Hello The Bishop,

Actually, I would say the only thing that PCs have over Macs are a more seamless wave read out. There is a glitch in the waveform that occurs about every 3 or 4 seconds on Macs but don't seem to be an issue on PCs.
With that said.. I would first make sure that your 'maximum screen updates' are set to 60.
I would also suggest rescanning your id3 tags.
Once done scanning click the 'analyze files' tab.
Let it analyze for any files that it needs to and then give it a test to see if its any better.

Hopefully that will help.
Let us know your findings;)

My maximum screen updates setting is set on 60, same with my other PC. (Definitely one of the first things I tried when tinkering with some settings.) All my ID3 tags just got re-scanned about a week ago when I transferred all my music files and the ScratchLive data to the new laptop, so I should be good there.

All the files have been analyzed as well- I do that every time I add tracks, which is just about every day.

Normally I would say that the little big of waveform lag that I see is specific to my laptop, but I notice it on friends' PC's as well. Then I watch someone on a MacBook Pro and the waveforms scroll so much smoother- almost as if there is a higher frames per second on the computers themselves. Or is there a way to get higher than 60 for maximum screen updates?

Another thing- I notice that the waveforms get considerably more choppy then I am scratching fast on the 57, like crab scratches. I assume this is because there is more data/interaction between the 57 and ScratchLive versus the SL1?

Thanks for the super fast response!

The reason why I wanted you to rescan and then analyze files is to be absolutely certain that all of your overviews have been built. Often, if you just click the analyze files tab, SSL won't give you a proper calculation of what files actually need to be analyzed.
Rescanning the tags reminds SSL of what files have been analyzed and which ones haven't been. If there are some files that haven't been analyzed it could slow your computer down thus causing your issue. So... please follow my suggestion above.

This sounds like you need to calibrate.
Remember.. this needs to be done every time you move to a new location.
After calibration, the number in the upper right corner of the scope view in the setup screen should say 0.0 while the needle is on the record and the turntable is stopped.
If that number is fluctuating than you need to manually move the threshold slider to the right until that number is stable at 0.0.
If you've moved the slider all the way to -24 and its still fluctuating than you have a grounding/interference issue somewhere in the chain.
If this is the case first make sure that your turntables are grounded.
Next try to make sure that the SL1 interface isn't sitting next to a power source such as a power strip and that the cable coming to and from the SL1 interface aren't being laid across anything that conducts power.

Let me know if that helps:)

You were right on the money about the re-scan. And after I followed your suggestion, something interesting/frustrating came up: Several tracks do not have overviews built. I scanned all ID3 tags over again, and analyzed files again (it said all files were analyzed) and yet when I drop in some tracks, the overview is missing. This happens on some tracks that I play often and know for sure had them built before. Is there some way that it isn't marking down overview data?

As for the calibration- I put the needle down and it does say 0.0 and there is no fluctuation. It is also not near any power (I assume you recommend this due to induction issues?) But that's probably another discussion/topic so I will keep this about the overview/waveform issue for now.

Do these files have a lock icon next to them?
If not, are they aiff files that were ripped using the newer version of iTunes?

Did you calibrate when you were playing music as loud as you are playing during your set?
I usually put one virtual deck in INT mode and calibrate both turntables at the same time.
When you press the estimate slider down did you notice the slider move?
Know that if that estimate slider is set too far to the right when your in a quieter environment then your scratches will be sluggish and you'll definitely have some latency issues. On the other hand, if the estimate slider is set too far to the right, once again, depending on the environment, then you could be picking up interference.
This is why you need to calibrate whenever you move to a new location.
You need to get the perfect estimate setting for your current environment.

None of the tracks have a lock next to them. I don't use iTunes at all, and they are all MP3's. Is there another reason why it could be losing the overview data?

Hm.. are you importing music from an external drive?
If so, if you move some files to your internal, unplug your external, and import the files from your internal do they keep their overview info after you analyze them, shut down SSL, and re-open?

All my files reside on the internal HD of the laptop. I do all downloading on my desktop PC, then transfer all the tracks to the SSL laptop via flash drive. Once I have them on that laptop's internal HD where I want them, I import them into SSL.
I haven't located this overview problem to any tracks in particular, but I can go through a bunch of songs and mark down which ones have problems, shut down SSL and re-open to see if it is specific tracks that aren't retaining the data or if it is random tracks...

Do you run the files through any program on the PC prior to moving them to the Mac?
Please upload one of these files via the 'attach a file' link in this thread and I'll take a look at it.

No macs involved here- I basically move the files from a desktop PC to the laptop PC. Other than virus scanning, these files are subjected to no other program before I move them to the laptop. (I have been scanning the tracks before transfer for about a year and a half with no issue.)

I'm @ work and will send one of these tracks over when I get off later.

Ok here is one of a few tracks that I ave added recently that has this problem. I have played it numerous times, and every time it doesn't have the overview built. I started a crate to dump these problem tracks into to get a better handle on the situation.

I am spinning tonight and then head to Vegas, but I will be checking the thread while I am most likely hungover. Let me know what you find! Thanks

I got ur file, loaded onto a virtual deck and could see that the waveform needed to build.
I then dragged/dropped it onto the analyze files tab, shut down SSL, re-opened it, and the overview was there.
Had you tried dragging dropping the file onto the analyze files tab?
I've uploaded the same file, only after I analyzed it on my computer.
It should now load with the full waveform.
As for your other files... please try dragging/dropping only those files onto 'analyze files'.
It worked for me.. should work for you:)

Ok so I received your version of the track. The overview shows up like it should now. As for the other tracks, I dropped them into the 'Analyze Files' tab and it seemed to do a force rebuild of some sort (good to know) because now they have the overviews built. Is there any idea how these files lost the overviews in the first place?

To clarify: I dropped the problem tracks onto the actual Analyze Files button, much like dragging and dropping something into the Prepare area. When I would just click the Analyze Files button on its own, SSL thought they were all built.

Could the choppy waveform be due to the fact that it is "Windows 7"?

I just bought "Windows 7" and did a fresh install on my laptop.
Installed the latest version of Serato, analyzed all the tracks and I noticed a slight bit of choppiness to my waveform too. Nothing real serious but not as smooth as when I ran Vista.

The analyze files tab can be finicky (aka not work properly) which is why I always suggest people to either rescan their id3 tags prior to clicking 'analyze files' to remind SSL of what files have been analyzed and which ones haven't been or I suggest dragging/dropping files directly onto the analyze files tab to force SSL to analyze them.

I understand what you are saying- But I am now finding more and more tracks that for sure had overviews built, and they are now missing (Just like the track I sent.) I did the rescan of ID3 tags and SSL seems to think that all files are good to go... Yet I bring up some tracks and the overview is missing (When they used to be there.) Is there another way to force rescan all of them? And what could be making the existing ones disappear?

The only thing that would erase an overview is if the id3 tag was stripped using an id3 editing program such as iTunes.

Yes.. hold down the ctrl key and click on the 'analyze files' tab.