Opensource hardware CDJ/MIDIPC - Raspberry Pi ($25)

[zestoi]

You're telling me that a 700mhz ARM chip is going to run open source perfomance software over Linux low-latency drivers, and be stable enough for serious performance?

i don't see why that isn't possible. certainly nothing to be gained by porting coreaudio and/or using android compared to using a slimmed down linux install and (maybe) a real time kernel. in fact the total opposite is true...

i don't really have any use right now for one of these devices but maybe getting one just to see what is possible from it would be cool. guess all i would need is to hook power up to it and an ethernet cable - no real need for video out. would need the "model b" ofc to have ethernet but also would want the two usb ports anyway.

Model A has 128Mb of RAM Model A has been redesigned to have 256Mb RAM, one USB port and no Ethernet (network connection). Model B has 256Mb RAM, 2 USB port and an Ethernet port.

i see it has rca video - i presume this is just standard composite? anyone know if this outputs at all times so could be used for debugging boot issues etc? if so then at least i can plug it into my projector or something if needed...

re: android i only just noticed in that image posted at the start of this thread. given how generally unstable and buggy android is compared to linux it would seem a very odd choice for a "performance critical" device anyway

[Shishdisma]

I can't imagine a CDJ has any more than a 700mhz processor, the iPhone (3gs) is 600mhz and works perfectly with a dual deck DJ application with beat detection eq and other toys?

It'll depend how its programmed, how slimmed down everything is going to be and how many background tasks are running.

I don't think you can compare the Maschine Application running on a Mac to a CDJ style dedicated software running on a box its been designed for.

Then I'm not really sure what the underlying purpose is. The CDJs work because the software has been optimized by the Mixvibes team for a purpose. An MP3 player from 5 years ago can play music, that isn't what I'm worried about. What it needs is software that can replace computer applications onstage, and software that is compatible with what is created with DAWs and such. With that attitude the Pi is obsoleted by 2 iTouches and a MIDI protocol, the Pi needs the developer support to make it work, and the firepower to make it compete. The design concept is brilliant though.

[Cardell]

Unless a manufacturer picks this up I bet the best direction for a project like this would be open source, purpose built (to some degree) software. Say a lightweight Linux distro with some software capable of tempo adjustment and vinyl emulation as a starting point. I could definitely see myself using a home built CDj with a platter, pitch fader, play/cue, rotary pushable encoder for track selection, usb input, cd audio input and a screen with basic visual feedback just for the kicks of it.

[MiL0]

just pre-ordered my Pi... hopefully it should be here in the next month or so

[zestoi]

just pre-ordered my Pi... hopefully it should be here in the next month or so

where did u order from? when i checked a few days ago i thought places were out of stock. i def want at least one of these to experiment with.

[MiL0]

from Element 14 / Farnell - you have to click on the 'email me for pre-order info' link... then wait until they email you (I waited about 2 weeks!). Inside the email they give you a special url where you can pre-order (you give your name, address and debitcard details then they debit you when they have a release date).

[zestoi]

ah.... cool cheers. i'll do that then... re: the android comment from someone before; android does use the linux kernel but all i'd want is a minimal linux system and def not need a gui - so still not sure why android was touted as a decent option for this...

[MiL0]

I'm quite interested in seeing if Mixxx will work properly on the Raspberry Pi. From the look of this thread, it seems it might work with relative ease:

http://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php?t=38747


more information directly from the Mixxx developers:

http://www.mixxx.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=292


So then all you'd need is one of these 7" LCD screens and you've got yourself a very compact opensource Traktor-esque controller (CDJ style, no need for a laptop)... all for around £60...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/7-TFT-INNO...49580066466811

[zestoi]

I'm quite interested in seeing if Mixxx will work properly on the Raspberry Pi. From the look of this thread, it seems it might work with relative ease:

sure - there's nothing that would be specific to x86 in the mixxx source code. i've got interested in mixxx recently, been looking thru the code and joined the developers mailing list. it's quite quiet tho...

they have some nice new multi coloured waveforms coming in the next release 1.11.0. i'm concerned about cpu usage and reliability atm tho with mixxx verses something like traktor.

i like that mixxx uses xml for it's controller def files but really don't like the format from what i've seen so far. vdj does a much better job with the way it uses xml, tho having actual script code in separate files like mixxx is better. i also don't like the way script code is bound to the device in mixxx. this shouldn't be in the devices definition file at all. there should be some separation between the devices def file and any config files uses the devices. oops - too much geekery...

So then all you'd need is one of these 7" LCD screens and you've got yourself a very compact opensource Traktor-esque controller (CDJ style, no need for a laptop)... all for around £60...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/7-TFT-INNO...49580066466811

i wouldn't mind making two of these for a cdj style type setup but with the full flexibility and expandability of midi. i guess even just one controller with the "brains" in and display maybe?

[hairblz]

I've been looking into this for a few months now, ie. having two raspberry pis instead of CDJs running through my analog mixer.

There's also a player called Alsaplayer (or libalsaplayer) that is quite lightweight.

I've installed it on a virtualbox raspberry pi and it works . . however I can't work out how to use many of the features that the software claims to have. I have managed to play music and repitch with accuracy of 1% (nowhere near enough).

The software developers claim that alsaplayer (or libalsaplayer) is capable of:

-pitch accuracy beyond 0.01%
-remote control from other applications (and MIDI control)

Unleashing these features would make this software perfect for the job (except for nudge function), don't you think?