Scratch LIVE Frequently Asked Questions

->  Go to the setup menu

->  Click on the display tab,

->  Check the box that says horizontal waveforms.

Go back to the main screen -  your waveforms will now scroll horizontally.

 Give it a try, you might like it!

PLEASE NOTE: These are the minimum requirements to run Scratch LIVE. For best performance and for use in professional situations we recommend you buy a higher spec computer. 

Mac

• 1 GHz G4
• 1 GB RAM*
• OSX 10.3.9 or higher
• Intel Macs require Scratch LIVE version 1.5 or higher

Windows

• 1.5 GHz PC
• 1 GB RAM*
• Windows XP with Service Pack 2 or higher
• Windows Vista requires Versions 1.7.2 or higher
• We recommend Windows XP over Vista read more

 

*If you have a large library, you will benefit from having more RAM.

ITCH is a new DJ product from Serato. The official channel for ITCH is through http://serato.com.

For information on ITCH or to make an enquiry please visit http://serato.com/products/itch/

ScratchLIVE.net is the official site for Scratch LIVE by Rane corporation and Serato Audio Research. As well as providing official Scratch LIVE resources we provide a forum for users to discuss Scratch LIVE and other aspects of DJing. We welcome open discussion of all products on our forum as per the terms and conditions stated here: http://scratchlive.net/forum/terms/

If the waveforms are being jumpy and your computer is having trouble updating them, this could be due to your computer not having the minimum specifications. Scratch LIVE will always dedicate its processing power to updating the audio first and then the graphics. Close any other programs you have running to free up some CPU cycles.

If you are using a PC then read these optimisation guides for XP and vista.
Vista - http://scratchlive.net/articles/view/?article_id=67
XP - http://www.scratchlive.net/forum/discussion/?discussion_id=2566#new

The 'hi-fi resampler' mode uses an advanced modeling algorithm to produce a level of clarity not heard before in vinyl emulation technology. The new option has a cleaner, crisper sound that effects all audio playback at non-zero pitch, but really comes into its own when scratching. This mode improves the quality of the output sound regardless if you're using turntables or CD decks.

Hi-fi resampler mode significantly reduces digital distortion at very slow or very fast record speeds. This enhancement increases the CPU load slightly. The option is off by default, in which case the old resampler is used. If you have a low spec machine and experience performance issues with the hi-fi resampler on, try switching it off again.

There are two scenarios explained here. The first is switching from a DJ using Scratch LIVE to a new DJ using Scratch LIVE. The second is switching from a DJ playing with normal records/CDs to a DJ wanting to use Scratch LIVE.

1. Scratch LIVE to Scratch LIVE.
There is currently no way to work around switching the USB cable from one computer to another without killing the music. Arrange some music to be played from a CD/iPod/normal record that can fill-in the time it takes for the hardware to be switched and the turntables calibrated.

2. Normal records to Scratch LIVE.
Either play some music from a mix CD/iPod/vinyl record that can fill-in the time it takes for the hardware to be set up and the turntables calibrated. Or, if the DJ currently playing is OK with you setting up Scratch LIVE around them, you can follow these instructions:

1. Connect your laptop to power socket and switch on.
2. Connect external power supply to the SL 1 unit.
3. Connect the USB cable from the laptop to the SL 1 unit.
4. Start Scratch LIVE and wait for all the crates to load.
Assuming the current record playing is on turntable 1.
5. Connect the phono cable from turntable 2 to the SL 1 unit and connect the RCA cable from THRU 2 from the SL unit into the mixer.
6. Connect LINE OUT 2 from the SL 1 unit to the mixer.
Assuming the current record playing is now on turntable 2.
7. Connect the phono cable from turntable 1 to the SL 1 unit and connect the RCA cable from THRU 1 from the SL unit into the mixer.
8. Connect LINE OUT 1 from the SL 1 unit to the mixer.

Now the DJ can continue playing their set. Then just before they finish you can step in, calibrate each turntable thats not being used, and you're all set.

Scratch LIVE will display the tool tips in the language that your computer is set to.

Tool tips are currently available in English (en), French (fr), German (de), Spanish (es), Japanese (ja), Dutch (nl), Chinese (zh_CH), Norwegian (no) and Korean (ko).

To change the language your computer is set to-

Mac
Go to System Preferences -> International and change the language at the top of your list, then reload Scratch LIVE.

Windows XP
Go to the windows control panel, select Regional and Language Options and select a new language in the Regional Options tab, select Apply and OK, then reload Scratch LIVE.

Auto gain works by increasing the volume of the more quieter tracks in your library, up to a standard volume level. This ensures all the files in your library are at the same volume level.

Auto gain is part of the overview building process. If your tracks have already had there overview's built and you want to include the auto gain function, select auto gain in the setup menu, highlight the files you want to apply auto gain to and drag them onto the build overviews button.

Replacement records are available for purchase from Rane's accessory shop http://www.rane.com/ordwarn.html or from your favorite Rane dealer http://www.rane.com/availat.php International customers should contact the Rane distributor http://www.rane.com/internat.html in their country for a list of local dealers.

There is a problem with Apple OS X 10.5.3 and above with slow access times to FAT32 volumes. (i.e. FAT32 formatted external hard drives) This problem is not present when using drives formatted to Mac OS Extended (Journaled).

To see if your drive is FAT 32 format, select the drive in Finder, and press command-I to 'get info'. The drive format is listed under the general section. If it is FAT32, it will say MS-DOS (FAT 32).

Work arounds:

• Downgrade your OSX version to 10.5.1 (The issue is not present in 10.5.2, however 10.5.1 is the recommended OSX version) 

or:

• Format your external hard drive to Mac OS Extended (Journaled)

(As always, make sure you back up your data first)

We have identified a flaw in Mac OS X 10.5.0 through 10.5.4 that can cause Scratch LIVE to crash when used with HID devices (ie. a Pioneer CDJ-400). Users are advised against using CDJ-400s with versions of Mac OS X 10.5.0 through 10.5.4.

CDJ-400 users must update to 10.5.5 to ensure stability. (Be aware of the FAT32 external drive issue - see related FAQ below.)

Related FAQs:

Pioneer CDJ-400 requires firmware update

Slow access times with FAT32 drives on OSX 10.5.3 and higher

 

Native support in Scratch LIVE has been added for the Pioneer CDJ-400. The CDJ-400 must have firmware version 1.300 or greater to operate correctly. This firmware is available as a free download from Pioneer: http://www.pioneer.eu/eur/content/support/support/upgrade/CDJ400.html

Related FAQ: Stability issues when using Pioneer CDJ-400s on Mac OSX 10.5

Scratch LIVE users have reported various problems, including increased USB dropouts, after installing the 10.5.2 update of Mac OS X.

While these are yet to be confirmed and followed up with Apple, it is currently not recommended that users update to 10.5.2. or higher.

Users who have already updated and are experiencing problems should start a topic in the help forum to let us know the details and receive technical support.

Issue details:
If you rename a crate, or move it to a subcrate, while Scratch LIVE is still importing files to it, for example after dragging a folder to the crate list, then further files imported during the folder scan will not appear in the new crate.

Workaround:
When importing files by dragging folders into Scratch LIVE, ensure that the import process is complete before moving or renaming any crates. You can tell that Scratch LIVE has finished importing files by checking that the status bar at the bottom of the Scratch LIVE window no longer displays "Scanning Folder:" or "Reading Tags:"

Details:
Scratch LIVE version 1.8 and previous versions have a known issue that can cause a deck to not play audio or show the main track waveform for certain types of track. In this particular case, the track overview and cues/loops are still loaded, and the deck still plays, just without the moving waveform or audio.

This has most commonly been seen on tracks with a 48kHz sample rate, where the library contains a mix of 48kHz and 44.1 kHz tracks, although it can happen with other types of track.

If the audio cache size is changed after a track has already played on a deck, then further tracks loaded to the deck with a higher sample rate than the last track loaded before changing the cache size will not play correctly.

In 1.8, this problem can also affect the left deck when plugging in hardware after using the offline player, if the audio cache is set to a value other than 60 seconds.

This issue will be fixed in version 1.8.1.

Workarounds:
To avoid seeing this problem in Scratch LIVE 1.8, set the audio cache size to 60 seconds and leave it there.

If you don't wish to use a cache size of 60, and you've loaded tracks in the offline player, quit Scratch LIVE and start it again before plugging in your hardware.

In version 1.7.4 and older versions you can avoid this problem by not changing the cache size while you are playing.

If you see this problem while playing:
- Don't Panic
- Go to the setup screen (display tab in 1.8.0).
- Change the audio cache size to any other value.
- Exit the setup screen and reload the problem track.
- Optional: change the cache size back and reload the track again if you want to keep your original cache setting.

Scratch LIVE is now supported on Mac OS 10.5 (Leopard) using version 1.7.4 or newer.

Upgrading to Leopard is optional, support for previous OS X versions is not affected at this stage.

Scratch LIVE currently has one known issue when running on Leopard OS:

- Allowing your Mac to enter Sleep mode while Scratch LIVE is running with your Scratch LIVE hardware plugged in can cause Scratch LIVE to stop passing audio or responding to the control vinyl/CD. If you then try to exit Scratch LIVE, the application may become unresponsive and require a "Force Quit".

To avoid this problem, you should unplug your Scratch LIVE hardware before allowing your Mac to enter sleep mode.

On Both OSX Leopard (OS X 10.5) and Windows Vista there are known issues with Scratch LIVE when the computer goes to sleep.

Windows Vista: If your machine enters Stand By or Hibernate mode with Scratch LIVE running, on wake the off-line player produces no audio, and turntable input and audio output does not work. If your Scratch LIVE hardware is plugged in Scratch LIVE may become unresponsive and require a forced exit.

Workaround: Do not allow your computer to enter Stand By or Hibernate mode with Scratch LIVE running.

Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard): If your computer enters Sleep mode with Scratch LIVE running and the hardware connected, on wake turntable input and audio output may not work. If your Scratch LIVE hardware is plugged in Scratch LIVE may become unresponsive and require a forced exit. To recover, you should unplug and replug your Scratch LIVE hardware without the Scratch LIVE running, before starting the application again. If the problem persists you should restart your computer.

Workaround: Disconnect your Scratch LIVE hardware before allowing your computer to enter Sleep mode.

If you are planning on using Scratch LIVE on either of these platforms we suggest setting your sleep timeout to "Never". You can normally make this setting apply only to AC powered mode, to preserve battery life when you aren't plugged into AC power or using Scratch LIVE.

On OSX this is done through "System Preferences >> Energy Saver"

For Windows Vista go to "Control Panel >> Power Management", turn on High Performance, edit plan settings, and make sure Stand By is set to Never.

There have been some reports of freezing SSL when dragging tracks, specifically from finder on the mac, to the virtual decks.

Details
The problem only affects Scratch LIVE version 1.7.4.

If you drag an item (like a track or folder) into Scratch LIVE from another application such as Finder and then drop it somewhere that doesn't handle it (for example, just next to the deck instead of right on it, or on a button that normally wouldn't do anything if you drop an item on it), then Scratch LIVE will stop responding to mouse or trackpad events.

Workaround
In version 1.7.4, avoid dragging files or folders from Finder while Scratch LIVE is running. If you wish to browse files and folders to look for music you can use the Import window inside Scratch LIVE. If you must use Finder to browse for music, taking care to drop items only directly where they should go will avoid this issue.

If you do encounter the problem, restarting Scratch LIVE will fix it, and you can still use the keyboard shortcuts to do this, no need to Force Quit...

This problem is fixed as of Scratch LIVE version 1.8.0

We've recently had a few encounters with a bug on Mac OS X where a track with an extremely long comment tag causes the entire contents of the tracklist window not to be rendered - it looks as though all songs in the library have disappeared. The header atop the "comment" column is also not drawn.

Workaround:

1. In the crate with invisible tracks, switch off the comment column and see if tracks are visible again.
2. If that works, switch the comment column back on.
3. Locate the actual column header, the column appears without its title but after steps 1 and 2 it should be the last one.
4. Drag the right-hand boundary of the (blank) column header back to the left to reduce its width, until the tracklist contents reappear.
5. Locate the track or tracks with an obscenely large comment and edit to make it shorter.

This issue affects the function of the CUE button when using Numark iCDX CD/MP3 player in USB HID mode with Scratch LIVE version 1.7.4:

When using the iCDX CUE button to audition the Temp Cue, or to return to the Temp Cue Point while playing, the playhead position may return to a point slightly after the cue (about 0.5ms).

Consequently, you may need to press the CUE button twice to pre-listen to, or tempo-match your cue, and repeated use of the button on the same cue may cause the Temp Cue Point to creep forward by a small amount.

Workaround: You can keep the Temp Cue point from creeping during cue audition by using the PLAY button to listen to the cue and pressing the CUE button to (very nearly) return to the cue point you have set. The difference in position won't be audible, and this method won't cause the Temp Cue Point to creep up onto the first beat of your cue.

This issue will be fixed in the next available release of Scratch LIVE.

Using a USB hub, splitter, docking station or other USB device to connect the SL 1 to your computer may cause calibration and playback issues.

We recommend alway connecting the SL1 directly to the USB port of the computer used.

Scratch LIVE version 1.7.2 adds support for Microsoft Vista, however we recommend Microsoft XP for professional use, most notably for performance reasons. You will be able to run XP at a lower USB buffer setting, meaning lower latency (for a better vinyl feel) and better performance in general.

Just an FYI for those looking to purchase an (optional) external power supply from Radio Shack.

The part number listed in the Scratch LIVE manual for the Radio Shack 9V DC 300mA (or more) power supply part number 273-1770 is changing and the new part number will be 273-1768.

Since we are recommending their power supply we thought our customers should know about the change.

Mac OS X 10.4.10 changes the way some things work in relation to Scratch LIVE, including notifying the software about hardware being disconnected.

This problem appears to be confined to Intel-based Macs, under OS X 10.4.10 Scratch LIVE version 1.7.2 and previous versions can no longer tell when the interface (SL 1, TTM 57SL, MP 4) has been disconnected.

If your Scratch LIVE hardware becomes disconnected while Scratch LIVE is still running the program is unlikely to function properly until you exit and restart Scratch LIVE, even if you immediately plug the interface back in. The resulting symptoms may also include Scratch LIVE "locking up" (Rainbow Ball Of Death), which requires you to Force Quit the application and may result in some data not being saved.

Workaround: On Intel Mac computers running OS X 10.4.10 or later, you should exit any version of Scratch LIVE prior to 1.7.4 before disconnecting your Scratch LIVE hardware.

This issue is fixed as of Scratch LIVE 1.7.4.

On some MacBooks and MacBook Pros, Scratch LIVE will have USB dropout problems on one USB port, but not others. If you are having problems with USB dropouts on your MacBook or MacBook Pro, try connecting your Scratch LIVE interface to a different USB port.

Several users have reported that the dropouts are particularly bad when using the trackpad. We have alerted Apple to this problem.

Note:

It's been posted on the forum that a replacement driver from a 3rd party developer: http://ragingmenace.com/software/sidetrack/index.html Sidetrack 1.5 can fix the trackpad dropouts, at the expense of two finger scrolling.

We have found a bug in Mac OSX that can cause older Macs to kernel panic when running Scratch LIVE at low USB buffer settings. We have reported this problem to Apple and are working with them to resolve the problem.

The minimum processor speed required to run Scratch LIVE on a Mac is a G4 500 MHz. For a machine with a processor of this speed, we recommend you keep your USB buffer slider above 10. For a G4 between 500 MHz and 1 GHz, we recommend keeping your USB buffer slider above 5.

A kernel panic is a complete crash - the Mac will display a message in multiple languages asking you to restart your machine. If this happens to you, please report it in the help section.

We have had reports of Scratch LIVE 1.5 crashing when used with FAT 32 (aka MS-DOS) format hard drives on Mac computers.

This would almost always apply to external drives. To see if you drive is FAT 32 format, select the drive in Finder, and press command-I to 'get info'. The drive format is listed under the general section. If it is FAT32, it will say MS-DOS.

This issue has been fixed as of Scratch LIVE 1.6.1.

If your Scratch LIVE installation disc is unable to extract the needed files to install the SL 1 Hardware driver for Windows XP, you will receive the following error message from the Windows Hardware Wizard.
[quote]The 'SeratoUsb.sys' on SeratoUsb installation Disk is needed.[/quote]Simply click Cancel and the message: (!) Found New Hardware. A problem occurred during hardware installation. Your new hardware might not work properly will pop up above the Windows Toolbar in the bottom right corner of your screen.

Here's the fix

Download the Windows XP Driver from here -->> http://www.scratchlive.net/forum/discussion/?discussion_id=727#new

After downloading this file, uncompress it to your hard drive. Follow the instructions in the included 'readme.txt' file (shown below).

[quote]Installing the Hardware driver for Windows XP


1. Connect the Scratch LIVE Interface to your computer using the supplied USB cable.

2. The Windows New Hardware Wizard appears.

3. Choose the option "Install from a list or a specific location (Advanced)"

4. Point the New Hardware Wizard to the file named "SeratoUSB.inf", which is in the same folder as this readme file.

6. Windows may complain that the software driver is not digitally signed. Choose "Continue Anyway".

7. Click Finish once installation is complete.

You can install the driver before or after installing the software. For the latest software version, visit www.scratchlive.net. You only need to install the latest version of the software, and this driver. [/quote]

ACPI - http://www.acpi.info/, has caused problems on some windows machines, with USB dropouts on powerful CPUs.

If you have USB dropouts and are having trouble finding a cause on a seemingly powerful machine, check if your computer is ACPI by opening the device manager:

[quote]go to control panel

click system

click the hardware tab

click device manager[/quote]

Click the [+] next to Computer

If you see "ACPI uniprocessor PC" or similar, you have ACPI.


Quick method for disabling ACPI power management on some laptops

Try taking your battery out and just run off the power supply, this stops ACPI from trying to manage the battery on some model laptops.

You can disable ACPI if you think it might still be a problem:

HOWEVER IT CAN BE HARD TO REVERSE THIS, AND YOU MAY HAVE IRQ CONFLICT ERRORS, SO DON'T DO THIS UNLESS YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND CAN AFFORD SOME SYSTEM DOWN-TIME! AND MAKE A BACKUP!

BEFORE PROCEEDING Make a new system restore point by using the system restore wizard in help and support (start menu).

[quote]If you right-click on the 'Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) PC' description and select the Properties option, and then the Driver page on the window that appears, you can select 'Update Driver'. Choose the second 'Install from a list or specific location (Advanced)' option on the subsequent page, and then the 'Don't search. I will choose the driver to install' option on the following page. This should come up with two options, namely ACPI PC and Standard PC.[/quote]

(from sound on sound magazine)

Before you attempt this you should seek help from other users and the forum here at ScratchLIVE.net.

If you have some characters in the search field, and then press ctrl-L to locate the track you loaded last, the track will only be listed if the characters in the search field are also in that track.

On some machines the SL 1 hardware interface is not detected after rebooting. It requires de/reconnecting before it is detected.

If a crate contains files from more than one drive, the ordering is saved incorrectly when sorted by the # column.

Pressing Ctrl+A or (apple+A) in the review list currently only selects files that appear once and the first instance of files which appear more than once. Any multiples are omitted from the selection.
This will effect users who drag the contents of the review section to a new crate to save a record of a played set.
A new feature is planned that will provide a better way of saving information about played sets.

Scratch LIVE works by tracking a control signal that is pressed onto vinyl records, and applying that movement to audio files. It does this exceptionally accurately at low and high speeds, both forwards and backwards.

Users have reported drifting of tracks during long mixes, and after careful investigation we have found that the lathe that mastered the first version of the control records induced pitch variations in the vinyl master.

Because every control record pressed has the same pitch variation, it is possible to compensate these variations in software. This compensation is built has been built into Scratch LIVE since version 1.1.

This problem will not affect DJ's using the second edition control records, (which are clearly marked with "Second Edition" on the sleeve), or CDs.

The file may be damaged. Please report this to the Scratch LIVE support team, and send us the file. Instructions for sending files are here: http://www.scratchlive.net/forum/discussion/?discussion_id=737#new

By reporting damaged or corrupt files, you will help the developers to improve Scratch LIVE’s ability to play damaged MP3 files in the future.

This is a known Windows XP bug. Included in the Windows Update SP1 (Service Pack One) download is a fix for the XP USB 1.1 bug. For more information visit www.support.microsoft.com

No, use the track start offset function (in the setup screen) to move the point at which tracks begin to a position further into the vinyl.

The Mac version of Scratch LIVE does not currently work with a USB buffer setting of 1 (the minimum).

This issue is due to limitations of Mac OS X.

There is a known bug in the way that Windows XP handles USB, which results in audio output failing after about 10 seconds of playback. Scratch LIVE still works, but no sound comes out.

Microsoft have fixed this bug in the Windows XP service pack one (SP1). You can download SP1 here: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;822603

The short answer is no. There is no function in Scratch LIVE that blends two tracks together, or keeps two tracks beat matched for you.

However, there is a tempo match display window that gives you a visual representation of the peaks in both tracks, helping you align their tempo. Scratch LIVE also provides a beat matching display window that shows you markers to assist with beat matching.

Use the 'instant doubles' feature and you can load the current playing track over to the other virtual deck. Move the crossfader across and the other turntable/CD deck will be controlling the new virtual deck.

Here is an article all about using 'instant doubles' - http://scratchlive.net/articles/view/?article_id=15

You have zoomed in or out on your waveforms. Use the keyboard keys '-' or '+' to zoom in or out on the main waveform display.

The main waveform has two display options. Hold 'ctrl' and click on the waveform to display either three white waveforms or one multi-coloured waveform.

The three white waveforms show the separate bass, mid and treble. Use this view to set more accurate cue points.

The multi-coloured waveform show the frequency of the sound: bass = red, mid = green and treble = blue.

The input reverse feature will transfer control over to the alternate virtual deck. For example, the physical record on the right hand side now controls the left hand side virtual deck. This essentially lets you continue mixing, but just using one turntable.

Historically when the input reverse feature was created, there was no instant doubles mode. However, with the recent introduction of instant doubles, which is easier to use and transfers more information over to the new virtual deck. It is a wiser choice to learn how to use instant doubles rather than having to learn about input reverse mode. Check out this article on using instant doubles - http://www.scratchlive.net/articles/view/?article_id=15

The short answer is yes.

Scratch LIVE can detect the bpm of your tracks while it builds overviews. The set auto bpm option should be ticked before you start building overviews, then if Scratch LIVE is confident the auto BPM estimate for a track is accurate, it will be written to an ID3 tag in the file.

The auto BPM function will not be applied if the track already contains BPM information. If you know your files BPM will fall within a certain range, use the range drop down to avoid double or half value BPMs being calculated.

Building overviews is the process which allows Scratch LIVE to prepare the overview of the track, detect the tracks BPM, apply any auto gain and alert you to any corrupt files you might have.

To build overviews you must disconnect the hardware interface and run Scratch LIVE. You will notice a button labeled 'build overviews' on the main screen. Select this to automatically build the overviews for all the tracks in your library.

The bars above the button show the track reading progress, the overview building and track writing progress.

Building overviews is highly recommended.

Yes! Using the off-line player, you can play tracks without any hardware connected. Set up crates, cue points, make loops etc from the comfort of your lounge chair. Available in versions 1.8 and up - click here to get the latest version

The red and white RCA cable could be connected the wrong way around. Check the RCA cable from the turntable to the SL 1 unit or the 57 mixer. The red plug could be connected to the white connection and visa-versa.

Red plugs need to be connected to red sockets and white plugs to white sockets.

Instant doubles allows you to match the playhead position of two tracks. With this option set, when you load the same track on one virtual deck that is already loaded on the other virtual deck, the playhead will jump to the position of the track that was loaded first.

Instant doubles lets you continue mixing with just one working turntable or CD deck. To find out how, read this article - http://www.scratchlive.net/articles/view/?article_id=15

Instant doubles mode also allows you to start beat juggling, using identical records on each turntable. Manipulate two or more samples, drum beats or vocals using pauses, scratching, backspins and delays.

You can drag and drop crates into other crates to make subcrates.

If you drag a crate to the very left of the crate panel, it will stay in the top level of the crate structure.

If you drag the crate a little to the right, onto the name of another crate, it will make the crate you are dragging a sub crate of the first crate.

The minimum operating system requirements are:

Mac

• 1 GHz G4
• 1 GB RAM
• OSX 10.3.9 or higher
• Intel Macs require Scratch LIVE version 1.5 or higher

Windows

• 1.5 GHz PC
• 1 GB RAM
• Windows XP with Service Pack 2 or higher
• Windows Vista requires Versions 1.7.2 or higher
• 64-bit drivers are available with version 1.8.2 or higher
• Note that we recommend Windows XP over Vista for performance reasons. By using XP, you can have a lower latency (for a better vinyl feel) and better performance in general.

 

Transcoding (converting a file from one lossy format to another), or re-encoding into the same format with better settings will not result in a better quality file.

The artifacts from the initial lossy encoding will still be present, along with new (possibly far worse) ones. It is a good rule of thumb to only ever lossy encode from an uncompressed source.

Scratch LIVE has to read the entire file and create a file index the first time it is loaded. This may take a few seconds for longer files. After the first load, it should load instantly.

MP3s are compressed audio files, meaning that there is some loss of quality. Exactly how much loss there is is a widely debated topic. The advantage of MP3s is that they take up less space on your hard drive.
AIFF/WAV (the two formats are essentially the same with respect to sound quality and files sizes) are uncompressed, and therefore sound better than MP3s, but take up more space on your disk.

MP3s need to be decoded in order to be played, and therefore require more processing. If you are looking at this question from the point of view of computer performance, uncompressed audio required less processing time, because it does not need to be decoded, but requires much more disk time, because of the amount of data being moved around.
The bottom line is, uncompressed audio sounds better, but requires faster disks. Compressed audio (such as MP3) doesn't sound as good, but uses less disk space (by as much as a factor of 10). It uses slightly more CPU because it needs to be decompressed.

No, you only need to install the latest version.

If we knew we would post a date, if no-one has posted a date we simply can't tell you. So there's no point in asking.

Yes.

You need Scratch LIVE version 1.5 or later. To get the latest version, click here: http://www.scratchlive.net/downloads/

Please read this Serato news thread - http://www.scratchlive.net/forum/discussion/?discussion_id=47466#new

Core audio support for the SL 1 was initially planned for development. Unfortunately due to a hardware limitation in the SL 1 it is not possible to provide core audio drivers for the unit.

The manual contains everything you need to know about cleaning and maintaining the faders on the TTM 57SL.

You can find the manual online from here - http://rane.com/scratch.html#lit

The turntables or CDJ's are not calibrated properly.

Make sure all CDJ effects, e.g. master tempo, etc are disabled.

Read this article on how to calibrate -->> http://www.scratchlive.net/articles/view/?article_id=25

Click on the '?' icon to enable tool tips. Tool tips provide a handy way to learn the various features of Scratch LIVE. Move the mouse over a section of the screen to bring up a context-sensitive tool tip.

Tool tips are currently available in English (en), French (fr), German (de), Spanish (es), Japanese (ja), Dutch (nl), Chinese (zh_CH), Norwegian (no) and Korean (ko). Scratch LIVE will display the tool tips in the language that your computer is set to.

If you want tool tips in a different language other than the one your computer is set to-

Windows
Swap the 'help.xml' files. For example, your computers language is set to English but you want the tool tips in, say German. Locate the 'help16' folder within the 'ScratchLIVE' folder. Take the 'help.xml' from the 'de' folder and replace the 'help.xml' file in the 'en' folder, and re-start Scratch LIVE.

Mac
Currently it is not possible to have tool tips in a different language other than the one your computer is set to.

The 'save to mixer' function lets you transfer settings to the mixer. Each of the settings will reside in the mixer when it is used without Scratch LIVE running and attached to a computer.

To save effect settings into the 57 mixer - go into into the setup screen in Scratch LIVE, select the hardware panel and select 'save to mixer'.

Yes, in fact we recommend you do. Burned copies will work just as well as the originals, take a few spares in case they get lost or scratched.

You can burn your own control CD if you have a burner and the right software. After downloading the big control file (132MB) http://rane.com/scratch.html#lit Scratchlivecontrol.zip requires an unzip utility to open, and includes two files.

Scratch LIVE interprets the signal coming out of the CD player, and uses this information to control the play back of the files on your computer.

Any audio processing performed on the signal before it reaches the hardware interface, such as key correction, will scramble the signal making it illegible to Scratch LIVE.

The inputs (from the turntables or CD players) are the wrong way around.

The left channel output from your turntable or CD player is in the right channel input for Scratch LIVE (and the right channel output is in the left channel input).

This will result in the track playing backwards, and/or movement of the control record or CD scrolling your selection through the library.

Note that many older turntables that have been serviced end up with the red and white RCA cables connected the wrong way around.

We recommend Shure M44-7 needles for use with Scratch LIVE, due to their high output volume, excellent tracking and low record wear.

It's a high-pitched noise, that's coming from your needles - it's the sound of the control tone on the vinyl.
It's not something you'd usually notice with normal records, because the sound coming from the needle is exactly the same as the sound coming from your speakers.

When you switch to phono level, you will hear the sound of the control vinyl. If you want to use the transform switches to scratch, use separate channels on your mixer if you have more than four channels, or disconnect the phono thrus if you have a two channel mixer.

That is the sound of the control signal — make sure you are listening to the line outputs of the hardware interface, not the phono thrus. The music from Scratch LIVE is sent via the line outputs on the SL 1.

Make sure your SL 1 line ouputs are plugged into the line inputs on your mixer.

Then flick your transform or phono / line switch to line. You should now be able to hear the music.

Yes. You need a phono preamp to boost the signal from the turntable to line level, and you need to set the input to line in the setup screen.

Scratch LIVE interprets the signal coming out of the CD player, and uses this information to control the play back of the files on your computer.

Any audio processing performed on the signal before it reaches the hardware interface, such as key correction, will scramble the signal making it illegible to Scratch LIVE.

The inputs (from the turntables or CD players) are the wrong way around. Try swapping the red and white RCA cables around.

Even if it looks right ie, the red RCA cable is in the red input, and the white RCA is in the white, it is possible your turntable or headshell has been wired backwards. Defy logic and try swapping them over.

Read this article about calibration techniques for optimum Scratch LIVE performance. - http://www.scratchlive.net/articles/view/?article_id=25

Scratch LIVE is interpreting background noise as record movement. Go to the setup screen and move the threshold slider (to the left of the estimate button) to the right until the noise stops.

Check your needles, make sure they are clean. If the circles are fuzzy looking, also try cleaning your control record. If the Scope View shows a line instead of a circle, Scratch LIVE is only receiving a signal from one channel — check all your cables, and the connection between your cartridges and the tone arm.

You can order replacement control records from your local distributor. You may also order these in the online store at www.rane.com if you are in the USA.

Make sure the needle is on the record and the record is stopped when you click the estimate button. If the slider goes hard right and stays there, you most likely have an earthing problem with your turntables/mixer. If you cannot eliminate this problem, use relative mode over absolute mode for the time being and get your signal path tested professionally.

Scratch LIVE is not getting a clear signal from the record, or your computer is not able to process the information quickly enough. Go to the setup screen and check the scope views. When the record is playing, the circles should be round, and the value in the bottom right corner should be 100%. If this is not the case, you need to re-calibrate. See the user manual (http://www.rane.com/pdf/sslman.pdf ) page 5 for details.
You should also try increasing the USB audio buffer size if your computer is close to the minimum spec.
Clean your needles! This is the most common cause of audio drop-out. Because you are playing the same record over and over, the needles will get dirty more quickly than usual.

Since iTunes changed to front row, it no longer embeds artwork into files by default.

To embed artwork with iTunes, select the songs in question, then 'get info' on them to bring up the song properties dialog. Select the artwork tab, click add, and browse to the image you want to assign as artwork.

This will embed the image into the file.

Go into the setup screen and make sure 'protect library' is unchecked. If you want to delete crates and songs from the Scratch LIVE library use ctrl-del for Windows and apple-del for Mac.

If the song is associated with iTunes and has the iTunes icon in the status column, then delete the song within iTunes.

To find the folder on an external drive:

To get to your hidden '.Scratch LIVE' folder, open Scratch LIVE, click the import tab, highlight your external drive, highlight the .ScratchLIVE folder, and press ctrl+r (PC) or apple+r (Mac).
This will open up a separate browser and show you the contents of that hidden .ScratchLIVE folder on your external drive.

When Scratch LIVE detects a corrupt file it will display the corrupt status icon, the broken disc.

There are several different types of corruption, so to investigate the reason further, hover your mouse over the status icon in the leftmost column and at the bottom of the screen there will be a longer description.

Reference the message in Scratch LIVE with the corrupt file description and diagnoses page in the manual. You can find the manual online here - http://www.rane.com/scratch.html#lit on page 26.

If you need further help fixing the corrupt file then you can upload the file here - http://scratchlive.net/upload/ and we will investigate the reason. Uploading a corrupt file helps us improve Scratch LIVE.

The track information display area can be customized to display the columns that will help you the most.

Click on the column button, the left pointing arrow, and you can select which columns you want to display.

To sort your library by a column, click the column header so it highlights. For example, clicking the BPM column will sort your music from slowest to fastest. To move a column, drag the header to the left or right.

Click on the Review button, and click Clear

Read this article on Archiving your vinyl using Scratch LIVE - http://www.scratchlive.net/articles/view/?article_id=13