Line in is a stereo input, and the two mic inputs make the 2nd stereo input.
Gigs will most likely either have a Scratch certified mixer like the DJM850/900, or an older DJM or Xone mixer which will require a sound card. Where does this “huge plus” come into play?
The very reason NI lock timecode to their hardware is to try and get people to actually purchase something from them, rather than pirating their software and getting everything free.
I agree with you. This seems like a huge opportunity for NI to sell lots more TSP licenses/upgrades for something that hasn’t required much in development costs.
Line level in and phono/mic level in are 2 different beasts. Again who brings a desktop to gigs?
Again the user assumes all risk. If a DJ wants to put their reputation on the line for an unsupported hack, so be it. And the Xone92/DB2/DB4 are pretty popular. DJs are already bringing a sound card. If they show up and see a USB mixer and want to go for it without using the sound card, great! Again I don’t see any harm what so ever.
Again it’s the main selling point of buying a scratch certified mixer over a non certified, ease of use. You don’t have to plug in your soundcard. It’s enough of a hassle that people use a potentionally unstable hack to eliminate having to do that. I understand that you may own a Traktor soundcard, and a legit version of scratch pro, and even if there wasn’t a hack you wouldn’t pay for a scratch certified mixer…but it’s no different then someone using a hacked copy of Traktor, cause in their mind even if a hacked version didn’t exist they still wouldn’t pay for Traktor.
Maybe NI isn’t getting screwed in this particular scenario, but maybe they are. Even though you have a legit soundcard and scratch pro, maybe they get a percentage of each certified mixer sale…maybe they don’t. The companies whose mixers are scratch certified are no doubt getting the shaft w the hack in my mind no matter how you want to justify it
You need a certified mixer OR soundcard, not both, to legitimately make Traktor Scratch Pro work. If someone already has an A10, for example, and a DB2, there is literally nothing else to buy. You don’t also need a certified mixer. NI got their money off of the A10. The hack allows someone to use the DB2’s audio interface without bringing the A10 and complicating the wiring/routing. Without the A10 being plugged in, you can’t normally use the audio interface of the DB2 for timecode, even though you bought it. Traktor software checks for it each time you boot it up.
There are far more people with non-Traktor USB sound cards than there are DB2s/DB4s in existence. These are the people who will be using the hack.
Saying there are a handful of users who “legitimately” use the hack does not justify the rest using it too.
You’re assuming that these mixers will be compatible with the hack.
OK so how many of those users have a licensed copy of TSP? I can’t imagine its a lot, since having TSP almost always entails owning a Traktor sound card. Which brings me around to what I was saying above, if this hack causes all of those users to purchase/upgrade to TSP, then NI is still reaping a benefit.
Any audio interface is compatible with hacks to work for Traktor timecode. I have tested it before myself.
No, it does not. NI sells the Scratch License separately on their website intended for people who own certified mixers.
You aren’t getting the point. There is something else to buy…maybe not directly from NI. Companies with scratch certified mixers are getting the shaft in your scenario, cause a main feature of their mixer is negated cause any old mixer w a soundcard can have this feature. You may justify this by saying hey I alrdy like my db2 and have a soundcard so hack or no hack existant, I wouldn’t buy a scratch certified mixer anyway, to which I say does it make it right for someone to use a hacked version of Traktor cause in their mind even if there was no hack they wouldn’t pay for it anyway?
Which companies have (recently) released scratch certified mixers? Pioneer and NI themselves. 2 HUGE companies and market leaders in their respective fields. It may not be ethical, but they really aren’t going to lose out on this. Someone enlighten me if there has been a more recent (non big company) that have released a scratch certified mixer, because I can’t think of one.
TSP2 upgrade is an additional $99 on top of the original $99 for TP2. So NI got their money, or will be with each upgrade purchased, which I stated, but you didnt include when you quoted me. I can’t imagine there’s a large Traktor user base of semi/professional DJs and artists that are using TSP without an approved sound card. And if they already own a certified mixer then I’m really confused at the point you are trying to make.
Again I am still failing to see what the problem that anyone has with this hack. People with unlicensed products don’t count. And if this increases sales of TSP how is that not a good thing?
Honestly, I hope that NI just goes ahead and runs with this, and makes the QoL easier for their user base instead of trying to quash this.
EDIT: this is a reply to manchild’s post.
Companies are NOT getting the shaft in my scenario. You only need a certified audio interface to LEGITiMATELY use Scratch Pro. If you have a DB2 (or any damn mixer), and you buy the A10, you’re all set. NI is happy. That’s the point of the A6 and A10: to allow you to use timecode with any mixer you like. The NI interface legitimately unlocks Scratch functionality. Certified mixers have a built in audio interface, so you wouldn’t also buy an A6 or A10, and NI likely gets a piece of that action.
Again, my scenario allows the use of the DB2 without my A10 being connected, but I have legally purchased Scratch functionality. Other mixers have nothing to do with this. The hack just saves me the hassle of always bringing the A10 with me if I want a simple, portable setup. At home (and bigger parties/events) I always use the A10 for the extra routing options.
Allen and Heath, Korg, Ecler, Mackie, and Denon have all released Traktor Scratch certified mixers.
Wrong. TSP2 is a separate product that is priced identically to TP2. It is not an upgrade.
The TSP2 license is intended for certified mixer owners. Anyone can buy it…
It’s still technically an upgrade since it requires an approved product to activate. I myself purchased the same upgrade it it required a valid serial before activating.
There was no way someone can just but the kit outright and have a working TSP install, without entering another code, unless something has changed recently. if that is the case, then it has changed, and is something NI can easily address.
It is not an upgrade. You do not require an approved product to activate. You do not need a valid serial before activating.
Anyone can just buy the kit outright and have a working TSP install.
I really don’t get how this argument is any different than the argument to download copies of music from some torrent site for free.
NI has put a lot of “business effort” into making TSP “compatible” with scratch-certified mixers. They ARE losing money by this hack being out there. There is less incentive for people to buy a scratch-certified mixer, and when demand goes down, the price of certification goes down. Now, instead of people buying an S4 or Z1, they may go Pio, A&H or some other brand that’s not certified. They’re not going to sell as many sound cards now.
So NI, just like record producers and labels are getting screwed when people do these things. Having said that, this hack has been “out there” for a while now, and NI hasn’t done anything to clean it up. Maybe an article on a major DJ website will force their hand a bit…who knows. They just need to include some must-have functionality into an upcoming release that includes the breaking of the hack so that everyone will “have to” upgrade.
I am surprised that DJTT, with as many Traktor videos and NI items for sale in its store, would publish such a thing, but again…that’s none of my business.
I bought a 900 in large part for the scratch certification, knowing full well I could have gone another brand such as A & H and used the hack. (or gone the extra sound card route) But, I’m a software developer by trade. I’ve written my own software and piracy sucks - plain and simple. And this hack is…piracy. NI has business agreements around certification. DJs have choices of what mixers/controllers to buy and whether they are Scatch certified or not.
I said RECENTLY.
Your point being?
Then it has changed. I bought the upgrade kit and it required me having a valid product before activating.
I’m still not believing this, since there’s no reason to just sell TP2 for the same price as TSP2 when the TSP2 kit includes timecode vinyl and CDs.