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Has anyone run up against this issue?... I lost my Variax USB Interface Device and contacted Line 6.  Was told they do not sell the device directly, and gave me links to dealer sites.  All dealer sites are selling the Interface Device ONLY along with the Workbench software... for a "mere" $100.   ARE YOU KIDDING ME??!!!?  Come on Line 6, you make a wonderful product, but this is ridiculous!  Anyone else run in to this or similar issue?  Anyone know where I can buy just the USB Interface Device... FOR A REASONABLE PRICE?? 

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it's always been 100$.. the software has always been free... that's just marketing.

if you are running a generation 1 variax, or and earlier than 2.0 firmware... i'd put the 100$ towards a pod xt live or pod x3 live as a way to get an interface then some...

other than that.. might check ebay....

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My used JTV didn't have the interface in the case. So GC ordered me one and then the original turned up.

So I have an extra one. Send me a PM with your address and I'll send it to you.

My experience with Line 6 customer service has been top notch. I'm surprised they wouldn't ship you an interface for a reasonable fee.

$100 is robbery for that little plastic box!

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  • 9 months later...

you cannot connect the variax to the FBV pedal....

you need a variax interface or a variax capable pod.

 

Can you tell me how i can conect my variax 300 to a mac? or if a can conect the variax with MKII Shortboard?

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  • 1 year later...

I have the same issue - I'm buying a used JTV 69 today but it doesn't have the USB thing to attach it to workbench.

All the dealers seem to be 'out of stock' and given the price I'm paying for my used variax after i buy the the USB to update it I may as well buy a brand new one that includes the USB!! Does anyone have any bright ideas - or should I just wait for another JTV Variax to come on sale which includes the USB dongle??

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It's important to use Line -6 gear with a "VDI " (Variax Digital Interface) Ethercon port. also review the Line-6 Hardware requirements for the specific version of Variax Workbench you wish to run.

 

http://line6.com/software/index.html

 

For example, the older non "HD" version of Worbench runs on Vettta, POD XTLive , neither of those will work for running latest "WorkBench HD". Read the Line-6 docs and pay attention to the requirements &constraints of the Variax firmware you currently have installed.

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  • 8 months later...

Regarding the Variax interface. I have a similar problem in that I recently purchased a Variax 500 (fantastic guitar by the way) but it didn't come with the hardware interface. Now, I'm trying to get one. I live in the UK and Thomann (Germany) sell the Workbench software with the interface package. My gripe is that I already have the software - thanks for the freebie Line 6, but I'll be looking at spending around £90 for the hardware interface - ridiculous! What a shameful exploitation of Line 6 customers! The device probably costs less than £10 to manufacture.

 

I've emailed Line 6 and their advice so far, is to try and get hold of an HD500 effects pedal (NOT the HD500X - NOT compatible) but I've got effects pedals coming out of my ears! Besides on a recent search on ebay, a used HD500 is around £150-200 so that's obviously NOT a solution.

 

Come on Line 6, as someone has already commented, you make GREAT products now, how's about some GREAT customer support? Let me have my hardware interface for a 'reasonable' price. MAKE ME HAPPY!  :rolleyes: Please!

 

 

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..... My gripe is that I already have the software ....

Anyone can download the software for free - you need the hardware as an authorizing license for the software, and that's what the pricing of the interface device is all about. You're buying the software, not the plastic. You may have some other arrangement for Workbench licensing that is 'free' for you, but at some point you need(ed) hardware to use the software.

 

In the case of older pre-JTV Variaxes like your Variax 500 Workbench was sold as an optional add-on. It was not included in the purchase of the guitar. Hence you had to pay separately for the software, and the hardware interface provided licensing control.

 

However since the JTV, and now the Variax Standard, have been released Workbench is included with the purchase of the guitar and the required hardware interface device is include in the shipment from Line 6. I think the people who are really being hit hard are those who buy a used JTV/Standard Variax only to find the the Workbench hardware interface was not received in their package. Unless these folks were aware, and negotiated a discounted price for the omission, they are being forced to pay again and the original owner can resell a heavily marked-up interface device to people like you on eBay for pure profit. In those cases I think the new owners should definitely argue strongly with Line 6 to sell them the interface device at a greatly reduced price.

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Your only option is to look for a used one.  There are many JTV owners that don't need theirs. (If they have a pod that supports variax VDI.)  They did cost $100 originally and that was to pay for the WB Software which was NOT included with the Variax 500 guitars.

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However since the JTV, and now the Variax I think the people who are really being hit hard are those who buy a used JTV/Standard Variax only to find the the Workbench hardware interface was not received in their package. Unless these folks were aware, and negotiated a discounted price for the omission, they are being forced to pay again and the original owner can resell a heavily marked-up interface device to people like you on eBay for pure profit. In those cases I think the new owners should definitely argue strongly with Line 6 to sell them the interface device at a greatly reduced price.

Yup. It's doubly ridiculous given the fact that since the dongle and software are bundled into the price of the guitar, L6 already got paid for both when it was initially sold. L6 looses nothing, no matter what the original owner does with dongle. It's utterly useless for anything but connecting a Variax to a computer, and since he's sold the guitar, it ain't like he's still using Workbench...so the software license isn't even a viable excuse anymore. Yet, they insist on punishing owner #2. Makes no sense. It's 50 cents worth of plastic. They could sell it for ten bucks, and still make out like bandits while not alienating customers. Baffling.

 

And how about an original owner who's USB dongle is lost or damaged? Why should that guy have to pay for the software twice? It's ridiculous. Hardware should be available at a reasonable cost, if that's all you need

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  • 1 month later...
  • 6 months later...

I am in the same situation, I have more than enough effects pedals 3 multi effects plus another 6 or 7 individual effects pedals and I only need the basic USB to VDI interface so that I can experiment with Workbench and my Variax 600.

 

You would think they could make something like that available for a few pounds as it would probably only cost them about a pound or even less per unit to get them manufactured in China.

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  • 7 months later...

I am in the same boat didnt know about this when i

 

I am in the same situation, I have more than enough effects pedals 3 multi effects plus another 6 or 7 individual effects pedals and I only need the basic USB to VDI interface so that I can experiment with Workbench and my Variax 600.

 

You would think they could make something like that available for a few pounds as it would probably only cost them about a pound or even less per unit to get them manufactured in China.

 

 bought the guitar

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