Controversial Traktor Scratch hack featured on DJTT blog

[padi_04]

We moved the attention towards other articles due to an increase in support tickets related to this matter. Needless to say, we don't provide support for it. Same as we don't provide support for any piece of hardware we don't sell.

Always love a little bit of soulsearching. So if the mods have different rules here, then karlos could ban djspacecamp.

djspacecamp isn't part of the regular mod team, that's why he wasn't aware of this rule. All mods stick to the same rule set and bans are usually discussed between the team before being applied.

[ReggieUK]

It's a difficult subject to broach really, djtechtools encourages people to make and mod stuff, which is why there are sections for mapping and controllers, I thought you guys would be more worried about the F1 'clone' that's in the controllers section? I'm not trying to drop anyone in it, the hack has been documented on the internet for some time, I think the original information might even have come from some mods on here, so it's not surprising that people would want to do something like this.

Personally, I think, if you pay the same cold hard cash as the next man, then you should have the same features in your software, I switched from serato to traktor because they cripple the software if you use cheap controllers vs expensive ones. Make it so people don't need to hack it to get the same features and this problem would go away, they could easily make a proviso, you use this at your own, unsupported risk on non-Traktor hardware, pretty simple really.

[makar1]

I switched from serato to traktor because they cripple the software if you use cheap controllers vs expensive ones.

Aren't all Serato controllers compatible with the full Serato DJ now? Either as a free or paid upgrade?

you use this at your own, unsupported risk on non-Traktor hardware, pretty simple really.

That's how it is already - making it freely usable would only hurt their sales further.

[ReggieUK]

Aren't all Serato controllers compatible with the full Serato DJ now? Either as a free or paid upgrade?

Kind of, you can't use serato without having a serato certified controller plugged in but that doesn't mean you'll get all the same features as everyone else.

For instance, I have a numark mixtrack pro II, not the best controller in the world, was never expected to be but it's also still very usable, or at least it would be, if serato would let you remap the pitch controls, as it stands, my controller simply doesn't have the resolution with just 128 steps across +/- 8% that's 0.125% per step, which will leave you unable to accurately manually tempo match certain combinations of tracks, no matter how good you are on the real thing by ear.

Contrast that with other controllers that have higher resolution pitches and they will tempo match just fine by manually. Serato controls the pitch and decides what resolution everyone gets, clearly they're not going to squeeze any extra resolution from my controller but they could do what traktor did and allow you to remap the pitches to buttons on your existing serato certified controller (no remapping at all!) or allow you to remap to a 2nd midi controller.

So if I don't want to be constantly touching the platter every 10-15 seconds in serato I either have to buy a better controller or better software, I chose to buy better software and bought traktor and this is what happens when people are denied simple features that their devices are capable of, they either find better software or fix/hack the existing stuff.

That's how it is already - making it freely usable would only hurt their sales further.

Well, yes and no, for a start, making it a usable feature for all might well attract more people that they wouldn't otherwise have reached, the way it is now, it seems, is a bit of a con, you must buy our hardware to get this feature makes it sound like there's something special in the hardware that makes it work when clearly there isn't, the hardware just needs to be sufficient enough for it to work.

So, giving it to everyone as a feature would make the most sense imho. They don't have to support it which is fair enough but they also stop looking like they're trying to swindle people too.

I own traktor pro and have no intentions of trying this hack out but I can see why people will want to, especially now they *know* there's nothing special about this feature and NI kit. I'm also not accusing NI of anything here, merely commenting on how the situation could easily be looked at by some.

[djchriswoods.co.uk]

As an owner of TSP2 (upgraded from TSP), with a NI Audio 8 DJ and a Pioneer DJM900Nexus, the only reason id have any interest in getting this to work would be in the remote event that a club i turn up to has a DJM900SRT which will work with TSP2, if used only with a controller, will not support timecode for TSP unlike the Nexus.

[Mr Wilks]

Believe it or not, TP2 and TSP2 are the same price. The cost of Scratch is contained in the Traktor sound card or certified mixer.

I upgraded from Traktor Scratch Pro 1 to Traktor Pro 2 and my Audio 8 doesn't automatically unlock Scratch functionality.

I have been told by N.I. to buy the additional "S4 Scratch Upgrade Kit" as my Audio 8 wouldn't just unlock it. It needs a separate serial number for scratch functionality and that is £89 (or $99/€99) even though I own full TSP 1 with and Audio 8.

[padi_04]

That's odd, i got a scratch upgrade with a Audio 4 back in the day.

[Karlos Santos]

I upgraded from Traktor Scratch Pro 1 to Traktor Pro 2 and my Audio 8 doesn't automatically unlock Scratch functionality.

I have been told by N.I. to buy the additional "S4 Scratch Upgrade Kit" as my Audio 8 wouldn't just unlock it. It needs a separate serial number for scratch functionality and that is £89 (or $99/€99) even though I own full TSP 1 with and Audio 8.

The Audio 8 does not unlock anything. The serial number is what determines which version you have.
If you had TSP1 and you installed Traktor Pro 2 (not Scratch Pro 2) then you have turned your installation into the non timecode version. The serial number with Traktor Pro will not unlock scratch functionality.

I think you bought the wrong upgrade. If this was recent you should explain that to NI, maybe (maybe) they will help you out.

[AnonymousDJPro]

Hi Everyone,

My apologies for the size of the post. It wasn't my intention for it to be this long when I started typing it but I got a bit worked up over it.

Props to DJTT for the article!!! Keep it up guys!!! Been loving the stuff this last couple of year.

I'm unfortunately posting anonymously as I work for a company that deals with native instruments and I cannot say what i need to say openly but I would like to share my thoughts on this matter. (Albeit a bit late)

For starters I too am very disappointed at the "hacking is bad" reactions here. Corporate marketing is doing a good job and programming some people it seems. Anyways, just wanted to share a few points.

1) I am an old school DJ and I use to hack the shit out of everything I could (to this day)

Prime examples are game consoles: Turning my first XBOX into a media center as well as an emulator for my old Nintendo games. This doesn't mean I didn't purchase games I just Unlocked the potential of my machine. Hacking your tools to make them do what you need/want them to do is resourceful and rewarding.

Another more relevant example is when I use to run DVS with Torq. I loved the software but hated the hardware. That connectiv sound card was just a POS. I use to run it with my Audio 8 instead. I unfortunately had to carry both sound cards. I would have to plug the m-audio one when launching the program (sort of like a dongle but then I could unplug it after the program started, great security there m-audio I thought). One day I came across a "Hack" and I was happy as a clam. It allowed me to run Torq with the audio 8 without having the m-audio card. Eventually when Torq 2.0 was released they
removed the hardware lock (i guess someone was thinking straight at avid) However by that point I deiced to Migrate to traktor and haven't looked back since. Traktor is the
Cat's Meow, Serato with their plug and pray system can suck it.

I AM A TRAKTOR DJ!!!

2) Traktor has been losing allot of traction (no pun intended but that came out kind of funny) in the last couple of years. Allot of the new controllers from Pioneer DJ, Numark and Vestax are all Serato DJ controllers. I feel that NI has been focusing way too much on their controllers and have abandoned us who use their software but prefer other
hardware. Almost like were being punished for not using there mediocre controllers.
(However there soundcards are monsters, my Audio 8 is awesomesauce!)

We Traktor DJs use Traktor because we can make it our little bitch and do what we want it to. (Even though sometimes she is stubborn and crashes cause of flakey updates)

The fact that Virtual DJ Pro natively supports more Controllers and CDJs then Traktor is shameful.

3) Serato has learned this lesson and created the “CLUB KIT” for $169. It will allow you to use Serato with Traktor Certified Mixers like the DJM-850/900NXS and even some of the Allen and Heath Ones. I really dislike Serato but I have to give it to them on this one. (I’m sure if there was a traktor equivalent most of us would happily pay it)

My message to Native Instruments is stop being such tight wads and let us do what we need to do. Let us use your amazing software the way it was intended. (Before you guys got heavy into hardware and lost sight of what traktor is) As an open and free flowing platform that can be bent to our needs.

My final message is to the haters out there who think this is hack is a bad idea. Start using the brains you were given and you will see you can accomplish amazing things.
We unfortunately now live in an era where allot of the hardware and software we use which was once predominantly used by industry professionals is now predominately a prosumer, armature or iZombie* market. These are people who mostly have no idea about the tools themselves and are not tech savvy. We DJs use to be Audio/DJ Tech Geek uber Nerds who knew how to tear our shit apart and put it back together in our
sleep. Not so much now.

Back in the days most DJs, producers, sounds techs, etc would always have something in there setup hot-wired in some way. That’s just how it was. This is the legacy we are from and we shouldn't so easily throw it out the window cause corporations whose
only interest is to sell you a new controller or sound card every year tells
you otherwise.

*iZombie; An iZombie is a tool who knows nothing about the technology he wants, who just keeps consuming it cause he was told he needs the new version and does stuff like walking into the apple store and tells tell the apple store IZombie salesman “So I kind of want to do what deadmau5 does…”

Yes Folks I’ve seen this kinda thing first hand.

Alright I'm stepping down from my soapbox now.

Peace All!

[mrwnck]

Hi there,

I use this very smart tips for several months, I've upgraded my TSP2 (with Stems) and my timecode tips doesn't work anymore.

I'e just tried to uninstall the soft the reinstal it, but the problem is the same :

In Hex fiend, when I got to CmD+F to find the xone:4D to replace, it doesn't find anything...

I ask myself if Native haven't modified or encrypt something...

Can someone help me ?