one thing that will count the most.

I would go with what Palico suggested. Hopefully you can confirm it's the thing to do. All good questions. Maybe there's a problem that might be hard to find. Seems to me I do recall someone having this issue before, with footswitch glitch like you have. Not sure what they did and I think they weren't in the US so it was hard for him to get it fixed since there were no repair places close. Maybe it's the power supply but hard to say till you try a known good one.

Hasn't happened to me. I've had other weird things happen. It could need a reflash of the firmware. It's possible for any software to get corrupt. Oh wait you did this; Maybe you could plug into the front of the amp and eliminate the L6 Link as being the issue. If it still happens maybe you've got a corrupt patch on your hands in which case you'll need to isolate it or just do what I do and that is start over and add my saved patches one at a time testing things out as I go in hopes to find the bad one.

I voted today! <waves hands in the air like an overly eager school kid> LOL Seriously though, I hope Line 6 does their best to get the Helix to play nice with the all the DT's. Maybe they could have a firmware special for the DT Series Amps.

I understand what you mean with the FX Loop not working in the traditional way as in between the Preamp and Power Amp of most amps. By jumping the Loop I'm referring to taking a short Y Cable (1 stereo, 2 mono) and plugging it in the sends and return so as to be able to use it to adjust it's levels. I've not tried and I don't have a Y cable but I suppose you could just use a mono cable to see what gives. You may know more about music and patch making than I do. My experience is only with the digital chain really. I've built a few ModKitDIY stomp boxes and use them but I never had youth experience with all analog pedal board. That might be a good for me since I don't have the habits you may have or bad thing since I lack in that experience, lol. Either way I keep adjusting things and my set up time is reduced the more I do it. I don't use the presets much either, I like making patches it's part of the creative process for me, lol, and one of the main reasons I wanted the Pod. You might be right about the Pod playing by it's own rules, lol. Since it sounds like it's different than the way your used to doing it. Your Welcome and I hope I helped some but all those ideas from the others are very valid too. So much good info out in the NET. PS: Did you read Meambobbos guide? I think I have the name right? He's a MetalHead I heard.

Nice additions Man!!!!!

Being honest is a good thing. A hard time dialing in a certain tone on the pod?, nuth'in new here. I think everyone would agree the FX Loop isn't the same as on a real Amp but it's useful and I've never tried it but I've read that it can be jumped, I suppose to act as a buffer. It could be useful I've just never tried that yet, lol. Are the setting on your Comp set high, or did you already try different Comp settings. Have you tried EQ'ing your tone? There's a good link about how to use an EQ for guitar. I'll try digging it up. If your getting muddy? Here's some notes I took from that article I was talking about; Cut the Low's completely (100Hz), add thickness with the Low-Mids (150-200Hz), Boost the Mids a little (500Hz), Slightly or more cut the (1-2KHz) if it gets thin, if it lacks presence boost (3KHz). Here's the link to arislaf's thread on EQ'ing tips >> http://line6.com/support/topic/14480-some-guitar-eq-tips/