Is there a way to control TWO Helix Racks from ONE Helix Control?

[AndiKravljaca]

Hello!

 

I've seen the question asked the other way a few times - can two Helix Controls on either side of a stage be coupled to one Helix Rack. 

 

My use case is the inverse of that. Two Helix Racks which I'd like to control, but I don't want two Helix Controls next to each other on the stage (I don't play stages big enough for that). However, there's a second Helix in mind as a failover from the first since having everything in one digital box gives you no plan B. 

 

If you're about to ask 'What's the backup plan if your single Control fails?', it's a BOSS FC-50 MIDI controller which is small, portable, battery powered and can send basic program change commands to change presets. 

 

Back on topic - Is there a method by which I can use one Helix Control to control two Helixes? Or am I reliant on daisy chaining them with MIDI from Helix 1 to Helix 2?

 

As far as I understand it, I can connect the Control to H1, but would then have to use Command Center to program MIDI control changes to forward, from H1 to H2, essentially using H1 as a 'brain'. This sort of defeats the failover idea. Is there a way around this? Can I build an RJ45 box in a pedal enclosure, say, to 'split' the signal? 

 

 

[silverhead]

On 10/10/2024 at 6:43 AM, AndiKravljaca said:

…... Is there a way around this? Can I build an RJ45 box in a pedal enclosure, say, to 'split' the signal? 

 

I don’t know if an RJ-45 split box will work. It might, but there may be a more subtle hurdle. Helix Control is powered and recognized/initialized by the Helix Rack, and that may only happen at startup. If you connect a Helix Control to an already powered Rack it may simply not be recognized. You can test that.

 

Since you’re talking about a complete failure of your primary Helix Rack it might just be simplest to plan on leaving the backup Rack unpowered unless needed. Then connect the Helix Control to the backup Rack before starting it up. Yes, you’ll be blown out for a minute or so when the failure happens but you can recover for the next song at worst, perhaps even the latter part of the current song. Hard to be able to do better than that I think.

[theElevators]

I think you're overthinking it.  Helix can fail at some point for sure, but that should be extremely rare.  If you want to run 2 Helixes, do you also plan on connecting all the cables as well (XLR, 1/4")?  IMO that's overkill, unless you're playing the equivalent of the Superbowl where you cannot afford a single second of downtime.

 

I personally have 2 Helixes with me: Floor and LT as a backup.  I set up a spare guitar for myself that I keep close by on a guitar stand, tuned up and ready to go just in case, including its own wireless transmitter.  I keep my backup LT in the backpack.  And in case something happens to my main Helix, I'd just take it out and connect it. 

 

There's no end to what can fail.  Gotta just prioritize and be covered.  But... What if the main PA's amplifiers get fried?  What if the digital mixing console for the venue gets fried... What if the venue loses power?

 

I think: just have a backup ready, but setting up 2 Helixes at the same time is just too much and unneeded.  You should simply cover yourself for things that tend to happen more frequently, like broken strings. :)