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Topic: TCV problem - zero or floating quality signal

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Hi there,

Here's a small problem I would like to fix asap:

I've just bought my own copy of VDJ 4.3. Installed it with no problem on my laptop at home. I have a pair of Pioneer CDJ800 and Technics 1210 turntables. My sound card is a Maya 44USB with 2.5.5 drivers.

When working with TCCD - everything is perfect. 100% signal quality.
I took my friends' TCVs (pair of old ones, maybe bought around end of 2005; and a pair of brand new unused, that were bought from Germany by a friend of his at the beginning of 2007).
Well, the old pair TCV works perfect - again 100% signal quality. The new TCVs - I can't get them to work at all! I either get 0% signal or a floating number from 0% to 40-50%. I did many tests with the audio inputs, automatic and manual setups. It does not work. I read a lot in the forums here, but nothing.

Can anyone tell me what to check to see why is that happening with that absolutely brand new TCVs?

Thank you very much!
DJ Mecho
http://djmecho.com
 

Posted Sat 28 Apr 07 @ 3:45 pm
cstollPRO InfinityMember since 2004
Yes, some have had issues with the 2nd generation TCVs. The ones you are calling 'new' are the 2nd Gen series. There are 3rd generation TCVs out there and can be purchased here on the website. Up until about a month or so ago the 3rd gen. series were only available in the US. The 3rd Gens are better grade vinyl with deeper cuts and better segmentation of the Timecode for identifying browser control, etc. Get a pair of them and you will see the result come back like the 1st Gen vinyls - the 'old' pair you referenced.
 

Posted Sat 28 Apr 07 @ 4:28 pm
So... what should we do with those TCVs that don't work at all? :)
 

Posted Sat 28 Apr 07 @ 4:35 pm


zero % means signal is too loud.

The Pioneer CDJ800 plays the signal too loud for VDJ, so you need to open the timecode mp3 in a wave editor ( such as the free Audacity), and lower the signal by -13db

For the timecode vinyls that play too loud, connect to LINE IN and not PHONO in at soundcard.


Pluss, remember, you always need to reconfig your timecode settings when changing.
And also, the maya needs AUTO for latency in VDJ performance tab, to work well

Hope that helps ;)
 

Posted Sat 28 Apr 07 @ 6:11 pm
Thanks, but it seems you didnot understand my previous report:

1. I don't have a problem with TCCD at all. Tried and worked perfectly on my CDJ800. Tonight I will work with CDJ1000 at my resident club. And I hope there won't be a problem there too.
2. The only problem is with that TCV (maybe gen2?) that is not giving a quality signal. I can see the waves (red and green), and I change manually the gain, so the waves become lower or higher. But I can't get it work and have a good quality signal :) this only happens with that second new pair of TCVs.

What do you mean to connect to LINE IN and not PHONO to the sound card? :) Maya has only LINE-INs as far as I know...

Thanks, anyway!
Will continue trying... or through this 30 EURO in the trashbin. And request another pair with gen3, probably. The problem is that I am in Bulgaria and it takes time for the order to take place.

Cheers,
Kalin aka DJ Mecho.
 

Posted Sat 28 Apr 07 @ 7:03 pm


What happens if you do this with the problem TC vinyls :

- FIRST, choose maya a soundcard
- SECOND, go to performance tab, and make sure its set to AUTO for latency
- THIRD, go back to soundcard, and hit timecode config, and auto config.

Any better ?

Also, make sure your turntables are grounded to your pc...


They are different made timecode vinyls, but should work fine
 

Posted Sat 28 Apr 07 @ 7:08 pm
:)
Everything is perfectly grounded (actually my laptop is a Sony Vaio FE-11S, and I tried on batteries too).
Maya is chosen. Latency is Auto.
Auto Config says - No timecode....

But I must go play now, so will continue turntable tests tomorrow.

You can listen live to my VDJ 4.3 TCCD gig tonight at my website streaming (AAC+ 32kbps): http://live.djmecho.com:8000/ (around 8.30PM CET, 7.30PM GMT).
 

Posted Sat 28 Apr 07 @ 7:19 pm
Dj XeoPRO InfinityMember since 2005
where are the ground leads from your decks connected? not talking about the earth in your power leads

auto config doesnt work with the gen2 vinyls, you need to do it manualy. play one timecode and set it up using the TCV wave that you can see in the black box
 

Posted Sun 29 Apr 07 @ 11:28 am
ground leads from the turntables are connected both to the mixer.
there is no 'earth' in the power leads.

tried almost everything manually - still i can't get a stable signal.
seems like those gen2 vinyls are a total crap.
and i can't loose anymore time with them now.
:)
 

Posted Wed 02 May 07 @ 12:44 pm
listen2PRO InfinityMember since 2005
That was a problem with gen2, if they work ok then dont worrry about the signal % as long as you have good looking signal waves in the TC config windows. My gen2 did the same thing but worked flawless. And if you said you have gen1 also and those config fine then your hardware is not to blame.
 

Posted Wed 02 May 07 @ 2:12 pm
Ok, then I am happy for my hardware :)
Well, I will make some more tests and will produce a report asap.
Will do the following: 1st make gen1 work (100%) - this happens by simply autoconfig the decks.
2nd I will observe the waves and try to make the same with gen2 (with no respect to the signal quality)...
if this works, strangely or not, thanks for the help :)
I am playing next week at Le Mad, Laussane (Switzerland), it would be nice if I can have my TCVs, although I am perfectly prepared for a gig with TCCD :) if there are any VDJ fans overthere - we can meet there!
 

Posted Wed 02 May 07 @ 4:42 pm
Dj XeoPRO InfinityMember since 2005
your decks need to be grounded to your sound interface or PC. if your sound card doesnt have the correct attatchments then you can use a metal screw. listening using the passthrough feature is what i used to use to diagnose what a problem was but they got rid of that feature.................

its def a good idea to see where the lines go in relation to up down, silence and gain and try to reproduce it with the gen2s youve got.

im stil waiting on news of gen3s coming to Europe
 

Posted Wed 02 May 07 @ 10:16 pm
Xeo... as I said my PC is a Laptop, and it cannot be grounded the way a regular desktop. One reason is that I even tried it without the power supply.
Second, my sound card is a Maya44 Usb, and it has no own power supply too.
The problem is not the signal. It gets without any noises to the inputs. More likely, it is that the gen2 vinyls for some reason are badly recorded, maybe with distorted or overamplified levels. If my wiring was to blame, then the gen1 should not work neither.
I think that there's a vinyl problem combined with a software 'bug'. Which possibly can be fixed, but they need to take some more time, who knows. Maybe a special check box for a gen2 vinyl :)
btw. is there any written note on the vinyl to show which generation it is?
 

Posted Thu 03 May 07 @ 8:58 am
listen2PRO InfinityMember since 2005
VDJ just doesn't read the % off gen2 well, but it certainly reads the signal perfectly, so like i said if they work good then don't sweat it. Gen3 does not have this issue.
 

Posted Thu 03 May 07 @ 2:13 pm
i know what u mean @listen2 :)
also, i am a programmer with a very good knowledge and understanding of digital audio. that's why i report all these issues, as i am sure they can be fixed in the software. once the vinyls has been released with this problem, it is very hard to replace them, but... the software can easily be upgraded. anyway. thanks again. now i know i should not worry about my own setup.
 

Posted Thu 03 May 07 @ 2:26 pm


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