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Pioneer ddj sb2 /w full Serato right - deck freezing
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Pioneer ddj sb2 /w full Serato right - deck freezing

ASmith1606 1:44 PM - 15 August, 2017
I have the pioneer ddj sb2 with the full paid version of Serato which is updated to the latest version. I have used it on both a brand new 2017 Mac air, and an older 2014 Mac air which are always updated with the latest os. I have plugged the controller into the laptop both directly and through a powered usb extender port.

Randomly the right deck will freeze up stopping the song from playing. Pressing the play button does not start the song however the play symbol on Serato does light up and holding down the cue button does allow the song to play. I have noticed it most commonly occurs when loading a new song onto the deck or when I use the jog wheel.

Sometimes I can mix for hours without encountering the problem, other times it can happen every 5/10min and the only way to fix the problem is to restart Serato.

From both the Serato and pioneer forums it seems that this is a very widespread issue however after being in contact with the pioneer they passed me onto their official service company who wanted nothing to with the problem and told me to contact the retailer however the product is out of warranty.

Does anyone have any information, similar experiences or know of a fix? It makes using the product in a live performance setting, or trying to record nearly impossible
DjSyndic8 8:35 AM - 16 August, 2017
Quote:
I have the pioneer ddj sb2 with the full paid version of Serato which is updated to the latest version. I have used it on both a brand new 2017 Mac air, and an older 2014 Mac air which are always updated with the latest os. I have plugged the controller into the laptop both directly and through a powered usb extender port.

Randomly the right deck will freeze up stopping the song from playing. Pressing the play button does not start the song however the play symbol on Serato does light up and holding down the cue button does allow the song to play. I have noticed it most commonly occurs when loading a new song onto the deck or when I use the jog wheel.

Sometimes I can mix for hours without encountering the problem, other times it can happen every 5/10min and the only way to fix the problem is to restart Serato.

From both the Serato and pioneer forums it seems that this is a very widespread issue however after being in contact with the pioneer they passed me onto their official service company who wanted nothing to with the problem and told me to contact the retailer however the product is out of warranty.

Does anyone have any information, similar experiences or know of a fix? It makes using the product in a live performance setting, or trying to record nearly impossible


i know it might be a long shot but have you tried a different usb cable?
ASmith1606 6:00 PM - 16 August, 2017
Quote:


i know it might be a long shot but have you tried a different usb cable?


I haven't no, could that be the issue considering the left deck still works, and the right deck play button makes the play symbol on Serato light up, so some data is still be passed between the laptop and controller?

Hopefully ill be able to find a spare one in the house and not have to buy one
DjSyndic8 11:04 PM - 16 August, 2017
Quote:
Quote:
i know it might be a long shot but have you tried a different usb cable?


I haven't no, could that be the issue considering the left deck still works, and the right deck play button makes the play symbol on Serato light up, so some data is still be passed between the laptop and controller?

Hopefully ill be able to find a spare one in the house and not have to buy one


in the past my controller was doing wierd things that I can not explain but troubleshooting is all about elimination and once I changed my USB cable things came right Im not saying it will work for you but its always the less obvious things that causes the issues
#K 8:12 PM - 23 August, 2017
did u tried to use another USB Cable? I have the same issues with the left deck, also same with play button lighting up and the cue button playing. It happens rarely, but its annoying.
smiDJit 4:38 PM - 3 September, 2017
Quote:
did u tried to use another USB Cable? I have the same issues with the left deck, also same with play button lighting up and the cue button playing. It happens rarely, but its annoying.


Im experiencing a similar issue with my right deck. I have tried other USB cables but the problem persists. This is really frustrating. Any other suggestions?
DjSyndic8 5:43 PM - 3 September, 2017
Quote:
Quote:
did u tried to use another USB Cable? I have the same issues with the left deck, also same with play button lighting up and the cue button playing. It happens rarely, but its annoying.


Im experiencing a similar issue with my right deck. I have tried other USB cables but the problem persists. This is really frustrating. Any other suggestions?


if you can try your controller on a different Laptop and see if u have the same issue or switch USB port too
smiDJit 5:47 PM - 3 September, 2017
I tried both different laptops and different ISH ports. I've concluded it's the controller. I'm seriously considering taking it apart, but since the issue occurs sporadically, I'm hesitant.
DjSyndic8 7:51 AM - 4 September, 2017
Quote:
I tried both different laptops and different ISH ports. I've concluded it's the controller. I'm seriously considering taking it apart, but since the issue occurs sporadically, I'm hesitant.


ok are you running the latest firware from Pioneer i think its 1.06 found here ---->www.pioneerdj.com

please follow the directions properly when you update the firmware to insure you don't brick your controller,
DJ Tecniq 9:10 AM - 4 September, 2017
Quote:
ok are you running the latest firware from Pioneer i think its 1.06 found here ---->www.pioneerdj.com

please follow the directions properly when you update the firmware to insure you don't brick your controller,
You shouldn't help others if you can't point them in the right direction...he's using the SB2 not SX2 and it doesn't require firmware anyway. I have the deck myself but I don't have any of these issues but I'm also on Yosemite still and not 1 problem yet. From what I've been reading on the forum it seems quite a few users are having issues with Serato & Sierra "eventhough" it's supposedly fully supported. If they are both using Sierra than that's quite ironic and may rule out other possibilities.
DJ Tecniq 9:15 AM - 4 September, 2017
The SB2 only requires a driver for windows...Mac doesn't need one -> www.pioneerdj.com
DjSyndic8 9:42 AM - 4 September, 2017
Quote:
Quote:
I tried both different laptops and different ISH ports. I've concluded it's the controller. I'm seriously considering taking it apart, but since the issue occurs sporadically, I'm hesitant.


ok are you running the latest firware from Pioneer i think its 1.06 found here ---->www.pioneerdj.com

please follow the directions properly when you update the firmware to insure you don't brick your controller,


disregard last message it was for another thread
EllzAudio 7:12 PM - 21 November, 2017
It's the controller, it is cheap it can't handle playing over 5 hours without issues! I've tested it.
Serato, Forum Moderator
Matt-C 8:16 PM - 21 November, 2017
Hi all

The SB2 should be able to handle running 5 hours with Serato DJ - in fact our test suites run this for over 24 hours easily.

ASmith1606 - it would be best for you to open a help request (click the green Open Help Request button to the lower right of the screen) and let the Support team know your setup, your full computer specs and anything you've tried so far to get this working well. They should be able to get you up and running.

Cheers
Matt
DJ Shammy Dee 9:07 PM - 24 November, 2017
Hey all,

So I found an interesting solution to this same issue. I'd be playing 4 hour sets and sometimes the left deck platter doesn't respond and doesn't play, even if the play button is lit. It even happened when I switched out to the 3rd deck! Scary to happen during a live gig!

In a quick fit of frustration, I pressed hard on the platter and spun it back. It actually started playing again! I don't know if there is something happening with the pressure mechanism on the platter or not, but I found it worked for me.

I noticed it again today while prepping a set. I pushed the left platter forward with extra pressure on the platter and the track stopped playing. I tried pulling back on the platter with even more pressure and that seemed to "unlock" the deck.

Don't know why or how this happens, but hopefully this solution can help.

-Shammy
Logisticalstyles 12:57 AM - 25 November, 2017
Quote:
It's the controller, it is cheap it can't handle playing over 5 hours without issues! I've tested it.


I've used that controller for over a year had no issues using it at 7 hour gigs. It's a good controller for what it is. I sold mine and upgraded to an SR2.
DjSyndic8 2:46 AM - 25 November, 2017
Quote:
Quote:
It's the controller, it is cheap it can't handle playing over 5 hours without issues! I've tested it.


I've used that controller for over a year had no issues using it at 7 hour gigs. It's a good controller for what it is. I sold mine and upgraded to an SR2.

+1
DJ Switchbladedave 1:03 PM - 29 November, 2017
I had the same problem with mine. I took it to a local "official" Pioneer service shop in town and they made the problem worst. I ended up calling Pioneer and getting the address. I shipped in my DDJ-SB2 and had it returned working brand new in about 4-5 weeks! Shipping took forever but it was worth it.
DJ Switchbladedave 1:05 PM - 29 November, 2017
Quote:
Hey all,

So I found an interesting solution to this same issue. I'd be playing 4 hour sets and sometimes the left deck platter doesn't respond and doesn't play, even if the play button is lit. It even happened when I switched out to the 3rd deck! Scary to happen during a live gig!

In a quick fit of frustration, I pressed hard on the platter and spun it back. It actually started playing again! I don't know if there is something happening with the pressure mechanism on the platter or not, but I found it worked for me.

I noticed it again today while prepping a set. I pushed the left platter forward with extra pressure on the platter and the track stopped playing. I tried pulling back on the platter with even more pressure and that seemed to "unlock" the deck.

Don't know why or how this happens, but hopefully this solution can help.

-Shammy


I sent my DDJ-SB2 to Pioneer and they fixed the same issue with mine! It took a while to ship back but it was worth it.
DJ Tecniq 3:54 PM - 29 November, 2017
Quote:
I've used that controller for over a year had no issues using it at 7 hour gigs. It's a good controller for what it is. I sold mine and upgraded to an SR2.
Same. Never a problem with my SB2 but i don’t doubt some users had defective units. I upgraded to the SR2. Solid choice!
DJ Tecniq 4:01 PM - 29 November, 2017
Quote:
I have the pioneer ddj sb2 with the full paid version of Serato which is updated to the latest version. I have used it on both a brand new 2017 Mac air, and an older 2014 Mac air which are always updated with the latest os. I have plugged the controller into the laptop both directly and through a powered usb extender port.
Just to be clear you are connecting the controller into the Macs USB port and not a usb hub correct? Any Serato hardware device should be plugged directly into the computer for better playback. If you’re connected in to a hub you will result in playback issues cause it’s running off a hub with other usb devices and too much data is passing through...not good.
REDi Council Sound 6:52 PM - 5 December, 2017
Hey gang,
I have this same issue on channel 2(right deck) i've found that this issue hit me during my gig (6-8hrs) and i had to switch to the secondary deck(4) to finish my live set. I was just touching base if this was an update problem with 1.9.10? due to the fact that i've never had this issue while on 1.9.5/6 working off of the SB2 on Win.
alessiio5 11:36 PM - 27 December, 2017
Hello,
It is now a month that i have the same problem on the right deck. First i used the serato intro and i tought that could be the problem. Now i paid for it and after 3 songs it happend gazon. Im really frustrated now! Can someone please help me with this?
DJ Tecniq 11:50 PM - 27 December, 2017
Quote:
Hello,
It is now a month that i have the same problem on the right deck. First i used the serato intro and i tought that could be the problem. Now i paid for it and after 3 songs it happend gazon. Im really frustrated now! Can someone please help me with this?
what are the specs of your laptop?
Trini Fresh 7:39 AM - 30 December, 2017
I am having the same issue. I'm just going to upgrade I opened mine and couldn't locate the issue and it still persists. It gets worst over time
DJ Tecniq 11:25 AM - 30 December, 2017
Quote:
I am having the same issue. I'm just going to upgrade I opened mine and couldn't locate the issue and it still persists. It gets worst over time
What are the specs of your laptop?
Hambert 5:21 PM - 30 December, 2017
Watchwww.youtube.com

Is it doing this? Mine has been doing the same on and off for a while but it now happens right at the start of using it. I've changed the USB cable and also got a new laptop just in case. Also running a powered USB hub in case it wasn't getting enough power.
Uros Boskovic 9:30 PM - 27 January, 2018
I have the same problem with my sb2 sometimes when I press cue more times I get freez my play button and then when I press play button I dont get song playing but when I hold cue the song will play only when I am holding the cue button. I tried with different cable and usb port but still got the same problem. Please help
DJ Tecniq 11:27 PM - 27 January, 2018
Quote:
I have the same problem with my sb2 sometimes when I press cue more times I get freez my play button and then when I press play button I dont get song playing but when I hold cue the song will play only when I am holding the cue button. I tried with different cable and usb port but still got the same problem. Please help
what are the specs of your laptop?
Uros Boskovic 11:42 PM - 27 January, 2018
Quote:
Quote:
I have the same problem with my sb2 sometimes when I press cue more times I get freez my play button and then when I press play button I dont get song playing but when I hold cue the song will play only when I am holding the cue button. I tried with different cable and usb port but still got the same problem. Please help
what are the specs of your laptop?

Win7 64gb intel i5 kingston ssd240gb ram 4gb
DJ Marv the Maverick 2:03 AM - 28 January, 2018
It's the SB2 me thinks. A buddy loaned me one for a gig I was flying to. Needed something I could carry in my hand luggage. The cue buttons were dodgy , faded bleeding etc.

It ain't entry level for nothing
DJ Tecniq 6:59 AM - 28 January, 2018
Quote:
It's the SB2 me thinks. A buddy loaned me one for a gig I was flying to. Needed something I could carry in my hand luggage. The cue buttons were dodgy , faded bleeding etc.

It ain't entry level for nothing
That’s really odd but wouldn’t surprise me Pioneer has been known for having some pretty fucked up controllers right out the box. Luckily i never had any of those problems and I’m on Yosemite. I since sold it for the SR2 and that’s even solid. No issues.
kapil 1:45 AM - 5 February, 2018
Hey. I have also been facing the same issue, the left deck freezes . This has happened off late , over the past couple of months, previously for about 7 or 8 months, things were perfectly fine. Has anyone been able to find a solution to this or is it a hardware issue with the SB2 and nothing much other than sending it to pioneer and having it fixed is the only way out ?
DJ Tecniq 2:32 AM - 5 February, 2018
Quote:
Hey. I have also been facing the same issue, the left deck freezes . This has happened off late , over the past couple of months, previously for about 7 or 8 months, things were perfectly fine. Has anyone been able to find a solution to this or is it a hardware issue with the SB2 and nothing much other than sending it to pioneer and having it fixed is the only way out ?
What are the specs of your laptop? And under spec machine that doesn’t meet the system requirements can also cause the device to be unstable.
DJ Tecniq 2:33 AM - 5 February, 2018
An*
kapil 5:52 AM - 8 February, 2018
Quote:
Quote:
Hey. I have also been facing the same issue, the left deck freezes . This has happened off late , over the past couple of months, previously for about 7 or 8 months, things were perfectly fine. Has anyone been able to find a solution to this or is it a hardware issue with the SB2 and nothing much other than sending it to pioneer and having it fixed is the only way out ?
What are the specs of your laptop? And under spec machine that doesn’t meet the system requirements can also cause the device to be unstable.


I don't think it is the laptop as I am using the MAC Book pro with retina display which I use to VJ also. It is a 16GB RAM , with a dedicated graphic card of 2GB , with one hdmi out and 2 thuderbolt outs. Is it the controller.I have read in the previous thread above that the pioneer mixer SB2 is an inexpensive option and many people have faced it a year in use and above.
DJ Tecniq 6:09 AM - 8 February, 2018
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
Hey. I have also been facing the same issue, the left deck freezes . This has happened off late , over the past couple of months, previously for about 7 or 8 months, things were perfectly fine. Has anyone been able to find a solution to this or is it a hardware issue with the SB2 and nothing much other than sending it to pioneer and having it fixed is the only way out ?
What are the specs of your laptop? And under spec machine that doesn’t meet the system requirements can also cause the device to be unstable.


I don't think it is the laptop as I am using the MAC Book pro with retina display which I use to VJ also. It is a 16GB RAM , with a dedicated graphic card of 2GB , with one hdmi out and 2 thuderbolt outs. Is it the controller.I have read in the previous thread above that the pioneer mixer SB2 is an inexpensive option and many people have faced it a year in use and above.
I wish that were true i had the SB2 w/Yosemite and it worked perfectly fine. It’s possible it could be the OS X or usb cable. But i have to vouch I’ve never had an issue with my SB2 i since sold it though for the SR2 and that’s no issue either.
DJ Tecniq 6:12 AM - 8 February, 2018
What OS X are you using anyway?
kapil 9:07 AM - 8 February, 2018
I too haven't faced any issue at all for the first year odd, this has been happening off late. The weird part , deck 1 freezes as soon as you start using the jog wheels ,but the same track if loaded on deck 2 gives no issue at all. Everything works perfectly well. And during the 1st year of using the SB2 (before the issue started) , it is the same MAC system itself. I am running EL Capitan on the MAC ( i was running the same OS when there was no issue too). I guess it is a USB issue (I hope it is , else I have to invest in a new mixer) .
Hambert 9:14 AM - 8 February, 2018
I believe this to be an issue with the sb2 now. I have tried it with 2 different laptops and a powerful desk top pc. All have had the same issue. I've had the sb2 for about a year and a half. It was only after the 1st year or so did this start to break.

Big question is, is anything going to be done about it? Either by serato or pioneer. If this is a known fault and they are still selling them, It's a joke.
kapil 9:18 AM - 8 February, 2018
Oh okay, so if this is an issue with the SB2 , which is a tried and tested mixer one can buy? Any suggestions?
DJ Tecniq 3:58 PM - 8 February, 2018
Not positive if this will work but the SB2 has a utilities mode. There’s something about tweaking the jogwheel. Maybe it will help. docs.pioneerdj.com
DJ Tecniq 3:59 PM - 8 February, 2018
Sorry wrong page docs.pioneerdj.com
kapil 11:47 AM - 12 February, 2018
Thank you so much for this! Let me try this out!
Hambert 1:24 PM - 13 February, 2018
Did it work? I've a call logged with serato and pioneer about this issues with no help from either.
Hambert 12:57 PM - 17 February, 2018
youtu.be

As you can see, fault happening with rekordbox also. Have issue logged with pioneer but i'm not hopeful they will fix it.
DJ Marv the Maverick 10:14 AM - 18 February, 2018
Are you still under warranty?
Hambert 10:16 AM - 18 February, 2018
It's a year and a half old. Not sure if it's 1 or 2 years warranty.
DJ Marv the Maverick 10:25 AM - 18 February, 2018
Think it's usually 1 year warranty.

Time to consider if pursuing a repair is worth it for you? I can see the unit retailing for 250 $/€ online brand new.
Hambert 10:37 AM - 18 February, 2018
No local repairs. Nearest repair shop is in London and I'm Belfast.

1st logged this issue last June and still no fix or even either part admitting the fault is common.
Hambert 11:49 AM - 20 February, 2018
Sorry to hear that. Any known fixes would be implemented in future updates but no current firmware available. There is also no reported issues on our service site.


That was pioneers reply this morning. Doesn't really help any of us
Georgee1 12:44 AM - 24 April, 2018
having the same problem. freeze on the left deck but i’m on the ddj-sb1
Sunny Norden 5:08 PM - 15 May, 2019
@DJ Shammy Dee
Quote:
Hey all,

So I found an interesting solution to this same issue. I'd be playing 4 hour sets and sometimes the left deck platter doesn't respond and doesn't play, even if the play button is lit. It even happened when I switched out to the 3rd deck! Scary to happen during a live gig!

In a quick fit of frustration, I pressed hard on the platter and spun it back. It actually started playing again! I don't know if there is something happening with the pressure mechanism on the platter or not, but I found it worked for me.

I noticed it again today while prepping a set. I pushed the left platter forward with extra pressure on the platter and the track stopped playing. I tried pulling back on the platter with even more pressure and that seemed to "unlock" the deck.

Don't know why or how this happens, but hopefully this solution can help.

-Shammy

Hey bro, i have done the same stuff not while mixing but wen doin sum scratch routines, but the thing is we can't go on doin the same thing. So i opened the gear and found out that therez sum gel type of slippery stuff applied to it but its was similiar to the other deck and looked fine. Now i wonder is it regarding the softare.
DeeBee05 2:18 PM - 24 October, 2019
getting the EXACT SYMPTOMS on the roland dj 202.(left deck only stops playing-play button lights up but track wont play-cue buttons will play track-wth) this is my second unit replaced on warranty- makes me think its a serato issue. (dj lite being used on this one, high specced toshiba lappy. I have updated firmware, reinstalled windows 10 etc, new usb cable, different ports. did anyone find a solution-left deck not working on multiple controller brands-its obvious reading these threads there is a common issue here-software......
emenelopee 6:20 PM - 9 December, 2019
Looks like this is an ongoing problem?

For the record I'm having the same problems on my Roland DJ-202 right platter so it's not localized to just one manufacturer. Perhaps something to do with common components?

New top spec laptop, all firmware and software updated, problem only started now since purchase end of Feb. Support ticket put in.

Quick cross-post to expand the loop on this issue:

dougieboom.com
Drich 11:31 PM - 10 December, 2019
Hi all,

Another one with this issue: the right deck is frozen, play button is not working and the serato waveform makes strange movements. To fix this in live I switch to channel 4 and apparently it works for a while until the problem start again. In that moment, I have to switch again to deck 2 and it works again until the problem come back again and I have to come back to do the same process everytime. Best option is to deactivate the vinyl mode in the deck which give problems but the problem is still there.

Apart of that, I start to have problems with my right upfader too which loses the sound when is in the higher position if I touch the fader..I don't know what to do with this.
I don't know how much could cost to fix this and if it is worth it.
I thought also to buy the Roland 202 to replace this one. But sadly I start to read comments of people having the same issue.
RudyRay 9:24 PM - 1 January, 2020
I'm also having the issue on the DDJ-SB2 where the right deck spontaneously freezes and the play button no longer responds to initiate track rotation. Holding down the cue allows the song to play, but that is a horrible workaround. Changing USB cables or switching computers does nothing. I get that this controller is several years old, but i'm surprised there is no software fix for such a common flaw (assuming its software versus hardware).
Mike120 7:48 AM - 16 February, 2020
So it’s 2020 and after the recent update my right deck on my DDJ-SB2 is freezing before I would spin the deck and hold play and it work again. Now it stops working all together. Serato Team what is going on? And let’s not mention scratch live not having any updates. I can’t even use my 57 rane mixer.
DJ Valeryx 3:21 PM - 13 March, 2020
Quote:
So it’s 2020 and after the recent update my right deck on my DDJ-SB2 is freezing before I would spin the deck and hold play and it work again. Now it stops working all together. Serato Team what is going on? And let’s not mention scratch live not having any updates. I can’t even use my 57 rane mixer.


hey there!
this might be a platters defect of sb2, I saw about this somewhere on internet.
actually roland dj 505 and 202 have this problem and roland support replacing the platters