Yeah, they updated the Echo to be useless for most people.

That and if you move the pitch control you risk having the FX BPM go retarded.

They will probably consider fixing it for the next generation of DJs...

I'm forced to 1.7.1, too.0, as 2.0 is not stable and 2.1 has a terrible bug that destroys the library if a WAV file created in Logic is loaded.

Kinda sick of it.

I think many here are getting a little tired of it.

I'm actually back to using SSL out now as it is the most stable and the fx sound actually pro & good.

^ same

can't have the best of both words so Itch is getting used to play gigs where convenience outweighs performance

I like Itch and it is a good dj program, but for sure needs some updating.
The last major (2.0) update was almost a year ago. We need 2.3 with SSL FX.
Enough leaving Itch the little brother to SSL.

After having a lot of bug fixes after 2.0 we definitely need... MORE BUGFIXES :(
I'm stuck with 2.x. My Twitch supports the latest 1.x but my VCI-380 does not.

I'm still with itch 1.5 because 1.7 and above rendered the echo effect useless. Also I find 1.5 to be the most stable version of itch without any bugs when I'm out spinning.

To be honest, i don't have a good feeling about the progression of itch. Stability was the cornerstone of itch when the whole development started.

I use itch on osx 10.7.4. As there was an official statement that this osx is supported by itch. Unfortunately, disconnecting the players is a huge problem. Everything crashes. We're almost facing osx 10.8. And nothing has been done to resolve this matter.

Also the fact that the drivers of the third party controllers aren't being updated,doesn't give any confidence either.
In fact, i feel that itch has no priority at all anymore.
It feels like ssl and intro are getting all the attention.
Or do we have to conclude that serato isn't doing well as a company in general?

KMS, If agree with you.

Not really sure what happened with Serato lately..at least for Itch.
Seems to me that with SSL, Rane makes sure the software is really good and up to par with the
hardware and it's competition, due to the fact the software and hardware go 100% together (no Traktor, etc) will work with SSL. However, on the Itch side, the controllers sell either way and most will work with other softwares with midi mapping capabilities,(Traktor, Live, etc) so for every controller sold, Serato still makes a cut. It is kind of like when one buys a digital camera and is bundled with Photoshop lite, and the hardware maker has to offer some software with it. It just seems on the Serato Itch side, it is very quiet over the past year, and kind of strange. Also there are very few news releases for Itch and tons of need for updates and features.

Yeah, really got to wonder what's going on behind the scenes at Serato.

Pessimist: Itch is growing stale because Serato simply do not want to invest the resources into keeping it modern and innovative, when it can just keep ticking over. Perhaps they aren't doing too well so resources are tight and they have a "good enough" attitude.

Perhaps the specifics of their arrangements with hardware manufacturers give them little motivation to make it any better.

Optimist: Serato is working on a whole new level of awesomeness, merging the features of SSL and itch into one neat, modern, professional platform that will be easier to maintain & add features to.. therefore they are putting all it's resources into the brave new future of the platform.

Optimist: The release of Serato video gives me hope in Itch's future as a platform with a future worth investing in.

Pessimist: The poor execution of Serato video on Itch (no physical control, no midi control for video only, dated feel, regurgitated code from SSL video rather than a generational leap) seemed like a low hanging fruit kind of money grab. An iPad app by Algoriddim that cost next to nothing had a far more modern, inspired and innovative approach.

If they have anything to be optimistic about, what's the harm in at least hinting about it?

I really don't want to be one, but I'm staying a pessimist until proven otherwise.

I'm trying to feel optimistic, but hard to say on this one as it has been one very quiet year.

quiet since 1.7 unless you had a PC

...or unless you do video, in which case it's been a cracking year.

got the video when they had the sale. would trade it for a reverted echo myself :|

It's been way too quiet in here lately.. no announcements after video arrived :/

The constant bridge-requests are almost gone, so serato did pretty well with just ignoring all questions until most ppl forget about it or just give up all hope. Seems like the #1 strategy for features that won't be added: ignore until the crowd gives up on it.

Please prove me wrong... the main reason I'm visiting this board is the hope to see a 2.3 beta after all :/

Demise of the Bridge for ITCH is nothing compared to the biggest flaw this software has since inception: the poor keylock algo. This has to be fixed, otherwise I will consider eating a truckload of s**t and move to the darkside (CDJ2000).

Don´t forget the USB dropouts. The problem still remains unresolved.

I have none. Stability-wise it's pure perfection, better than anything else IMHO. But you need a fast Mac.

Yeah I just upgraded to a Retina Macbook Pro 2.6ghz and it's damn stable even at the lowest of latencies. To be fair it really should be as thing could probably power the Large Hadron Collider!

What I'd like is for Serato to make it throughly more modern and concentrate on the user experience a bit more.

They took the closed ecosystem page out of Apple's book. How about taking a few more pages. (oh but don't take anything from iTunes please! :P)

Serato say that my computer is above the requirements to run Itch. All of us need to change our computers?

DJCeria..you are on 1.7.1 and a Xone DX?

What is your usb buffer at and frame rate?

No, 1.7.1 in V7s. Buffer 1ms

:) thx. The V7's rock! Serato CDJ's!

Same for me on a Mac mid 2009... no single USB drop out...ever...


Can't say it better. or yes I can: Serato 1200's!
Pity, the V7's didn't sell well as needed. I'm afraid they will disappear from the controller DJ scene...

Sad but true. If I am not mistaken, they have been discontinued.

I'm starting to wonder if Itch will die if controllers are now starting to fade out like Xone DX and V7's, Twitch, etc.

AFAIK, the V7 setup may be discontinued, but it remains the best choice for my style. However, the keylock algo is critical, an improvement was promised since 2009 and my patience is drying up quickly.

Jesus, make it a paid upgrade and license zplane if you can't do it in house, but move quickly.

Also, fix the WAV bug... how is it possible that ITCH 2.2 destroys the music folder when trying to load a WAV made in Logic? This is devastating for Serato's reputation.

Yup, same for me. It was everything I was looking for, and it actually exists...

+1

this is also happening to files mixed down in Cubase, bought from beatport, Juno, etc., free tracks from soundcloud...

There has been a thread about it, but it seems like it has been ignored by serato.
So let me say it one more time over here:

this is the most terrible thing I've ever seen a dj program do. so I guess it's been the right choice to return my vci 380 and stick with Scratch live.

Actually, they told me a beta with the bugfix was ready but I haven't heard any news since then

Ok good to know.

I'm getting impatient about software updates especially with the new VCI380......What is keeping them so damn long?.....Too busy counting there profits i guess......lol

I hope it's that, but I fear it's about Itch is not a priority any more...

Maybe the sales results aren't good?
The business model not ok?
Too much competition from Traktor?

The fact that even new controllers do not get full attention of the development team is not a very good sign.

I'm sorry guys, but I really think that all this talk of Itch not being a priority is just silly.

When was the last time a significant feature was added to Scratch Live?

Look at the version history:

2.3.3 - hardly any additions, bug fixes

2.40 - new hardware support, bug fixes

2.4.1 - Serato Video, bug fixes

2.4.2 - bug fixes, reinstated mixtape which 2.4 broke

Itch:

2.0 - major redesign

2.1 - bug fixes

2.2 - Serato Video and bug fixes

2.2.1 - New hardware support

We all want fixes and improvements (sooner rather than later) but to suggest Serato are treating Itch like a red-headed step-child is just not true. In terms of features it's moving just as fast as Scratch Live, in fact probably faster.

^ ScratchLive evolved very quickly to a professional benchmark prior to the versions you listed until there where virtually no real gaps left to fill. Itch on the other hand may have added Video but some basic DJ features like pro audio FX have been put on hold indefinitely and are not being fixed.

With ScratchLive the new hardware support and bug fixes are mainly due to software that is impoving and expanding whereas with Itch it seems as though it's development is being backed into a corner by every instance of new hardware it has to support. I'm sure there are many happy 380 users but there are obviously tons of problems for a lot of others.

2004-2010: Took 6 years before Scratch Live got FX at all. Itch has evolved far quicker than Scratch Live EVER has, I only used the last few updates as a clear example.



Where did you read that?

I'm sure most of that evolution carried over into Itch. Don't get me wrong I do like the few things that Itch does that ScratchLive doesn't like beatgrids (at least when it's minus Bridge).



The Itch FX were as good as they've come in 1.5, then the Echo was goofed up in 1.7 and haven't made one improvement or fix since even after multiple acknowledgements. If you recall, Rane's MP25 and 26 mixer that support every software except Serato came out just after this which sounds like partnership tension to me about the whole Itch idea. Now that they're back together I bet there were some limits imposed and that makes way more sense to me than Serato being lazy. Therefore I bought a Rane mixer, I don't have time to wait for something that's not gonna happen.

I totally disagree, but that's such a detailed theory that I can't help but respect it ;-)

I look forward to being proven wrong, trust me.

hey good news:

So 2.2.2 is coming, not 2.3, great...

Such a snails pace to fix issues. Imagine how long it'll take to get actual... y'know... features. If ever.

So serato is upping their marketing budget with a fancy new site and is paying celeb djs to endorse it.. Now how about investing in the actual product

+1

Glad to see bug fixes and updates are coming, but I can't help but think that Serato really needs to up the pace of the next major release...they've fallen WAY behind Traktor in certain areas.

Then again, who knows what they've got up their sleeves? I'd much rather see them drop Itch 2.5 than 2.3, you know? Or see them roll out Itch 3.0 late this year with a ton of new improvements, features, and GUI improvements. I'm sure Serato is feeling the Traktor movement nipping at their heels. I believe they'll make things right with time.

@phatbob: it might sound silly talking about itch not being a priority anymore in your point of view.
But the crash behaviour of all numark controllers when disconnecting is a fact for over a year now
No driver updates for numark controllers is a fact for over a year now, and this for professional controllers that are hardly 2years old and already discontinued.

The cornerstone of itch was initially to have a rock solid dj platform with 1on1 controller mapping. 3 years later i personally notice there is a lot of work to do to return to these mission statements.

I don't ask new features.
I ask a software platform that is rock solid in any circumstances in order to do my job!

My computer never crashes when I disconnect my ns6..I disconnect it, itch says hardware disconnected, then I plug it back it, all 4 decks are activated..no crashing!on thats on a "buggy" win7 pc with only an i3

+infinity on your most stable statement. They should have re named it Serato gliTch after version 1.5.

This is not a bitching post rather than a reality check.

It's just a shame here as many interested Itch users who want the program to be as good or even better than it's competition, and know it's probably possible, but seems not much happens.
Seems in general the Itch community is slowly fading to Traktor.

Almost a year later since 2.0 and no major updates, besides a video plug-in. Ok, nice for some, but most prefer pro sounding / SSL fx, The Bridge, midi mappings , and stability fixes first.

Can Serato just give us the fx that SSL have and I'll be good until Christmas:)

Usually when the Serato guys are in absolute silence means they are working hard on something. They already know that some users may migrate to Traktor, and I'm sure they will do something to prevent this. I think wait is the best we can do.

@djemdub: sorry if i wasn't specific enough. crashes happens on OSX 10.7.+.
This is the osx version that all new macs currently run.

In other words: all new users of itch with a recent mac or upgraded to the latest version will face this problem and it is a known problem for almost a year now.
This starts to bother me indefinitely...

Traktor have already shown their hand for this product cycle/season. I don't think giving us a little preview of whats to come would cause any great issue. If traktor can outdo Serato with two significant releases before they've even released a bug fix then they've really got problems.

The radio silence is only going to put off potential customers and frustrate current ones. Such is the price you pay when creating a platform in which you want people to invest significant amounts of money.

Heck even super secret Apple reveal their OSs in good time because they understand this. The big WWDC keynote is more for customers than developers these days. Yes it'll also give competitors a heads up but in a competitive environment companies need to skating to where the puck is going to be, not where it is now.

Yeah,why can't Itch use the proper full screen feature in 10.7 and 10.8. It bothers me more than it should but come on, little indie developers have managed it just fine. When I try and assign itch to another space while full screen (does anyone actually use itch as a small window?) it just doesn't behave.

Come on Serato, make your software modern. Put some pride and polish Into it. We are on 10.8 now. We'd like more than... "Good enough"

@kmxorbit ohhh ok.that explains a lot.I had no idea.I sure hope Serato releases something useful to all itch users, instead of users with new mac OS and 380 users only(no offense) before I migrate to something else, which I really don't want to do..

U think that Serato bites off more than they can chew..they have in resolved issues that have been for a long time and instead of finishing chewing what they have in their mouths(resolve the issue), they go and take another bite(release more controllers or something that will back track progression) and that gives them an over filled mouth in which they'll never end up digesting(resolving the issues)...sorry for the metaphors/similies, they were a great comparisons lol..

Serato please hurry and get it right...I love my ns6 and would like to buy a smaller itch controller like the 380 someday, but if I don't see any changes sometime soon, bot only will I not purchase another itch controller, but ill sell my ns6 to get some cdjs(if I can afford them) or some techniques with an sl1 it sl2..might as well since ssl has all or the majority of the features that we are waiting for

What would be smart would be partner with one dedicated hardware manufacturer, preferably Vestax or Pioneer, to build all next generation Itch controllers. One of the main reasons ScratchLive is a superior product is because it works only with a Rane interface and runs like Apple software on a Mac. Unfortunately Rane doesn't build players, pitch control, or even great buttons so Serato has to consider someone who can do all that in spades like Vestax.

The only problem is with the Vestax example they also have to consider their Traktor department like Serato has to consider their Scratch Live side. IMO these in house overlapping partnerships with brands that are in competition is what's killing the potential of midi controller technology.

I think I'm getting on Traktor..seems pointless these days around here.

Gonna bump this for sadness sake. Yeah you post. lol

So I thought feels mentioned a bug fix release was ready..still no sign of it..give us some kind of hope to keep waiting...

It almost feels pathetic on my part to keep waiting

Yeah it does feel that way.

A patch may take time, although it really shouldn't take this much time. To let your community know what's going on and to give them a little assurance costs nothing but a few seconds.

What the hell is going on with serato these days, I really don't know. Are they in trouble? Are they not saying much because they have nothing good to say.

According to their fancy new website "they make Rolls Royce type shit". Nothing feels particularly Roll Royce about my recent experiences. The shit part, however, is pretty accurate.

ITCH is no Rolls Royce, not even close, it's Lotus Elise.

Lean and mean. Leave the bloat to competitors like the embarrassingly cluttered, uninspiring, sadnedd-inducing Traktor. And, yes, bugfixes are coming.

Traktor has a behavior which annoys me to this day as it broke several of my files.

Well, "broke" is not the word. It converted their ID3 tags to ID3v2.4 which has very little support. It wouldn't be so bad if it merely just deleted the ID3v2.3 tag and just wrote a 2.4 one... no... It wrote a 2.4 one in addition to the 2.3 one. Hence, it produced a malformed ID3 tag. It's been a pain for me to hunt down the ones it did and remove the ID3v2.4 tag while trying to preserve the 2.3 tag (as they tend to carry a lot of information since I take the time to properly tag my files - album art included).

it's the electric car, being halted by the companies who use petroleum products

I rocked on ITCH last weekend. Not "halted" in any way, it's the usual atomic weapon AFAIK.

Itch is a great program and still love it..just needs to catch up with the fx and some new updates.
Traktor is a bit over bloated yes I agree, but NI are always working on going forward.
I just ask Itch to have professional fx like SSL..Why not treat Itch as pro like SSL?

Haha, that was funny ;)

using it myself tomorrow night because it's a weeknight gig...

what i mean is that (aside from the Slicer which I don't use - via Novation) no technological improvements have been made in years with respect the art of DJing

I'm a Traktor user but bought a Twitch upon release and was really looking forward to using Serato software...until I fired it up.

Not stable, fx are awful, my external HD (1.5TB of music) takes forever to load and no option to map other controllers are just the start of my issues.

I really hope 2.3 sorts a lot of this out as I'm bored of Traktor and hate the library management.

Itch just isn't an option on my SSD MBP 8GB Ram running Lion. Ashamed to say I would fire up a hooky version of VDJ before Itch.

Come on Serato! You can do better than this.