Normally I use SC5000M with a Allen&Heath Mixer. And normally I do not use the players’ internal BPM effects. Since I bought a PRIME 2 last week for smaller Gigs and backup. The PRIME 2 has 3 Knobs/Rotarys on every side to control the internal BPM effects. First time using them I wonder 'bout the good sound qualitiy and how use- and helpful some of them are.
Now I really would like to play on my SC5000M in the same way. The idea is to plug a little MIDI Controller to the SC5k USB port, like you can plug a LC 6000, which is a dumb midi controller.
I’ve never connected mine to another Denon device. But I’m guessing the primary device does some kind of ‘recognise’ function in the firmware when you do? If so that could be classed as a handshake.
In reality it is a safe bet that all Denon DJ (& Numark) products - called standalone - are simply midi/HID controllers.
These are controllers with an integrated tablet based on a Linux kernel on which runs a unique application called Engine OS which only interprets these midi/HID signals.
The only difference between Denon DJ products and a classic midi/HID controller is that the midi/HID controller sends information to an external software on a computer, while Denon products send this information to the internal software.
The best proof is that when you switch to computer mode you can map any SC6000 / SC live / P4+ etc to a midi software - for example traktor.
This also explains why there is no hybrid mode allowing you to switch seamlessly from standalone mode to computer mode. Because when switching to computer mode, Engine OS must be closed to free the Midi/HID ports and the audio driver.
Hybrid mode has more to do with the built in computer and it’s sound card. The control surface is running on a microcontrollers (usually stm32 or something similar). This is sending or usb or rz-232, or 485, or 422 to the computer for interpretation. The built in computer is then translating these signals to usb port for another computer.
The reason behind the previous pioneer cdj’s had seamless switching, is that their gear was running on the microcontrollers instead of a built in computer. The OS they had was much more simple and wasn’t actually a host device at all.
I am pretty sure it is midi, cause the LC 6000 is nothin’ but a Midi Controller which works fine with third party software and it makes absolutely no Sense to set up the device with another protocol for the same function with another Hardware.
But… “All theory is grey!” as we say in german and I would try. The only Midi-Controller I have is a native instruments traktor controller and I dont know, if I could change it’s the Midi-commands.
It seems a better idea, setting up an iPad with a Midi-Controller App, where i can edit the midi Commands like the denon Midi-Specs-Sheet. Do anybody know an app like this?
Im not sure its ‘nothing but a midi controller’, but it certainly is a midi controller with other software. It may be sending other signals to Denon devices when it connects to them, something along the lines of HID for example (i dont know, not something ive ever looked into before).
I am 95% sure that LC6000 works under HID under VDJ for having done some comparison tests with simple midi mapping under traktor and DJay which does not support HID
The LC6000 seems much more responsive with VDJ especially the jogwheel for fast movements such as scratching or backspins.
Even if it has improved in the latest traktor mapping and it does not pose a problem for beatmatching, it is simply not as responsive for scratching.
I think that no other midi device will be supported if you connect them to your Denon equipment, as long as the development team does not allow you to assign functions to the keys with a “Midi Learn” type system.
Currently, only the official LC6000 device is supported (There are no others to my knowledge)
