Pod HD500X Edit protocol reverse engineering

[StarAurryon]

Hello Line6 Team,

 

I am currently writing an open source software (LGPLv2) to use the podhd 500x under Linux in a similar manner as "POD HD 500X edit". Would it be possible to have the protocol data sheet to complete my implementation?

 

I am currently supporting basic features, i.e. reading and writing pedals settings, but I am lacking some understanding of the whole protocol.

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Aurryon

 

The code https://github.com/StarAurryon/lpedit

 

Note: Protocol reverse engineering is perfectly legal if we listen to the usb port, which is what I am doing. As a EU citizen I would also be allowed to reverse the assembly in the name of interoperability: which I am not doing now as it is harder

[hurghanico]

4 hours ago, StarAurryon said:

Hello Line6 Team,

 

I am currently writing an open source software (LGPLv2) to use the podhd 500x under Linux in a similar manner as "POD HD 500X edit". Would it be possible to have the protocol data sheet to complete my implementation?

 

First of all, writing in this forum is not useful to talk to the Line6 team, but only with other users.
That said, even if you do manage to speak to someone of the Line6 team (e.g. by phone or via support ticket) I believe they will never be willing to provide you with the protocol data sheet.

Perhaps for your purpose it might be a better idea to analyze the program and its source code created by a forum member a while ago to convert presets from one format to another of the various POD HD series models: Pod Hd Tone Conversion Utility  and see what useful information you can get.


Who knows, maybe the author himself could give you some tips.

 

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

All about POD HD500/X

help and useful tips

[joel_brown]

And if you get your program working, please build a Windows and Mac version of it also.

[StarAurryon]

@hurghanicoThanks for the feedback. I will check the Pod HD Tone source code. I was unaware that such program existed. To be honest the last thing I am lacking is the understanding of the big message of 4kb containing a preset load. The HD Edit app is sending this message when requesting a preset change and the POD is sending this when hitting a preset stomp. Other messages are quite small and easy to understand.

 

@joel_brownFirst of all, I don't have a Mac and it is hard to find clean ISO install images to get it running on VMs. I truly understand that with the coming changes from Apple and the deprecated status of POD HD family from line 6, such hardware won't work in the near time.

Honestly, I could check and get it running as long as the OSX kernel driver still exist and expose the proper communication channel.

Regarding Windows I need to check. This one might be easier to achieve as Windows 10 will stay there for a long time and I have it installed in my VM to use/debug the POD HD Edit software.

 

If I am able to finish my software in a month, I will be able to start looking at this.

 

Aurryon

[StarAurryon]

Hello,

 

I have good news:

• I a now able to communicate with the Windows driver: only writing to the POD with DeviceIOControl and IOCTL_KS_PROPERTY. Thus I hope I will be able to port the application on Windows shortly;
• Regarding OSX I have now a version of Mojave running in a VM. The app seems to communicate through IOKit but I am not sure of if. The documentation is crap so it will take more time but does not feel impossible to have a running 64bit version of my app.

If you have info about these two API feel free to bring your stone to the edifice.

 

Aurryon

[nick83ola]

Hi,

any idea if the helix protocol is similar to this??