However, what I'm looking for is just a pedal by itself (w/o the big board) that you can plug into the expression pedal input on the POD XT.

Without an expression pedal AFTER the compressor, or overdrive or "fuzz tone" you're SOL for those effects.

I've asked around about being able to get "in there" and gerry rig a vp after the compressor/overdrive etc, but I've heard nothing but a tale of impossibility.

Nonetheless, I use my podxt for ALL my gigs, recordig etc. Best thing I ever had as far as a processor.

I'd sure like to see a VP loop though.

I know what you mean.

But, it appears to me that the pedal signal input on the PODxt is not MIDI because there are separate MIDI input and output in addition to the pedal signal input.

This link will take you to a page on the Line6 site. Then, click on the little picture of the back of the PODxt and you can see all the different inputs and outputs. Line6 Picture

-- edit -- after some research, I've found that the jack for the expression pedal input is described as an "RJ-45 Jack." Anyone ever heard of this type of connection?

[This message was edited by Tom Olson on 05 November 2004 at 08:18 PM.]

How many leads are there on such a connector?

There are a few footswitches, a few 7 segment LED displays, and the pedal on those floorboards. They cannot operate on only 8 conductors, so it has to be converted to data.

I wanted to get a schematic from Line 6 so I could grab the digital audio directly out of mine. They don't do any local servicing, so schematics are not available to anyone outside of Line 6. A schematic would tell me if the 3 conductors for a volume pedal would be on that RJ-45 connector. I guess I could take some readings with the oscilloscope. It would be easy to find out once it was set up.

midisolutions.com is most likely the best off-the-shelf alternative. It will convert any regular volume pedal to transmit MIDI volume data. Then, just run a MIDI cable to the MIDI input on the POD. However, the option of putting the volume pedal before or after the preamp will not be available. It will just affect overall volume.

I have an older, out-of-business MIDI volume pedal. Too bad they didn't catch on. It works great.

With the midisolutions path, you will be at about $125 for their box plus a volume pedal. Your nearly at $200. The Line 6 floorboards are a bit too high in price (I think), but they do a lot of functions. The problem is, the rest of the floorboard can get in the way of the steel's pedals.

[This message was edited by Paul Osbty on 07 November 2004 at 02:37 AM.]

You can use a regular volume pedal with the POD XT but will not be able to route the pedal after the effects....
you don't want to run your pedal after the compressor anyway...the overdrive is a different story.
I have not tried this, but: If you have the FBV shortboard, you can connect your regular volume pedal to the EXP. pedal jack on this floorboard and it should work as the internal volume pedal. Should be able run volume POST effects.

I have one...so I will try it out.

I use POD XT PRO (it has an effects loop)
It is more expensive than the regular POD XT.

Hope this helps.

b

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MSA Millennium D10, Walker Stereo Steel, Stone Tree Custom Tele, LINE 6 Vetta II and POD XT PRO

b

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MSA Millennium D10, Walker Stereo Steel, Stone Tree Custom Tele, LINE 6 Vetta II and POD XT PRO

View from the POD - RJ-45 - Female connector left to right)

PIN #
========================
1 gnd
2 Wah
3 gnd
4 Volume
5 Led's
6 Switches
7 +5v
8 +5v

Note 1: The POD and POD XT floor boards are not exactly the same but some of the info will be the same.

Note 2 - POD Floor Board: The switches are setup as a resistor ladder. The *** brave of you *** can experiment with a high value varible resistor such as 20k and rotate it to see the changes. Once you see a change you can remove the varible resistor and measure the value. Then replace it with a stand alone resistor. For example on the POD 220 ohms should select the wah and measure 0.49 volts. Another example is Channel C/Delay = 810 ohms or 2.23 volts etc...........

Note 3: The LED's are controlled via a series of 32 bit pulses. (something like morse code)The pulse width controls the state through 4 shift registers that latches the state of the LED's

Note 4: The POD FBV series controllers will work with the POD XT (they also has features not found in the POD) but the FBV is the best choice for the POD XT.

Note 5: PODXT channels can be selected via MIDI program changes.i.e MIDI program change 50 = POD Channel 13C. APPENDIX B 9-2 of the Line 6 "Putting your feet to work" guide shows a complete PODXT MIDI Controls guide.

The FBV series floorboards work with POD XT, POD XT PRO.

Again, you can use an expression pedal with the FBV shortboard connected to the exp. pedal jack and use it as a volume pedal.
I have done it.

b

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MSA Millennium D10, Walker Stereo Steel, Stone Tree Custom Tele, LINE 6 Vetta II and POD XT PRO

[This message was edited by Billy McCoy on 09 November 2004 at 02:07 PM.]

Anyhow -- I'm assuming that the wah and volume of the PODxt pedal input operates on variable voltage? Is this correct? Is there a way that you can measure the output of the PODxt pedal when it is set on wah and also on volume as it is cycled in order to determine the signal voltage range? Assuming that I'm even still on the right track -- assuming that you could determine this, what kind of pedal could be adapted to use with the PODxt to control the volume and/or wah? I'm assuming the signal would have to be active (hot). Could the power coming through the RJ-45 jack be utilized to send an active signal through a standard volume pedal and then back into the PODxt unit? In other words, could you splice into the power leads of the RJ-45 cable, then run this power through the volume pedal and then back into the volume lead of the RJ-45 cable going back to the unit. Perhaps the potentiometer of a standard pedal is not the correct resistance -- I don't know. How could you figure it out?

I'm not even sure I'm making sense at this point. Thanks for your help.

[This message was edited by Tom Olson on 11 November 2004 at 06:32 PM.]

I think it's best described as the "little guy inside the pedal" is different between a standard pedal and a midi type pedal.

It's a shame too. The compressor and overdrive after a VP are pretty much useless.

It just seems that one would be available somewhere if it were the case.

I'll be watching this thread.