silverhead

I tend to agree with you - the evidence suggests some hardware failure in your guitar. Your case seems different than others who report that they don't like the new firmware. I suspect that in many cases that boils down to a difference in the interaction between the new firmware and existing POD HD presets.... but your case seems unique. I would open a support ticket to work directly with Line 6 on this. The most confusing part is that v1.9 works fine, while v2.0 has successfully been installed numerous times and sounds like cr@p. Not just a little like cr@p - a LOT. How can that be? Here's one completely unfounded speculation: a segment of RAM inside your JTV has failed but has not been detected as a bad segment. Presumably, v2.0 firmware requires more hardware resources (including RAM) than v1.9. The modeling technology of V1.9 is very old now - a holdover from the original Variax modeling - and the JTV was likely over-engineered in terms of hardware, always anticipating the arrival of v2.0. That could mean that some RAM in your JTV was never required, and has remained unused, with v1.9. But now it is required - and has failed. Rolling back to v1.9 remains fine because that RAM is still not used. Let me repeat - the above is wild speculation, but something like that could be going on. It seems likely that v2.0 places more demands on JTV resources than v1.9. That was certainly the case with the POD HD compared to the POD X3 - the amount of modeling data increased tenfold, and the POD HD DSP required new hardware. So somehow, it may be that the increased demand in your particular guitar cannot be met due to some internal resource/hardware failure - something that is unused in all previous firmware versions. ... just my thoughts.....

I don't think there's any sort of conversion 'formula' for adjusting existing presets to the new guitar models, and if there were it would be different for each model. I expect some experimenting is required. To me it might be similar (but to a lesser degree) to the release of the POD HD series several years ago, when existing POD X3 owners wanted to convert their existing X3 presets to the HD. It simply wasn't practical to provide a conversion utility because the modeling was completely different. The HD amp modeling was a complete overhaul, and users who simply replicated the X3 presets (all amp and FX selections and parameters) found the result to be nothing at all like the original X3 preset. Some were disappointed initially. But those who persevered and started from a blank slate with the POD HD ended up with far superior tones. Seems to me the situation may be similar here. The JTV 2.0 firmware is very different, and may need to be treated in a similar fashion to the POD X3/HD transition. The new firmware may not sound the same with existing presets. That may initially disappoint some, and the time and effort involved to recraft presets for JTV v2.0 may be daunting enough that many will choose to stay (at least for now) with v1.9. But perhaps those who aren't held back by existing presets, or who persevere with recrafting presets, will end up with superior tones. That's what this thread is intended to explore.

Here is a post from another thread made by Sean Halley of Line 6 (you can see him in several JTV/POD HD videos demonstrating tones): I think this is very important in terms of understanding the spectrum of 'love it' and 'hate it' comments regarding JTV firmware V2.0. I have started this new thread (credit/apologies to Sean, as he sees fit :P ) to focus a discussion of this topic. What are your thoughts and experiences regarding the interaction of JTV 2.0 with existing POD HD presets? Does this affect your perception of the JTV 2.0 firmware? If so, what do you think of the new firmware when using it to set up new POD HD presets?

Putting it that way, I agree with you. You might want to contact Line 6 directly (See Contact Us button at the foot of this page) and plead your case. You never know - they might make you a deal. It can't hurt. Ooops.... I just re-read an earlier post of yours and see that you have found your original. Good! I will leafve the above comment for the benefit of others who may have lost their original hardware interface unit.

http://line6.com/support/topic/2051-jtv-v2-models-png-poster/

If possible, try a different (but identical spec-wise!) power supply. If there's a Line 6 dealer nearby perhaps you could borrow one for a while, either in their store or on a refundable deposit basis to take home.

Does this happen only when using HD500 Edit, only when using the HD500 alone, or in both cases?

@ddalton: I think this is the second report that an older Pod product with VDI connection is having trouble with the JTV firmware v2.0. I believe the other report concerns a Pod X3 Live. I suggest you start a new thread for this topic so that we can determine if this is a widespread issue; it may be a new bug that needs to be reported to Line 6. In your initial post please ask others to report if they are experiencing this issue.

No issue - you can have several different Pod HDxxx Edit programs installed, and even running, at the same time. Only one of them can communicate with a connected HD device, though. That one is determined by the device that is connected.

Actually, it's designed the way it is so that the software isn't actually free - Line 6 provides software piracy protection via the hardware. Anybody can go ahead and download the 'free' software. But you can't use it unless you buy a Line 6 hardware device - either a Pod processor (relatively expensive, so they're able to include the software) or the Workbench hardware interface which is more expensive than it need be. Why? To pay for the software development.

For details you should read the Help documentation in the Workbench program.

No, the digital cable that came with your Variax is not used for recording, and does not connect to your computer. The cables you describe that came with the Variax are used with the hardware interface that alsdo came with them to connect your Variax to your computer to use Workbench and to update the firmware of your Variax. You connect the RJ45 cable to your Variax and to the hardware interface. You then connect the USB cable to your computer and to the hardware interface. Workbench should now recognize your JTV (as long as it has a well charged battery and a 1/4" guitar cable connected to activate the 'on' switch of the Variax). Workbench is not a recording program (DAW). You need to have an audio recording program installed on your computer (DigitalSound mentioned some; do some googling on the term DAW to learn more). You will also need an audio interface (a separate piece of hardware) between your Variax and your computer to communicate the Variax guitar audio output to the DAW.

The guitars are upside down so that the positions of the pickup switches in the top row of the diagram correspond visually to the guitar's orientation. In other words, the leftmost pickup position as you are looking at (and holding) the guitar corresponds to the neck pickup.

Got it now. Looks great - thanks.

Oh, I like them together too. In fact I have almost never used a Variax without a Pod. But if I didn't like digital amp/FX modelers I would still like and use the Variax.

That would be great, David --- except I can't see the poster. Did the attachment process somehow get messed up?

Can you confirm that you have successfully downloaded firmware v2.0 to your JTV? If so, did you use the Variax USB/Workbench interface or did you use a Pod with VDI connection? That info may help in debugging your issue.

Well, the acoustics have changed over time. Perhaps swing-girl was updating from an earlier firmware version. But even so, you're right. Different people hear different things, some of which may be related to other equipment or venue changes - and some of which may just be changes in perception. (What IS reality?? :P )

... and, of course, obtain the proprietary protocol specification in order to convert the data stream........... Sounds pretty straightforward to me :lol:

I'm sure you could get good results with the Roland - it can give a very clean tone and would not interfere too much with the tone produced by the HD500. You would need to experiment with the HD500 amp selection and output settings. Try the HD500 using preamps in Live output mode, or with full amps in Studio mode. You will soon decide which you prefer. Another option would be to consider a keyboard amp or a studio monitor (or two for stereo!) rather than a guitar amp. Keyboard amps and studio monitors are designed to provide a very clean tone - meaning it would not colour the tone produced by the HD500 so much. In that case I would definitely stick with the HD500 Full amps and Studio output mode.

I would think there are actually lots out there. Anyone who prefers the sound and simplicity of analog pedals would still get a lot of value from a Variax - meaning they only have to carry one guitar instead of several.

What guitar are you using? Unless it is a Variax guitar connected to your Pod HD via the VDI connection, then your selection of Variax for any Input is effectively a null signal. In that case, the reason for the difference between the 'Guitar+Variax' and 'Variax' inputs is that in the first case your guitar is being used in both inputs and in the latter case only Input 1 is receiving your guitar signal.In both cases I believe you have the signal going through both paths (amps). The difference is that in one case your guitar is doubled and in the other it is not.

It sounds like your Variax battery may have died during the update. Before proceeding, recharge your battery. Then run Line 6 Monkey again. Select the Flash Memory (firmware) and then hit the Roll Back button (I think that's what it's called) to install an earlier version. Then repeat the update.

Because it is a proprietary Line 6 protocol and they have not made it available to DAW manufacturers. Nor have they manufactured the necessary audio interface to connect the L6 Link output from the M20d to a PC/DAW input. Line 6 and DAW manufacturers use industry standard software protocols and interface hardware like ASIO and USB. You can, however, import all your *.wav files on the SD card into your DAW. These will be the raw (unprocessed) data files from your M20d recording.

I would uninstall and reinstall the driver. Make sure your Pod xt is disconnected when you install the driver.