Question about CDJs

Hey,

I got a question about CDJs, if I want the CDJ to use a computer as music-source and that also shows the song structure or interface as I play it, will I have to use a CDJ that is midi-compatible for that or is there any other way?

Depends entirely on the CDJ. Modern high end Pioneer CDJs (anything above the 900) can connect to a computer running Rekordbox using Pro DJ Link (basically LAN cables), Denon have a similar system with a piece of software called engine (which can also run on the iPad). Those systems cache a certain amount of the track you're playing onto the player itself and the player is doing all the audio processing.

Almost all CDJs with a USB port support midi, many newer ones support HID which is far better but check the compatibility of your CDJs with your software of choice before buying. In this case, the player is simply acting as a controller and all the audio processing is done by the software.

What is it exactly that you're trying to achieve?

Well as I said I want to see the tracks structure and also load from a computer but I don´t want to relay on the computer, I want the audio processing to be handled completely by the CDJ and not by the computer using MIDI.

Well the closest thing you can get to that at the moment is the Pioneer Pro DJ Link with Rekordbox (requires Pioneer CDJ-900s, 2000s or 2000 Nexus) or Denon PC-LINK with Engine (requires Denon DN-SC2900s or 3900s I believe). Both of those are basically using the computer as nothing more than a library and browser, all audio functions take place on the player. In terms of seeing song structure, you can load tracks to the mini player in both pieces of software to see the layout, set cue points etc but you don't get the same scrolling waveform you find in Traktor and others, unless you have the CDJ-2000NXS.

This is the waveform view on the CDJ 2000 1st gen.

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/68166/Temp/...dHid_small.jpg