Serato Software Feature Suggestions

What features would you like to see in Serato software?

2-4 Deck control with 1-3 Turntables/CDJs by flexible Timecode Input Routing

mixjockey 3:44 PM - 29 November, 2014
This suggestion is about controlling UP to Four serato Decks flexibly (one after another), with one or more Turntables or Timecode CDs by implementing a simple "Timecode Signal Routing-Matrix" inside Serato DJ.

Background:
I remember the times, when Scratch Live had two channels only, there was the "input reverse" switch, which was dedicated to route the timecode signal to the opposite deck. The active deck switched to internal modus, and that way the pitch stayed constant. I was able to play my whole set with only one turntable. Serato decided to call it an emergency feature, but for me it was much more than this. It made complete sense in many ways. - No Need to buy and carry around more than one turntable.
And, by the way, most DJs only have one hand on one turntable at the same time, like a guitarist who also has only one hand on one guitar at the same time ;-) Think about it, even the most severe scatching performances are always done with one hand on the vinyl at the same time. Switching the input signal would even allow faster performance workflows, than switching from one turntable to another.

As the four channel version of serato came up, you removed the input reverse switch and served us a workaround, meant for emergency situations when three of four turntables have a failure or something like that. But it was not the same, as the new method was based on swapping the audio outputs to different channels, and thus only controlling one single deck with one turntable. This has huge disadvantages in workflow, as you have to make sure, that the mixer channels have the same settings, when swapping the outputs.
This workaround is not any more usable for people who seriously want to take only one or two turntables for use with four internal decks, and still wanting to have a professional working environment.

I believe, that it is not easy to implement this kind of signal routing in serato DJ, in a traditional setup with Rane Hardware an traditional turntables, as there is a specific way of routing given by the hardware.

But with this new USB Turntables Things should be much easier, as they have their own A-D Soundcard built in. It should be realistically possible to route the timecode signal to different internal decks, one by another, and swapping the corresponding last deck immediately from relative to internal mode.

When I first saw this Reloop Deck, and saw that it was dedicated for use with Serato, I really hoped that I could control all four internal decks. It would be such a great Killer feature over anything else on the market.
The idea that I have to spend money for three additional Decks in order to get my dream setup working, makes me a huge stomach ache. I would rather prefer taking the money and buying the Rane Sixty Four, for example. - But there would still be the need of controlling the decks adequately....- with Timecode Vinyl....- but how? - Also not everybody has the space in his bedroom for placing four Turntables....


Please Think about it and keep the discussion alive!

Thank you very much!
mixjockey 3:55 PM - 29 November, 2014
there has been a similar thread here, were the discusiion started:
serato.com
mixjockey 4:42 PM - 29 November, 2014
... Please forget about the USB-Turntable thing. I copied and pasted it from a previous discussion... Cannot delete it anymore now...

Instead, please think about having a "ONE-Button-Per-Timecode-Signal-INPUT-ROUTING-MATRIX" within Serato DJ, for example as following:

1. The button/switch has five positions: OFF/Deck1/Deck2/Deck3/Deck4/

2. There is one such button/switch for each one of 4 "Virtual Timecode INPUT" channels within Serato DJ.

3. Each "Virtual Timecode-Input-Channel" is hard-wired to its corresponding hardware counterpart and thus to its corresponding Mixer channel on the one hand, but flexible routable to any virtual Deck on the other hand.

4. Each switch has its standard default setting Deck1 for "Timecode-Input 1" and so on, so that nobody has to care about it, if not needed.

5. You can leave the standard default setting by preferences, - the buttons/switches come available and visible in the user-frontend afterwards.

6. All those up to four buttons accept Midi, which means that you may get one Hardware Button in the end, for each Turntable/CDJ that you have, for total and fast flexibility in routing Any Turntable/CDJ to Any internal Deck at Any time.

7. Whenever a Deck looses contact to "Virtual Timecode Input", it switches back to internal mode automatically.

8. -> Every Track that is beeing played has its own deck, has its own mixer channel.
No Need to swap Audio Channels any more, as with the much acclaimed "Instant- Doubles-Method".