A Man and His Music
I had my credit card out, and was ready to buy that Numark unit 2 years ago at the AC convention. It's a good thing that I am not impulsive. When I found out it did not have instant start, that was a deal killer. I was sure that they would have corrected that by now.
Inviato Tue 25 Apr 06 @ 9:09 pm
anewsome
That's the thing. No instant start. It has pitch controls and pitch bend buttons which are supposedly to be used for beat matching but I couldn't beat match worth a damn on it,.. and I do fine on CDJ, DZ-1200 or regular vinyl. If I can't beatmatch, then I can't mix the way I like to. A lot of "drop in mixes" that night if you know what I mean.
Inviato Tue 25 Apr 06 @ 11:34 pm
A Man and His Music
Anewsome, work with me here. This is your 4th laptop. I know you have said you don't want to go with a SFF. I don't get it. You would rather continue to pull your hair out with laptops, and when that has you popping Valiums, you bring out the Numark. No, no, no. You have the perfect place, and you will lug the Numark, but not a SFF? You are standing there, searching through DVDs, trying to find the one you want. You don't have a lot of time, because they are not that long. You find the one you want, open the drawer, put it in, close the drawer, wait for it to read. The thing is, it doesn't matter, because you can't make a mix. No loops, no effects, no freaky transitions. You did not come this far to be a button pusher. You may as well have two consumer DVD players there. I'm getting ready to slit my wrist, just writing this post. Forget that laptop shit (if your laptop works for you, that's fine, I'm not talking to you). Come over to the dark side, and get yourself a SFF. There is plenty of space there, and some even have there own carrying case. Mine fits in a rolling 12" vinyl carrier. Your time could be spent on programming and creativity, not searching through DVDs. On the other hand, you may be a tweak or driver away, from getting this laptop up to speed, and that would be great. I am not anti-laptop, but pro working machine, what ever it is. Again, if you are using a laptop, and it works for you, I am very happy for you. Maybe you could give Anewsome some hints, he needs it.
Inviato Wed 26 Apr 06 @ 6:03 am
discobrian24
Not to sound stupid, but what is a SFF?? Just out of curiousity. Brian
Inviato Wed 26 Apr 06 @ 10:38 am
matt_black
could some SFF users post a config of their machines. that would be very useful. thinking of moving to them from laptops. i need a rock solid TCV video mixing system.
thanks,
matt black
thanks,
matt black
Inviato Wed 26 Apr 06 @ 3:28 pm
Slash4
SFF stands for Shuttle (Mini PCs w/ micro ATX MotherBoards)
Inviato Wed 26 Apr 06 @ 3:36 pm
A Man and His Music
SFF stands for Small Form Factor. These use small(micro) ATX motherboards. You can put these into SFF boxes or anywhere. You can use parts from all major brands, to build them. Shuttle is a brand name of SFF machines. They tend to be a little smaller, and you can only use Shuttle parts in them. They come already configured, I believe. You may be able to order what you want, but I am not sure.
Inviato Wed 26 Apr 06 @ 7:08 pm
anewsome
SFF = Small Form Factor
Music Man, thanks for the advice but I really can not go with a SFF. If I buy one, it will be parked there at that venue all summer. I absolutely can not fit a SFF computer in my truck when it is loaded for a gig. It's not just the PC, it's the road case that I would have to put it in, which makes it much more bulky. I don't put expensive, sensisitive electronics in my truck without a proper road case. I'm stupid that way. Even if I could fit the SFF in my loaded truck, I defintely do NOT have enough room for an LCD in a road case in my truck, nor do I relish the idea of setting all that stuff up at gigs every night. It's bad enough with 2 turntables, mixers, speakers and whatever else I am carrying to the gig. Not to mention that I've looked at the cost of decent road cases for LCD screens and the road cases are pretty much more expensive than the screens themselves. Not that it matters anyway, because they don't fit in my TRUCK! From the passenger side floorwell to the back tailgate to the ceiling, the thing is LOADED! Both my laptops even go inside my record cases since I don't have room for those anywhere else. When I'm really loaded, 2 EON 15s go on the roof.
I just counted in my head, and I have 18 computers at my house. You think I want to buy ANOTHER FREAKING computer just to mix videos on, that is just crazy. It might seem crazy that my latest laptop doesn't work for mixing videos but at least my laptop can be used for everything else just fine. A SFF would be useful for exactly 1 thing. Mixing videos, that's it. It's not worth the extra space and hassle of setting it up for gigs other than video mixing gigs, which frankly I have only 1 of.
Did I also mention that 90% of the DJ booths I spin at *barely* have room for a small laptop. I do mean barely. A SFF and LCD is absolutely out of the question. Check the DJ booth at Basque in Hollywood, I have pictures somewhere and that's not even the smallest DJ booth I spin at. If you think a SFF is fitting in there, you're crazy. So again, the SFF would be collecting dust on nights when I spin at places like that.
Did I also mention that almost every club I spin at, I am going on behind someone else and someone else is coming up right after me? I'd like to see you SFF enthusiasts in a club with your SFF in one hand, your LCD, keyboard, TCV and so on in the other hand, and then setup the whole rig LIVE while the club is jumping to get your set in, and of course get all that crap out of there when the next guy is coming up. I do this ALL the time with laptops. Absolutely impossible with SFF.
So while an SFF might work well at that venue, I don't relish the idea of buying a 19th computer that has a single purpose and would not get used anywhere else for any reason. It wouldn't be worth the setup hassle to use it anywhere else.
As far as the Numarks that were used at the last gig, they were dragged in by the promoter, not me. I don't own a dual DVD player. He actually wanted me to take them home that night but that was impossible SINCE THEY WON'T FIT IN MY TRUCK!
Music Man, thanks for the advice but I really can not go with a SFF. If I buy one, it will be parked there at that venue all summer. I absolutely can not fit a SFF computer in my truck when it is loaded for a gig. It's not just the PC, it's the road case that I would have to put it in, which makes it much more bulky. I don't put expensive, sensisitive electronics in my truck without a proper road case. I'm stupid that way. Even if I could fit the SFF in my loaded truck, I defintely do NOT have enough room for an LCD in a road case in my truck, nor do I relish the idea of setting all that stuff up at gigs every night. It's bad enough with 2 turntables, mixers, speakers and whatever else I am carrying to the gig. Not to mention that I've looked at the cost of decent road cases for LCD screens and the road cases are pretty much more expensive than the screens themselves. Not that it matters anyway, because they don't fit in my TRUCK! From the passenger side floorwell to the back tailgate to the ceiling, the thing is LOADED! Both my laptops even go inside my record cases since I don't have room for those anywhere else. When I'm really loaded, 2 EON 15s go on the roof.
I just counted in my head, and I have 18 computers at my house. You think I want to buy ANOTHER FREAKING computer just to mix videos on, that is just crazy. It might seem crazy that my latest laptop doesn't work for mixing videos but at least my laptop can be used for everything else just fine. A SFF would be useful for exactly 1 thing. Mixing videos, that's it. It's not worth the extra space and hassle of setting it up for gigs other than video mixing gigs, which frankly I have only 1 of.
Did I also mention that 90% of the DJ booths I spin at *barely* have room for a small laptop. I do mean barely. A SFF and LCD is absolutely out of the question. Check the DJ booth at Basque in Hollywood, I have pictures somewhere and that's not even the smallest DJ booth I spin at. If you think a SFF is fitting in there, you're crazy. So again, the SFF would be collecting dust on nights when I spin at places like that.
Did I also mention that almost every club I spin at, I am going on behind someone else and someone else is coming up right after me? I'd like to see you SFF enthusiasts in a club with your SFF in one hand, your LCD, keyboard, TCV and so on in the other hand, and then setup the whole rig LIVE while the club is jumping to get your set in, and of course get all that crap out of there when the next guy is coming up. I do this ALL the time with laptops. Absolutely impossible with SFF.
So while an SFF might work well at that venue, I don't relish the idea of buying a 19th computer that has a single purpose and would not get used anywhere else for any reason. It wouldn't be worth the setup hassle to use it anywhere else.
As far as the Numarks that were used at the last gig, they were dragged in by the promoter, not me. I don't own a dual DVD player. He actually wanted me to take them home that night but that was impossible SINCE THEY WON'T FIT IN MY TRUCK!
Inviato Wed 26 Apr 06 @ 7:24 pm
A Man and His Music
Anewsome, you are not working with me. You do not have to tell me about small DJ booths. It is the last thing the club owner thinks about. But I can play in any club, behind or in front of another DJ. This is not brain surgery. This is how I do it. I plug in my 8 outlet UPS. My cords for the computer, monitor, powered usb port, and a dual cord for my 2 ext hard drives, are then plug in. The DJ puts his last song on. I put a CD in the player. I have a small box that covers a turntable, if there is no space. The monitor goes on there. This takes 5 minutes or less. I mix in my CD, give the DJ his CD or vinyl, and tell him bye. Connect all cables, and disconnect the other CD player from the mixer, and connect my line in. Turn on the computer. Mix in my first track from the computer, disconnect the other CD player, and connect my other line in. Done. Lets get this party started. If they have a mixer with more inputs it is easier. Now as for the space in your truck. Sell the other computers you have, and get a bigger truck. You do not have to have a big case to put it in. They have padded bags for some of these, with shoulder straps. I use this http://www.caseace.com/details_micro.php?UID=752870826444fb7ea3a9c5 and this http://www.caseace.com/details_gglcd.php?UID=752870826444fb7ea3a9c5. I use the handle to pick up my PC, and roll into the club like this http://www.ultimate-dj-gear.com/index.php?dept=products_categ&Type=Prod&catid=63. You can't look at this as only one video gig. If you had been rocking that club that night with video mixes, somebody else would have seen you. Now, you are doing 3 nights a week, mixing video. You want to be the first in your area to start the video mix, now everyone else is playing catch up. And this is not just a video machine. All of my media is on this machine, and 2 externals, which have the videos. When I started, there were no clubs and DJ booths. I had to set up in some bar, some times on the pool table, in a corner somewhere. We did not have nice cases to carry your stuff in. It has always been a challenge for me to set up, that's why the little shit does not faze me. I'm just trying to give you another view. It can be done, and it will not kill you. The thing about a new truck was meant to be funny.
Inviato Wed 26 Apr 06 @ 8:47 pm
anewsome
The new truck thing was not that funny. It was kind of serious, since I probably need a new truck anyway. I don't like being fully loaded and having the EON 15s on the roof, since I can't stop at a restaurant to get something to eat or anything with those expensive speakers up top. Thing is, I just bought a new truck in december, since the engine in my old one blew up, on a way to a gig no less. I mean it's only a year 2000 Isuzu Rodeo, nothing special but I planned to use it for more than 5 months.
As far as the small DJ booths, I'll probably need to keep using the laptop for those. I can't put something over the turntables as a shelf for my stuff,.. I NEED the turntables.
So I am working with you here. Looks like I'll have to buy computer number 19 here. Nothing else I own (other than my two most recent laptop purchases) is powerful enough to mix videos with. I do have a couple Dell servers that have dual 3.0Ghz Xeon processors but the onboard video is not suitable for mixing video and the onboard video can not be disabled, PCI, AGP or PCIe graphic cards do not work in there either (I tried),.. these are servers so they are big and heavy too.
Begrundgingly, I'll have to pick up a SFF and hate every minute of it. The upside is I can get a barebones since I have all the parts to make it go, like hard drive, etc. The downside is I'll also have to get also get an LCD to go along with it since there is no way I'm trying to drag my 20.1 inch LCD panels into a gig. Those absolutely need to have road cases. There is no way to protect an LCD with a softbag.
As far as the small DJ booths, I'll probably need to keep using the laptop for those. I can't put something over the turntables as a shelf for my stuff,.. I NEED the turntables.
So I am working with you here. Looks like I'll have to buy computer number 19 here. Nothing else I own (other than my two most recent laptop purchases) is powerful enough to mix videos with. I do have a couple Dell servers that have dual 3.0Ghz Xeon processors but the onboard video is not suitable for mixing video and the onboard video can not be disabled, PCI, AGP or PCIe graphic cards do not work in there either (I tried),.. these are servers so they are big and heavy too.
Begrundgingly, I'll have to pick up a SFF and hate every minute of it. The upside is I can get a barebones since I have all the parts to make it go, like hard drive, etc. The downside is I'll also have to get also get an LCD to go along with it since there is no way I'm trying to drag my 20.1 inch LCD panels into a gig. Those absolutely need to have road cases. There is no way to protect an LCD with a softbag.
Inviato Wed 26 Apr 06 @ 10:22 pm
Superstom
Anewsone,
shuttle has a bag for a lcd panel.
http://eu.shuttle.com/en/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-25/179_read-250/searchcall-12/searchcategory-250/noblendout-1/
I use the pf60 with my shuttle if I have a club gig.
Ewout
shuttle has a bag for a lcd panel.
http://eu.shuttle.com/en/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-25/179_read-250/searchcall-12/searchcategory-250/noblendout-1/
I use the pf60 with my shuttle if I have a club gig.
Ewout
Inviato Wed 26 Apr 06 @ 10:37 pm
Rune (DJ-In-Norway)
SSF is all great and that...
But we are quite a few here that can use laptops with HQ vids and tv-out, and hardware acceleration on-....
Me being one.. :)
But sure, SFF can be custom made, can be easily upgraded, and replaced.. so for sure a way to go too :)
But we are quite a few here that can use laptops with HQ vids and tv-out, and hardware acceleration on-....
Me being one.. :)
But sure, SFF can be custom made, can be easily upgraded, and replaced.. so for sure a way to go too :)
Inviato Wed 26 Apr 06 @ 11:03 pm
Superstom
That's the great thing of VDJ, in my opinion. You could choose whatever you like or need. If you need a very small setup, you could use a laptop. If you like to have a lot of storage, you simply could add some additional external harddrives. If you don't like the externals you could create a SFF. If you like a rackmount, you could create one. It is quite flexible.
For anewsome: I should wait with buying a new machine, until vdj 4 is released. Maybe with the new version your current laptop is working.
Ewout
For anewsome: I should wait with buying a new machine, until vdj 4 is released. Maybe with the new version your current laptop is working.
Ewout
Inviato Wed 26 Apr 06 @ 11:22 pm
l_rids
I must admit the whole deal with the laptop and mixing video's is quite disappointing. Surely there must be a suitable laptop out there! I would never want to carry around a SFF pc and LCD screen for gigs. The constant fuss with connecting and disconnecting cables would drive me mad let alone the space.
I feel for you anewsome, based on your success I was going to purchase a laptop to mix video also.
I was tempted to purchase this:
http://www.acer.co.nz/acer/akc/marcom.nsf/Page/RWP0DC8D496776C9589CA25710300125AEF?open¤t=&
Until this is resolved I can't say that I have any interest in video mixing unless its on a laptop. I'll just keep building my video library till a compatibility list is presented or recommended.... :(
I feel for you anewsome, based on your success I was going to purchase a laptop to mix video also.
I was tempted to purchase this:
http://www.acer.co.nz/acer/akc/marcom.nsf/Page/RWP0DC8D496776C9589CA25710300125AEF?open¤t=&
Until this is resolved I can't say that I have any interest in video mixing unless its on a laptop. I'll just keep building my video library till a compatibility list is presented or recommended.... :(
Inviato Thu 27 Apr 06 @ 12:12 am
Rune (DJ-In-Norway)
anyone that is having problems with laptop and ATI Radeon Mobility X700 or X800 ?
Works damn good for me at least...
Please know that "Hardware Accelerated" mode makes intensive use of DirectX9 optimisations to try to speed up the display of your video clip. For this you need a good amount of ram on your graphic card, and also a good amount of general ram.
Works damn good for me at least...
Please know that "Hardware Accelerated" mode makes intensive use of DirectX9 optimisations to try to speed up the display of your video clip. For this you need a good amount of ram on your graphic card, and also a good amount of general ram.
Inviato Thu 27 Apr 06 @ 12:18 am
Dj Xeo
i can personaly verrify that my 1.4 celeron with 512 ram and onbaord intel graphics could handle video quite well on a second display (dual head) without too much hassle. I used to have a cracked version of 2.something on it and as i say, it was fine so maybe try versions other than 3.4 and see if that helps.
Inviato Thu 27 Apr 06 @ 12:40 am
anewsome
Well Norway has solved it with a "laptop and ATI Radeon Mobility X700 or X800 ". I think that is the only post I've seen about a user running hardware accelerated videos on a laptop via the TV out. I still have some things to try with my current laptop before I call it quits.
Waiting for VDJ 4.0 is not an option. I have a gig next Friday. 4.0 will not be out by then. So my options are at this point:
a.) Use the Numark
b.) Get it working on my current laptop via TV-out or VGA (vga requires a tv adapter)
c.) Get a SFF
So by next friday I will have decided on one of those.
Waiting for VDJ 4.0 is not an option. I have a gig next Friday. 4.0 will not be out by then. So my options are at this point:
a.) Use the Numark
b.) Get it working on my current laptop via TV-out or VGA (vga requires a tv adapter)
c.) Get a SFF
So by next friday I will have decided on one of those.
Inviato Thu 27 Apr 06 @ 1:59 am
Rune (DJ-In-Norway)
What ATI graphic card do you have?
There are other users using video too at laptops, hopefully they can post their specs.
But generally speakings, laptop have "lite" hardware..
A desktop is more powerfull, but then again, less mobile...
Hopefully you can get a laptop to work for you, or get SFF...
There are other users using video too at laptops, hopefully they can post their specs.
But generally speakings, laptop have "lite" hardware..
A desktop is more powerfull, but then again, less mobile...
Hopefully you can get a laptop to work for you, or get SFF...
Inviato Thu 27 Apr 06 @ 2:29 am
digijoc-Mele
Sure there are others [:o) I do video shows quite ok and vDJ holds up quite well without any skips or jerks,... smooth all nite. This is quite good for vDJ, especially since my style of spinning is sort of a medley, so I often start mixing in the next video track even before it is done loading into memory.
Laptop specs:
HP ze4400
Celeron 2Ghz
640Mb free RAM
ATI Radeon IGP 340 Video Card (& yes H/W acceleration works fine w/ S-Video out)
80Gb 4400 rpm Hitachi HDD
(old hoogie by todays standards... only complaint is to have more responsivenes when using visual plug-ins... so I stay away from using them for now.)
Laptop specs:
HP ze4400
Celeron 2Ghz
640Mb free RAM
ATI Radeon IGP 340 Video Card (& yes H/W acceleration works fine w/ S-Video out)
80Gb 4400 rpm Hitachi HDD
(old hoogie by todays standards... only complaint is to have more responsivenes when using visual plug-ins... so I stay away from using them for now.)
Inviato Thu 27 Apr 06 @ 3:33 am
bagpuss
Of course all this is only relevant to what video files your using, what file format and what's the average file size your working with?, which again could be relevant to what size screens your outputing to.
Music video files can range from 50-250mb, of course no one would use 50mb video files out, but just to empasis my point.
Music video files can range from 50-250mb, of course no one would use 50mb video files out, but just to empasis my point.
Inviato Thu 27 Apr 06 @ 5:16 am
