Vestax VCI 100 (original un-modded) General help please.

[Tommi Bass]

Hi Guys and Gals,

I have purchased a secondhand VCI 100 (un-modded) from German Ebay. It was in a fairly good condition.

But this needs to be flashed with the Firmware from DJ Techtools.

I'm using Traktor Pro 2.0.3 as it is the most stable on my machine. I have mapped the basics for smooth techno-house genre mixing.

The thing that worries me is that this unit is for example when I unselect the Viny Mode button on the right hand side this will tigger off a cue for the same deck after a few plays. Then I reboot it is o.k for a few plays then back to the original problem. In fact this seems to be happening to a few other buttons they send the track to cue.. the start.

I would like to ask the forum if this is one of the known bugs that the original unit has, also the right blue light (under the jogg wheel) is kinda a different shade of blue.... is this also normal? Like the left side blue LEDs are much bluer... (Strange)

I have even taken the unit appart to clean it and I swapped over one LED form the brighter side but it still have made no difference.

If I manage to get hold of the Firmware kit... and take it up to 1.4 , will this just iron out the bugs and give me HD jogg wheels and pitch faders?

I DO NOT want to turn this unit into a crazy controller type of thing, thats just not my cup of tea, I want just a smooth controller to erm ... mix with and do a bit of backspin and scratching.

I have been using Faderfox controllers since 2004 along with Traktor for all that time but I have only just decide to get a VCI 100 cus I wanted to have the jogg wheels and that wonderful crossfader.......

Thanks for your time.

Tommi

[DJQA]

Never heard of that issue. Are you sure it's not the mapping at fault? You could try a MIDI snooper to see if there really are messages sent, or even just use Traktor's learn function. The vinyl mode button is a firmware mode switcher, it shouldn't send a MIDI message at all.

[djmoonie]

Typed out my response then realised I still have this image I did when I started my mappings on the VCI-100.

These are the notes generated by the VCI-100 unmodded:-

http://www.djmoonie.co.uk/traktor/vci-100%20notes.jpg

You'll see that three buttons send out the same group of midi notes (B7 and C8). These are both the vinyl buttons (labelled jogseek in the image), and the effects button (near top right ish of unit).

These buttons shouldn't be mapped at all, even tho they output midi, because their function is change layering via hardware in the VCI-100 (Thats why you'll see the effects buttons have three midi notes they can output, and the jog wheels have 2).

I'm guessing your mapping has notes B7 and C8 mapped to something when they shouldn't.

[DJQA]

You'll see that three buttons send out the same group of midi notes (B7 and C8). These are both the vinyl buttons (labelled jogseek in the image), and the effects button (near top right ish of unit).

Wow, I could have sworn they don't send a message at all. Thanks for the correction.

[derschaich]

hey there, I'm from germany, too.

Got my firmware-flash-thingy for the vci-100 jumping around my room for a while. I don't need it any more, so if you are interested just shoot me a PM!

These Bugs you describe seem strange to me. i'd say doublecheck the mapping, or test the buttons on a blank mapping to see where the trouble comes from"

[Tommi Bass]

Thanks all for helping out.

I think my unit is faulty.......

For example the loop button is mapped corectly as far I as I can see, it works fine ... then after a while when I deactivate the loop mode it jumps back a bit in the track. This is most unwanted, it has a mind of its own. Both loop buttons are fine ... all mapped lovely then after a few plays it goes all wrong. Very strange. I have a real minimal mapping .. no fx it just seems that the buttons are sending out two diff comands.

I could create a brand new mapping bit by bit......... as this is a secondhand unit it could need a good clean.

Thanks or all your help.

[Nimbus]

I had the same problem.. some buttons were sending the same midi note. The efx on button was the same as the fx3 button. couldnt map it properly. I downloaded a bunch of different maps and none worked properly... yet the guy I borrowed it from said he has no problem. It is not resolved yet, but i'd really like to know what causes it.

[Nimbus]

If i create a map from scratch and remove all other maps i can see what led outputs and midi in is happening from the controller editor bu programming them in 1 at a time

[Tommi Bass]

So I'm not alone with this problem. I have a rather supped up lappy....... totally stripped down win 7 O.S, no internet... just music apps.

BUT I have a i5 processor. On the Vestax site they said this was not supported. Is this the problem? lol Shame cus this really is a wonderful bit of kit even in the unmodded state.... its so nice to use.

I will try and create my own map bit by bit......... :-( I still have Faderfox DJ2 and DX2 .... these are bomb proof.... and faultless.

The thing that I cannot understand is that it is fine for a while.... then it starts going wonky. Um very strange indeed.