keep the cd's

[nathan w 0]

http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/ranting.gif can i just say dj's swaping to computers and pcdj have u ever considered th problems apart from th fact it costs an arm and a leg it could also damage your show. wot happens when you start to trust th computer and leaving cd's and other forms of music in th house. computer crashes your stuffed to put it nicely. i do radio as some of u will know and many a times has my show been messed up by th computer crashing. also computers have a limit of wot they can hold. say your computers full and a popular new song comes out but u wanna keep all your other songs. with cd's there's no limit as to wot u can carry only your car size. http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/excl.gif http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/1106.gif http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/nono.gif

[High Fidelity 0]

Whoa, easy there fella.

 

I can respond to you in only one word. "BACKUP"

 

Any DJ who goes out without backup deserves anything that happens to them.

 

I don't think you'll find anybody on here who doesn't take backup with them to every gig.

 

I myself take 2 laptops with identical files on them, half a dozen compilation CD's as a 3rd backup, CD player, backup amp, cables etc, etc, etc.

 

As for the limit of what they can hold and not being able to store the latest track. Once again, anybody who runs that close to the limit deserves whatever happens to them.

 

This is part of what makes a professional DJ outlast the cowboys.

[ChrisPointon 0]

Your post hasn't actually endeared people to you Nathan http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/nono.gif , most of the people here are professionals, who don't use domestic Hi-Fi equipment and have invested in not only their main equipment, but also have several forms of back up which can easily be exchanged quickly and with the minimum amount of downtime.

 

You obviously haven't spent enough time researching your facts before launching into your rant. Had you looked a little bit more closely there are several topics which discuss the importance of not only carrying back up equipment, but also the ability to carry out basic repairs 'on site', the role of Fire Extinguishers, First Aid Kits etc as part of our everyday kit, along with spare lamps, fuses, torches etc - even Health and Safety Laws have been discussed.

 

Rest assured that there are a lot of people here who have been in business for many years, some have been DJ'ing for over 20 or 30 years, I don't think they need to have a lecture in such a manner as your post conveys.

 

Have you used a computer for full time DJ'ing yourself?, and experienced these problems? or are you just relaying the crap that you've read elsewhere, and its the opinions of others that you are singing along to?. I am curious to know exactly what gives you the right to slag off those here who do use a system which differs from your own and question their abilities as a DJ based on whether they click a mouse or place a disc onto a plastic tray?.

 

For your information at least 4 DJ's on here have been DJ'ing with computers for almost 3 years, two of them earn a full time living from DJ'ing so I would say that they must be doing something right, since they appear to be successfully raising a family and paying a mortgage as a result from their DJ Skills.

 

Sure, you are entitled to prefer one Audio Medium over another, but don't regard those who choose to use something different to you, as being less professional.

 

Considering, that you have posted elsewhere today, that you are having issues with you own equipment, then you should perhaps sort these out before criticising what other members are using??.

[DJ Marky Marc 0]

mr w, i run a computer business by day and have access to all sorts of computer hardware but as yet i still dont take a laptop or computer to dj from, this is not due to reliability or cost as you will see from peoples reactions but down to personal choice, here at dju we exchange ideas and support each other , we dont steam in both boots first with a brash statement like yours. however on a lighter note i look forward to seeing your next post http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/smile.gif

[Gary 0]

The software which is available for laptops is on par with what some CD-decks could do 3, or 4 years ago - but are lagging behind in some features nowadays.

 

I may well get a laptop for archive purposes. eg: just load it with my vinyl collection, take some blank CDRW's with me and have only Nero/Windows burner on the laptop. If someone asks me for something that I've only got on the laptop, I'll burn a CDRW with those tracks and 5 minutes later, pop the CDRW in a normal CD-deck.

[YourBigEvent 0]

I am not even going to waste my time answering if that is the attitude to start off with.

 

I myself go out with a ZX Spectrum and the 32mb is full of new music which means I am http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/censored2.gif until my 8 tracks gets repaired

 

Here is a link I think you should try Nathan...

 

HERE

 

BTW you can see I have edited my own post as I like it here and didn't want to get kicked off so I took out some things......

Edited October 2, 2004 by ADS Entertainments

[C.S 0]

Lets start again shall we, and perhaps reword the first post ?

Edited October 2, 2004 by C.S

[Kingy 0]

My opinion is that I am a little concerned regarding using Laptops etc for the following reasons:

 

1) Reliability

2) Is it legal

3) I am not absolutely confident in using computers!

 

It all horses for courses, so I will stick with my Cds.

 

 

Hey, at 16, who didn't have opinions..........!!

[Hugmaster 0]

Hi

 

I'm one of those DJ's that are just in the process of moving over the laptop DJing, in fact my new laptop and various bits and bobs are being delivered on Wednesday.

 

so here's the spec and you be the judge on whether it's likely to be stable or not.

 

Sentreno notebook

intel p4 2.5 ghz speed

512 DDR Ram

40gb internal hard drive

200gb external hard drive = aprox 40 to 45 thousand tracks.

Audio interface, whatever that may be hehehe

Windows XP

OtsDJ software

 

Will have nothing else running on the laptop other than the speech/braille software that I'll need to use the damn thing, a necessary evil I'm afraid.

 

My expertise in computers isn't vast, but I'd say just two pieces of software runing on a 40gb hard drive with 512 DDR Ram and 2.5 p4 is going to be stable enough.

 

I'm just being ultra safe.

 

Not to mention I'll still take out my twin CD unit and a case of aprox 50 CD's

 

Am also thinking about investing in a DAT drive for ultra back up...hehehe

 

I have to say even running OtsDJ on my current pc home system with about 20gb of other software and stuff running in the background, it's never crashed on me while using Ots.

 

Darren

[C.S 0]

Must admit that i love my cds but i think the laptop will come eventualy

[Digital discos 0]

I have tryed most of the common formats and I'm only 14

 

I have spun vinyl from time to time. Nice but not for the mobile dj. To much space and turntables way a ton.

 

Cds- This is what I started out with but my cd players are now virtually redundant. Only for backup purposes

 

Laptop- For a few gigs I used a laptop which my dad lent me. No complaints. Although I did have one cut out, which has now been rectified

 

Shuttle PC- Running ots, with the majority of my collection on. THe most stable thing I have ever used. Not one crash or glitch. Very pleased

 

But now my dad has given me his old laptop which I'm going to format and put pcdj on.

 

A computer system- makes it a hell of a lot easier to find tracks, organise tracks etc. I used my cds again tonight at a youth club gig (all I need to take is pc or cds/vinyl). I just didn't like it as much as my pc system. I feel at home using a pc now, I don't think I will ever look back.

 

 

[Kingy 0]

I think there was definatley a "Magic" to vinyl, the picture sleeves, the Feel of the disc and I was kinda reluctant to change to Cd, but progress is progress. I still miss the memories of being on stage and looking through the boxes of singles, its just a nostalga thing for me.

 

everybody is right about the weight of the damn things though! I used to carry 4 cases of 7" and 8 big 12" boxes about. The combined weight was probably more than my entire speaker system in those days!

 

The day will undoubtably come when I too will go to laptop, but being a bit of a sceptical dinosaur it wont be today. Having said that, i wouldnt go back to vinyl now from CD http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[cookiecat 0]

This option is available to me.I am starting again from scratch,is it worth my while buying every Mastermix cd ever http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/fear.gif

Or should I just get mp3?

The only problem I can see is that every one seems to take 2 systems with them ie laptop and cd players.

Are laptops really that bad?

 

Perhaps some of the dedicated laptop users could comment on how often in the last 12 months they have had to use their back up cd.

 

~Just thinking as I am typing this I might be doing karaoke http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/wacko.gif so I suppose I could get one of Chris' Soundlab twin CDG Gizmos and use this as back up.

Is it Instant start?

[tonyj 0]

i'm a laptop user, in the last 12 months i've had no problems at all with otsdj. i've had to play one or two tracks off cd, unusal requests that type of thing, but use the onboard cd player and ots even lets u play 2 cd tracks with no gap inbetween.

 

i also miss the smell of vinyl or was its just smoke and beer fumes, however since the laptop came along i've not looked back.. to be honest since ots can auto dj i've found i'm entertaining the crowd more due to less time spent bent over the cd boxes http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/thumbup.gif

[ChrisPointon 0]

I've been using a Laptop since last Christmas, when I was introduced to the Idea by Ads and Eskie - both of whom had been using a PC or Laptop based system long before they found the forum. Previous to that I used CD Players (still do sometimes) and Vinyl (resigned to the loft).

 

Like most people, I had a deep mistrust on anything running under a Bill Gates creation http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/wacko.gif , with thoughts of software conflictions and blue screens of death appearing halfway through the Cha Cha Slide http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/tongue.gif . Fortunately (touch wood) this has never once occured, and I have yet to see even a glitch from OTSDJ.

 

The secret is, to use a pc or laptop DEDICATED to the job in hand, in other words don't be surfing the net, or running other applications on the system which you are going to be taking out on the road with you. Use a fresh install of an operating system and a fresh install of the DJ Software you have chosen. Oh and don't be tempted to use 'cracked' versions of either which have come from Warez Sites or P2P - 99.9% of these won't be stable. If you are going to be using the system to earn money, then it makes sense to pay for it in the first place.

 

Most problems occur with demo versions running on 'Home' PC systems, these PC's are probably running several other applications at the same time, have a full toolbar of other Software, and 200mb of junk files in the internet cache - it would be a miracle if any Software ran smoothly in these circumstances, especially if your PC is also bogged down with spyware and junk files left from other installations http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/rolleyes.gif . This is why it is important never to use your 'on the road' system for anything other than professional use.

 

I'm 100% happy with OTSDJ. I can now spend time DJ'ing as opposed to spending 30 mins looking through several boxes of CD's in the search of Auntie Mauds special request!. Most of my collection was on compilations, so it wasn't just a case of remembering what particular compilation it was on, it was also finding where that particular compilation had landed when it was last used http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/533.gif . Now, I just simply type in the artist or title and it appears, ready to be cued!.

 

PC's don't change or lower your skills as a DJ, they are just a tool to make the task of finding and cataloging tracks easier. I don't agree with people slagging off PC using DJ's purely on the basis that you aren't as skilled as Dj's who use CD's!. WHAT, and putting a silver disc onto a plastic tray takes Einstein I suppose?. Utter rubbish, many PC using DJ's have previously used CD's for many years, many even graduated from Vinyl before that. The Skills to DJ and Entertain don't change, just the medium that is available.

 

Having back up equipment is important regardless of whether you use Turntables, Cd Players, MD, MP3 Players or a PC. If it has a plug on it, then it can go wrong. Electronic or Mechanical faults can and DO occur in Turntables and CD Players, Electronic or Software faults can occur in PC's and Laptops, so there is no excuse for not carrying some form of back up. Faults or not more or less likely in any one piece of equipment than another. If you do gigs with no form of back up then it will be you who is at fault, and not just the medium you are using!.

Edited October 3, 2004 by Chris_Pointon

[YourBigEvent 0]

QUOTE

I'm 100% happy with PCDJ.

 

Have you gone from Ots Chris ?

[ChrisPointon 0]

QUOTE (ADS Entertainments @ Oct 3 2004, 07:20 PM)

QUOTE I'm 100% happy with PCDJ.   Have you gone from Ots Chris ? OOOps what I meant to say was 'I'm 100% happy being a PC based DJ' even if it is actually a laptop I use.

[YourBigEvent 0]

http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/stupid.gif

[Paul Smith 0]

In the 70s I liked vinyl - cuing up each track, starting the deck whilst holding the felt and then letting go at the right moment............

 

Then came CDs - you couldn't have that 'touch' feel anymore but the sound quality was better and there was a countdown timer http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/smile.gif

 

With both systems you either needed a good memory or catalogue system to find the right record at the right time.

 

Then along came PC software with a sound quality to match CDs and an end to the problem of finding that elusive track which you hadn't played for years but was a must play for that gig (preferably in the next 5 minutes).

 

And to me that's where the PC/Laptop fits in. Let's face it, if you use a dual CD player you still need a back up and it's the same with a computer based system but the advantages for the mobile DJ are so beneficial that I'll never look back.

 

The only disadvantages that I can think of, and it also happened when converting from vinyl to CD, is the cost and the time involved. Changing from decks to CD players and replacing all the old vinyl with CDs cost quite a lot - changing from CDs to PC takes time plus the cost of the hard & software but the advantages soon become apparent.

 

I've already mentioned one - the speed to find a track - a request comes in 20 secs before the end of the current record & it'll fit in nicely no problem, then there's less to take to each gig - I still take back-up CDs but only a small case, less chance of a CD going missing, but the biggest advantage I've found is whilst scrolling though the hard drive you can find a forgotten gem that you know will work at that gig and with a click it's ready to play.

 

It was this forum that convinced me that a laptop was the way to go and that OTSDJ was the system to use. I 'converted' at Easter this year and I will never look/go back - admittedly the 1st one was nerve racking and I had my full CD system connected in case I chickened out (& I did twice during the evening) but now all the effort required for conversion, and it was 4 hours a night for several months, has reaped its' rewards and I do feel that I offer a better service to my clients because of it.

 

My biggest concern was reliability but 63 gigs on since changing I have found the only problem has been a track that has not been loaded/converted properly and skips. The first time I find out is of course when it's played at a gig (3 so far) so it's a case of moving on swiftly and then reloading the track the next day and checking it but let's face it this could happen with a CD as well.

 

In conclusion I am never one to change for change sake and will always take time to embrace new technology but the transformation to laptop is so beneficial that I can recommend it 100%

 

PaulS

 

[nathan w 0]

i also use the computer in th hospital radio and soundbox and i just don't trust it and always use cd's as i haven't stoped once for a cd problem but have stoped many times for computer problems. so that's why i'll never use a computer only for cool edit. http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/wallbash.gif http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/1106.gif

[ChrisPointon 0]

Computers are also now used in 100's of commercial Radio Stations 24/7 as well!.

 

I wouldn't let Hospital Radio be the deciding factor on the reliability of a PC based system. Such systems are open to abuse by volunteers bringing in their own software and often used by non-pc literate members.

 

Then there is the question of the origination of the material on there, are they genuine ripped CD copies, or downloaded from the 'net? http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/rolleyes.gif .

 

Hospital Radio Facilities are open to abuse and rarely policed. I remember when I was involved with one for seven years, that we had a phone put in 'Strictly for H.R Business' and had bills of over £100 containing calls to non members, The local Pizza Express and even chat lines http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/wallbash.gif .

[nathan w 0]

we had problem's there yesterday with people sorry http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/censored2.gif messing with th peack levels. nd it's really http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/censored2.gif me off so fair enough i agree with you guys on this issue. sorry 4 upset caused by this topic http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/533.gif http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/huh.gif

[YourBigEvent 0]

Nice to see you have got the English Language sorted out http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Ian Stewart 0]

The CD / PC argument,

 

I was the same as Chris and changed over last christmas, bought a laptop and after reading various reccomendations bought OTS DJ, with the intention of using the laptop for all those hardly played tunes and CD's for those popular tunes.

 

Within weeks I was using the laptop for 90%+ of the night, and within month was using the laptop for the entire evening.

 

However, after a few more months i began to use Cd's more, this was not through a reliability issue, but through choice. I think that I purchased the wrong software as the one I chose is not "Hands On" enough and does not lend itself to the DJ that likes to MIX, as well as talk.

 

I have considered swapping over to another DJ software such as PCDJ or BPM STUDIO, but at the moment do not want the extra expense, so for me at the moment it is CD's with the laptop for all those hardly played songs, and for running the early part of the evening.

[ChrisPointon 0]

I think that DJ Software will evolve and become more 'hands on' as Ian mentioned, at the moment there is, with some software, the distinct lack of control which you used to get with a Jog Wheel on a CD Player or a Turntable Platter for example.

 

There is software around which does offer USB type add on's but it costs Megabucks for the Hardware and Software, however I think this will become cheaper, as the competition increases amongst the software houses and more and more DJ's embrace the flexibility which PC / laptops offer them.

 

Will be interesting to see what the next few years bring http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/smile.gif