billp80 Posted December 16, 2018 Share Posted December 16, 2018 I just bought a few items from Line 6 Marketplace. The downloads are zip files that only include .hir files when extracted. There are no wav files. I try to import them to my Helix used the edit software and I get an error warning that to install premium IR's I need to authorize my computer. It conveniently asks if I would like to authorize my computer. I click "Yes" and then nothing happens. My computer is authorized, my downloads are registered and I updated the edit software to the latest 2.71 version. I can't find any information about these .hir files. Changing the file extensions to .wav gets the same result. What's going on here!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil_m Posted December 16, 2018 Share Posted December 16, 2018 Are you signed into your account on HX Edit? On the lower right hand corner of the HX Edit window, you'll see "My Account". Click it and hit sign in, and you'll be asked to enter your Line6.com login info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billp80 Posted December 16, 2018 Author Share Posted December 16, 2018 My edit software was still 2.60 version even though the Helix unit was fully updated. I updated HX Edit and now it works great. Thx. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkyERTW Posted December 17, 2018 Share Posted December 17, 2018 FYI, the reason re-naming the .hir to .wav didn't work is because .hir is likely an encrypted copy of the WAV (maybe with some extra information). Once imported and decrypted by authorized software (Edit), it would then be possible to freely export as a proper WAV. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil_m Posted December 17, 2018 Share Posted December 17, 2018 11 minutes ago, sparkyERTW said: FYI, the reason re-naming the .hir to .wav didn't work is because .hir is likely an encrypted copy of the WAV (maybe with some extra information). Once imported and decrypted by authorized software (Edit), it would then be possible to freely export as a proper WAV. You can't export the .hir files as wav files. The .hir files are copy-protected the Marketplace DRM scheme. That's why you have be signed into your Line 6 account to load them. The licenses for them are tied to your account, and without the license you can't load them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunpointmetal Posted December 17, 2018 Share Posted December 17, 2018 So L6 is now selling IRs that ONLY work on Helix? Lame sauce, unless they offer some level of adjustment you can't do with a normal IR. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverhead Posted December 17, 2018 Share Posted December 17, 2018 1 hour ago, gunpointmetal said: So L6 is now selling IRs that ONLY work on Helix? Lame sauce, unless they offer some level of adjustment you can't do with a normal IR. Aren't the IRs available in the Helix Marketplace provided by third parties? I don't think they are Line 6 products although Line 6 supports the marketplace. I guess it's up to the providers to determine whether the sauce is special. Of course Line 6 still supports the loading of IRs from other providers; it's just that they supporting the DRM for (hence protecting the IP of) the Helix Marketplace providers. Most IR providers choose not to establish a DRM system for whatever reason. For instance, if I were unscrupulous I could easily share my purchased IRs from other providers to all my friends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunpointmetal Posted December 17, 2018 Share Posted December 17, 2018 2 minutes ago, silverhead said: The IRs available in the Helix Marketplace are provided by third parties; they are not Line 6 products although Line 6 supports the marketplace. I guess it's up to the providers to determine whether the sauce is special. Of course Line 6 supports the loading of all IRs. It's just that Line 6 is supporting the DRM for (hence protecting the IP of) the Helix Marketplace providers. Most IR providers choose not to establish a DRM system for whatever reason. For instance, if I were unscrupulous I could easily share my purchased IRs from other providers to all my friends. That's fine, but if there's no "Helix Only" functionality with them, I'm not gonna spend money on IRs that I can't drop into any IR loader with any amp sim. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverhead Posted December 17, 2018 Share Posted December 17, 2018 Just now, gunpointmetal said: That's fine, but if there's no "Helix Only" functionality with them, I'm not gonna spend money on IRs that I can't drop into any IR loader with any amp sim. Fair enough. Nobody is being forced to purchase them. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunpointmetal Posted December 17, 2018 Share Posted December 17, 2018 I just don't get the proprietary format unless there's some proprietary use. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverhead Posted December 17, 2018 Share Posted December 17, 2018 Yeah, I can see that. Maybe (and this is pure speculation on my part) the DRM is intended to encourage more providers to put the effort into creating really good IRs. They have some protection against piracy. Edit: An afterthought.... what if established IR providers (Sigma, Ownhammer, ...) were to start using Helix Marketplace as a distribution channel? I expect Line 6 withholds an admin fee for the Marketplace which would reduce the providers' profit margin but maybe the DRM would more than recoup that, assuming a reduction in lost sales due to piracy. Of course, the Marketplace would still only apply to a small portion of their customers (Helix users) so probably not worthwhile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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