Reverse footswitch operation

[buzzalad]

Apologies if this has already been covered but does anyone know how to reverse the operation of a footswitch?

 

I have assigned a footswitch to change channels on my amp and it is working but it's the wrong way round.  I want the light to be off when I'm clean and on when I select crunch.

 

thanks

[fukuri]

Put the switch in then use the joystick to select what you want on

If you are controlling multiple blocks with one foot switch then just tap it with your finger to select the on block as active

(In a multiple footswitch You can choose which block you want to see ... Bypassed one = light off. Touch the footswitch with your finger and it will switch to the active block and put the led on)

[doughadfield]

Unfortunately, the solution suggested by fukuri won't fix your problem, as you've found one of the significant shortcomings (IMHO) with the Helix as "system controller" - with present firmware. This should be very easy to fix with a firmware update, but we need to persuade Line 6 of the importance of this. Just about every other controller board or module I've used, which has relay outputs for controlling amps, has the ability to reverse the polarity of the relay outputs. This is because many (most) "vintage" amps drove their footswitch units this way:

The relay coil was connected internally with one end to relay supply (+9-12v typically) and the other end of the relay coil to the footswitch connector. Therefore, when the relay was "out" (coil not energised) the supply voltage appeared in the footswitch line and could drive an LED in the footswitch unit. Therefore, the function would be ON when the coil was un-energised, so the LED would be ON in the footswitch unit. When the footswitch was pressed, it shorted the relay terminal to 0v, thus energising the relay and switching the funciton OFF as well as shorting the LED and turning it off.

So, Line6 needs to realise this and add a "relay polarity invert" function, probably to the global settings in the Helix. Until then, we'll be confused by the switch light being ON when the amp function is OFF (not exactly the "world class system controller" yet.... but hopefully will be fixed soon... (please!!)

[buzzalad]

Thanks for the replies. Not the end of the world. Have to wait & see if Line 6 take this up

[Bangha]

I had something odd happy during my latest update. I have a footswitch assigned to a send/return plus a few other blocks that was programmed to be bright when engaged and dim when disengaged. After the update, I restored my presets and now it's the other way around. Bright when DISengaged. Any way to fix this?

[mikisb]

Had the same effect after the update and reimporting patches in some footswitch assingments in patches from Glenn Delaune. Not all, just a few. Glenn told me that on his Helix, everything was fine after update. After i switched my Helix off and on a few times, the assignments were ok again. Who knows, whats going on in the head of this Helix sometime?

[fukuri]

Sorry

I missed that it was a physical amp not a modelled one !

I don't know what's real anymore !

:)

[Zaiten]

 

Unfortunately, the solution suggested by fukuri won't fix your problem, as you've found one of the significant shortcomings (IMHO) with the Helix as "system controller" - with present firmware. This should be very easy to fix with a firmware update, but we need to persuade Line 6 of the importance of this. Just about every other controller board or module I've used, which has relay outputs for controlling amps, has the ability to reverse the polarity of the relay outputs. This is because many (most) "vintage" amps drove their footswitch units this way:

The relay coil was connected internally with one end to relay supply (+9-12v typically) and the other end of the relay coil to the footswitch connector. Therefore, when the relay was "out" (coil not energised) the supply voltage appeared in the footswitch line and could drive an LED in the footswitch unit. Therefore, the function would be ON when the coil was un-energised, so the LED would be ON in the footswitch unit. When the footswitch was pressed, it shorted the relay terminal to 0v, thus energising the relay and switching the funciton OFF as well as shorting the LED and turning it off.

So, Line6 needs to realise this and add a "relay polarity invert" function, probably to the global settings in the Helix. Until then, we'll be confused by the switch light being ON when the amp function is OFF (not exactly the "world class system controller" yet.... but hopefully will be fixed soon... (please!!)

 

I was scratching my head in confusion for the last 15 minutes trying to figure out why the led was sometimes on and sometimes off, without aparent logic. You're right about the history of relays and polarity, interesting tidbit. Alas, it was irrelevant to the OP's query and Fukuri was in fact correct about LED operation. Line6 did integrate a workflow for reversing polarity. I didn't think I'd find a thread about that exact issue, lo-and-behold. 

 

Here's the catch: if a footswitch is only controlling ONE block, you can't invert the polarity, i.e. LED:on when FX:off, which is preposterous as no stompbox has ever been designed to work like that. The OP didn't clarify if the FS had multiple blocks assigned to it, which was probably not the case. If he only assigned an "Ext Amp" command to a FS in the "Command Center", no block gets added to the chain but the FS' LED turns ON. if the amp is clean (instead of LED:on when amp crunch:on), maybe the tip/ring command needs to be flipped. If that doesn't work as desired, there's one work around: you create two dummy blocks (with a couple of inocuous volume/pan gains) assign both to the same FS, bypass one of them; stomp on the FS, when the crunch turns on in the amp, light-touch the dummy that is engaged: the LED will then turn on. If you light-touch the bypassed gain block, the LED will turn off.

 

I suppose I can see why doughadfield would want the Helix to have a polarity parameter to manually flip LED state, but Line6 already took care of that with light-touch editing, it's automatic and it works. for a fringe case like this, the dummy trick is a fairly simple procedure to manually control LED state.

[AdamAndroidFG]

I’m now having the same problem.

it seems like the “workaround”isn’t helpful to me because all your doing is turning the light on. 
It’s the fact that it’s in reverse  that sucks.

IF I could reverse polarity - I could use it in stomp mode which would be nice for jamming.

 

But 95 percent of what I do is based upon live performances so I use snapshots.

 

Which totally makes the problem irrelevant.

Especially for me cuz I need to be switching on something while turning “off” my amp block.

(my dirty channel is so dark I HAVE to put an E.Q. On with it)

 

still wish i could reverse it

[joanesinu]

Received my Line 6 HX Effects today.... having this problem... I have the led On when the amp is on clean channel.

 

I see only these parameters for the Ext Amp switch. The fact that it hasn't the option to invert just the led light annoys me.

 

 

Did anyone sort this?

 

Thanks.