Itch is so close to being awesome!
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  1. #1
    Tech Wizard
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    Default Itch is so close to being awesome!

    If serato didn't have the WORST possible business plan for serato itch, not only would it make them a ton of money and become a close contender to Traktor, but it would be awesome!

    Does anyone have any insight on how they could possibly think it's a good idea to make their software free, and charge hardware companies to release controllers compatible with it... Rather than using the model that works great, which is selling the software and letting the public do with it as they want.

    Serato itch looks amazing, there's so much potential for innovation in mapping for it. There's so much you can do... But instead they're going with the mac "we will tell you what you want" approach.

    They don't even bother to make claims that they are doing it for HD reasons, they're simply denouncing the entire concept of midi, and ignoring it.

    Don't get me wrong, if you're a basic DJ that just wants software to work like a traditional DJ set up, by all means, check out Itch. If you want to be at ALL creative with your hardware set up, if you want to be innovative in any way.... You're still stuck with Traktor.... Hell, even Serato Scratch is more versatile than itch for controllers... and Itch is marketed as the controller software.

    Anyone else feel like Traktor and Serato are both turning into money-hungry failures, that are totally okay with killing the progress and innovation of the DJ community?

  2. #2
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    The flipside to this argument is that Itch hardware just works. you plug it in and it does it exactly what it says it will do. no programming, no relabelling buttons, etc. The hardware has been built from the ground up to work with Itch. Also, serato gets to maintain strict quality control.
    If you look at the industry leaders in consumer electronics, they all use this plan.

  3. #3
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    ^ Exactly.

    I will start off by saying I heart Itch, bigtime...and I dig Itch for what it is ---- NOT for what I want it to be. Itch's platform is based around tradtional DJing (Twitch is new venture). Orginally you had the VCI-300 and the NS7, no effects, no Sync, etc. It was meant to emulate two CDJ's and a mixer or two Turntables and a mixer. You could have the same workflow as traditional set-up, but now with a more portable system. As Itch has grown they've added somethings, but the idea is it just works. You won't see Itch being used with a Hercules RMX. They are all quality controllers that do as advertised. If you want to remap everything...well that already exists. Traktor. If you want awesome jogs, spinning platters and streamlined approach to DJing you have Itch. I think as the product grows you will continue to see improvements. In a very short time they've gone for a very bareboned system to adding AWESOME elastic beatgrids, effects, 4 deck controllers, SP-6 syncable sampler, various GUI layouts, smart crates, quantized play, etc. In the neat future I expect to see Video, The Bridge and the SP-6 midi mappable.

    I understand where your coming from. As a former traktor user I used to think Itch's very platfrom is it's own limitation. How will the product grow if the current controller only has 3,4, or X amount of buttons. Well the product is still growing and new controllers with new features continue to come out. Truth is not everyone will have all features. 2 deck controllers can only control 2 decks. Only if you have Twitch do you get the slicer effect or Fader FX mode. This is how hardware works. When the DJM 900 came out, I could not map the new effects to my DJM 800 right. This is why having the hardware 1:1 mapping works great for them. It does what it advertises to do and it works. No mapping, no low rate sound card, no cheap controller, etc.

    What I do think is that Itch needs some next level up caliber controllers to step up to the next level. Bigtime acts play on industry standard gear and really the Xone DX, DDJ-S1, NS6, etc are all mid-grade controllers. None are a Xond 4D or 2 X1's and a DB:4. I'd love to see the next genearation of Itch controllers take it up a notch.

    Bottom line. Itch is not meant to be another Traktor. It's meant to be Itch.
    SSL - DJM 800 - Technic 1200's - X1 - ITCH - NS6 - VCI-300

  4. #4
    DJTT Dominator JesC's Avatar
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    it works. if you want to map more gear to it, it can be done..you just need to know where to look.
    Controllerist: Think different | SoundCloud | MixCloud | Twitter |

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by haze324 View Post
    As a former traktor user...
    ^^^ So I guess it's official! Serato for you! ^^^

    I'm gonna mix with my s4 and think about the DDJ-S1 some more. Decisions, decisions!
    :: Kontrol Z2 :: :: Technics 1200 :: :: Pioneer DJM 250 :: Kontrol X1 MkII :: :: Maschine :: :: Kontrol S4 ::

  6. #6
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    It's true, from what i can tell, the software and hardware integration are perfect. The problem I see with this.... Is simply that Traktor already did that, and better, with the kontrol S4. Perfect hardware/software integration in HD (which a lot of itch controllers don't use) plus You can still midi map the Kontrol s4 however you want, both on top of, and separate from the HD mapping.

    Plus with traktor you get all the effects which are pretty much inarguably MILES above serato's, as well as working as a Digital Vinyl System by plugging right into the controller.

    What i thought itch was going to be was either Serato's take on this system, or even better, they would just build an entire platform just for controllerists. I was excited when i saw the awesome new layout options in 2.0, and was pumped because I assumed they'd make a much better midi mapping protocol than traktors, as well as lots more options to tweak. What I thought I was going to get out of itch, was a newer, hotter Traktor, made by people who actually know how to program.... Hopefully with better performance, and better customization to make it worth sacrificing Traktor's effects.


    Honestly I don't see the point in using itch, unless you just hate traktor's performance issues. Aside from that, and the new layouts etc. in itch... Traktor is still way better in almost every department.

    Because Itch isn't actually using HD controls in most cases, there's no advantage over just midi mapping any controller you want in traktor. With 99% of controllers, someone probably already has come up with a mapping that you can easily download to make your controller work with the software as simply as Itch's controllers.



    Quote Originally Posted by JesC View Post
    it works. if you want to map more gear to it, it can be done..you just need to know where to look.
    That is just wrong. It's completely impossible to use non-itch-certified hardware with itch. There's no way someone has hacked it already.

  7. #7
    DJTT Dominator JesC's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by vox5505 View Post
    That is just wrong. It's completely impossible to use non-itch-certified hardware with itch. There's no way someone has hacked it already.
    Wanna make a bet? I'm a SSL & Itch User, Bridge, heck i have a video on youtube show full automation for the mixtape with a DJM700/800/900 series mixers.
    Controllerist: Think different | SoundCloud | MixCloud | Twitter |

  8. #8
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    stay with me on this analogy:

    Windows=Traktor
    OSX=Itch

    For every reputable windows hardware company like Dell, you have a thousand off-brand cheap pieces of kit. You want to run OSX, you have to buy an Apple computer.
    I'm not saying one is better than the other. what I'm saying is, this is an apple versus pc argument which always ends in trollz and flames.

  9. #9
    Tech Guru Nicky H's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by vox5505 View Post
    It's true, from what i can tell, the software and hardware integration are perfect. The problem I see with this.... Is simply that Traktor already did that, and better, with the kontrol S4.
    Hmm specific hardware was designed to be used with Itch since it came out - well before the S4.

    Quote Originally Posted by vox5505 View Post
    Because Itch isn't actually using HD controls in most cases
    You sure about that?
    SC | MC

  10. #10
    DJTT Administrator del Ritmo padi_04's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by vox5505 View Post
    1. Is simply that Traktor already did that, and better, with the kontrol S4.

    2. Honestly I don't see the point in using itch, unless you just hate traktor's performance issues. Aside from that, and the new layouts etc. in itch... Traktor is still way better in almost every department.

    3. Because Itch isn't actually using HD controls in most cases, there's no advantage over just midi mapping any controller you want in traktor.

    4 .That is just wrong. It's completely impossible to use non-itch-certified hardware with itch. There's no way someone has hacked it already.
    1. Not better, it's a different approach.
    2. That's a personal opinion
    3. Wrong, do some research.
    4. Same as 3

    My setup confirms I'm no Serato fanboy.

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