Control switcher question

[Tone Wars]

Hello, I have a PRS Mt 15 amplifier.I'm trying to switch channels through the foot switch input (on the amp) via my line 6 Helix through the control switcher.
When I push the LED on the control switcher the amp switches channels but I can't seem to get it to work with midi commands. Any help would be greatly appreciated

[JohnClark]

Have you enabled MIDI Program Change Receive and set a MIDI Channel on the Control Switcher yet?

Does your Control Switcher have Black Buttons with Red LEDs next to them or does it have the Red buttons that light up?

[Mika79]

Hello,

I have exactly the same problem.
Tested all configurations according to the manual. Midi channel on the Helix and switcher is 1. PC und CC is activated on the switcher (LED 1 & LED 2). CC is default on the switcher (80-83). When I send for example a CC80 from the Helix I would it expect to activate LED 1 but nothing happens
Also it seems not to notice PC Messages. If I send one and I configure the buttons on the switcher later on I´n not able to save the config (LED1 + LED4 at the same time).



I tested the Helx midisignal with a midi amp and it works well with that. So it seems that the problem is on the switcher side. My switcher has red buttons.

Thanks for your help!
Mika

[JohnClark]

Hello,

I have exactly the same problem.
Tested all configurations according to the manual. Midi channel on the Helix and switcher is 1. PC und CC is activated on the switcher (LED 1 & LED 2). CC is default on the switcher (80-83). When I send for example a CC80 from the Helix I would it expect to activate LED 1 but nothing happens
Also it seems not to notice PC Messages. If I send one and I configure the buttons on the switcher later on I´n not able to save the config (LED1 + LED4 at the same time).



I tested the Helx midisignal with a midi amp and it works well with that. So it seems that the problem is on the switcher side. My switcher has red buttons.

Thanks for your help!
Mika

Thank you for providing which button version you have!

The easiest way to test if the Control Switcher is receiving MIDI Messages is to first press any button on the Control Switcher to turn a switch ON, then send your Program Change... The default is that all switches are Off for each preset, so when you send an on target Program Change the enabled switch should turn off.
If it does nothing, then it's either not programmed to respond to Program Changes or they are not on the target MIDI Channel, or the MIDI data simply isn't making it to the MIDI In on the Control Switcher.
If this is the case I think the first stop would be to simply re-set the Control Switcher so we are at a known starting point, then program the Message types.

Reset a Red Button Control Switcher:
1. Press-and-Hold Buttons 2 and 3 while powering up the Control Switcher.
2. All button LEDs will flash to show you've entered the Program Mode, release Buttons 2 and 3.
3. The Control Switcher will now do a button test. Press each button after it lights up.
4. After testing button 4, wait for all the button LEDs to flash three times then power down.
5. The Control Switcher is now at its factory default settings.


Now we can program Control Switcher to work in your rig.

Enable Program Change and/or Control Change messages on a Red Button Control Switcher:
1. Press-and-Hold Button 1 while powering up the Control Switcher.
2. All button LEDs will flash to show you've entered the Program Mode, release Button 1.
3. Press Buttons 1 and 2 so their LEDs are lit up.
4. Power down the Control Switcher.

The Control Switcher should default to MIDI Channel 1, but if you'd like to check here is where the MIDI Channel is set.

Set the MIDI Receive Channel on a Red Button Control Switcher.
1. Press-and-Hold Button 2 while powering up the Control Switcher.
2. All button LEDs will flash to show you've entered the Program Mode, release Button 2.
3. All Button LEDs should be OFF for MIDI Channel 1.
4. Power down the Control Switcher.

The Control Switcher should now be ready to go! Let's test it out...
1. Connect the MIDI Out of your Helix directly to the MIDI In on the Control Switcher.
2. Turn any combination of Control Switcher buttons to be ON.
3. Send a Program Change from your Helix.
Did the Control Switcher respond?

[Mika79]

Thank you very much for your answer!!

"Enable Program Change and/or Control Change messages on a Red Button Control Switcher:
1. Press-and-Hold Button 1 while powering up the Control Switcher.
2. All button LEDs will flash to show you've entered the Program Mode, release Button 1.
3. Press Buttons 1 and 2 so their LEDs are lit up.
4. Power down the Control Switcher."

The manual says it has to be Button 3??

Edit.

Okay I think I got it. Looks likethat I have the wrong manual here... I wasn´t aware of that there are two different versions on the market.


Regards,
Mika

[D-Nasty]

Thank you for providing which button version you have!

The easiest way to test if the Control Switcher is receiving MIDI Messages is to first press any button on the Control Switcher to turn a switch ON, then send your Program Change... The default is that all switches are Off for each preset, so when you send an on target Program Change the enabled switch should turn off.
If it does nothing, then it's either not programmed to respond to Program Changes or they are not on the target MIDI Channel, or the MIDI data simply isn't making it to the MIDI In on the Control Switcher.
If this is the case I think the first stop would be to simply re-set the Control Switcher so we are at a known starting point, then program the Message types.

Reset a Red Button Control Switcher:
1. Press-and-Hold Buttons 2 and 3 while powering up the Control Switcher.
2. All button LEDs will flash to show you've entered the Program Mode, release Buttons 2 and 3.
3. The Control Switcher will now do a button test. Press each button after it lights up.
4. After testing button 4, wait for all the button LEDs to flash three times then power down.
5. The Control Switcher is now at its factory default settings.


Now we can program Control Switcher to work in your rig.

Enable Program Change and/or Control Change messages on a Red Button Control Switcher:
1. Press-and-Hold Button 1 while powering up the Control Switcher.
2. All button LEDs will flash to show you've entered the Program Mode, release Button 1.
3. Press Buttons 1 and 2 so their LEDs are lit up.
4. Power down the Control Switcher.

The Control Switcher should default to MIDI Channel 1, but if you'd like to check here is where the MIDI Channel is set.

Set the MIDI Receive Channel on a Red Button Control Switcher.
1. Press-and-Hold Button 2 while powering up the Control Switcher.
2. All button LEDs will flash to show you've entered the Program Mode, release Button 2.
3. All Button LEDs should be OFF for MIDI Channel 1.
4. Power down the Control Switcher.

The Control Switcher should now be ready to go! Let's test it out...
1. Connect the MIDI Out of your Helix directly to the MIDI In on the Control Switcher.
2. Turn any combination of Control Switcher buttons to be ON.
3. Send a Program Change from your Helix.
Did the Control Switcher respond?
[/quote]

Hi. I'm having the exact same problem as the OP. I followed your directions & when I sent a MIDI message from my HX Effects to the Voodoo Control Switcher with the light on button 1 enabled, it went off. I still can't get the light on button 1 to turn on when I send a message though. Can you help me?