Heat problems with vci-300

[DJ Nada]

This weekend I played off my friend's VCI-300 for two events. The first was outside and the VCI performed terribly. After about 3 songs it only started outputting clicks when I spun the platters, I reset it and upped the latency and had similar problems a couple songs later. I covered it up and played off my other laptop, onboard sound, no mixing. (lame)
That afternoon at a different venue, which was indoors, the VCI played well for a while, but towards the end of the evening it started crackling on the line-in and the mic. It got progressively worse, even when we changed mics. When we were done with the evening, we couldn't use the mic or line-in, it was all garbled. (There NEEDS to be a bigger mic volume knob btw.)
After thinking about it, could both issues be a heat problem? It was very hot outside, and inside it was on a tablecloth which may have blocked air circulation. Are these things really that sensitive to heat where they will quit playing? Maybe there should be some kind of fan inside? Anybody have other theories?

[Philippro]

As you said heat is the most probable cause. Whenever you see an electronic device to show up problems progressively is 99.9% a ventilation problem. I am not a vci 300 owner so I don't know if there is place for active cooling. Try a laptop stand with a fan installed if nothing else works out..

[haze324]

Ive never had any heat issues with my 300, I also just played a 2.5 hour set in Iraq at about 95-100 degree weather and no issues. I've also used it a Pool Parties in Miami over thes summer. A few things to think about

- Are you using Itch? What version: 1.5 or 1.7 and what RC?
- what were your setting at, head room, latency, etc. This could be the noise
- if it truly is the heat try a laptop fan pad. Those things work pretty damn good
- from what i've read, the 300 has always had mic issues
- I would post this over on the Serato forum. They have a dedicated VCI-300 forum

interested in seeing what you find out. I beat up my 300 quite a bit, and I love that thing. Would hate for this to happen to me one night and know how to fix it.

Good luck.