Zeego
One of the most dreaded things as a DJ performing live would be a problem with the laptop, resulting in the music stopping dead.
Many controllers have line/aux inputs which allow you to connect a backup music source, e.g. from a 2nd computer, or a phone or tablet. But even having that ready would still leave a gap in the music, and you playing a track from the start (rather than from where the music stopped).
So what would be ideal is to have a 2nd computer running VDJ, which essentially 'follows' everything that the 1st computer is running. That way, if your 1st computer fails, you just quickly switch the input on your controller to line/aux (connected from your 2nd computer output), and the music is restored almost instantaneously, at the exact same point where the music was playing, such that any gap is almost unnoticeable.
Could this be possible?
Many controllers have line/aux inputs which allow you to connect a backup music source, e.g. from a 2nd computer, or a phone or tablet. But even having that ready would still leave a gap in the music, and you playing a track from the start (rather than from where the music stopped).
So what would be ideal is to have a 2nd computer running VDJ, which essentially 'follows' everything that the 1st computer is running. That way, if your 1st computer fails, you just quickly switch the input on your controller to line/aux (connected from your 2nd computer output), and the music is restored almost instantaneously, at the exact same point where the music was playing, such that any gap is almost unnoticeable.
Could this be possible?
Posted Tue 31 Oct 23 @ 3:31 pm
kradcliffe
You should spend more time ensuring your gig laptop is reliable. Personally I have a MCX8000 controller that instantly switches to standalone if anything happened to the laptop or VDJ although I've never had to use it.
I've had one crash at a gig since 2008 and that was about 6 years ago.
I've had one crash at a gig since 2008 and that was about 6 years ago.
Posted Tue 31 Oct 23 @ 3:53 pm
Zeego
I've seen you post similar comments about reliability. My laptop is reliable, but there's still no absolute guarantee that something won't go wrong at some point, whether it's the laptop itself or something else.
Posted Tue 31 Oct 23 @ 6:07 pm
kradcliffe
Well most people either have a controller with standalone or a phone / tablet plugged in to an aux port just in case as you stated above.
Not sure there will be much interest in your solution.
Not sure there will be much interest in your solution.
Posted Tue 31 Oct 23 @ 6:09 pm
groovindj
I agree. In theory it sounds like a good idea, but in practice it's really not that important.
As far as I'm aware, no other DJ software can do that either, and if your laptop is as reliable as you say, then the chance of anything happening would be remote.
In the unlikely event of a freeze (etc), just hit play on your backup device.
As far as I'm aware, no other DJ software can do that either, and if your laptop is as reliable as you say, then the chance of anything happening would be remote.
In the unlikely event of a freeze (etc), just hit play on your backup device.
Posted Sat 04 Nov 23 @ 9:52 am
Zeego
groovindj wrote :
I agree. In theory it sounds like a good idea
Glad that you like the idea. It might be one of those features that people don't realise they want because they haven't thought of it. I just wonder how difficult it would be to do in practice. It's a bit like a Teleparty, but connected via USB or LAN instead of the internet.
Yes, no other DJ software does this either, but then I have posted this in the 'wishes' section of the forum.
Posted Tue 07 Nov 23 @ 10:12 am
locoDog
It depends on the fail though, if it's a corrupt file or something common to both machines, then your backup isn't a backup. Better to just have a real fail safe then running 2 machines at performance level and still worrying about a 2nd level of back up.
Posted Tue 07 Nov 23 @ 10:46 am
PhantomDeejay
Technically it's not "as simple as that"
First of all, you would need a way to sync the two machines together. The most obvious way would be via networking. This means that you would need a stable network connection (via cable or Wi-Fi)
Afterwards you would have to make sure that the "second" machine only works as a slave to the first one (to ensure that they won't get out of sync) and it would get out of slave mode ONLY when needed.
When you establish the above, you have to find a way to handle the possibly different audio routing of each machine. If you're using a controller with dual USB ports then you don't have an issue.
But if you're using a controller with one USB port that has "external mixer" audio setup (while the slave system should be working as "master + headphones") then things get far more complicated.
Even then, a solution could be technically possible, but not ideal.
However, there's a final question:
All this trouble of setting all these up, for what ?
I really can't remember the last time I had a crash with VirtualDJ and I always run the latest beta version (including ones that don't get released as EA versions).
If I had to carry a WiFi router or network switch with me, connect dual laptops, make sure they are always identical in terms of their music library, make sure they are connected on a dual USB controller, then ensure that I "lock" the second one just in case once in 10 years I had a crash and need to recover "in a second, FROM THE SAME TRACK, AT THE SAME POSITION", I would personally not do it. Trust me.
Yes, I carry a second laptop with me, and a second controller.
However I leave them in my trunk. I really don't bother anymore even connecting the backup laptop to the controller.
If all things go west, I can go to my car and bring out the second laptop or controller and keep the party going.
Will it be embarrassing ?
I guess so.
Will the world end ?
Definitely no.
At the end of the day will it matter ?
No, if I keep the party going and I don't let the mishap get into me.
Yes, I remember the days I was using Turntables and the record would randomly skip, or get stuck in a "loop", or a needle would brake in the middle of a track.
Yes, I remember the days I was using CD players and the disk would skip to a different track, or it would stutter badly.
I guess that's why I don't bother anymore. I have taught myself how to get over embarrassment and recover from situations like these.
As I said, at the end of the day it doesn't matter as long as you keep the party going!
PS: I know this is the "Wishes" forum. So, anybody can wish whatever he likes.
However I just wanted to give my own 2 cents on this subject.
I do not dismiss the idea. I'm just saying that even if it was a feature tomorrow on the software, I would never bother to set it up and use it personally. :)
First of all, you would need a way to sync the two machines together. The most obvious way would be via networking. This means that you would need a stable network connection (via cable or Wi-Fi)
Afterwards you would have to make sure that the "second" machine only works as a slave to the first one (to ensure that they won't get out of sync) and it would get out of slave mode ONLY when needed.
When you establish the above, you have to find a way to handle the possibly different audio routing of each machine. If you're using a controller with dual USB ports then you don't have an issue.
But if you're using a controller with one USB port that has "external mixer" audio setup (while the slave system should be working as "master + headphones") then things get far more complicated.
Even then, a solution could be technically possible, but not ideal.
However, there's a final question:
All this trouble of setting all these up, for what ?
I really can't remember the last time I had a crash with VirtualDJ and I always run the latest beta version (including ones that don't get released as EA versions).
If I had to carry a WiFi router or network switch with me, connect dual laptops, make sure they are always identical in terms of their music library, make sure they are connected on a dual USB controller, then ensure that I "lock" the second one just in case once in 10 years I had a crash and need to recover "in a second, FROM THE SAME TRACK, AT THE SAME POSITION", I would personally not do it. Trust me.
Yes, I carry a second laptop with me, and a second controller.
However I leave them in my trunk. I really don't bother anymore even connecting the backup laptop to the controller.
If all things go west, I can go to my car and bring out the second laptop or controller and keep the party going.
Will it be embarrassing ?
I guess so.
Will the world end ?
Definitely no.
At the end of the day will it matter ?
No, if I keep the party going and I don't let the mishap get into me.
Yes, I remember the days I was using Turntables and the record would randomly skip, or get stuck in a "loop", or a needle would brake in the middle of a track.
Yes, I remember the days I was using CD players and the disk would skip to a different track, or it would stutter badly.
I guess that's why I don't bother anymore. I have taught myself how to get over embarrassment and recover from situations like these.
As I said, at the end of the day it doesn't matter as long as you keep the party going!
PS: I know this is the "Wishes" forum. So, anybody can wish whatever he likes.
However I just wanted to give my own 2 cents on this subject.
I do not dismiss the idea. I'm just saying that even if it was a feature tomorrow on the software, I would never bother to set it up and use it personally. :)
Posted Wed 08 Nov 23 @ 12:55 am
PhantomDeejay
Also not related, but I remembered something that happened to me in a wedding in 2003:
The couple had booked the DJ (me) and the PA separately as they believed it would be cheaper this way.
So, I went to the venue where the party was going to happen about 90 minutes earlier, since the time I needed to set up my booth was less than 30 minutes.
To my horror, there was no sound system present there.
I called the groom, and it appears he had forgotten to finalize the booking deal for the PA.
He asked me if I could go and bring my own PA. I told him that I was an hour away from home, and this meant that definitely there would be at least an hour delay until everything could be ready.
He agreed.
So, I went home, loaded my PA, and went back to the venue.
When I arrived back, the guests were already there, sitting and waiting in silence!
Then I had to spend about 10-15 minutes to setup the PA (I don't think I have EVER setup that PA faster) and then finally introduce the couple and play their first dance.
In total the party began with about an hour delay.
It was not my fault, but people (guests) did not know that.
As far as they were concerned, they were waiting their DJ for almost an hour!
Long story short, it ended up being one of the most successful wedding parties I ever did.
Not only the couple was 1000% satisfied with the result of my work, but I also booked another 10 jobs from that particular wedding!
The funny thing is that when a friend of the bride called me to book me for her own wedding an year later, she did not remember the delay that happened that day.
She only remembered that she and her friends had a great time, the greatest of their lifetime as she said (but they always say that, so it's not that flattering :P )
The moral of the story is what I was trying to say above:
All it matters is to make people have fun and keep the party going. If they are having fun, nobody will bother (or remember) that there was a mishap somewhere...
Yes, my anxiety had hit the roof and my blood pressure was out of scale when I was trying to setup my PA in front of all the guests that were waiting there for almost an hour (despite not being my fault).
However what saved the day, was that I managed to get over it, and make those people dance and have fun!
That's why I think "training" yourself to be able to get over bad situations and keep going is far more important than a "perfect" backup solution.
Even if the backup solution works, but you let it get into your nerves, you'll still loose!
Over and out! :) :) :)
The couple had booked the DJ (me) and the PA separately as they believed it would be cheaper this way.
So, I went to the venue where the party was going to happen about 90 minutes earlier, since the time I needed to set up my booth was less than 30 minutes.
To my horror, there was no sound system present there.
I called the groom, and it appears he had forgotten to finalize the booking deal for the PA.
He asked me if I could go and bring my own PA. I told him that I was an hour away from home, and this meant that definitely there would be at least an hour delay until everything could be ready.
He agreed.
So, I went home, loaded my PA, and went back to the venue.
When I arrived back, the guests were already there, sitting and waiting in silence!
Then I had to spend about 10-15 minutes to setup the PA (I don't think I have EVER setup that PA faster) and then finally introduce the couple and play their first dance.
In total the party began with about an hour delay.
It was not my fault, but people (guests) did not know that.
As far as they were concerned, they were waiting their DJ for almost an hour!
Long story short, it ended up being one of the most successful wedding parties I ever did.
Not only the couple was 1000% satisfied with the result of my work, but I also booked another 10 jobs from that particular wedding!
The funny thing is that when a friend of the bride called me to book me for her own wedding an year later, she did not remember the delay that happened that day.
She only remembered that she and her friends had a great time, the greatest of their lifetime as she said (but they always say that, so it's not that flattering :P )
The moral of the story is what I was trying to say above:
All it matters is to make people have fun and keep the party going. If they are having fun, nobody will bother (or remember) that there was a mishap somewhere...
Yes, my anxiety had hit the roof and my blood pressure was out of scale when I was trying to setup my PA in front of all the guests that were waiting there for almost an hour (despite not being my fault).
However what saved the day, was that I managed to get over it, and make those people dance and have fun!
That's why I think "training" yourself to be able to get over bad situations and keep going is far more important than a "perfect" backup solution.
Even if the backup solution works, but you let it get into your nerves, you'll still loose!
Over and out! :) :) :)
Posted Wed 08 Nov 23 @ 1:32 am