Laptop DJing

It's all about the equipment

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Mr Awesomer
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#271 Post by Mr Awesomer » Sun Feb 20, 2005 8:06 pm

Yes, but if you install it twice you don't have to reconfigure each instance. With two installs the differences between the two stick: output device, color scheme, window size and location, etc. etc. Winamp"A" comes up on the top of my screen in red and outputs to the external soundcard... this is my live. Winamp"B" comes up on the bottom of my screen in blue and outputs to the laptops crapcard... this is my preview. You can't do that without two installs.
Reuben Brown
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WindsorSwingKid
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#272 Post by WindsorSwingKid » Sun Feb 20, 2005 8:17 pm

Laptop arrives no later than Wednesday... *drool* Here is what I am thinking about:
  • Audio Output: Creative Sound Blaster USB MP3+ (or Extigy)
  • DJ'ing software: PCDJ Red VRM (or multiple instances of WinAmp or iTunes as cheaper options)
  • Ripping software: Exact Audio Copy/LAME/RazorLAME (or a registered copy of RealPlayer)
  • Cables (compiled from previous listings)
Once I get all this put together, I am thinking about grabbing all of my stuff at 320 kbs VBR... *ponder* So much to learn, so little time...

John...
Next Stop: ???

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GemZombie
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#273 Post by GemZombie » Mon Feb 21, 2005 11:58 am

GuruReuben wrote:Yes, but if you install it twice you don't have to reconfigure each instance. With two installs the differences between the two stick: output device, color scheme, window size and location, etc. etc. Winamp"A" comes up on the top of my screen in red and outputs to the external soundcard... this is my live. Winamp"B" comes up on the bottom of my screen in blue and outputs to the laptops crapcard... this is my preview. You can't do that without two installs.
I'm tempted to prove you wrong. Though it would take some work. You could set it up to use different config files and have each instance load from a different config either via commandline, or by creating a second short cut using a different "working" directory that contains the config. But it's really not worth it, your method works.

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GemZombie
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#274 Post by GemZombie » Mon Feb 21, 2005 12:00 pm

WindsorSwingKid wrote:Laptop arrives no later than Wednesday... *drool* Here is what I am thinking about:
  • Audio Output: Creative Sound Blaster USB MP3+ (or Extigy)
  • DJ'ing software: PCDJ Red VRM (or multiple instances of WinAmp or iTunes as cheaper options)
  • Ripping software: Exact Audio Copy/LAME/RazorLAME (or a registered copy of RealPlayer)
  • Cables (compiled from previous listings)
Once I get all this put together, I am thinking about grabbing all of my stuff at 320 kbs VBR... *ponder* So much to learn, so little time...

John...
Don't use Real Player to rip., everything else sounds good. :) Real players ripper isn't as good (unless they started using lame and I don't knwo about it), plus Real Player is just a horrible application anyway.

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wheresmygravy
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#275 Post by wheresmygravy » Mon Feb 21, 2005 4:04 pm

Swifty wrote: Step-by-step directions for setting up two Winamps.
I followed these instructions and and it worked fine with the exception of:
1) No mention of turning on "Allow Multiple Instances"
2) The winamp.pic file does not seem to be created until after the first execution.

I am using the lastest version of WinAmp 5.08.

One curious note - I set one of the players to "Classic Skin" and one to "Modern Skin". I looked at the task manager to look at resource usage. At idle state, the "Classic" used 2-3% CPU occasionally. The "Modern Skin" used 40-50% CPU consistently.

I only have a 1MHz processor in my Tablet, so I worry about these things. I have not investigated if there are some features I could turn off in Modern to reduce that.

Also, has anyone come up with a way of drag-and-drop between the two instances of WinAmp. or do you set up two media libraries? Preveiw from one player and then go select and cue the same song in the other?

I know you can do it from itunes to WinAmp

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#276 Post by Nate Dogg » Mon Feb 21, 2005 4:12 pm

wheresmygravy wrote: Also, has anyone come up with a way of drag-and-drop between the two instances of WinAmp. or do you set up two media libraries? Preveiw from one player and then go select and cue the same song in the other?

I know you can do it from itunes to WinAmp
I don't know of a way to drag and drop between the instances.

Usually, I delete and rebuild my library before every gig, since I am always adding songs, updating tags, etc...

The second instance creates an identical library.

Of course, if you add songs on the fly (somebody gives you a CD to play at the dance for example), you have to add new songs to each instance.

I am interested in the idea of multiple installs. It would be nice to have all my non-swing, non-DJ, listening music set up in a media library on a more permanent basis.

Nathan
Last edited by Nate Dogg on Mon Feb 21, 2005 4:16 pm, edited 3 times in total.

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Mr Awesomer
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#277 Post by Mr Awesomer » Mon Feb 21, 2005 4:14 pm

GemZombie wrote:I'm tempted to prove you wrong. Though it would take some work.
Yes, more work then two 30 second installs.
Reuben Brown
Southern California

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#278 Post by GemZombie » Tue Feb 22, 2005 10:54 am

GuruReuben wrote:
GemZombie wrote:I'm tempted to prove you wrong. Though it would take some work.
Yes, more work then two 30 second installs.
Honestly though, it goes against common sense to install it twice. Many applications will not allow you to install the same program twice... it's sort of a standard (actually, I'm pretty sure Microsoft wouldn't Logo such an app either.. not that it really matters).

It goes against programming standards... i can't help my geek roots!

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Swifty
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#279 Post by Swifty » Tue Feb 22, 2005 11:12 am

I think you guys should fight.

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Mr Awesomer
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#280 Post by Mr Awesomer » Tue Feb 22, 2005 11:19 am

GemZombie wrote:Honestly though, it goes against common sense to install it twice. Many applications will not allow you to install the same program twice... it's sort of a standard (actually, I'm pretty sure Microsoft wouldn't Logo such an app either.. not that it really matters).

It goes against programming standards... i can't help my geek roots!
So what? My solution is simple, stable and effective.
Reuben Brown
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#281 Post by GemZombie » Tue Feb 22, 2005 3:00 pm

I'm bored, so I'm just posting my thoughts is all.

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#282 Post by Jonas » Tue Feb 22, 2005 4:21 pm

I second Swifty, you guys should take it to this ring...

Jonas

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#283 Post by WindsorSwingKid » Tue Feb 22, 2005 6:15 pm

Laptop in hand, there will be an all-nighter to prepare my laptop for tomorrow evening... :)

John...

P.S. Software overkill to test them out: CDex, EAC, RazorLame, iTunes, WinAmp, Windows Media Player, and RealPlayer...
Next Stop: ???

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#284 Post by GemZombie » Tue Feb 22, 2005 10:39 pm

WindsorSwingKid wrote:Laptop in hand, there will be an all-nighter to prepare my laptop for tomorrow evening... :)

John...

P.S. Software overkill to test them out: CDex, EAC, RazorLame, iTunes, WinAmp, Windows Media Player, and RealPlayer...
Dude Windows Media player sucks less than realplayer... I'd be putting real player in super small fonts ;)

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#285 Post by LazyP » Wed Feb 23, 2005 3:29 am

Jonas wrote:I second Swifty, you guys should take it to this ring...
Jonas
And the winner is... Reuben! (Both when using real names and nicknames, though using nicknames it was nearly a draw)
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