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Choosing Helix Firmware Versions


scallybert
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I'm about to receive a second Helix LT.

 

I'll want it to run the same  firmware versions as my existing LT. (2.50, IIRC)

 

Consequently, I may want to install a version on the new LT that is not the most recent version - I may even need to downgrade, depending what it ships with.

 

Can this be done ?

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25 minutes ago, scallybert said:

I'm about to receive a second Helix LT.

 

I'll want it to run the same  firmware versions as my existing LT. (2.50, IIRC)

 

Consequently, I may want to install a version on the new LT that is not the most recent version - I may even need to downgrade, depending what it ships with.

 

Can this be done ?

 

Hi,

 

Simple answer - Yes.

 

Simple question - What’s the point?

 

The Helix Firmware is constantly being revised and updated for very good reasons. Why not take advantage of the fixes etc., provided by the latest firmware?

 

Hope this answer makes sense.

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I agree with datacommando - unless you have a specific reason for this I would upgrade both devices to the latest firmware, and keep them always up to date.

 

However if you really do want to do this you can. When you run the Line 6 Updater program it lets you select earlier versions of firmware to install.

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46 minutes ago, wilkinsi said:

Having bought a Rack and Control in October, I upgraded from 1.06 to 2.70. When I ran the updater again, the option to downgrade to an older version disappeared.

 

I suspect the automatic upgrade method would not does this, but you also have an option to choose a file from your computer... there should be nothing stopping you from downloading and installing an older firmware file. 

 

5 hours ago, scallybert said:

I'll want it to run the same  firmware versions as my existing LT. (2.50, IIRC)

 

I'm with the others... why? Bugs gets fixed and features get added with each firmware version. 2.6 was a fairly major update, and even though 2.7 was more of a maintenance release, the tuner upgrade alone makes it a must have. IMO of course.

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Thanks for answering the question.

 

My professional & hobby experiences make me *very* wary of making any change (upgrades, etc) that can't be undone/rolled-back/etc.

 

In the case of Helix, I have an LT, Native, HX Edit, Reaper, various plug-ins, etc, all happily working together, and getting used lots. I'm not about to mess with the configuration, without mitigating the risks of breaking things. [Let's be honest - anyone that uses much software will have experienced bugs being introduced by updates; or of behaviour changing in ways that impact your use. This certainly happened to me with a PodXT update.]

 

I'm getting a second LT, to avoid having to lug one between sites. To get it fitting straight in, it make sense to install the same firmware version as the other one.

 

However, it also means I'll have enough redundant hardware [2 LTs, 2 laptops, etc],  to effectively put together a development set-up, in parallel with  the production set-up that I use everyday; and do upgrades without much risk.

 

FWIW, I quite fancy 2.70 for the tuner; and also because I think the equivalent Native version allows pasting blocks between presets (which the earlier one seems not to). So, I do want to upgrade - just not enough to risk breaking things I need to use...

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So, the 2nd LT arrived. Upgraded firmware to 2.50; all fine. Put on 2.70 to have a quick play with tuners (Like); and check revert to 2.50 possible (seems to be).

 

As one might expect, the 2.70 firmware doesn't work with the version of HX Edit I have installed - which is the one corresponding to 2.50 .

 

So, next question: if one installs HX Edit 2.70, latest Updater & drivers; will these work with the 2.50 firmware (which is what the other LT has on it, and a version I might conceivably need to revert to) ?

 

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No - HX Edit versions generally move in lock-step with Helix Firmware versions. You will not be able to use HX Edit v2,70 with a Helix device running firmware v2.50.

 

However, it is simple and not risky to revert to HX Edit v2.50 (including associated driver and Line 6 Updater program) to replace an installed HX Edit v2.70.

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5 hours ago, silverhead said:

No - HX Edit versions generally move in lock-step with Helix Firmware versions. You will not be able to use HX Edit v2,70 with a Helix device running firmware v2.50.

 

However, it is simple and not risky to revert to HX Edit v2.50 (including associated driver and Line 6 Updater program) to replace an installed HX Edit v2.70.

Thanks.

 

That's understandable; if not what I'd choose in a perfect world.

 

 

 

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8 hours ago, scallybert said:

Thanks.

 

That's understandable; if not what I'd choose in a perfect world.

 

 

 

Well, it *seems* that the 2.70 software (HX Edit, latest Installer, drivers) functions (at least superficially) with an LT on 2.50 .

 

I bunged all this, plus Reaper & Native and a data backup, onto a blank laptop from the pool. Which was relatively painless.

 

Being able to paste blocks (but not presets) between HX Edit & Native was progress - and potentially useful.

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7 minutes ago, scallybert said:

Well, it *seems* that the 2.70 software (HX Edit, latest Installer, drivers) functions (at least superficially) with an LT on 2.50 .

 

I bunged all this, plus Reaper & Native and a data backup, onto a blank laptop from the pool. Which was relatively painless.

 

Being able to paste blocks (but not presets) between HX Edit & Native was progress - and potentially useful.

 

Yes, the newer versions of HX Edit will work with older versions of firmware (starting with FW 2.20). Honestly, though, I still think you'd be best updating everything, but it's up to you, of course.

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8 minutes ago, phil_m said:

 

Yes, the newer versions of HX Edit will work with older versions of firmware (starting with FW 2.20). Honestly, though, I still think you'd be best updating everything, but it's up to you, of course.

Ok, I'd interpret "lock-step" as being less flexible...

 

A 'big bang upgrade' is all very well, until something unexpected doesn't work; and you have a horrendous rollback to do, to restore functionality. Which is a scenario I try to avoid...

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4 minutes ago, scallybert said:

Ok, I'd interpret "lock-step" as being less flexible...

 

A 'big bang upgrade' is all very well, until something unexpected doesn't work; and you have a horrendous rollback to do, to restore functionality. Which is a scenario I try to avoid...

 Rolling back to an earlier firmware is horrendous at all... You do it exactly like you install the new firmware. You may have to actually download the flash file and use update in offline mode, but that's a big deal at all.

 

Between the Helix, the HX Effects and the HX Stomp, I've probably installed firmware updates nearly a hundred times or more. It's really quite painless.

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1 minute ago, phil_m said:

 Rolling back to an earlier firmware is horrendous at all... You do it exactly like you install the new firmware. You may have to actually download the flash file and use update in offline mode, but that's a big deal at all.

 

Between the Helix, the HX Effects and the HX Stomp, I've probably installed firmware updates nearly a hundred times or more. It's really quite painless.

Quite - *but* my point is that you *wouldn't* then have to roll back all the other software, as the 2.70 HX Edit, etc inter-operate with the 2.50 firmware.

 

 

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I only reason I can think of for not updating the firmware is the specific case where 2.6 (I think) changed the output level of the new reverbs that were introduced in 2.5.  I had to go through all my presets that used those reverbs and change the mix and level parameters.  It was a bit tedious but definitely worth the effort.

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6 minutes ago, jonandtice said:

I only reason I can think of for not updating the firmware is the specific case where 2.6 (I think) changed the output level of the new reverbs that were introduced in 2.5.  I had to go through all my presets that used those reverbs and change the mix and level parameters.  It was a bit tedious but definitely worth the effort.

Exactly the kind of thing that might necessitate a roll-back, if you needed those presets *right now*.

 

Something similar happened to me, way back, with a PodXT.

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If you've got two LT's now, why not keep one on your "stable" version (2.50), and the other on the latest and greatest?

 

That way,  you can evaluate the newer version against the prior version, and when you're sure you're happy with it, just update both.

 

You may end up having to play a few games with backups/restores etc in order to keep your presets in sync, but it makes more sense to me to do this than to deliberate avoid newer firmware on both devices.

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Just now, foxmeister said:

If you've got two LT's now, why not keep one on your "stable" version (2.50), and the other on the latest and greatest?

 

That way,  you can evaluate the newer version against the prior version, and when you're sure you're happy with it, just update both.

 

You may end up having to play a few games with backups/restores etc in order to keep your presets in sync, but it makes more sense to me to do this than to deliberate avoid newer firmware on both devices.

Exactly. Pretty much...

 

The catch with this, is that I have to update a reasonably complicated software set-up on a laptop, to work with 2.70 LT. [Drivers, HX Edit, Reaper, Helix Native, Installer, various VST plug-ins, etc.] - and I don't want to risk breaking that. However I suspect that I only actually need to update Installer/drivers & HX Edit to actually work with the 2.70 LT; and this should be really safe, and allow small steps.

 

I've got the luxury of another laptop with the latest software versions; and I'll do some playing on that.

 

 

 

 

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1 hour ago, Andybassdoyle said:

Chaps - very new to helix, just a couple of days in. When upgrading to the latest firmware from a much older version is it necessary to perform each intermediate update or will the latest version cover all content/fixes etc?

 

Just install the latest version.

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