DJing Discussion

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Converting old CDJ to midi

DouggyFresh 8:33 PM - 30 March, 2015
I've got a pair of broken CDJ-800MK2's, probably bad transports. I only use Serato, and I'm a computer tech and programmer. I was thinking about seeing if I can use a microcontroller to read the platter encoder, and the buttons and output MIDI. I seen an old project but it seems to be gone now called Scratch Decoder.

Anyone ever tried this with any success? Do labelled pinouts exist of the ribbon cables inside a CDJ-800?
eugguy 8:57 PM - 30 March, 2015
sell both. buy one cdj900 or 2000 or nexus...save yourself the time and headache.
DouggyFresh 9:12 PM - 30 March, 2015
I thought about one of those flat rate repair services for like $150 i seen online, but that's $300 and for that, I'd just as soon buy a controller or something else...
eugguy 10:02 PM - 30 March, 2015
yes. controller is also a great move as well. trying to fix and save them might be a money pit. although, i get what you are after. could be a fun project, but it's not like it would be revolutionary.
REDSELECTER 1:48 AM - 31 March, 2015
Quote:
I've got a pair of broken CDJ-800MK2's, probably bad transports. I only use Serato, and I'm a computer tech and programmer. I was thinking about seeing if I can use a microcontroller to read the platter encoder, and the buttons and output MIDI. I seen an old project but it seems to be gone now called Scratch Decoder.

Anyone ever tried this with any success? Do labelled pinouts exist of the ribbon cables inside a CDJ-800?


I think you really want to be able to output HID, not MIDI.

I can see three parts of this:

1 - sniffing the USB output of a supported HID player to see what the communication looks like

2 - reading the platter and transport of the CDJ correctly

3 - using an Arduino or similar board and simulating a supported player, and then converting the platter and transport messages into the appropriate HID messages.

#1 is probably the hardest

I did this for the Traktor Kontrol F1 before they added MIDI mapping for the Remix Decks in Traktor - you can read a bit about it here www.tunecrew.com
Mutis Mayfield 12:36 PM - 10 April, 2015
If you need any info on scratch decoder, here I am.

;)

My suggestion is go for the raspi route and upgrade your cdj into something capable to read pendrive. Send timecode signal from it will be the painfull path. Midification of some buttons could be possible too.
Mutis Mayfield 12:38 PM - 10 April, 2015
Painless, sorry. I be Wood-tongue some time, white-skin.