VCI-400SE to Standard VCI-400 Firmware
I’d like to be able to use the VCI-400SE with Serato DJ but for that would I need the standard MIDI firmware?
Thanks.
- Please note since we optimized the firmware on the controller for Traktor Pro 2, many of the default mappings for other programs won’t fully work. This controller is intended to be used with Traktor Pro. If you want to use it with other software you will be required to do some mapping on your own.
This is stated in the store section on the product page 
There is however a able ton mapping in the maps page, so I’d say its possible, but you would have to edit the mapping yourself to make it function correctly.
Fully aware of that, but with the new v2 midi firmware upgrade I thought that it may be possible to downgrade to the original firmware. Serato DJ is not midi programmable (without using a second controller) so I guess I would have to run it through a midi translator to get the functions required.
Has this been answered? I’ve been debating purchasing a VCI-400 SE, but I really don’t care about all the additional tricknology that comes with it (mostly interested in its looks over the standard edition). Is there any way to restore the firmware to the original factory build and use the standard Vestax Traktor tsi?
i would wait untill somebody comes along and clarifies, but im pretty sure it would be a simple cause of using the vestax control panel and updating the firmware to the latest from vestax, as apose to updating the firmware to the djtt firmware. remember to flash twice. hope that makes sense and more importantly is fully correct.
as regards to your reasoning, there seems to be a lot of people asking to do this. why pay the djtt premium and not use the controllers full potential. i have a standard 400, i’d love to get my hands on the DJTT firmware
Mostly for the appearance but… I purchased a VCI-100 SE a few years ago and while it was a decent product, I didn’t enjoy all the combinations of key presses necessary to get through all the custom features (crabbing everything). It just didn’t feel like the interface was built to support all the features the SE had. I also felt like it might be too easy to execute FX combos and bad habit forming… call me a traditionalist I guess.
Other reasons for wanting the 400
Build quality - my S4 is starting to have internal problems I can’t service =(
8 hot cue pads, modes, adjustable jogs, nice transform section
Fair enough. I previously owned a mixtrack pro, and i found immediately i was using so many more FX, definitely too many.
I don’t know if the cost factors in for you, but i picked up my 400 for $650 aud delivered, and then an f1 for a further $220 aud, which still worked out a hell of a lot cheaper than the s4 or 400se.
Only thing i’m missing is a knob pack, I’m not sure on the feel of the chroma caps, but the standard 400 ones are hard and cheap. Apologies to OP for going way off topic
I bought the controller originally to use with Traktor as it was the best option at the time, and I can’t help but appreciate how good the SE is compared to the original. Now Serato have released Serato DJ I’d like to move over for various reasons.
There must be a way to downgrade the firmware, as this is the only thing that is different other than appearance. I’ve been in contact with Vestax about swapping firmware but they have only replied that they don’t know exactly what DJTT have changed so cannot help out.
Any staff here able to help out?
More information from Vestax:
I think this pretty much shows how difficult it would be.
[QUOTE]HI David,
So according to our firmware engineer:
Possible, but you would need the H8 ROM WRITER JiG (for VCI100, VCI300,etc)
Because Ean’s version program area of the H8 CPU (MIDI program IC) is different from Vestax version, so we cannot use the USB update solution.
So unfortunately it is not possible via the usual USB firmware update method, because the EGE actually changes the way the VCI talks to the firmware-updating-software on your computer.
Regards,[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE]As far as I understand our engineer, no, because when they initially flash the firmware of the EGE, they change the core part of the memory which handles updates. For example, imagine the firmware is split into two parts: A & B.
Imagine part A is the lowest level code that deals with booting up, USB interfacing etc as well as loading in the firmware in part B. (Part B would deal with higher level code such as MIDI mapping, LED statuses, audio routing etc)
Now, you could change the firmware that loads into part B via USB because the code held in part A would deal with loading and writing that in, grabbing the code over the USB etc.
You can’t change the firmware held in part A, because there would then be no code to deal with the update itself. The only way to change the code in part A is physically flashing the chip (this is what you need the ROM Writer for)
The problem you have is that the EGE has BOTH A & B firmware different to the standard version, so whilst both versions can update their own ‘B’ firmware, they are not cross-compatible because they have different “A” code.
This is obviously a simplified explanation (that I just made up) but hopefully clears it up the concept a little bit.
Regards,[/QUOTE]
Unfortunate!
Would be interested to learn why the VCI-400 firmware was actually designed that way in the first place ?
Is there actually any functionality embedded into the above described “lower level portion A” of the firmware that would justify a design that makes it impossible to later on switch the implementations about “layer B”
It says: [QUOTE]“…Part B would deal with higher level code such as MIDI mapping, LED statuses, audio routing etc”[/QUOTE]
→ I thought all the (internal) differences between EGE and Standard VCI-400 are just on this level - or do i miss something?..
I decided to fix my sticky deck A play transport button today - it’s been like that since day one. While I was in there I found the H8 under the record w/d linear encoder. I assume it’s flashed using header cn516.
I don’t know why you would want to use the stock firmware for Serato Dj. Serato Dj offers tighter platter control and a useable slicer mode. The regular VCI-400 does not send enough messages for slicer mode and is not available in Serato Dj. The flexibility and depth of effects in Traktor far outweigh tighter platter control.
I’ll bet down the road Vestax releases a Serato Dj version of the VCI-400 with firmware that allows for slicer mode…
Vci400 is Serato dj compatible as of about a week ago
VCI-400 EGE is not compatible. Serato DJ came out only a few days back.
as you have opened the device and appear to know what you do…
…one question: Do you see any way to mod the VCI-400 by exchanging the two front switches for Loop/Cue/JogFX Dack A/B with something that is easier to grab and reach?
The audio firmware and the ‘midi/led feedback’ are completely separate. You can easily change the audio firmware so why is it so hard to change the midi firmware? I know I got the response that it is a completely different way of altering the midi firmware but why is it so hard for DJTT to provide a method for us with DJTT SE/EGE hardware to change between the two?
Apparently Serato are on the case judging by their recent posts on their own forums, massive thumbs up to them!
You could “switch” it out but it’s no easy task. The switch is mounted at 90° and soldered on a narrow pcb on the lowest level in the case.
Here a link to the post
It’s my understanding that the DJTT firmware does not allow full updating over USB - see post 9. You can’t blame DJTT for not having a crystal ball when they released the VCI-400SE. It was made clear that the device is designed to work with Traktor - not Serato DJ. Without an in-circuit eeprom writer for the H8 you will not be able to update the firmware to a stock device.
I hope in the future DJTT has learned from this and future devices will allow for multiple firmwares on a single device. I also hope that Serato will update their software to allow for the SE and include the slicer.
Too bad 
Then i’ll abandon the idea to exchange the switch - too dangerous for me. Thank you for looking into it.