DJ Marcel_1
Okay I've had the DMC2 for a few weeks now and gotten a feel for it compared to my venerable old DAC2.
DMC2
Pros
No Mapper, No Drivers
Loop buttons
Video Crossfade Button
Rubber Buttons
Clear Display
Very accurate pitch faders
Cons
File browser knob wearing out/ not good feel
Can not Shuttle/Search song in player(w/o pressing wheelmode 3x)
Hot Cue: Hot1 button is Cue 2 etc (NOT CUE1)
THING IS HUGE
Jog dials are VERY sesnitive
Play/Pause should have been one button
DAC2
Pros
Very solid
Compact
Inner/Outer jog dials
always WORKS!!
Cons
Requires drivers from PCDJ
Old / limited support / repair
Requires mapper for full use in VDJ
No video crossfade buttons in Cstolls mapper
I could go one longer but you guys get the picture.
Neither are the Perfect Controller, but the DMC2 has the DAC2 beat hands down for features and bells and whistles; But the DMC2 file browser knobs are already starting to lose sensitivity on mine.
The DAC2 is the probverbial "old Betsy", Always turns on, always works, and so far no parts have worn out. Except the power input socket - and that was repaired with a little work with a soldering iron.
Both are good buys and Both I'd highly recommend.
DMC2
Pros
No Mapper, No Drivers
Loop buttons
Video Crossfade Button
Rubber Buttons
Clear Display
Very accurate pitch faders
Cons
File browser knob wearing out/ not good feel
Can not Shuttle/Search song in player(w/o pressing wheelmode 3x)
Hot Cue: Hot1 button is Cue 2 etc (NOT CUE1)
THING IS HUGE
Jog dials are VERY sesnitive
Play/Pause should have been one button
DAC2
Pros
Very solid
Compact
Inner/Outer jog dials
always WORKS!!
Cons
Requires drivers from PCDJ
Old / limited support / repair
Requires mapper for full use in VDJ
No video crossfade buttons in Cstolls mapper
I could go one longer but you guys get the picture.
Neither are the Perfect Controller, but the DMC2 has the DAC2 beat hands down for features and bells and whistles; But the DMC2 file browser knobs are already starting to lose sensitivity on mine.
The DAC2 is the probverbial "old Betsy", Always turns on, always works, and so far no parts have worn out. Except the power input socket - and that was repaired with a little work with a soldering iron.
Both are good buys and Both I'd highly recommend.
Posted Sat 14 Jul 07 @ 6:16 pm
Dazmax
I dont do any work with mappers yet. I do have a DMC2 but have not used it for long enough yet to have found this problem.
However I bet someone clever could set up a mapper so that if you press and hold the FILE or FLDR button for say 2 seconds it would select the jog wheel to a browser mode. Then you can use that instead of the knob to search files, but keep the push to select function of the current control.
As long as the jog wheel function returned to normal once the file was selected i think it would work ok.
What do you think?
BTW I love the DMC2
DAZ
However I bet someone clever could set up a mapper so that if you press and hold the FILE or FLDR button for say 2 seconds it would select the jog wheel to a browser mode. Then you can use that instead of the knob to search files, but keep the push to select function of the current control.
As long as the jog wheel function returned to normal once the file was selected i think it would work ok.
What do you think?
BTW I love the DMC2
DAZ
Posted Sun 15 Jul 07 @ 8:52 pm
DJ Marcel_1
There is a mapper available - but I found it too busy/ difficult to learn in a hour or two sitting/test.
I really don't like the browser knobs and the fact that there is no outer jog dial or even a fast forward or reverse button.
It's far from prefect
But it is Flawlessly intergrated with VDJ
I really don't like the browser knobs and the fact that there is no outer jog dial or even a fast forward or reverse button.
It's far from prefect
But it is Flawlessly intergrated with VDJ
Posted Sun 15 Jul 07 @ 9:02 pm
Dazmax
Got to agree.
I use the CDN95 hardware player in my rig and that was the first thing that started to bug me. Multi function Jog Wheels can be a pain at times.
I think i have just gotten used to it. The rest of the functions on both the CDN95 and DMC2 still leave me with a smile on my face at the end of the night so i aint complainin too much.
DAZ
I use the CDN95 hardware player in my rig and that was the first thing that started to bug me. Multi function Jog Wheels can be a pain at times.
I think i have just gotten used to it. The rest of the functions on both the CDN95 and DMC2 still leave me with a smile on my face at the end of the night so i aint complainin too much.
DAZ
Posted Sun 15 Jul 07 @ 9:50 pm
jpboggis
My DMC-2 mapper does allow file/folder browsing using the jogwheels, however there's no file/folder name display on the LCD's yet until the VDJ plugin SDK is updated to allow this info to be retrieved.
Also, HOT1/HOT2 work as expected with cue points 1 & 2 rather than 2 & 3, and the jogwheel sensitivity can be optionally adjusted via user parameters.
It does have a lot more 'bells and whistles' than the default mapper, but that's the whole idea - To offer an alternative and expand on what the default mapper offers.
NOTE: You don't need to use all of the functionality of the mapper. The basic controls are very similar to the default. I may add options to turn off some of the extra functionality in the next version, making it operate more closely to the default mapping.
The default mapping is actually quite good, but the one feature that makes it unusable for me is the jogwheel behaviour. If you prefer to pitch bend using the jogwheels (Gives more precise control), you must toggle through 6 different jogwheel modes to switch from scratch back to nudge!
Just like many dual CD players with single jogwheels, my DMC-2 mapper will pitch bend when playing and scratch when paused, allowing cueing and pitch bending without changing jogwheel modes.
I'd recommend that DMC-2 owners try both the default and my mapper and use whichever suits them best.
Also, HOT1/HOT2 work as expected with cue points 1 & 2 rather than 2 & 3, and the jogwheel sensitivity can be optionally adjusted via user parameters.
It does have a lot more 'bells and whistles' than the default mapper, but that's the whole idea - To offer an alternative and expand on what the default mapper offers.
NOTE: You don't need to use all of the functionality of the mapper. The basic controls are very similar to the default. I may add options to turn off some of the extra functionality in the next version, making it operate more closely to the default mapping.
The default mapping is actually quite good, but the one feature that makes it unusable for me is the jogwheel behaviour. If you prefer to pitch bend using the jogwheels (Gives more precise control), you must toggle through 6 different jogwheel modes to switch from scratch back to nudge!
Just like many dual CD players with single jogwheels, my DMC-2 mapper will pitch bend when playing and scratch when paused, allowing cueing and pitch bending without changing jogwheel modes.
I'd recommend that DMC-2 owners try both the default and my mapper and use whichever suits them best.
Posted Sun 15 Jul 07 @ 10:40 pm
DJ Marcel_1
Okay jp, could you do a favour then?
Could you post a Idiots guide to your mapper instructions?
Things I couldn't figure out:
Browse with jog dial.
Arrange small loop buttons to hotcue 3&4 - then loop length 2-16
I think those two fuctions would push this over the top for me.
Could you post a Idiots guide to your mapper instructions?
Things I couldn't figure out:
Browse with jog dial.
Arrange small loop buttons to hotcue 3&4 - then loop length 2-16
I think those two fuctions would push this over the top for me.
Posted Sun 15 Jul 07 @ 11:04 pm
jpboggis
To browse files/folders with the jogwheel, first press FILE or FLDR appropriately to enter file or folder browsing mode. Then press WHEEL MODE until it reads Param/Browse - This will allow you to use the jogwheel to browse. Alternatively, hold down FX/SAMPLER and turn the jogwheel (This allows you to jogwheel browse without changing the jogwheel mode.)
If the browsing speed is too fast, you can adjust this via user parameters as follows:
Adjusting the functions of the loop buttons is also done through user parameters:
If the browsing speed is too fast, you can adjust this via user parameters as follows:
- Hold down WHEEL MODE and press PITCH ADJUST to enter user parameters mode.
- Turn the parameter knob to choose the parameter to adjust. Each parameter name is shown on the display along with some brief help text and its current setting on the 2nd line.
- Find the parameter Jogwheel Browse Speed - This should be parameter number 48 - The number is shown in the top-left of the LCD display.
- Press the parameter knob to edit the setting. Turn the knob to choose a new value (E.g: -2 will slow down the browsing speed from the default of -1)
- Press the parameter knob to save the setting. You can try out the new speed by entering file browsing mode on the other deck.
- Once you are happy, press WHEEL MODE + PITCH ADJUST to exit user parameters.
Adjusting the functions of the loop buttons is also done through user parameters:
- Press WHEEL MODE + PITCH ADJUST to enter user parameters.
- Look for the parameters Loop Btn 1 - Loop Btn 8 - These are numbers 75 - 82.
- Press the parameter knob to edit Loop Btn 1.
- Turn the parameter knob to choose between various loop lengths (1/8th - 128 beats) or cue points 1-9. E.g: Choose Cue Pt 3 to have the first loop button act as hotcue 3.
- Press the parameter knob to save the new setting.
- Repeat this for each of the other 7 buttons.
- Press WHEEL MODE + PITCH ADJUST to exit user parameters.
Posted Mon 16 Jul 07 @ 1:08 am
andytaylor125
In the DMC_2 mapper, you can set the loop buttons to any loop length or cue point.
Anyway, I've got it set up so that the first 4 buttons for cues 1-4 and then the rest for loops 2-16 beats (why numark thought that people would want only 8 beats i don't know!).
Also, the video crossfade buttons do a two second video crossfade, while the audio crossfade buttons do an instant video crossfade.
If you want to have a go with my settings, I think you can just download this file
www.andy-t.net/dmc2_params.cfg
and put it in the virtual dj folder (to replace the current dmc2_params file). That's my settings anyway!
Anyway, I've got it set up so that the first 4 buttons for cues 1-4 and then the rest for loops 2-16 beats (why numark thought that people would want only 8 beats i don't know!).
Also, the video crossfade buttons do a two second video crossfade, while the audio crossfade buttons do an instant video crossfade.
If you want to have a go with my settings, I think you can just download this file
www.andy-t.net/dmc2_params.cfg
and put it in the virtual dj folder (to replace the current dmc2_params file). That's my settings anyway!
Posted Mon 16 Jul 07 @ 10:59 am
mp3jrick
The ONLY 2 things I don't like over the DAC 3 is the need for a PS, which for some may be a concern on a usb buss and second, the lack of a 16 and 32 beat loop buttons.
What the hell were they thinking on this, I don't know.
I have no use for 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, or 1 beat loop buttons.
The very LAST sound I want to replicate is what sounds like stuttering, lol.
People might think I was using ef ef ef ef FX and that would be bad juju.
Other than that kudos to JP for all the effort he put into the mapper for us.
Do take the time to read the user guide, you can make this thing fit like latex if you read it through.
I made no changes at all except to engauge the random video transitions I think.
Other than that I run it just they way it comes.
We have had MANY DAC 3 users have board/usb connection problems requiring solder and buttons that fail to work after a while requiring full disassembly to clean the contacts.
I use the DMC 2 in HIGH dirt areas and have had NO troubles at all.
One nearly new and perfect dac 3 for sale.
What the hell were they thinking on this, I don't know.
I have no use for 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, or 1 beat loop buttons.
The very LAST sound I want to replicate is what sounds like stuttering, lol.
People might think I was using ef ef ef ef FX and that would be bad juju.
Other than that kudos to JP for all the effort he put into the mapper for us.
Do take the time to read the user guide, you can make this thing fit like latex if you read it through.
I made no changes at all except to engauge the random video transitions I think.
Other than that I run it just they way it comes.
We have had MANY DAC 3 users have board/usb connection problems requiring solder and buttons that fail to work after a while requiring full disassembly to clean the contacts.
I use the DMC 2 in HIGH dirt areas and have had NO troubles at all.
One nearly new and perfect dac 3 for sale.
Posted Mon 16 Jul 07 @ 11:22 pm
rockinrossco
i did one better than just reading it. i made acopy and printed it, highlighted everything that i need to know and and made a cover page with all the shortcuts and what does what in the very front in a plastic cover so i can have it out while giging, and dont have to dig for it jsut before i need it and with my luck (which is none) i would not make it back to the mixer before i got it out.but thats what works for me. and i if you practice and get to now what does what on a maner that u dont even have to think about it makes it all the easier. thanks again for the mapper jp
Posted Tue 17 Jul 07 @ 4:10 am