hi res

[faderswagger]

So I'm looking for some info on how traktor interprets "high resolution" controller messages.

First, what protocol do controllers use? ISsit all/mostly HiD, or is there more diversity than that?

Is Traktor at all capable of using these messages, or does it just convert them to midi values?

What if you put a S4 in midi mode? Does it still read the hi-resolution inputs, or does it only send midi?

What about the upcoming behringer CMD PL-1? It will include a high-resolution pitch fader and jogwheel. Will traktor be able to take advantage of these?

[padi_04]

They use HID (they call it NHL), when NI controllers are used in MIDI mode they send regular resolution messages.

[nem0nic]

They use HID (they call it NHL), when NI controllers are used in MIDI mode they send regular resolution messages.

Which can still be high resolution by ANYONE's standards.

[RockingClub]

Which can still be high resolution by ANYONE's standards.

Jep! One should keep in mind that lots of controllers are ONLY capable of sending Midi.

[JesC]

Which can still be high resolution by ANYONE's standards.

+1

[StephanV]

Traktor supports 14bit MIDI command messages, which are of close enough resolution to HID for pretty much all DJ'ing purposes.

[nem0nic]

Traktor supports 14bit MIDI command messages, which are of close enough resolution to HID for pretty much all DJ'ing purposes.

For a platter, this isn't necessarily true. Actually, it isn't even true for all fader messages. A 14bit message is TOTAL OVERKILL for a pitch fader, even if it's 100mm long.

DJ controller platters normally use a 7bit relative CC message, and manage what we would consider "high resolution" messaging.

[faderswagger]

so will traktor support the PL-1's HD platter and fader?

[padi_04]

Which can still be high resolution by ANYONE's standards.

I'm not saying regular MIDI is bad for common usage, just not the best for pitch faders and jogs. If you sync it won't make a difference if it's MIDI, 14bit MIDI, HID, OCS or whatever name they put on the next fancy protocol.

[StephanV]

For a platter, this isn't necessarily true. Actually, it isn't even true for all fader messages. A 14bit message is TOTAL OVERKILL for a pitch fader, even if it's 100mm long.

DJ controller platters normally use a 7bit relative CC message, and manage what we would consider "high resolution" messaging.

I'm sorry but it seems to me like you don't really know what you're talking about.

Let's make a quick calculation here. Say your pitch fader has a resolution of 7 bit. This means that it has a number of 2^7=128 different possible states. Because faders and encoders use absolute positions, this means a total of 128 different tempo states. I like to have a pitch range of +/- 20%, but let's assume a range of +/- 10% - for the sake of feasibility.
Say our tune is of 128 BPM. 10% up gives an increment of 12,8BPM, 10% down a decrease of 12,8BPM, resulting in a total range of 25,6BPM. With a 7 bit fader, this means that the minimum increment/decrease you can achieve is 25,6/128 = 0,2BPM.
I don't know about you, but I don't call that an accurate means of tempo adjustment, and this is even assuming a rather smallish tempo range. And for the record, the length of your pitch fader does not change these calculations - nor application in real life - by one bit.

14 bit really has its use for certain components such as pitch faders, there's absolutely no doubt about that.

And 7 bit is by absolutely no means "high resolution" messaging. It's an as oldskool resolution as MIDI gets. Literally. The original MIDI protocol (from back in the early 80's) already used 7 bits command messages.