SOLVED: Spider Remote 2.0 Sliders Freeze App Win10

[mrvander]

Windows 10. Modern PC (Ryzen 5 based). I altered the EXE so I can resolve the "No Internet" DNS stupidity. The app launches just fine and I can navigate, change patches, browse tones, change models for amps, cabs and effects. However, anytime I change sliders for a chosen model, the app will freeze. I can change any number of sliders for about 10 seconds before the app freezes. The app won't freeze until I adjust a slider. After I move a slider, I have about 10 seconds. Anyone else having this issue?

 

Things I have tried - error happens every time:

• Used the original EXE instead of the mod.
• Waited for two hours to see if the app would unfreeze.
• Tried changing sliders on multiple different amp or fx models.
• Ensured I had the latest dot net installed.
• Ensured I had both x86 and x64 2013 C++ redistro
• Ensured I had both x86 and x64 of 2015-2019 C++ redistro.
• Attempted different Android tablets - constant disconnections. This is a whole other issue.

 

EDIT 6/8

SOLUTION: Reduce mouse polling rate to 250 Hz. 500 Hz or greater causes the issue.

Edited June 8, 2021 by mrvander
Marked as Solved

[01GT]

No, have not seen this.  Are you saying it freezes after adjusting any slider for any effect, or just for "Amp" setting sliders?

I assume you tried the usual re-boot, remove/re-install, etc. stuff with no help?

[mrvander]

6 hours ago, 01GT said:

No, have not seen this.  Are you saying it freezes after adjusting any slider for any effect, or just for "Amp" setting sliders?

I assume you tried the usual re-boot, remove/re-install, etc. stuff with no help?

 

Any slider for any model - amp or effect.

 

Additional Items I've attempted:

• Played with every "compatibility" option.
• Ran as Administrator from standard windows account.
• Ran as Administrator from Admin account.
• Uninstalled - reinstalled to different location (with reboots in between)
• Used Autoruns to shut off every third party program starting at runtime, service, or driver - EXCEPT for video driver
• Tried alternate USB cables.
• Tried alternate USB ports - both on the PC and a powered hub (however, I just now realized, all the ports I tried were USB 3 - gonna go try USB 2 after this.)

Then I did this:

Ran in a clean Virtual Machine (however, wasn't able to figure out how to pass host USB device to client so couldn't connect the amp.) and it worked fine (again, with no amp connected).

 

Which led me running the program normally (No VM) without the amp plugged into USB - and lo and behold, it didn't crash. Of course, I can't HEAR the changes, so kinda useless, but it seems to only crash when the amp is plugged in and I move a slider.

 

Also, I can move the knobs on the amp just fine when the program is loaded and I can see the sliders move on the screen and this works fine. Of course, there are more parameters than knobs on the amp, so I still have to dig through menus to change Presence for example, or any other parameter but the main effect.

 

I can also quickly move one slider. Stop, change to a different screen like Compressor, then go back and change another slider. It seems the "slider freeze" resets if I do something else in between. Only if I spend too long changing sliders (or just one slider up and down) will the program freeze. I timed it and I really only get about 2 to 3 seconds before the app freezes while moving a slider.

 

EDIT: USB 2 port made no difference.

 

Additional items attempted:

• unplugged every USB peripheral (except the mouse), including my audio interface and no difference.
• Hooked up my son's Spider V 20 to the same PC and the same result. Slider movement causes the app to freeze (not sure if it's been mentioned, all this time its been a Spider V 120 before trying the smaller amp.)

 

Next up: Try a different PC.

[mrvander]

New things I have tried:

• Uninstalled all C++ Redistributables on my machine and Spider Remote. Then reinstalled letting Remote install the 2017 version that is packaged with it. Then I did a fresh install of the latest 2013 redistro and no luck. Sliders still freeze.
• Tried a new PC. This is a really old PC I use for Zwift (virtual indoor bicycling) and it was a pain to get the app working on this mainly because the machine needed so many updates and was scanning and defragging as it's been off since spring started. But once I was able to launch Spider Remote my problem seemed to go away (but as mentioned performance was miserable so no way I cold use this machine ongoing.)
• Then I created a virtual machine on the same PC that has the app freezing issue. Passed through the host USB and I first hooked up the Spider 20 first and all seemed ok. Then I hooked up the 120 and again, it seemed to work.

 

There definitely seems to be something on my main PC that is conflicting. I had already tried safe mode and turning off most services, drivers and programs and the problem persisted. I'm not quite ready to go nuclear and perform a fresh install my main PC as it just may be hardware related (Mobo drivers, graphic drivers, etc.)

 

Maybe someday I'll truly figure out what is conflicting with this incredibly poorly written program.

 

P.S. As a side note, the "internet connection" functionality also worked right out of the box on the VM. I didn't have to hex edit the EXE.

[mrvander]

Well, this software is a frustrating experience.

 

My OCD got the better of me and I decided to try a clean install of Windows 10 to see if the only thing I load is the Spider driver and Remote software. No luck it still froze. Now I'm spending my time rebuilding my main PC instead of dialing in a sweet tone.

 

It seems a lot of folks are having two common issues:

1. To get it to run at all, you have to download an additional C++ 2013 x86 Runtime from Microsoft that should have been included in the install package.
2. Many can't use the "Tone Cloud" without hex editing the EXE file to change the DNS due to amateurish programming that has the intent of determining internet connectivity via a hardcoded DNS entry.

 

My personal issue is still an issue with the amateur programming of the software but not as widespread because it seems to be specific to certain hardware.

I've spent days troubleshooting why the sliders freeze (see all the posts above this one.) and after my clean install debacle (it's a debacle because in the end, it was unnecessary and now caused me more unrelated work), I hauled an amp around the house and installed the application on three different PC's in my house.

 

Those tests showed:

1. Does not work on TWO entirely different PC's.
2. Works on a third PC.

 

The two PC's where it will freeze are both AMD Ryzen 5 3600, ASROCK motherboards (different but both B450 chipsets) and Nvidia GPU (different but within one gen of each other). The PC where it does work is an older AMD FX-8350 and supporting AM3+ motherboard also with an Nvidia card.

 

So for now, I can either use a VM (performance isn't the best) OR I probably have enough older PC components I can cobble together a PC just for the purposes of editing tones instead of using the front panel, but that'll be a project for another time.

 

Conclusion:

I'm not made of money. That's why I've been a Line 6 user for years, I upgraded an old Bean Pod 2.0 to this Spider V 120 a couple years ago and couldn't use the software then since it conflicted with Logitech's Ghub - back then it would flat out bluescreen my PC. Only recently did I see that particular issue was resolved with a new driver and wow, what a frustrating experience this has been! 

 

Line 6, you should be ashamed. People should not have to find workarounds and additional downloads or have to build new PC's or buy new tablets just to run your sloppy software.

 

Honestly, if the software didn't exist, my whole perspective would be different. I would think, "wow, I wish there were software to make this so much easier by editing this on a monitor." But I wouldn't know any better and just deal with the tiny screen on the amp.

 

But now that I have had this frustrating experience over the course of two years, I can't help but feel I got a bum deal. I can't really pretend the software doesn't exist because I know it does and I know I cannot use it (easily.) So I'm left with this frustrating experience. If I had just bought this amp, I would likely be returning it.

 

I've owned a POD 2.0 and floorboard. I still have a Spider II 30, A Spider V 20, A Spider V 120 and the FBV3 floorboard. I really, really liked the idea of having everything in one affordable box to get varied tones with the guitars I already own. I think this experience has left me jaded with Line 6. I'll still enjoy what I currently own for now just via the amp panel itself, but instead of continuing to troubleshoot software which has NEVER worked for me, I'm going to start actively looking for a new amp and sell all this Line 6 stuff.

 

Oh, and my support ticket about all this is apparently still in the "ignore" queue, which also seems to be a theme here. So yet another reason to move on from Line 6.  (stricken, they did respond a couple hours after this post.)

 

[01GT]

16 hours ago, mrvander said:

... they did respond a couple hours after this post ...

 

What was the result of that?  Is it something specific to AMD processors?

[mrvander]

12 hours ago, 01GT said:

What was the result of that?  Is it something specific to AMD processors?

 

No result yet. Basically they just asked if I had tried reinstalling and rebooting yet. I replied pointing them to this thread and provided the information from Event Viewer (which is barely anything). Awaiting a response again.

[mrvander]

SOLUTION: Someone on Reddit was able to provide the solution having the same problem themselves. This particular issue has to do with a high polling rate on the mouse. I reduced my polling rate from 1000 Hz to 250 Hz and the problem went away. Anything 500 Hz or greater will reproduce the freezing slider issue. I'm not sure if this is a remnant of the GHub conflict as I do use Ghub and Logitech hardware or if the problem manifests with any such peripherals with high polling rates.

 

Line 6 has finally responded today (6/8) and has essentially said "No one else if having this problem, try using the old version." TBH, their effort in resolving this issue was incredibly lackluster. Regardless of how many people are having the issue, you help your customers to the best of your ability. Even if you don't know the answer and have never seen the issue before, taking ownership of their issue and walking WITH them says a lot about your company. Not doing that says just as much. It just takes one to uncover a bug, it just takes one to to give you glowing reviews or bad, it just takes one to make or lose money. In any event, I've notified them of the solution so there's no excuse for anyone else to have this issue ongoing.

[Apat59]

same issue, tried everything, finally worked ... for one day

behavor totally random now