I’m curious to find out how many people here are successfully using their VCI-100 under a windows OS (xp/vista/7) WITH midi out turned on, and not getting any lockups at all. The issue appears to have been with traktor since about 3.2, but remains to this day, right up to pro 1.1.2
For those unsure of the lockup issue.. here are some threads:-
This lockup issue does NOT affect mac users, so my poll is for windows users only.
So, whether you get a freeze or not, please let me know. Please also post the spec or model of your PC/laptop and any programs you run in the background (such as anti-virus).
Yeah I’ve had several lockups while using FX and jog wheels under Windows. I usually don’t have many background processes - always iTunes, sometimes beaTunes and MSN Messenger. No Logitech programs running and I haven’t tried unplugging my external sound card (Lexicon Lambda) during lockup.
I usually play my tracks either directly from the iTunes tree or by importing iTunes playlists.
Running WinXP, Traktor Pro, VCI100 1.3, latest TSI.
AMD 5000+ Dual Core processor, 2GB RAM, 390 GB free space on partition where Traktor is stationed. All music is on another partition.
Is it Traktor that freezes? it’s never done it to me, on Windows 7 or XP (SP2)
I’ve had my VCI stop responding and I have to turn it off and on again but this was a power issue which i’ve fixed. Got a decent surge board and a powered usb hub so the VCI doesn’t require connection to a wall outlet.
I run an NI AK1 and a Korg PadKontrol aswell.
Not running any extra software in the background, pretty much just a clean windows install + AK1 driver + Traktor Pro 1.1.2
I’m actually lazy and went through the midi setup section and made every device in the list active for both in and out.
Soundcard latency is set to around 5MS I can’t remember.
Spec of the (Asus) laptop:
2GHz Core2Duo
865 express chipset
nvidia 128MB 8600M GPU
320GB 7200RPM HDD
Im looking at gettin a VCI-100se to use with TPro (and whatever the latest build compatible with eans .tsi) but with all these reports of freezes and lockups with windows OS, which im only finding out about now, i must say im a little nervous. Could someone advise me if this is a good purchase or can i look forward to a heap of problems, crashes and frustration while DJing?
Im using a Dell Studio 1537 flaptop
Windows vista operating system (32 bit)
3gb RAM
250gb hard drive
2GHz Core2Duo processor
could someone please advise… will i just be buying an unstable setup?
Count yourself lucky.. I only found out about these issues AFTER I got my VCI.
But.. all is not lost. You might be one of the lucky ones that don’t get lockups, and even if you do, its a simple fix by turning off midi out in traktor preferences.. you just loose your buttons lighting up.
If you are using a Dell just check the DPC latency before you plug anything in. If you are getting spikes without anything running then you will definitely have problems.
I had a bunch of problems with things locking up on my old XP machine. I replaced out my USC cables to high quality ones and was much more specific about where I plugged the machine in and the problems are pretty much gone. And now my new machine has been surprisingly stable.
Yeah they do, most of the lockup issues are the cause of the dodgy usb cables that the VCI-100 comes with - replacing the usb cable fixes the issue for most people. Thats why we came out with the DJTT usb cables to help combat this issue.
I’m happy to be corrected on this one, but I’ve not yet found a forum post by anyone on a mac thats had the midi out issue. Also, if it was a simple cable issue, then simply unticking midi out in traktor prefs would not cure it.
Its a very particular and well documented bug that I am guessing is to do with a combination of the VCI firmware and windows USB code. I’m less inclined to think its a traktor issue, as this has also been reported with other DJ software packages as well.
Anyway.. back to the poll.. anyone actually NOT had any problems ?
Djtt USB cables helped the vci being recognised by my laptop but it deffo doesn’t cure the midi out issue.
My vci never comes up with unregnised anymore so I would recmend the USB cable, however iv never been able to hav the midi out ticked. It’s never realy bothered me anyway!
In my opinion, the VCI is pretty stable, it only send midi signals to your midi interface. So unless it has a hardware problem which can happen but I can tell you that the vci is so selled because it is very well constructed… one of the most durables controllers.
As you know each pc is diferent so lockups are more often to happen (leaving the cable an all phisical-harwardare aside) due to a combination of the hardware-software and services running at a given time in your laptop. You may have the same softwares installed and running on diferent computers and still one may lock and the others don´t because of the differenr hardware manufacurers.
You just need to know your laptop and know how to keep it sane so it does not produce any unwanted opearation during a set. Simple things as leaving a cd inside your drive may cause issues. Antivirus, backup services, virtual mounts , Issues with midi interface.. etc all of this may cause lockups. I have a very profesional approach to Dj and I don´t have lockups, becuase I know my system and leave very little to luck. I have a dedicated OS just for music, almost no serivces running, and it has been NEVER connected to the internet (it does not even have network drivers), so I don´t use an Antivirus. I can tell you that the VCI is stable, and very stable with Traktor. It is the intereaction between the OS running other things while using Tracktor that usually cause issues.
Learn how to use the eventviewer in windows to see if you have app or system errors. Solve each one of them and then check again for lockups.
Even though there are some motherboards with known issues… as the Dell XPS and studio I think. DPC latency check will reveal this huge spikes
(quick note, that NI thread gets really entertaining around page 3)
On a side note, Jack, some of the people in that DJTT thread had their problems fixed with changing out their cables.
And I had very similar problems and when I changed out my cables and was more careful with where I was plugging in my laptop my problems vanished. And OTHER people here have had this problem and when they saw their latency was spiking regardless it gave them a solution.
Also, the solutions discussed in the NI thread include: using an A/C adaptor, getting a quality USB 2.0 cable, disabling MIDI Out, letting the track cache before seeking through it and disabling the Beat Phase Monitor output.
Guys, if you think that you fixed the problem with any of the above suggestions (bar disabling midi out), you didn’t have the problem in the first place.
Actually, is there any chance the ‘helpful’ posts could be deleted? They just clutter the thread and confuse the issue. You can delete my responses afterwards if you like.