The software should be designed to work with open standards and the controller should supply a standard set of drivers that can operate with any software with an additional layer that allows us to customise.

If some new DJ software release is launched I don’t want to have to pay for a new controller in order to use this it and vice versa. It’s definitely in the software and hardware manufacturers best interests to do this as well because their success won’t be tied to another firm.

This problem is the same as any other software/protocol standards issue in its infancy like the Internet was back in the day. Eventually things will settle down, a standard will be adopted and you will be able to use controllers with different pieces of software, it’s as certain as Betamax.

There’s a basic set of controls and feedback methods that exist in all DJ hardware/software solutions, and unless our paradigm of using decks and a mixer (whether real or virtual) changes dramatically in the foreseeable future, I think we’ll be stuck with that paradigm for a while. Here’s the basic set of controls we have and need across the board as DJs currently:

Deck controls: play/pause, cue, pitch bent, jog wheel, pitch, loop/cue controls etc.
Mixer controls: EQ, upfaders, gain, crossfader etc.
Browser controls: track select, track load, playlist select etc.
FX controls: FX select, paramater changes, wet/dry etc.
Output display: time remaining, stripe display, sticker position, track name, Vu meters, and button feedback.

So, what I’m saying is that if we could have all controllers send/recieve standard messages for things like stop/start/cue/jog dial/pitch bend/track name display/sticker position display etc. etc. etc. so things worked out of the box with any software that supported those messages. Each unit (input method from the user, eg. crossfader or stop button or output from the computer eg. track name display) would have it’s own unique ID, so that you could easily reconfigure each one to interact with the software differently from it’s original factory settings if you so desired.

I have a feeling a lot of this can be done by OSC already (I don’t know much about the protocol), but from what I’ve heard OSC can become very complex for the end user setup point of view. Perhaps if manufacturers could agree on a standard set of OSC messages for the basic controls listed above, everyone would be more willing to accept it:

The software vendors would be much more willing to implement OSC if it meant not having to create a HID interpreter for each controller released onto the market, and know that controllers released in the future would work just as well with their software as ones currently already supported.

End users would feel much more confident about their purchases knowing that they can plug it straight into their computer and that it will work out of the box without having to go through hours/days getting a logically and intuitive setup working, but with the ability to customize individual elements as and when they see fit if need be.

Manufacturers can spend less on R&D costs for proprietary protocols, whilst knowing that if they adhere to the standard, their hardware will work exactly as they intended regardless of the software being used with it.

Of course, all this is only taking into account what I see as the ‘ideal’ situation – none of this takes into account inter-company politics and the fact that companies form partnerships and make their hardware only work properly with specific software intentionally (to retain a degree of exclusivity not achievable with other hardware/software combos). In the long run, I think this behavior is only hindering the progress of digital DJ technology – customers should be free to use any controller with any software and be confident that it will work as expected and without issue right out of the box, but allow a high degree of customization should the user want that also.

Fus

The Reloop controller is made to work with Traktor like Itch works with NS7 and VCI-300. So, I’m thinking for Traktor users looking for decent jog wheels, the Reloop Contraktor is the way to go. Go with the VCI-300 if the midi setup doesnt bug you. Before I make my purchase I’d like to make sure that the Reloop jog wheels are on par with the Vestax variety if anyone knows that answer.