djnanite
I was doing a set last night, and VirtualDJ cut off the music and became unresponsive, forcing me to restart it.
The cause was a momentary drop in power due to a smoke machine being on the same bank of sockets as my MIDI controllers (a pair of Prioneer CDJ400's). Activating the smoke machine caused the controllers to lose connectivity with Windows for a split second.
This resulted in VirtualDJ immediately stopping playback and permanently losing connectivity to the controllers. I had to restart VirtualDJ in order to regain connectivity. And, of course, I could no longer use the smoke machine.
Why isn't VirtualDJ robust enough to handle this?
If VirtualDJ loses connectivity to the controllers, it should not stop playback under *any* circumstances. A notification should indicate lost connectivity, but playback *must* continue above all other considerations. It should offer the user an option to rescan for devices to see if connectivity can been regained.
Is this something that will be addressed in the next release?
The cause was a momentary drop in power due to a smoke machine being on the same bank of sockets as my MIDI controllers (a pair of Prioneer CDJ400's). Activating the smoke machine caused the controllers to lose connectivity with Windows for a split second.
This resulted in VirtualDJ immediately stopping playback and permanently losing connectivity to the controllers. I had to restart VirtualDJ in order to regain connectivity. And, of course, I could no longer use the smoke machine.
Why isn't VirtualDJ robust enough to handle this?
If VirtualDJ loses connectivity to the controllers, it should not stop playback under *any* circumstances. A notification should indicate lost connectivity, but playback *must* continue above all other considerations. It should offer the user an option to rescan for devices to see if connectivity can been regained.
Is this something that will be addressed in the next release?
Posted Sat 28 Jul 12 @ 11:50 pm
djnanite
Just to add more information - other DJ's were using the same controllers as CD players, and they were able to use the smoke machine without any problems. So the controllers themselves are robust enough to handle the interference from the smoke machine.
Posted Sun 29 Jul 12 @ 3:46 am
SBDJ
What were you using as a sound card?
Virtual DJ will not stop playback if a MIDI controller is disconnected. It will however stop playback if the sound card is disconnected.
Virtual DJ will not stop playback if a MIDI controller is disconnected. It will however stop playback if the sound card is disconnected.
Posted Sun 29 Jul 12 @ 6:45 am
djnanite
SBDJ wrote :
What were you using as a sound card?
Virtual DJ will not stop playback if a MIDI controller is disconnected. It will however stop playback if the sound card is disconnected.
Virtual DJ will not stop playback if a MIDI controller is disconnected. It will however stop playback if the sound card is disconnected.
I was using the soundcards built into the CDJ400's, so I can see how VirtualDJ would have momentarily lost playback. However, I have to question the need for VirtualDJ to stop playback at all - shouldn't it have immediately restored playback the moment the soundcards were reconnected?
Even if VirtualDJ loses connectivity to the soundcard, playback should not stop. Just redirect the sound output to a 'dummy' device until VirtualDJ can restore connectivity. Sure there will be a momentary loss in playback, but it's better than a permanent loss.
And if a soundcard is disconnected unexpectedly, VirtualDJ should go into a sort of 'panic mode' and continuously check for the soundcard until either the user manually selects an alternative output, or the original soundcard connection is restored.
What do you think?
Here's what happened in practice:
1. Playback stopped (not just the sound output, but the actual music was paused).
2. Pressing play on the controller did nothing.
3. Going into the configuration screen showed everything appeared to be OK. Clicking 'Apply' appeared to do nothing.
4. Going into the 'mappers' screen showed the controllers to still be listed and available.
5. Returning to the main window and pressing 'Play' on the controller did nothing.
Since I couldn't continue the rest of my set using just the laptop keyboard, and with no obvious way to restore connectivity to the controllers within VirtualDJ, I was forced to restart the program. It resulted in about 15 seconds of silence.
It was embarrassing and unprofessional.
So, this leaves 2 questions for the current release:
1. How can I reconnect VirtualDJ to the soundcard if it is momentarily disconnected?
2. How can I reconnect VirtualDJ to the controller if it is momentarily disconnected?
Thanks.
Posted Sun 29 Jul 12 @ 4:52 pm
cstoll
No - VirtualDJ will not restore connection to a lost sound card. You must re-apply your settings to recover from the loss of the sound card's connection. This is done as a pre-caution so that way there is not a surge of playback to your system that could cause damage to the audio hardware.
And the solution you are looking for is to get the venue to plug the smoke machine into a different circuit.
If the smoke machine is creating a power drain on the circuit - then it is eventually going to ruin the additional hardware (CDJs) on that circuit eventually.
That problem should be resolved first as that is the cause of your issue - not a VirtualDJ problem.
And the solution you are looking for is to get the venue to plug the smoke machine into a different circuit.
If the smoke machine is creating a power drain on the circuit - then it is eventually going to ruin the additional hardware (CDJs) on that circuit eventually.
That problem should be resolved first as that is the cause of your issue - not a VirtualDJ problem.
Posted Sun 29 Jul 12 @ 5:58 pm
djnanite
cstoll wrote :
No - VirtualDJ will not restore connection to a lost sound card. You must re-apply your settings to recover from the loss of the sound card's connection. This is done as a pre-caution so that way there is not a surge of playback to your system that could cause damage to the audio hardware.
OK - that makes sense. In that case, I need to know how to best recover from a situation like this if/when it happens again. What is the quickest way to:
1. Regain audio playback (most important!)? Is the only way to go into the Audio Config and hit 'Apply'? If so, can I assign this to a shortcut key somehow?
2. Regain controller connectivity. When this happened on the night, the controllers did not automatically reconnect, even though the VirtualDJ config screens showed the controllers listed and correctly assigned under the 'mappers' tab. Is there an equivalent 'Apply' button to recheck for controller connectivity?
cstoll wrote :
And the solution you are looking for is to get the venue to plug the smoke machine into a different circuit.
If the smoke machine is creating a power drain on the circuit - then it is eventually going to ruin the additional hardware (CDJs) on that circuit eventually.
That problem should be resolved first as that is the cause of your issue - not a VirtualDJ problem.
If the smoke machine is creating a power drain on the circuit - then it is eventually going to ruin the additional hardware (CDJs) on that circuit eventually.
That problem should be resolved first as that is the cause of your issue - not a VirtualDJ problem.
Again - yea, that makes sense.
I guess the most frustrating part of this is that it wasn't an issue when other DJ's were playing directly off the CDJ's themselves. It was was only me (the only laptop DJ that night) that encountered an issue. And this reflects badly on me, especially in an industry that is still (rightfully it would appear) very wary of using laptops during live performances.
Posted Sun 29 Jul 12 @ 7:43 pm
cstoll
djnanite wrote :
I guess the most frustrating part of this is that it wasn't an issue when other DJ's were playing directly off the CDJ's themselves.
It's because they are not 'sound cards' to a computer when used as normal CD Players. But I will tell you that one day those units will die because their power is being compromised every time that smoke machine is used.
djnanite wrote :
It was was only me (the only laptop DJ that night) that encountered an issue. And this reflects badly on me, especially in an industry that is still (rightfully it would appear) very wary of using laptops during live performances.
And that is why as Digitial DJs, we need to make sure we are aware of our surroundings and what environmental impacts can or will mess with our setups. Btw, just think about what is happening to your computer if you are plugging into that same circuit. You are putting your laptop at risk for damage as well.
Posted Sun 29 Jul 12 @ 8:08 pm
djnanite
cstoll wrote :
And that is why as Digitial DJs, we need to make sure we are aware of our surroundings and what environmental impacts can or will mess with our setups. Btw, just think about what is happening to your computer if you are plugging into that same circuit. You are putting your laptop at risk for damage as well.
djnanite wrote :
[quote=djnanite]It was was only me (the only laptop DJ that night) that encountered an issue. And this reflects badly on me, especially in an industry that is still (rightfully it would appear) very wary of using laptops during live performances.
And that is why as Digitial DJs, we need to make sure we are aware of our surroundings and what environmental impacts can or will mess with our setups. Btw, just think about what is happening to your computer if you are plugging into that same circuit. You are putting your laptop at risk for damage as well.
OK - hopefully this happens on very rare occasions.
So, as I mentioned before, I need to know the quickest way to resolve this on the rare occasions it does happen.
What is the quickest way to:
1. Regain audio playback (most important!)? Is the only way to go into the Audio Config and hit 'Apply'? If so, can I assign this to a shortcut key somehow?
2. Regain controller connectivity. When this happened on the night, the controllers did not automatically reconnect, even though the VirtualDJ config screens showed the controllers listed and correctly assigned under the 'mappers' tab. Is there an equivalent 'Apply' button to recheck for controller connectivity?
Thanks!
Posted Sun 29 Jul 12 @ 11:55 pm
PhantomDeejay
djnanite wrote :
What is the quickest way to:
1. Regain audio playback (most important!)? Is the only way to go into the Audio Config and hit 'Apply'? If so, can I assign this to a shortcut key somehow?
2. Regain controller connectivity. When this happened on the night, the controllers did not automatically reconnect, even though the VirtualDJ config screens showed the controllers listed and correctly assigned under the 'mappers' tab. Is there an equivalent 'Apply' button to recheck for controller connectivity?
Thanks!
What is the quickest way to:
1. Regain audio playback (most important!)? Is the only way to go into the Audio Config and hit 'Apply'? If so, can I assign this to a shortcut key somehow?
2. Regain controller connectivity. When this happened on the night, the controllers did not automatically reconnect, even though the VirtualDJ config screens showed the controllers listed and correctly assigned under the 'mappers' tab. Is there an equivalent 'Apply' button to recheck for controller connectivity?
Thanks!
1.
Open Config, then hit Apply.
It's a two mouse click solution, so it's a FAST solution. No, you can't automate it, nor assign a keyboard command.
2.
Open Config, Go to the Mappers Tab, hit the mappers option button, RESCAN for Controllers
Yes, this is not quick! But you can assign a keyboard command for this! "rescan_controllers"
A quick notice:
VirtualDj is not the only one to blame here for not "reconnecting"
When a power surge occurs several things can happen. There are many cases that the communication between the hardware and the PC (Windows) might crash because of a power surge.
Your PC will see the devices as "connected" but it won't be able to communicate with them. In such a case, there's a great chance that the audio or the controller part won't work. Most likely both parts!
So, in case this ever happens to you again the best practice would be to DISCONNECT the usb cables and connect them again.
This will force the PC to re-establish the communication with the devices.
Please remember that VirtualDj (and any other application) relies on the OS and the corresponding drivers for the communication with the devices. If the OS fails to re-establish connection (or thinks that the connection is ok when it isn't) there's no way for VDJ to do something...
Posted Mon 30 Jul 12 @ 5:51 am
roygough
Reading through this and thinking of prevention rather than cure....
Would it be worth considering an Uninterupatble Power Supply (UPS) to power your own kit - laptop, controller, soundcard, ext HD and mixer? Maybe include your amp too if running your own. How cool would that be if there was a power outage and you kept playing! I'm sure it could be done as I was at a dance a few years back when there was a power cut. I had one of those car booster packs for jump starting in the car and a DC to AC convertor for charging my laptop. That ran their kit for 20 mins until the power came back on. Obvioulsy not a huge setup but it worked for them!
I found this one cheaply from a quick Google:
http://www.google.co.uk/products/catalog?hl=en&q=uninterruptible+power+supply+uk&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&biw=1280&bih=649&wrapid=tlif134374587156110&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=16918010445346427367&sa=X&ei=Su8XUJTJHpCY1AW34YGgDA&ved=0CIEBEPMCMAI
That way you are isolated from anything else on the same power circuit.
Secondly, I have 2 laptops, my main one and an older backup, with VDJ, iTunes and my audio/video files mirrored across. Both are running with their own ext soundcards and linked to different channels on the mixer.
Two benefits:
1) If anything goes wrong I can be running the same playlist from the backup in seconds.
2) The backup is connected to the 'net and I can respond to requests both on and off my pc easier without compromising the performance of the main play system.
Roy
Would it be worth considering an Uninterupatble Power Supply (UPS) to power your own kit - laptop, controller, soundcard, ext HD and mixer? Maybe include your amp too if running your own. How cool would that be if there was a power outage and you kept playing! I'm sure it could be done as I was at a dance a few years back when there was a power cut. I had one of those car booster packs for jump starting in the car and a DC to AC convertor for charging my laptop. That ran their kit for 20 mins until the power came back on. Obvioulsy not a huge setup but it worked for them!
I found this one cheaply from a quick Google:
http://www.google.co.uk/products/catalog?hl=en&q=uninterruptible+power+supply+uk&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&biw=1280&bih=649&wrapid=tlif134374587156110&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=16918010445346427367&sa=X&ei=Su8XUJTJHpCY1AW34YGgDA&ved=0CIEBEPMCMAI
That way you are isolated from anything else on the same power circuit.
Secondly, I have 2 laptops, my main one and an older backup, with VDJ, iTunes and my audio/video files mirrored across. Both are running with their own ext soundcards and linked to different channels on the mixer.
Two benefits:
1) If anything goes wrong I can be running the same playlist from the backup in seconds.
2) The backup is connected to the 'net and I can respond to requests both on and off my pc easier without compromising the performance of the main play system.
Roy
Posted Tue 31 Jul 12 @ 9:59 am
djnanite
roygough wrote :
Reading through this and thinking of prevention rather than cure....
Would it be worth considering an Uninterupatble Power Supply (UPS) to power your own kit - laptop, controller, soundcard, ext HD and mixer?
Would it be worth considering an Uninterupatble Power Supply (UPS) to power your own kit - laptop, controller, soundcard, ext HD and mixer?
Haha! That would be rad! But I don't think the UPS would also power the amps, speakers and lights, so I'd still be stuck. Mind you, if it helps prevent power spikes, it could be useful (although bulky to carry around).
I think in this instance I was getting complacent. As a previous poster suggested, I should have had an iPod playing pre-mixed tracks continuously on an unused channel. So if my laptop dies, I can quickly switch over to the iPod and people will only notice a brief break in the music. I can then diagnose/fix the problem while the iPod plays on.
Thanks for all your help and suggestions everyone!
Posted Tue 31 Jul 12 @ 5:40 pm
lilstebo
Wow !! Its not just me !! I had the same thing happen to me twice in one night !! And I wasnt using a fog machine or anything .. just my lap top , and my mixdeck controller .... everthing was find then all of a sudden the music just stopped... and everything lost all its function ! I had to power down the mix deck and start all over !!! EMBARRASING !! HELP !!!
Posted Tue 07 Aug 12 @ 1:05 am
gizmowp
lilstebo wrote :
Wow !! Its not just me !! I had the same thing happen to me twice in one night !! And I wasnt using a fog machine or anything .. just my lap top , and my mixdeck controller .... everthing was find then all of a sudden the music just stopped... and everything lost all its function ! I had to power down the mix deck and start all over !!! EMBARRASING !! HELP !!!
I am having the same problem. Happened three times to me in 1 evening
Posted Sun 18 Nov 12 @ 1:35 am
DJECoast
Its happened to me also, 3 maybe 4 times in one night. The crowd was turning on me because it was right at the peak of dancing. Virtual would freeze, my NS7 would become non-responsive and I'd have to restart.
Its also happened to me with my NS6 and Mac Book.
It was bad the first few times but now I just laugh when it happens and say oh well. What can you do, punch a hole through your laptop screen pack-up and go home?
Its not like I've spent over 10 grand on premium equipment, who would expect it to run flawlessly in 2012, come on....
Seriously though, its how you handle these situations that keeps you moving forward and in good standing with the establishments who are employing you.
Its also happened to me with my NS6 and Mac Book.
It was bad the first few times but now I just laugh when it happens and say oh well. What can you do, punch a hole through your laptop screen pack-up and go home?
Its not like I've spent over 10 grand on premium equipment, who would expect it to run flawlessly in 2012, come on....
Seriously though, its how you handle these situations that keeps you moving forward and in good standing with the establishments who are employing you.
Posted Sun 18 Nov 12 @ 7:00 am
DHoude
Guys, you have to know that you are dealing with computers and not CD players anymore. You need a UPS, end of story. I have one that also senses low voltage and would NEVER think of playing without it. Even house parties!
It has two batteries, bulky, heavy, overkill and sucks to bring everywhere. But you are a professional that has considered evrything, when you do everything in your power to provide a stable performance. IF I crash, I can at least say that I have done everything I can think of. Then no more embarasment because you can prove it. Hell most people have a UPS on thier home PC that they just check email and do Facbook with!
Every now and then I hear that thing beeping away under the table and I thank God that it is there AND THE PERFORMANCE NEVER STOPS.
If you are embarased and do nothing but point fingers, than you are part of the problem. Sorry to be that way but somebody needs to say it. Uptime should be a guarenty in your contract, it is that important.
It has two batteries, bulky, heavy, overkill and sucks to bring everywhere. But you are a professional that has considered evrything, when you do everything in your power to provide a stable performance. IF I crash, I can at least say that I have done everything I can think of. Then no more embarasment because you can prove it. Hell most people have a UPS on thier home PC that they just check email and do Facbook with!
Every now and then I hear that thing beeping away under the table and I thank God that it is there AND THE PERFORMANCE NEVER STOPS.
If you are embarased and do nothing but point fingers, than you are part of the problem. Sorry to be that way but somebody needs to say it. Uptime should be a guarenty in your contract, it is that important.
Posted Sun 18 Nov 12 @ 7:49 am
DJECoast
Thanks D, I'm going to buy a APC UPS and give it a try. Any model or brand preference other than APC?
Posted Sun 18 Nov 12 @ 8:31 am
DHoude
Mine is a little older but it is an APC RS 800. The main difference is to get something that guareties 120 volts and does that through voltage sags (like this case). It might cost a couple hundred $$ but it is needed.
Also you can look in your area for Battery dealers. I have replaced both batteries in mine 2 times now over the years. I bought bigger ones last time and they were only like $35 each. So once you have it, you can use it for a long time.
I also run an NS7, make sure to plug the PC, external monitors (for video guys) & your controler into the UPS.
Also you can look in your area for Battery dealers. I have replaced both batteries in mine 2 times now over the years. I bought bigger ones last time and they were only like $35 each. So once you have it, you can use it for a long time.
I also run an NS7, make sure to plug the PC, external monitors (for video guys) & your controler into the UPS.
Posted Sun 18 Nov 12 @ 9:00 am
Support staff
You should always also have a backup system ready to go that you can seamlessly switch to in an emergency. Regardless of the software being used, computers can and will crash/freeze.
Please see http://www.virtualdj.com/wiki/Do%20I%20need%20a%20backup%20system%20on%20stand-by.html
Please see http://www.virtualdj.com/wiki/Do%20I%20need%20a%20backup%20system%20on%20stand-by.html
Posted Sun 18 Nov 12 @ 11:58 am
DJECoast
Well I was heading to Best Buy for COD Black OpsII anyway, so I picked up a APC ES-650. Heavy & bulky thing, I hope it was worth $90.
I've carried both laptops to gigs before because I didn't know what to expect after the crashes started. It worries me to have both of them out like that, if they were both stolen or dropped that would be a big hit.
I've carried both laptops to gigs before because I didn't know what to expect after the crashes started. It worries me to have both of them out like that, if they were both stolen or dropped that would be a big hit.
Posted Sun 18 Nov 12 @ 12:38 pm
DHoude
Laptop locks.. DJ insureance.. sounds like a few lessons in this thread. Mine is always ready..
Got a third PC out for lighting and an iPad to remote control it and do Google searches from. People had more to loose in the CD days/vinyl days. Hope you have all your music backed up to an external hard drive while we are at it. I actually carry spare cloned music drives AND another with my win 7 image on it. I could loose a drive, replace it and bea back running with my main rig in under 10 min.
Test your back ups too. Make sure you know exactly how everting works when it fails, so you know exactally what to expect.
Got a third PC out for lighting and an iPad to remote control it and do Google searches from. People had more to loose in the CD days/vinyl days. Hope you have all your music backed up to an external hard drive while we are at it. I actually carry spare cloned music drives AND another with my win 7 image on it. I could loose a drive, replace it and bea back running with my main rig in under 10 min.
Test your back ups too. Make sure you know exactly how everting works when it fails, so you know exactally what to expect.
Posted Sun 18 Nov 12 @ 1:47 pm
