New Hd Firmware

[tim1953]

It just seems to me that if you have a product like the HD 500 that you put a lot of time into development and modelling - it would make sense to keep offering new models.

That way you're not only keeping the people who already own a Pod happy but you're giving potential buyers more reasons to purchase one.

 Like I said in an earlier post I'd be willing to pay for new models - I don't expect them to be free forever.

[meambobbo]

all this "why support a product when it's not bringing in new money?" talk is nonsense.  what happens when your customers feel like you're making a sub-optimal product and you don't care about their opinions?  how well does your next-gen product sell?

 

you think i'm going to buy an xbox one after my 360 broke 3 times?

 

i've had several generations of line 6 gear, and i'll probably never buy another.  I am still really impressed by the Pod HD, but there are so many bad design decisions and lots of things have never been fixed.  if you're going to limit your customers to your sub-par cabinet simulations, why not at least phase-align them?  all i have seen since I bought the unit has been excuses.

[DrFix]

I keep reading about the fact that company won't make business in releasing upgrades because people wouldn't buy new products.

Well:

- I won't buy a l6 product anymore since they get abandoned just after the launch.

- Users saying so should remember that they're users and shouldn't care about company marketing strategy.

- We're not speaking about an amp, this is digital hardware, people buy it for playing, exploring, having fun and have new features to play with. Else I would have bought a solid state combo.

 

If they did model packs I would have bought them, but they're not even doing them....

[medievil1]

works both ways though... if you are not loyal to the people that BUY your products, they will go to a different manufacturer.. we are not talking about a huge task here... if they are developing other products, then they are sampling and developing /redeveloping sims for amps.. how hard is it to use that new info that you are already writing code fro and compile it for any of the other products?

the hard task is the research, the coding once you have the metrics is relatively simple in comparison.

as it stands now, their bread and butter customers are not feeling the love o9r the need to go out and buy the next big thing from them and why should they? it could be buggy, take years to Fix and never offer anything new. The whole EQ situation alone proves that

 

I am talking about customer service and support. Specifically, for how long does it make sense to provide ongoing support for digital products? That's a critical business decision for any manufacturer of such products, because resources expended there are resources that are not available to develop new products to remain competitive with evolving technology.

Taken to its extreme you would have a company that produces a single good product, sells a bunch, decides to allocate all it's resources to providing free customer service and product support, maybe sells a few more units over time, and eventually goes out of business when the inherent technical limitations of it's now-obsolete product results in no revenues.

Of course that's an extreme example. But the point is that the resource allocation call (support of existing products vs. development of new products) is one of the most important business decisions a company must make. And they are in the best position to make that call. Not me, and not you. They will receive and consider user feedback to help them make the call. One can agree or disagree with them. But the fact that one disagree does not mean they are not listening, nor that they are making the wrong call. It simply means that one disagrees.

.... and no, I don't work for them.

[joel_brown]

Atleast for me it's never been about brand loyalty anyway.  Whatever sounds and works the best is the one I buy.  When I bought the PODHD is was the best out there unless you wanted to spend 4 or 5 times more.  And from what I can tell that hasn't changed yet. 

 

Sure it'd be great if the PODHD had an EQ that didn't have the worse interface ever dreamed of, they supported user installable IRs, they had more amps modeled, etc...  but they don't and probably won't until someone like Digitech puts out there next product and gives Line6 a reason to step it up. 

[Charlie_Watt]

The only thing that they owe current owners is bug fixes not "free upgrades".  If the product works as advertised then they do not have to make it better once it's in production.  R&D will focus on new products.

[Inerzia]

If L6 markets a product with certain present features and the promise of updates to come, it's just common sense that we, users, expect the present features to work and the updates to come.
Those updates may or may not contain anything considered an upgrade (that's up to the company) but are supposed to address lesser problems (big problems shouldn't exist in the first place, because that's what beta testing and QC are for).
Listening to our demands and valuing our opinions (% in Eq, separate output modes, etc)? They're not bound to do so. Though L6 has, for a long time, prided itself on doing so. "You asked for it" were we recently told...
Providing free upgrades? They're not bound to do so either, and they never said they would. Although what one would expect after seeing past lines of products evolve over time is that they would want to keep that kind of product/customer care going, and, in time, provide added value to our products. But those expectations were never backed by any official statement that I know of.
Let's not mix up our expectations (wild, wilder or reasonable) with their obligations.

[gunpointmetal]

I would gladly pay for things like extra effects and model packs, but some things like the EQ bullsh1t, output mode silliness, and cabinet sim improvements (phase correct,editable) should be considered bug fixes and should have been taken care of right away..the EQ thing was probably the 10th post when they started a forum for the product, and probably one of the first five things mentioned on IdeaScale. I don't need the sh1t to be free, just available.

[AzolHD]

Still waiting for Pod HD Desktp update, as it should finally fix the Tuner bug with Express board - has been waiting for over a year!

I fail to see the reason the fix is offered for HD Pro but not for an HD Desktop at the same time.

[TheRealZap]

because this fix basically had to do with the L6LINK which the desktop does not have.

Still waiting for Pod HD Desktp update, as it should finally fix the Tuner bug with Express board - has been waiting for over a year!

I fail to see the reason the fix is offered for HD Pro but not for an HD Desktop at the same time.

[AzolHD]

because this fix basically had to do with the L6LINK which the desktop does not have.

 

From update notes:

 

"FBV Express mkII mode/Tuner support operates as expected"

 

 

FBV Express mkII connects to both HD Pro and HD Desktop via FBV link (aka RJ-45). L6LINK has nothing to do with this fix. Support knew about this issue for over a year, but now I am unsure if they would fix it for Desktop owners at all.

[TheRealZap]

you're assuming that the correction made here is the same issue as the desktop model....

 

From update notes:

 

 

FBV Express mkII connects to both HD Pro and HD Desktop via FBV link (aka RJ-45). L6LINK has nothing to do with this fix. Support knew about this issue for over a year, but now I am unsure if they would fix it for Desktop owners at all.

[AzolHD]

you're assuming that the correction made here is the same issue as the desktop model....

 

Yes, because Tuner mode is broken in FBV Express MkII mode for both HD Pro and HD Desktop as well, it was reported many times. The platform is the same for both devices... shouldn't take another year to fix the bean.

 

Anyway, I am not holding my breath for it anymore... New cabs is an exciting idea, but fixing what's broken should be 1st priority. It's like the message to all the customers: "We do care".

[edhaywhat]

I could care less for new amp models or cabs. It would be for more simple if they gave the option to use your own cab IR sims via the edit program. POD HD PRO is "alright" right now as is. My wish list to make this product great is simple

 

 

User loaded CAB IR's and an overhaul of the EQ system. Like a 31 band global eq. Please L6 please please

 

 

 

I've been a loyal customer since the AX2 212

[rumrill1]

If you have a Stagesource speaker the update addresses a serious "issue": previously, the Master level on POD was disabled when a SS speaker was connected; you had to reach to the back of the speaker to adjust the master volume, so inconveniently located on the back of the SS speaker.

In the middle of a show this was a major pain in the butt, especially when the speaker was placed horizontally on the floor. Now the POD's master volume works as it should. You can quickly adjust master volume by merely bending over to reach your POD, instead of turning around & flipping a heavy speaker over.

If you don't have a SS speaker the update doesn't do much for you. . . 

[joel_brown]

I agree with edhaywhat.  If Line6 let us have user loaded IRs and a normal looking EQ, hell I'd pay for that upgrade.  If anyone, including Line6 comes out with that feature at all, I'm buying it.  AXEFX has it but I can't justify spending $3000 for it.

[arislaf]

I also agree with edhaywhat. this is the most needed resource!

[jjulien]

I have a POD XT Pro loaded with metal pack, FX Pack and Clasic pack. and a POD HD Pro any one wanna trade for an Axe Fx2?

[joel_brown]

Hehe good luck with that.  That's like asking someone to trade you their Ferrari for your Honda Civic and Toyota Camry.

[GTLazer]

I don't normally bother with these lengthy threads about useless/useful updates, but I just wanted to say this:

 

I don't understand why anyone has any loyalty to a brand, or believes that a brand has any loyalty to them.

 

I buy things that do what I want them to do at the time of purchase.

They sell what they think people want and that will make them money.

 

It's not rocket science and it certainly has nothing to do with loyalty.

 

Incidentally, I'd consider paying serious coin for something that'll do custom IRs (from a WAV file) and has a global EQ (in Hz), but that's not because I'm annoyed that Line 6 haven't added everything I want to my current product, it's because the current product has taught me that those are the features I really want on my next piece of kit.

[ArgyleSox]

So this has to be my favorite update so far. Being a HD500 + DT50 user I am loving the new master volume attenuation feature added in this update. Up until now I have been using the Dr. Z Air Brake to attenuate the output volume of the DT50 amp allowing higher master gain settings at lower output volumes. The DT50 amp really comes to life (gets those tubes cooking) once you hit the 2-3 o'clock range on the amps master volume knob. Just tested my setup minus the Air Brake with the v2.2 update and WOW! Looks like the Air Brake may be going on Ebay soon. This will also be a handy feature when playing live.

 

For those of you that feel this update was a waste need to realize that its not all about you..... 

 

For those of us DT amp users thanks for the update just wish it had came sooner! 

[DeanDinosaur]

......

For those of you that feel this update was a waste need to realize that its not all about you..... 

 

For those of us DT amp users thanks for the update just wish it had came sooner! 

I'm glad some are happy with the update! Still it's about every user of the product. If the product is intended to be everything for every guitarist, then it has to address everything for everyone. If not, just make a modeler for those interested in AMP modeling as the focus. That's why I ,as many others, are looking at other products that focus on amp modeling. Eleven Rack is sweet and I bet that the new product from Digitech will also kick lollipop, and that might be because they don't have to worry about linking it to their own speaker or amps and using it as marketing tool to sell their other line of products. If you don't believe me go try the Eleven Rack at $300 without pro tools and you'll realize what I'm talking about.

[stumblinman]

I'm glad some are happy with the update! Still it's about every user of the product. If the product is intended to be everything for every guitarist, then it has to address everything for everyone. If not, just make a modeler for those interested in AMP modeling as the focus. That's why I ,as many others, are looking at other products that focus on amp modeling. Eleven Rack is sweet and I bet that the new product from Digitech will also kick lollipop, and that might be because they don't have to worry about linking it to their own speaker or amps and using it as marketing tool to sell their other line of products. If you don't believe me go try the Eleven Rack at $300 without pro tools and you'll realize what I'm talking about.

2 shots!

[Metalchef]

I agree with GTlazer. I am a DT 50 user as well so it helped but I can work with the eqs and such at this point I've learned to use my ear when Adjusting rather than a specific HZ and such which is what should be happening in the first place so yes while it does require a learning curve to master the eq set up but it's not a far reaching annoying impossibility and surely isn't worth me spending another $2000.00 dollars to go Fractal. I am satisfied with my tones and have not had a song or genre I or style this set up pop up that I haven't had this set up completely dominate the task and make it its lollipop.

[gunpointmetal]

There is no logical argument for how the EQs are arranged. The fact that are "useable" does not make them good. I use my ears too, but I use my ears to determine a frequency range, and I want to be able to select it (or something close) without having to memorize a spreadsheet converting percents to hertz.

[DeanDinosaur]

Not being able to select a specific frequency or Q is the least problem of the EQ design. Terminology that refers to commonly used references in studio work, such as Hi, Low, Low mid etc are used yet you're expected to use your ears. Why even give the knobs names. Just leave the knobs blank  while your at it. Parametric EQ level seems to affect only the lonesome one parametric band but there's no level adjustment to compensate for reducing the highs or lows to retain similar volume levels between the edited and not edited! Really, why even call it parametric EQ.

 

If they had come up with a different name other than EQ, it would be understandable, like "Line 6 Monkey editor" and the parameters would be "butt" and you play with that and you find out it effects Bass frequencies, "hair", would effect high frequencies. The user interface will be a monkey with a banana in each ear....on second thought the monkey is already upgrading the firmware, so maybe it can be another animal or maybe a Neanderthal...

[arislaf]

So, santa pass and not any update present.... 

[MartinDorr]

So this has to be my favorite update so far. Being a HD500 + DT50 user I am loving the new master volume attenuation feature added in this update. Up until now I have been using the Dr. Z Air Brake to attenuate the output volume of the DT50 amp allowing higher master gain settings at lower output volumes. The DT50 amp really comes to life (gets those tubes cooking) once you hit the 2-3 o'clock range on the amps master volume knob. Just tested my setup minus the Air Brake with the v2.2 update and WOW! Looks like the Air Brake may be going on Ebay soon. This will also be a handy feature when playing live.

 

For those of you that feel this update was a waste need to realize that its not all about you..... 

 

For those of us DT amp users thanks for the update just wish it had came sooner! 

 

It's not my favorite but I think support for Master Volume to attenuate output is highly underated and VERY useful to any DT or power Amp user. For me it essentially opened up another effect slot and freed the pedal for dynamic volume changes or as a wah pedal. Before I had a trailing volume pedal whenever possible to adjust tone volume to venue (basically set once during sound check). Now the Master Volume does that job and I no longer have to mess with adjusting tones, the guitar, or the DT when I need the pedal for dynamic tone shaping. It basically removed my long pushed out need to buy an extra pedal, i.e., saved me $50 or more and a bunch of adjustment hassle that occasionally goes wrong.

Martin