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Can I use the remote app w/ a microsoft surface tablet?


DavidH123
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Hi,

 

I'm getting the sinking feeling that I can't use the Firehawk remote app with my Microsoft Surface.  I tried to download the app from google play, but it says I "don't have a compatible device."   I assume that means that it won't install on a computer.  Please tell me there is a download for use on a PC (Microsoft surface)  I use a MS surface mounted on my mic stand to run my lightshow and I bought the Firehawk specifically so that I could use the remote app to adjust tone while standing up.

 

Under FAQ is says:

"Q: What type of devices can FIREHAWK FX stream Bluetooth audio from?
A: Firehawk FX can stream Bluetooth audio from any Android™ device, iOS device, and Mac® or PC equipped with Bluetooth.

 

I've been able to pair the device with the surface, but I can't seem to find a software download that will work on it.  I hope I'm wrong.

 

Help!

 

David

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There zero support for this - in fact the wired USB connection to a Windows PC using the Line-6 FireHawk FX ASIO driver does not work 

 

Firehawk is one purchase I regret 

 

* No compatibility with Variax Workbench

 

* No MIDI control over USB

 

* No PC /Mac Editor

 

* Broken USB Audio ASIO Driver that is really a joke.

 

* massive noise anomalies during patch changes while playing guitar 

 

* No compatibility with Line-6 Monkey

 

* Its clear the Firehawk is just a AMPLIFI FX100 with a bit more switches and Variax VDI input - but I assumed too much  for a device that I paid $450  

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I'm using Window 8.1

 

I'll try reinstalling the USB older ASIO driver, the most recent one does not work for me , and Im using a USB 2.0 port but it's a shame Firehawk FX does not work with Line6 Monkey or Variax Workbench

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My understanding is that beginning with the Firehawk product Line 6 is moving to a new utility called Line 6 Updater. Firehawk is the first to use Line 6 Updater. I think Helix will be using this new utility, and probably everything new henceforth. Line 6 Monkey has been around a long time; probably time for a replacement utility.

 

(... but this is just my understanding - not an official statement....)

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Thanks for the feedback.

 

I guess I wasn't clear.  I'd like to use my Microsoft Surface tablet as a remote controll app, not as a recording interface.  But I don't see anywhere to download the remote app for use on a PC, only for use on an Android device (or Ipad etc) When I tried to download it from Google play, it diod not recognize the tablet as compatible with the app.

 

Does anyone know if there is software for a PC to control the Firehawk stting via Bluetooth?

Thanks,

David

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You can use a PC for recording with the Firehawk..

I actually tried this over the weekend, it's dreadful ( nothing like my HD500X) Firehawk FX experiwnce has been a major stumble from Line-6 - a real step down in quality control, lack of attention to details -it feels like a rush job and the engineering team must be too busy with Helix to fix this. Feels like Yamaha has cut some needed QC - but at this rate Line-6 is heading down the same drain as Steinberg ( another recent nightmare with a UR44 )

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I actually tried this over the weekend, it's dreadful ...

 

I know you're not happy with the Firehawk and I'm not about to try to change your mind, but I am curious about how/why this was dreadful for you. Is it the sound quality? Workflow? DAW compatibility? Perhaps there is something we can help you with to improve this specific bit of working with your Firehawk, if you're interested.

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Its the basic non functional ASIO Driver for Windows

 

Totally does not work on my Windows 8.1 machine - and same Acer R7 works great with its USB 2.0 port with ALL my other USB Audio gear 

 

This Firehawk FX USB Driver does not work with Win 8.1: 

Line 6 Driver2
Version 1.76
Released 8/13/15
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I spent more time trying to get the Firehawk FX to function as a a clean distortion free ASIO Audio device on Windows 8.1 ( Acer R7 laptop with USB 2.0 port that works flawless with all my other USB ASIO audio interfaces) .

 

No luck

 

There needs to be a better Line 6 USB driver uninstaller  - I attempted to uninstall the latest USB driver 1.76, and install the older 1.70 USB driver - but I still have terrible kazoo distortion. Where my Line-6 Monkey? oh that's right, Firehawk is not supported!

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 Firehawk FX USB Driver is  Nothing like the HD500X - no controls I can find  - only a slider bar for latency - no other indicators, or controls.   

 

Is the Firehawk FX fixed at 24 bit @ 48kHz when used as an ASIO Audio interface?

 

thats what it appear to be  - might explain my distortion as I was working with a 44.1kHz project. 

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  • 5 months later...

Hi,

 

I'm getting the sinking feeling that I can't use the Firehawk remote app with my Microsoft Surface. I tried to download the app from google play, but it says I "don't have a compatible device." I assume that means that it won't install on a computer. Please tell me there is a download for use on a PC (Microsoft surface) I use a MS surface mounted on my mic stand to run my lightshow and I bought the Firehawk specifically so that I could use the remote app to adjust tone while standing up.

 

Under FAQ is says:

"Q: What type of devices can FIREHAWK FX stream Bluetooth audio from?A: Firehawk FX can stream Bluetooth audio from any Android™ device, iOS device, and Mac® or PC equipped with Bluetooth.

 

I've been able to pair the device with the surface, but I can't seem to find a software download that will work on it. I hope I'm wrong.

 

Help!

 

David

BT and the Remote are seperate things. The Remote app uses the BT connection. You should even be able to stream audio from any Linux installation if you can establish the BT connection. And that's what you've marked in your post.

 

 

Over $500 bucks for a Firehawk FX and you cannot use the remote app to change amp settings in windows ?..WTF Line 6...

You might have wanted HD500X.

At this stage the FH line is not everything for everyone. Nor is my suggestion here.

If you want "the best" out of "all of the worlds", as cheap as possible, and affordably, join the club.

Not even Helix at this point supports all major platforms for everything. And that's currently priced around 3x times more than the FHfx or HD500X unit. Although different introduction dates and more HW for your buck.

 

Edit: clarity.

Edited by ZenBalancer
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Last time had problems with Windows 10, while BlueStacks did work on Windows 7. And I never checked BT connectivity through it, also not the Remote, since I had upgraded to Windows 10 around the time I got the FHfx. Do you have any experience with the Remote app with it?

 

Edit: I shared a bug report with the generated logs on Windows via e-mail, but I never got an answer.

 

Edit2: Okay so the good news is that the latest BlueStacks version now installs fine on my Windows 10 installation, on which I had the installation problems with the previous version. And although the installation process and setup is pretty slow, even slower than before, even on a fairly fast SSD drive with i7 and ample free RAM, at least Firehawk Remote can be installed.

 

The bad news is that even if an old version supported BT, the new version doesn't YET (fingers crossed!):

 

This feature might be implemented in near future.

-- http://support.bluestacks.com/hc/en-us/articles/208203083

 

I tried finding the BT options in the Emulator, but couldn't. 

 

Signs that it might have ever existed and fairly worked for at least a number of users: http://forum.thexuan.com/showthread.php?tid=2789

(Edit3: no, no.. there was no sign of more hope.. just a delusion. It never, ever, existed. In BlueStacks. Blue, blue, stacks..)

 

If someone gets it working, please let us know what we're missing.

 

But kudos for reminding me! I had totally forgotten about it!

 

Edit4: and there is the "do-it-yourself treadmill" option, for which I'm too lazy (the later suggestions): http://stackoverflow.com/questions/2175076/how-to-use-bluetooth-in-android-emulator

 

I'm sticking to the cheap (perfectly adequate) tablet. One of the primary reasons I got it (working ok touch-screen, tons of apps). The FHfx starts much faster than Helix (yes yes more takes more time, give me less for now), and so is the tablet (practically always on anyway) compared to a traditional Windows laptop. Just VDI and GO! Fun time! Heck, I'm too lazy to even do that most of the time! And just listen with the "raw guitar" alone. Until I want to test something and hear how it sounds, BT the thing, and go crazy despite sounding bad; having fun. Mission accomplished; small dreams these days. My big ones are best kept in the background, on a safe distance from me, to keep my sanity.

Edited by ZenBalancer
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A "roundabout workaround" occured to me the otherday, but I haven't yet checked the concrete routes for its usage.

 

The idea is general and fairly common for combining apps from multiple platforms on one screen, while not using any KVM hw tech, nor emulations or virtualisations.

 

Using "remote desktop" sw instead, so it requires at least access to the needed target platforms with their devices.

 

In the OP's case the main hw interface is MS Surface needed for his set, with Windows. So in that set the focus is on a single controlling touchscreen interface. And if FHfx is still a part of that set, any iOS or Android device, phone or tablet or even a tv-box perhaps, can be used for the FH Remote app, and then with any 3rd party app the target device "screencast" interactively to the MS Surface.

 

The question is which target platform and main host you're using, and which necessary 3rd party software are currently available for this workaround?

 

I remember a few solutions for Android, I think, but vaguely, no names. Sure there is the default MS remote desktop, Teamviewer and a few others, but those are normally to remote a Windows installtion, not the otherway around. If I spend time on this, then I will update this thread.

 

So in OPs case instead of streaming audio from Surface to FHfx, instead will have to remote connect to the device that has FH Remote on it and is connected to the FHfx.

 

The tricky party is perhaps Direct Wifi or some other way from MS Surface to the Android/iOS device, on stage. Or might as well pack a cheap router and create your private Wifi on the way, like at home, but for instance on stage with no internet connection. Perhaps you can even get a router with 3G or 4G support and drop an internet subscribed SIM in it, so that all of your devices on your mobile private Wifi have internect connection while also on the same intranet with interesting possibilities. But the used router is important, what was it, a less used frequency mode? I don't remember, there was 2.4 and a 5, not refering to the 1-13 channels normally available. It shouldn't interfere with your wireless audio system for instance.

 

Sounds "hairy on face-value", but once the general setup is tested well, a world of possibilities is then right there with you "everywhere".

 

Someone with a crazy setup, non-guitarist (she could maybe make a mockup air-guitar-"patch" for the mi.mu gloves), is Imogen Heap. Her early demonstrations were rediculously gear-packed. But oh, the world she has opened with the idea she picked up on and "ran with" from someone else there (PhD received, but her SATTA glove is more limited than Remidi, with similar approach, unlike mi.mu) on her visit to MIT.

While still off-topic, mi.mu is much, much more expensive currently than Remidi T8, but the former has a lot more potential, especially for a guitarist or any instrument player.

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  • 4 months later...

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