turntable
Latest
DJ Mouse eliminates 'the science of mixing music' with a jog wheel
Looking for a way to liven up those house parties of yours? Winamp playlist feeling a little passe? iTunes "Genius" feature not really so smart? A company called DJ-Tech has got the answer, and it's the DJ Mouse. What separates an input device for turntablists from one for the unwashed masses, you ask? Is it the "high-definition jog wheel," the one that integrates with the Deckadance software to "let you spin platters intuitively?" Why, yes, it is! But it's also so much more. Don't forget the Scratch button, without which there would be no "direct scratch mode." As the ad says, you too can "become a DJ in one minute, without the science of mixing music." Available for $79 -- but make sure you don't go anywhere before you peep the truly amazing commercial after the break. And take that, Grandmaster Flash! [Via OhGizmo!]
Screen Grabs: DJ Hero makes cameo in Kid Cudi video, comes back full circle
Screen Grabs chronicles the uses (and misuses) of real-world gadgets in today's movies and TV. Send in your sightings (with screen grab!) to screengrabs at engadget dt com. Something very peculiar popped up while we were watching Kid Cudi's "Make Her Say" music video. Just as the song is winding down, Mr. Cudi (also known as Scott Mescudi) can be seen "air scratching" while someone in the above frame takes the pantomime one step further with DJ Hero's turntable peripheral. The connection runs much deeper, though: the song was produced by Kanye West, whose rise to fame arguably came when he produced Jay-Z's critically acclaimed album The Blueprint... and Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter, in turn, happens to be one of the two artists (along with Eminem) promoting DJ Hero. Funny how that works out. Video after the break, and jump to the 3:03 mark if all you really want is another glimpse of the controller. [Thanks, Laxuo and AG Beast]
DJ Hero Renegade Edition now accepting callers, lists for $199.99
So how badly do you want that metallic DJ Hero turntable? The game's official website is now directing your attention to GameStop and Amazon, both of which are now accepting pre-orders for the Renegade Edition (due to launch October 27th alongside the standard bundle) for just one copper Lincoln under $200. That's a $80 premium over the regular bundle but does also include a stand / carrying case hybrid and a two-CD collection. Then again, it's also well over the cost of the entire instrument bundle for Rock Band 2 or Guitar Hero World Tour. Anyone gonna bite? [Thanks, HArry]
Neversoft interested in bringing turntables to Guitar Hero, making large amounts of money
We've already seen a bit of guitar in DJ Hero, but apparently it might not just be a one way street: Neversoft (developer of the Guitar Hero franchise for Activision) hinted to Eurogamer at E3 that they're interested in bringing the DJ Hero turntable to future versions of Guitar Hero. They also aren't ruling out the possibility of bringing drums to DJ Hero -- which seems to us an even more exciting prospect -- and we're sure in a few years time you'll be able to direct wire Activision to your bank account and fill you living room to the brim with more-or-less interoperable pretend instruments.[Via Joystiq]
Scratch: The Ultimate DJ hands-on
For the past few years E3 has been a tale of two guitar games. In a lot of ways it still is, with the Guitar Hero and Rock Band clans still battling it out for plastic instrument supremacy, but this year two turntable games are also vying for your attention. DJ Hero has far more brand recognition on the box, but Scratch: the Ultimate DJ has the better hardware, and we got our hands on it.
DJ Hero website and pre-orders go live, Jay-Z Special Edition seen in the distance
With just days to go before the gaming world goes wild at E3, the hotly anticipated DJ Hero is now spinning on its very own website. Granted, a few of the sections are still labeled as "coming soon," but we're given a few more sneak peeks at the hardware, the gameplay and even a duo of handy links to pre-order it. According to listings on both GameStop and Amazon, the software and turntable are slated to ship on October 27th, with the bundle priced at $119.99 for all four of the major consoles (yes, new games are still being made for the PS2). Better still, the latter e-tailer has the Jay-Z Special Edition Bundle listed for Sony's PS3 and Nintendo's Wii, though neither of those are accompanied by MSRPs or expected ship dates. And to think, those are just two of our 99 problems...[Thanks, Joey]Read - DJ Hero official websiteRead - GameStop pre-order pageRead - Amazon pre-order pageRead - DJ Hero game trailers
Scratch: The Ultimate DJ controller spins into life
We've already gotten a couple of glimpses of DJ Hero's turntable / mixer controller, and now it's time for Scratch: The Ultimate DJ and its Numark-designed deck to steal the spotlight for a song or two. The setup pretty much mirrors the on-screen interface we saw in the initial screenshot, with the free-spinning, touch-sensitive turntable on your left and five Akai Pro MPC-style drum pad triggers next to the cross-fader to the right. According to the press release, you'll actually be able to upload your own samples using a compatible USB mic if none of the pre-loaded jams get you going -- and not to worry southpaw scratchers, you can rotate the mixer to the left if that's more comfortable. We'll have more of Scratch at next week's E3, but in the meantime, hit up the press release after the break for more deets.
DJ Hero's turntable, crossfader peripheral spotted in E3 preview
Admit it, you weren't satisfied by those initial concept images of DJ Hero's button-laden turntable. Yeah, us neither, but thanks to a screengrab reportedly from a television promo for Spike / GameTrailer's E3 2009 coverage, we've now got a brief glimpse of what Activision's peripheral looks like in physical form. In addition to getting somewhat of an idea of its size, we've also got the first peak at the crossfader attachment. No clue on if that means we'll be needing a second turntable, but with any luck we'll get to find out for ourselves early next month. [Via Joystiq]
GameTrailers TV promo gives a look at DJ Hero peripheral
We got our first look at the vinyl-spinning peripheral for Activision's mixmastering sim DJ Hero earlier this month but -- well, they weren't very good pictures, were they? Just look at that framing. Terrible. Obviously, someone's never heard of the rule of thirds. Man, we learned about that photographic law during our extensive Pokémon Snap sessions. It's not that hard, people.Fortunately, a sneak peek for GameTrailers TV's E3 coverage gave us a much clearer shot of the turntable periph, seen in the image above. We get a pretty good look at the crossfader attachment, as well as a sense of the controller's size in comparison to a human lap. Hopefully, we'll get an even better (and more photographically sound) look at the peripheral when we check DJ Hero out at E3 next week.[Via NeoGAF, thanks to everyone who sent this in!]%Gallery-51799%
Rumor: Scratch: The Ultimate DJ to use MP3 turntable
Should it ever make it into stores, Genius Products' Scratch: The Ultimate DJ might come with a very cool bonus. According to a tweet from producer Quincy Jones III (at least, we think it's really QDIII -- the account is linked from his Myspace account), the turntable controller used for the game will have extra functionality beyond the game. QDIII's tweet: "The scratch video game also has a real mp3 turn table with a functional fader, just like the real thing... will keep you posted on updates."If this turns out to be used for Scratch, it will mean that the fake musical instrument for the game is also a real musical instrument -- no modding required. We can't help but wonder, with all the lawsuits happening, if Activision is daring enough to "spontaneously" have the same idea for DJ Hero.%Gallery-33928%[Via The Koalition]
AR-enhanced vinyl disk lets you scratch sans turntable
If you find the idea of turntablism without the hardware intriguing, but last year's surface-based TRAKTOR Scratch DJ system was just a little too abstract for your tastes, here's a rather clever compromise from Cambridge-based designerTodd Vanderlin. Using a vinyl record equipped with an AR marker, he manipulates the music by moving in front of a video camera. It's also got the added bonus of being able to control the beat across a three-dimensional space, and if you're viewing it through the camera's feed, the middle marker's replaced by pre-set visuals. Direct your browser to after the break for a video demonstration.
Pilotfish's Ondo music editing mobile concept puts new twist on smartphones
It's been nearly three years since the Onyx tickled our imagination, but Pilotfish is looking to completely melt our brains with its latest concept. The Munich-based industrial design firm has just introduced its Ondo music editing mobile, which is half cellphone, half music mixer and thoroughly amazing. In theory, the phone would boast a small mixing panel, three removable recording sticks with internal memory and a bendable center to give music lovers the ability to insert pitch bends and relieve stress. Essentially, the trio of OLED-infused sticks serves two purposes: when installed, they're the main phone panel, and when removed, they can be clipped onto instruments for recording purposes. Afterwards, they can be swapped with other Ondo owners or edited on the fly right on the device itself. Needless to say, there's a better shot at you winning the lottery than seeing this thing hit mass production, but you can feel free to dream by checking the full release, Q&A and demonstration video just past the break.
NAD's PP-3 digital phono preamp turns vinyl pits to digital bits
Vinyl holdouts have one less excuse for not making the leap to digital thanks to NAD's PP-3 Digital Phono Preamplifier. Turntables with encoding capabilities are nothing new, but if those decks have been beneath your standards then you've been out of luck. The PP-3, however, lets you supply your own deck -- the audiophile-friendly MC/MM phono preamp is RIAA-equalized and passed through a rumble filter before being output as a soft-clipped digital signal (on a handy USB port) courtesy an onboard A/D converter. The PP-3 also has a line-level input that might come in handy for when you decide to tackle your reel-to-reel tape archives. Available now for $199 -- don't you want to hear this MP3 stuff that all the kids are raving about?
Stanton's T.55 and T.92 USB turntables take vinyl to MP3 sans fuss
We've already seen a number of mainstays in the turntable game crank out decks that easily archive vinyl records to MP3, and now we've got a new pair from Stanton making that same claim. The T.92 and T.55 USB turntables each feature USB and S/PDIF outputs and come bundled with Cakewalk Pyro Audio Creator and Audacity software. On the hardware front, you'll find an S-Shaped tone arm for lower distortion and reduced record wear along with a built-in DSP with key lock for controlling tempo without affecting pitch. As for differences, the T.55 is a belt-drive turntable that features a straight tone arm, while the T.92 touts a high-torque direct drive motor. Check 'em both right now at popular music retailers across the globe for $299 (T.92) and $199 (T.55). Full release is after the break.
Stanton's SCS-1 digital DJ system finally ships
It sure took 'em long enough, but Stanton has just announced that its completely boss SCS-1 System is finally shipping to eager DJs. The system is comprised of the SCS.1d deck and the SCS.1m mixer, both of which give funkmasters that digital flair while preserving the familiar feel of older school gear. One of the unique technologies is the HSS1394 protocol, which is a proprietary high-speed communications standard developed specifically for the SC System 1 in order to transmit MIDI messages rapidly over FireWire. You'll also find a preset library for the System (Traktor Pro included), and Stanton has vowed to make updates available regularly and free of charge. Check the full release just past the break.
A hard drive hack for turntablists
Whether you're a budding mix-master banned from touching your mom's old LPs, or a full-fledged master of the cross-fade looking to get some bodies movin', you need a turntable of some sort. Sure, a couple Benjamins will get you into a decent setup, or you could also make do with a webcam and a flat surface, but, if you're looking for something with a smooth feel on the cheap, the solution is the hard drive sitting in your closet that's too small even for backup duty. A group of students at universities in the UK, Austria, and New Zealand all worked together to come up with a homebrew digital DJ interface, and the above HDD-cum-turntable sits at the center. The weight of the disk plus the quality of its bearings won the crew over, and with "a few op amps, resistors and a programmable microcontroller of some kind" you too can be mixing in no time. Full instructions are at the read link, and check out the video below for a little platter-scratchin', oscilloscope-watchin', "wicky wicky" action.[Via Hack A Day]
Denon jumps in the vinyl-to-MP3 turntable game with DP-200USB
For turntablists, there have been a plethora of options when scouting a deck with integrated vinyl-to-MP3 capabilities. Until now, though, you've had to deal with second-rate brands (we kid) like Numark and ion -- neither of which possess the prestige and haughty factor that comes with a Denon logo. The DP-200USB enables deep-pocketed DJs to rip vinyl straight to MP3, and you can even save the digital files to a USB drive thanks to the built-in USB socket. The unit will be available in Japan early next month for ¥31,500 ($310), though it's hard to say if or when Denon will see fit to bring this Stateside.[Via T3]
Stanton DJ intros touch-sensitive DaScratch USB-MIDI controller
Not too certain what brainiac reckoned that "DaScratch" was a suitable name for Stanton DJ's new touch-sensitive controller, but if we had our way, we'd have that guy / gal promoted on the double. Nomenclature aside, the device you see above is the outfit's newest member of the SC System family. The USB-MIDI controller was designed for mobility and to allow Funkmasters and Beatslayers alike to use "traditional performance motions and gestures on a touchpad style surface." Scratching, scrubbing, and navigating through digital audio files can all be handled with just a few flicks of the fingertips, and there's even support for multiple-finger gestures to "prompt quick kills on EQ's or transform effects on volume." Not a bad spin for $299, huh? Full release after the jump.
Rumor: Details about Activision's DJ Hero
Kotaku claims to have received some early info about DJ Hero, which we knew was coming since Activision trademarked the name back in February. According to their source, B-boy developer FreeStyleGames is developing a turntable-based music game with a musical mashup theme. Of course, we don't know if this game would come out for Wii if it turned out not to be just a rumor, but we would hope that Activision knows that Wii owners will give them money.The controller will (assuming any of this is real!) include a turntable, three buttons, a crossfader, and a "sound effects dial." It is designed for use in a lap, but may include legs so that it can stand on its own. Guitar Hero controllers will also work with the game for versus mode. The music used in the game will be mashups of licensed hip-hop and rock tracks.Will this be different enough from Beatmania to sell well? Or similar enough to Beatmania, like Guitar Hero is to Guitar Freaks, but with licensed American music and more advertising? Oh, and in case you were wondering, the image above is the Scratch Blaster, a homemade turntable controller for Guitar Hero. I want to read about Guitar Hero all ni-i-ight, and eat Guitar Hero cake!
ION's LP 2 FLASH records LP straight to flash
When dealing with product names like FTD-HD2232HSR/BK, it's quite refreshing to come across something such as this which explains itself so well. ION's LP 2 FLASH turntable does exactly what you think it does -- it transfers your old records directly to a USB flash drive, SD card or computer without any additional equipment. It even detects the gaps between tunes and creates individual tracks accordingly. It's available now for £130 ($228), though we think that flight to the UK might just kill the deal.[Via MusicRadar]
