Behringer FBC1010 Foot Controller

I'm not sure how to rate this on ease of use. I bought it used off of the bay and I think it had an UNO chip in it. I also picked up an AdrenaPROM chip from EurekaSound so I can use it with my Adrenalinn III. With the AdrenaPROM chip and Sound Tower editing software, it is easy to use straight away and also easy to make changes.

Some people complain that this unit does not have footswitches on the expression pedal toes. However, it does turn off the expression pedals when the pedals are in the toe-down position. So it's at least functional, and for the price, it's hard to beat.

I give it a 7 simply because I've been told that straight away this thing is difficult to program, but there are tons of options from online firmware upgrades to software programs to different EPROM chips that you can associate with it and make it easier to program, all of which can be done at a fraction of the cost of other MIDI boards.

No sound quality, it is a controller.

It feels pretty solid. Took it apart to change EPROM chips, and the insides have a lot of empty space, but everything looks well-built. There was some hot glue holding in a few chips, wires, and sockets that didn't need to be there, but that's not a big deal.

Bang for buck this can't be beat. EurekaSound, the makers of the AdrenaPROM chip are exploring other EPROM chips to make, and UNO has their aftermarket chip too, so there are other options out there if you have a hard time with MIDI but can't afford to swing $400 on a Roland MIDI board. Toe buttons on the expression pedals and less hot glue on the inside would be nice, but the price point on this makes it hardly an issue.

Well, is not a Epiece of cake " but is not "impossible", "rubbish" or "a travel straight to hell", like i have seen on previous reviews, its simple: the manual its so badly translated, i tried in both english and spanish, and its confusing, dont expect: A) plug your unit, B) turn it on...

heres a very useful link about how to setup your FBC on DAW programs

http://forum.ableton.com//viewtopic.php?t=55557&highlight=fcb1010


when you get the logic of how this unit works, its pretty easy IN SHORT STEPS and its impresively flexible, ideal for workin on different assignable ways to perform on live or in your studio


and i last 2 HOURS!! setting this up and understanding this machine

well its a controller, don??t expect getting any sound from it. But it has a pretty good response on midi (i??m using an m-audio firewire 1814)

i gig all alone with several controllers, so i need a good responsive controller to get it working live.

its pretty good on gigs, its made mostly on metal, the switches on hardened plastic, im pretty die hard with floor switches, and i usually wear combat boots, so i hit-em hard, with no problems.

The switches doesn??t have too much space between them, i can say... but u can addapt yourself without sacrifice (but for someones can be a pain in the *** if they are used to stomp boxes).


The pedals are somewhat soft, and somewhat hard, they are not the top notch of good feeling, but they work fine.

i havent deal with behringer, but they must need to change their manuals (i have a behringer mixer and the manual was really bad too).

A pretty good WORKING unit, its flexible as heaven, and pretty solid for gigs.

i??m really glad of it.


I play, mostly Industrial Rock, Ambient, Electronica.

i wish they could make a better manual for the newbies... but...

Ease of use.......let's see........it took me 3 weeks and hours of downloading information and studying it until I was able to program the FCB1010 and slave it to my Behringer DSP2024P effects unit. Now, these items are related and come from the same manufacturer, and, it would seem, that they'd be easy to connect, but nooooooo! This is not a convenient and easy to use foot controller board, .....but once you understand how it works it is AWESOME.
Here's a downside. EVERY TIME YOU TURN ON YOUR FCB1010 YOU HAVE TO REPROGRAM IT - IT HAS NO MEMORY. Don't let this hold you back, it's just a routine you have to get used to before you use it.
Here is the answer to another mystery of this pedal board - WHEN LINKED TO THE BEHRINGER DSP2024P THE EXPRESSION PEDALS DO NOT FUNCTION! For whatever reason you have these two beautiful expression pedals that could be used for say, volume, or say, intensity, and when used with the Virtualizer DSP2024P they are entirely useless. I actually place my mic preamp on them to hide them from my visual disappointment.

The FCB1010 is not a sound making device, so, therefore it shouldn't be in this category, except to say that it switches your effects box from program to program and does it smoothly, efficiently, and with all the information you need to let you know where you are within your pre-programmed presets, without a sound or delay. Bear with me here, I'll explain a simple program connection for the FCB1010 to the DSP 2024. 1)Reset the DSP2024 to factory settings. Explained in the manual. 2)Set up the 2024 to accept midi commands. This is also explained in the manual. 3) Reset the FCB1010 to factory settings, also in the manual. ---now we're at a zero starting point. 4)with both units on and the DSP2024 midi light on, press the FCB 10 pedal, then press the DOWN pedal until you see a green light, press UP once, press the 6 pedal..it should be blinking now, press UP 3 times, press and hold the DOWN pedal for 4 seconds. NOW THE TWO SYSTEMS ARE LINKED! If you want to program some presets do this: Pres the FCB #1 pedal, on the DSP dial to the preset you want (edit it all you want, instructions in the manual) and press save on the DSP once - it will flash - make sure it says 001 (if not, turn the FCB Dial to say 001) and push save - it will stop flashing. Now your #1 pedal is set for the preset you have selected. You can do this for each pedal, on each FCB bank, meaning 00, 01, 02, etc on the FCB. You can program 100 foot touch presets (if you can remember what and where they are without a computer!)

The FCB1010 is rugged and uses well spaced microswitches that are labeled and numbered in high contrast so you can see them in dim light. I've never had a problem with the unit not accepting the commands (as long as I knew what they were and what sequence to use them in). I use it all of the time for live gigs and have come to rely on it for effects.

I've contacted Behringer for programming issues and they've always gotten back to me. This unit is hard to comprehend, but once you've got it, it becomes an invaluable tool in your musician's tool box. Remember, the folks giving you help are German, and expect you to know the unit and understand the concept of their hardware. If you don't understand it in the first place, it will be impossible to understand their explanations.

I'm a pro player, have lots of gear and have many Behringer components. I really like them all, and would have to be convinced that there is something better, on my level, for the money, that would get my ideas across. The learning curve for the FCB1010 is pretty steep, but it eliminates a lot of wires and crap onstage, and has the toughness and reliability that I need on the road.

LOL EASE OF USE.. LOL.. let me see its not easy to use its a peace of crap. I am a sound engineer I have programed some of the most advanced processors/consoles in the world. And this thing is so cryptic its not funny.. I have version 2.1 firmware and it has a huge bug in it. The company should be ashamed of them selves by not providing FREE UPGRADES + THE FIRMWARE CHIP for this crap product. I understand that the newer version firmware fixes these bugs. But lets face it how many people can reprogram an eprom? ITS A JOKE BERRINGER DO THE RIGHT THING HERE AND SEND FREE CHIPS TO THE CUSTOMERS THAT NEED THEM TO FIX YOUR CRAP PRODUCT.

make sure you get a new one with the new firmware or you will want to smash this trust me.

Its built well but man fix the firmware for free.

HAHA customer support.. Yes we have a firmware update.. No we dont give you the chip with the firmware on it lol.....

Listen its cheap and when its got the new firmware its great but if you buy a used one with the old firmware be prepaired to wait a week or more before you can get the new firmware update that you will have to pay $15.00 for... NOT COOL

It's 3 weeks later and I've been on every forum I can find, still without answer or suggestion to how this product can be used/programmed with Mainstage or Logic 8 on the Mac...I know roughly what I want it to do but am struggling in implementing this...the manual may as well be written in Swahili...

Any second now my head is going to explode.

I'm a musician and what behringer don't seem to realise is that we're creative people, not tech heads...no-one on any of the forums I've visited seems interested in the slightest in explaining things to me in simple terms, they're too busy not getting laid and solving problems like "how can I get my FCB to work the toaster..." or something else that shows off how fantastically intelligent they are...

It's a MIDI controller...

I can depend on it not to work...in those terms, it's very reliable...at NOT working...

Still waiting...

If you're a musician and not a nuclear physicist, I'd recommend something else...ANYTHING else...Hell, I'd even recommend a ton of chopped pork - you'd have more chance getting that to control Mainstage...

Worked straight out of the box changing preset patches when plugged into my Line6 PodXT. After a scan of the Yahoo group for this controller and reading the manual provided I easily programmed Bank #0 to control all amp settings and Bank #9 to act like stomp boxes for Modulation, Delay, Wah, Reverb etc. Took a couple of hours to set it all up just using the controller pedals but it works like a charm.

Doesn't produce sounds, it simply controls the sounds from my PodXT. Expressions could have a little wider range but not complaining.

Seems pretty robust. Solid metal case. Feels like it will hold together for a long time.

Haven't had to call Behringer support.

As a Pod user, I was limited to either paying the high price for the Line6 foot controllers or buying a 3rd party product like the FCB1010. This product does everything I want it to. I can switch between all the preset patches and also use the manual mode and control the individual effects and amps. The FCB1010 provides me with a greater degree of control than the Line6 boards at a fraction of the cost.

easy to use if you understand midi... even easier if you know how to setup what this will be controlling. since I use channel 1 only and set everything in my rack based on prgm 1,2,3 etc. this worked out of the box.

seems built tough, my only reservation is that switch one has to be depressed a little harder than the rest.... will it get worse???

for the price, it cant be beat. I used this as a replacement for my digitech 2112 foot controller. since I set my rack units to use program 1,2,3 etc. this unit worked out of the box. for my use, it is more important you know how to setup midi on each device, not this unit.
example (all on channel 1)
2112 is set so that midi pgm 1 = program 48
dhp 55 is set that midi pgm 1 = program 18
tuner is set to pgm 1 = bypass
etc...
I am very happy with how it works and just hope it stays reliable

I use this thing with my V-ampire guitar head. I only use it to controle the peramiters on the V-amp. I've never used it with anything else. for what I use it for, it is great. Still, the manual is no good. Go to the Behringer web sight and get the better instructions. then , join the yahoo group. it helps a lot. Mine has the latest Firmware as of the writing of this.

It's made of steel and heavy plastic. I don't anticipate any problems. It is used exclusively for gigging with my v-amp.

Don't deal with Behringer. Don't even fill out the waranty card. If it needs fixing, go to a qualified tech head. same thing for upgrades. with this price, its a do it yourselfer.

This thing is great with the v-amp. with my midi, my v-amp, and two guitars I can make about any sound that out there ampwise. I have a custom strat w/ overwound single coils and a drop top hardtail bridge, a tele with a SD JB in the brige, and a SD little 59 in the neck. I use my V-ampire head with a B-52 strait 4-12(AWSOME CAB!!!). If I lost it, or whatever, I think I would get it again, Just cause you can't beat the price. It's a great combo with the v-amp. These two together rock. It's more user friendly then Line 6. I really like it.

i teach music technology and i find proggramming this thing manually a pain in the &^%. recently i found a few software editors like 'FCB1010 PC Editor' that let you do it all on a computer screen then transfer the presets to the pedal, ive used far more of the functions after i got the software editor. once programed this thing is simple to use.
also the uno firmware is the go.

rating with software 10, rating with manual editing 3.

?

i just bent the little bit of bendy plastic that works the light sensor in the expression pedal, if your expression pedal stops working this is probably the reason. the good news is i straightened it out and all is working again. i have been lugging this everywhere for live gigs and jams so its to be expected eventually, we all know why behringer gear is so cheap...

no experiance with them but free firmware upgrades is pretty sweet. (even though i use uno)

wonderfull unit. i use it to control video, audio looping and lots of my own software stuff. there is really nothing else as versatile and configurable that does the same job, and it comes at a behringer price. the only reason it doesnt get a 10 is the build quality and lack of usb connection.

Well it took me about 3 weeks to find out how to programm this unit. With the help of an useful manual it isn't a big problem, the FCB has a logical way of programming, but the manual is rubbish. Its just confusing and nonsence. I still cannot believe why a manufactorer like Behringer isnt able to compose a useful manual!
I've never dealt with MIDI, so it was impossible to understand it all. I had to contact forums and so on.
So if youre a MIDI newbee like me, check out forums or yahoo groups.

160 ? for that crap? My first FCB couldn't save settings (after several trials of resetting), the second FCB witch I got from a friend of mine didn't work either.
Ive opened the FCB and found out that Behringer is unbeatable in producing products with the lowest quality ever build in human history.

Well I get answers after a few days, but only those which were quotations of the useless manual. Not very helpful! A very funny thing is that I have a problem to save the settings. So I contacted Behringer. One guy told me to change the memory battery, the other guy told me that there isnt a memory battery!! Crazy world!

Well I wont ever buy a Behringer unit again. I cant understand how people pay 160 ? (here in germany) for a 20 years old MIDI technique in times of Firewire and USB, combined with a low quality product.
I use the Behringer FCB1010 to controll my Gmajor. I could tolerate this product and give a better rating if there were a
a) acceptable manual
b) acceptable quality for 160 ?

But without that this unit is just a farce. I will definitely buy another unit to controll my Gmajor.