With MP3's taking over as the preferred storage choice for both home and professional DJ's alike the USB & Midi Controller revolution is paving the way of things to come.
Replacing your traditional CD Decks or Turntables, to use a Controller you will also need a PC or Laptop. All the elements of a traditional setup are now encompassed into new Controller setup, where the use can manipulate the bundled software directly from the controller.
Before deciding on which Controller you would like there are 2 things you need to ask yourself;
1. What spec is required from my PC/Laptop to run the software.
2. Do I want a Controller with a built-in sound card or will I purchase a separate 1.
So let's talk about the computer specification first. Every Controller we sell will clearly show what requirements are needed from you PC/Laptop. For this example we will take a look at the requirements needed to run the Numark iDJ3 Controller;
PC:
* Intel Pentium 4 or AMD Athlon XP
* 1024x768 SVGA video
* 512MB RAM (1GB Recommended)
* CD drive
* USB port
* 20MB free on the hard drive
Mac:
* Intel processor
* Mac OS X v10.5
* 1024MB RAM
* CD drive
* USB port
* 30MB free on the hard drive
These are the minimum requirements needed to run the software as recommended by the Manufacturer. If you are purchasing a new PC/Laptop we doubt very much that it would not be more than capable to run bundled software such as Virtual DJ. New systems these days are a much higher specification than listed above.
Other things to note when running your software are to keep all background operations to a minimum. If you have other programs running at the same time this can affect the performance of your PC/Laptop. For professional users we would always recommend having a PC/Laptop specifically for your controller, free of any files/documents/videos and pictures to minimize any conflict and performance issue's.
The next thing you need to consider is the sound card. I already have a sound card in my PC or Laptop I hear you say, and yes that is correct but to DJ you will require either a Controller with built-in sound card, or if your preferred controller does not have 1 you will need to purchase an external 1 specifically designed for DJ use. A popular choice continues to be the Numark DJiO USB DJ Audio Interface.
So why do I need an external sound card if it is not built-in to my controller?
DJ Controller require at least 2 outputs from your sound card. One goes directly to your Sound System/speakers/pa gear etc.. and the other allows you to hear what you are doing and planning to do next with your mix. PC/Laptop sound-cards do not have this capability and will will only allow you to do one of the above requirements, and that's not enough!
Controllers with built-in sound cards make this easy for you. They will have a direct connection to go to your Sound System, and will also have a Headphone socket on the front to allow you to monitor your mix like the diagram below.
Controllers without a built-in sound card will not have a headphone socket and need an external sound card such as this diagram here.
Set-up of an external sound card can be as easy as plug and play, but occasionally it may be a little trickier. Most PC/Laptops recognize the unit immediately but if you are struggling the accompanied instructions should trouble shoot any problems you are experiencing.
Finally it all comes down to your budget and what is bundled with the Controller. We always say stretch your budget as far as you can. The old saying ''you get what you pay for'' will ring true if you scrimp and save and expect to much from your Controller, but be sensible as well. Don't go too far if you don't feel you will make use of the additional features. The bundled software which will come with your Controller will normally be an LE Version which refers to Lite. A Lite version is not the full software version and although has all the features needed to get mixing straight out the box, it will be missing some of the advanced features you may require as your own personal experience and skills improve which you would like to take advantage of. If you want to upgrade to the Full Version of the software make sure you haven't used all you budget on the Controller!