Serato Video General Discussion

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 Serato Video General Discussion
Advice: Serato Video vs. Virtual DJ
Talk about Serato Video and Video-SL.

Advice: Serato Video vs. Virtual DJ

SoulLifter 10:39 PM - 20 April, 2012
Hey guys,

I'm going to start spinning videos and am trying to decide the best route to take. I've got Traktor and a Audio 8 box but that doesn't seem to help me with videos, unfortunately. Seems like I have two options: Serato Video or Virtual DJ. I'm looking for advice on which to get.

The club has a Serato box and discs already, so, I'd just need to get Scratch Live and the Serato Video plugin. Or, I could buy Virtual DJ. I'm used to using CDJs so not sure how comfortable I'd be with going straight-up laptop, auto-beatmixing with VDJ. My Mac laptop meets the requirements for both packages. Virtual DJ is about $300, and it seems the plugin for SV is $150 (can't find a price for just the Scratch Software, assuming no charge.) Cost isn't that important, rather have what's best for videos.

So, if anyone has experience with both, I'd like to hear from you most. Thanks in advance.
marx 11:39 PM - 20 April, 2012
For plug and play I would suggest Serato. I'm not 100% sure but am pretty sure you can use your audio8 with Virtual. You can also use the Serato box at the club with Virtual (unless it has recently changed) but its not plug and play (easy) compared to Setato.

Personally at this point right now I would use Serato, buy yourself a used SL1 box off eBay if need be (just to have one )

Virtual does have some very interesting things down the pipe though. The biggest game changer would be Traktor with video with a certain plugin lol.
popnwave 11:42 PM - 20 April, 2012
If you have an SL 1,2,3, or 4 all you do is download the SSL software and it will run just fine. Since you are using a Macbook I highly recommend investing $50 extra and going with Mix Emergency 2.0 over Serato Video for now. The only thing you need to be sure of is downloading ver. 2.3.3 of SSL so it works correctly.
skinnyguy 11:57 PM - 20 April, 2012
you have a mac?

mix emergency! ftw!
skinnyguy 12:00 AM - 21 April, 2012
the club already has the box. just download ssl 2.3.3 or older (1.9.2 is very nice) and you're good to go.

oh...and i think there is a way for vdj to use the serato box as a sound card...but eh, ssl + mix emergency ftw. we'll have to see what vdj 8 comes out with on the video side....
tomatoslice 12:08 AM - 21 April, 2012
if the club already has the serato box, it would seem best to go with that.
most logical and easiest to setup.

btw you can burn your own serato discs.
SoulLifter 12:19 AM - 21 April, 2012
Thanks for all the input. Yeah, have a mac. Read some stuff about Mix Emergency. Is that a plugin for Serato Scratch? Or...?
tomatoslice 12:27 AM - 21 April, 2012
basically, yes.
it is a plugin for serato scratchlive.
it's another program similar to serato video but much better.

what you should know is that at this time mix emergency does not work with ssl 2.4 but that should not hold you back unless you plan on using itch, a 61 or a 62.
SoulLifter 1:13 AM - 21 April, 2012
Ok. If I don't have the box at home though, what can I do besides get my playlists in order? can I mix internally like on Traktor? Obviously need to be familiar with Serato before getting to the club -- seeing how far I can go at home without a box...
DJ'Que 1:23 AM - 21 April, 2012
at home only thing you can do is listen, setup cue points in the offline player.
tomatoslice 2:42 AM - 21 April, 2012
no, you can not mix internally unless you have a serato box hooked up.
see if you can borrow one from someone. these things are everywhere.
DJ Sergio B 7:04 AM - 21 April, 2012
Only thing I miss from VDJ (used it with my NS7 before serato video came out) is they support non-video files much better than SV.

SV - you have to load clips when you load a non-video file - and you have to do it everytime you load a non-video file....I think it links them and keeps the link after you do it but I'm not sure...VDJ has plug ins and whatnot that you can assign to run and cycle thru when you load a file that has no video. Dopeness.

Sticker drift is noticeable with VDJ and ns7 - but its still good live - if you try it out - be sure to disable the auto gain - it makes great sounding files awful.

If you have a mac - I think ME has similar features when dealing with non-audio files - I wish ME came to pc :-( oh well.
DJ'Que 7:38 PM - 21 April, 2012
that's why. Me only a mac plugin. makes it better that way.
Taipanic 5:33 PM - 23 April, 2012
+100 on the Serato (2.3.3) and ME (2.0) since you have a Mac.
To clarify on VDJ though:
You can use timecodes just like serato or a hardware controller. You also do not have to use auto syncing, you can mix manually & properly just like with Serato, records, CDs, etc...