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Line 6 Helix - No [paper] user manual


Guest losdudechris
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Guest losdudechris

Was this just me?  Or does the user manaul not come with the Line 6 Helix?  I went through the brand new, sealed up box 10 times, and no user manaul.  Do they expect us to always download one now?  If so, that's kinda cheap for a $1,500 price tag.  I have to assume this was a glitch?

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Was this just me?  Or does the user manaul not come with the Line 6 Helix?  I went through the brand new, sealed up box 10 times, and no user manaul.  Do they expect us to always download one now?  If so, that's kinda cheap for a $1,500 price tag.  I have to assume this was a glitch?

I couldn't agree with you more, no manual in my unit either, instead they include a pdf on a USB.

$1500 and no manual. Ouch.

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Was this just me? Or does the user manaul not come with the Line 6 Helix? I went through the brand new, sealed up box 10 times, and no user manaul. Do they expect us to always download one now? If so, that's kinda cheap for a $1,500 price tag. I have to assume this was a glitch?

No glitch. Paper costs money. Instruction manuals are going the way of the dodo.

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I couldn't agree with you more, no manual in my unit either, instead they include a pdf on a USB.

$1500 and no manual. Ouch.

 

$1500 and an USB Stick  :lol:

 

Copy it on a tablet or pad or phone or whatever an everything's fine...

If you need (excerpts) as a hardcopy, you can still print it out.

You can look for manual updates here:

http://line6.com/support/manuals/helix

 

Many users claim that there's no need for it, anyway ;)

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seriously?  A paper manual that needs to be printed in every supported language in every box adding to the cost and shipping weight? That most of us would never even use when it's already on our computer? 

 

I guess we just need something to lollipop about or we're not happy... WTF...

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Call me silly, but I prefer the PDF.  First and foremost, if you have a paper manual, you're only going to wind up having to download the PDF update anyway every time the firmware is updated (assuming you want to have a current manual).  Secondly, PDF's are much easier to search and get to what you want.  Hit Ctrl+F, type in what you're looking for, and you're there.  To me, that's faster than looking at a table of contents and the turning to the appropriate page.  Also, if your eyes happen to be not as good as they used to be, you can zoom the PDF.

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A manual printed when shipped to retailer would be out of date to the current firmware before you even opened the box

This resonated with me most. I guess it's just giving up old ways of getting familiar with new technology. I was one who actually read and poured over tech manuals, found it it reassuring.

But with firmware changing so fast Rewolf48 is right, companies would be printing something which would need adjustments almost immediately.

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A manual printed when shipped to retailer would be out of date to the current firmware before you even opened the box

 

Actually, no, because they don't update the manual each time (too expensive to update it in every language they produce it in). The manual has not been updated.

 

In this age of tablets and laptops and such... a non-printed manual makes gobs of sense.

 

That said, first thing I did...? Printed it out and put it in a little binder.

 

Then I lost it 2 days later and didn't look for it because I didn't need it... so go figure.

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Actually, no, because they don't update the manual each time (too expensive to update it in every language they produce it in). The manual has not been updated.

 

It will be updated eventually, once enough models and features have been added. But yes, now with Yamaha as parents, the manual has to be translated into more than 20 languages. Unfortunately, printing specialized manuals for each region is a logistical nightmare, so you're looking at a 1,000-page-plus behemoth.

 

"$1500 deserves a paper manual." If anything, it deserves the most elegant approach to disseminating the latest information, and currently, that's best provided via a full-color PDF with dozens of TOC and in-text hyperlinks. If Helix had black-and-white displays and red LEDs, yeah, maybe a one or two-color, 1000-page paper behemoth that'd increase the end user cost by at least $50 wouldn't be grossly inappropriate. Actually, we could probably afford to print a huge manual if we switched to a black-and-white screen and lost the RGB LEDs—they probably cost close to the same.

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Save a tree, electronic manuals are a more environmentally sound alternative. As has been pointed out they have the capacity to stay more current and are searchable. You always have the alternative to print it out but with the trend towards reading them on PC's and tablets people often don't even bother any more.

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Many product I've purchased over the past few years are digital only manuals, makes it easier to update them and saves on paper. I very much prefer it this way. Most of my books and magazines are on my iPad anyway, I just upload manuals there as well.... everything all in one place. Very handy.

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You can find the manual - and what you're looking for in the manual - instantly when it's on your computer.

 

On paper, it takes me 10 minutes to even find the stupid thing in my ziggurat of paper manuals. 

 

Save the trees for guitars.

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No one has mentioned that the UI is so damn good that the manual isn't really needed. The big cheat sheet is all t is necessary for 90% of it.

 

Like an utter twonk I printed the manual haven't looked at any of it.

 

But at least I can read it in the bath now if I want!

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Whenever I'm thinking about buying a cool toy, I usually download the manual and check it out. By the time it arrives, I've no need of any manual in the box.  The manual on the USB stick was nice, but unnecessary for me.  USB sticks are super cheap though.

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Whenever I'm thinking about buying a cool toy, I usually download the manual and check it out. By the time it arrives, I've no need of any manual in the box.  The manual on the USB stick was nice, but unnecessary for me.  USB sticks are super cheap though.

 

I do this too! I'd read the Helix manual cover to cover before the unit even arrived so I've not looked at it since.  The Ui is so good there's no need.

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Guest losdudechris

Don't tell me to "quit complaining".  I paid $1500, all I wanted was a printed out user manual.  It's not too much to ask.  I get the fact that it's on the USB stick, but having something in front of you is useful.  But saying things like "quit complaining" to make yourself look high and mighty is about as useless as a White House hashtag.

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Was this just me?

 

 

Stupid, and useless comments..Yes, I paid $1,500. If you can't afford the paper for a manual, just say so.

 

To answer the 1st question, No theres a hand full that don't understand the manual would be cost prohibitive and make Helix cost even more. Then there would be those that say "why did you print a paper manual, do you hate trees?"... As for comments, theres one post just above this thats pretty stupid too.... If you can't afford to goto Kinko's, just say so....

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Guest losdudechris

Dude, that's stupid.  Yeah, I can't afford to go to Kinko's.. You're an idiot.  That's like saying I bought a $5 burger, but if you can't afford to go buy some ketchup, don't complain to us.  I'm trying to be productive by saying I think it should be in the box.  Go somewhere else, please.

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I think we need a printed manual on how to use this forum.

 

Step 1:  State your credentials.  Either you, your band or your upcoming gig should be "very important".

Step 2:  State your problem.  State why the Helix is a tragic disaster for you and why you are suing Line 6.

Step 3:  State your solution.  Helix should include [a vibrator; a calculator; lunch] for $1500.

Step 4:  Call another member "stupid".  "Idiot" works pretty well too.

Step 5:  Apologize.

 

I'm sorry.  This was a stupid post by an idiot.

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I'm trying to be productive by saying I think it should be in the box.

 

And you are, so genuine thanks for the input. If enough people feel it's important to include a paper manual, we'll budget for one. It's certainly worth posting on IdeaScale.

 

I can't say we won't include a paper manual in the future; I can only explain the reasoning behind why we didn't this time. Traditionally, Line 6 includes a small black and white "Pilot's Guide" to get users started and then posts a deeper full Advanced Manual online (no USB key). With Helix, we consider the full-color Cheat Sheet to be our printed Pilot's Guide and the USB key to be the Advanced Manual. We rethought pretty much everything with Helix—distribution, marketing, dealer networks, packaging, information dissemination, development resources, the gamut... IdeaScale exists to provide metrics on whether or not we made the right decisions, and informs new decisions going forward.

 

I will say that we left it wide open to change key elements in Helix that unfortunately, could completely undermine any printed material, so that was a big factor as well. It's not just the model list that would be out of date; all screenshots could eventually be wrong, or menus could be reorganized, which could cause a ton of confusion without living, dynamic documentation.

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Step 3: Helix should include [a vibrator; a calculator; lunch]

 

I think Helix should have an on-board panini press. Failing that, a tuna on rye toast with tomato, a little black pepper, and a bag of chips, delivered M-F for about 3 weeks (make it around 11:30..my day starts early). For $1500, I figure that's fair. ;)

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These days I am happy without a large instruction book, a PDF is more efficient in so many ways it isn't even funny. Many of which have already been stated in previous posts, so I won't bother echoing them.

 

So I would be a vote for saving some resources, and keeping it more efficient. 

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Dude, that's stupid.  Yeah, I can't afford to go to Kinko's.. You're an idiot.  That's like saying I bought a $5 burger, but if you can't afford to go buy some ketchup, don't complain to us.  I'm trying to be productive by saying I think it should be in the box.  Go somewhere else, please.

 

I thought I had the wrong glasses... Well, 4 posts and now: Look at your reputation...

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I applaud Line 6 for their documentation strategy. And I find the current manual to exceptionally well-written and easy to navigate. In contrast, I recently purchased a digital mixer (an XR-18), which is similar in complexity to the Helix. It came (and still comes with) no manual (paper or PDF). The manufacturer has relied on a wiki for user info, but it is woefully lacking. Users have had to rely on a forum and youtube to ferret out information. I (and many others) spent many hours using trial and error to figure out functionality.

 

I was able to use Helix quickly, thanks in part to the provided documentation.

 

Smell the glove.  :D

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Guest losdudechris

OH GOD, PLEASE don't tell me you just did the "U mad bro" thing... wow.  I'm trying to get a sincere answer from Line6,..which I did.  and then out comes a "U mad bro" troll.  I thought we were rid of this back in 2003.

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Guest losdudechris

Indeed.  Thanks for trolling.  It's people like you that wake up in the morning and guage their life worth on a forum.  But hey, you're in the positive. So it should be a good day.

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Guest losdudechris

Look everyone, and even Spikey - All I said was it wouldn't be a bad idea to put in a manual.  Line 6 explained it well, and I appreciated it.  But when you have people on these forums like Spikey who has SEVEN registered products (dude, if you don't sound good by NOW, you probably should stop) and others for collectively voting me down (congrats, you figured out a VOTING system!) you're not doing anyone in the community any good with these lame "self-worth", "U mad bro" posts on an obscure forum. 

 

I applaud Line 6 for a great product.  As for "voter trolls" like Spikey and "klangmaler", seriously, go get a life or something.

 

I do appreciate everyone ELSE'S opinion that actually contained merit.  Line 6, the only other criticism I have is to take a better look at your voting mechanism on forums like this.  You get forum troll / bullies like Spikey and Klanmaler, you can lose potential customers looking for a valid answer with tools like these guys.

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I applaud Line 6 for their documentation strategy. And I find the current manual to exceptionally well-written and easy to navigate. In contrast, I recently purchased a digital mixer (an XR-18), which is similar in complexity to the Helix. It came (and still comes with) no manual (paper or PDF). The manufacturer has relied on a wiki for user info, but it is woefully lacking. Users have had to rely on a forum and youtube to ferret out information. I (and many others) spent many hours using trial and error to figure out functionality.

 

I was able to use Helix quickly, thanks in part to the provided documentation.

 

Smell the glove.  :D

 

Have to agree with you, I also have the XR18; the complete lack of documentation is just weird and the WIKI is nowhere near adequate . Even the iPad, Android, and PC apps lack a simple help page. The Line6 docs are quite good by comparison and hopefully the user WIKI (HelixHelp.com) will flesh them out even more over the years with more details and tips & tricks. I support companies in the digital age providing their documents in electronic form; adequate detail, good graphics, the ability to electronically search them, and extensive indexing make them even better.  I am also a huge fan of a moderated and well designed WIKI that can provide enormous added value from users who can ultimately contribute years of experience with the product.  Once the company provides a certain baseline document I would prefer they spend their resources on product improvement with perhaps occasional revisions to the manual where necessary. I understand those who still prefer a printed doc in front of them but I do encourage moving forward with the greener, and once you get used to it, superior method of using electronic docs for those who have access to tablets, notebooks, and the like. Btw, even though I disagree with losdudechris on his post I don't see any reason to continue slamming him. I think the opposing and prevailing point of view has been expressed in no uncertain terms and that is probably adequate.

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