MA2 <> CDJ-2000 Synronization!

A$3,169
of $2,800 targetyrs ago
Successful on 24th Mar 2016 at 9:42PM.
It's highly likely that the most popular Pro DJ players in the world are the Pioneer© CDJ-2000 series of player.  These players can play tracks from USB sticks or CD's, and are also capable of calculating and adjusting the Tempo of the music that is currently playing - so the DJ can align the beats of several different tracks & players together.  It is not uncommon for some DJ's to use four or more players at once in their shows.



Fortunately there is an ethernet connection available on these players to share this kind of information between the players and the DJ mixer (and other computers) to make the DJ's life easier.  Since most DJ's play on stages, and many stages will have computerized lighting systems, this Tempo information (also know as Beats Per Minute) is a very handy thing to have available to lighting console in real-time (via MIDI, Time Code and for more advanced functionality into an MA2 Lighting Controller - the world most advanced and popular lighting control platform), so lighting chases and effects can be synced up to the DJ.  Because - as they say, without lights, it's just radio!


We can display and use this information in real-time within the lighting system:

■ Timecode (or position in the track)
■ Beat in the bar (1,2,3,4, 1,2,3,4, 1,2,3,4...)
■ Original BPM of the track)
■ Instantaneous BPM (iBPM, as affected by tempo slider and the virtual scratching wheel)
■ If the player is "On Air" (Live in the mix)
■ The track number and source selected
■ If this player the Master player of all players (there is a master button on the players)
■ If the player is Alive/Loading/Playing/Paused/Cued/Cueing
■ The direction track is playing in, be it forwards '>' or backwards '<'
And possibly other meta-data such as Title/Artist etc.

This functionality will, if funded, become part of TimeLord - The Media Time Code Player tool suite, which also includes a CITP video-to-console stream server and an MA2 enabled web server, which are all designed specifically with MA2 compatibility in mind.

How can it integrate? Will other console be supported?

If this project gets funded,  we can take this available information and use it in several different ways:

■ For pre-planned shows where the DJ and LD work together, we could have a simple pseudo-setlist, like a database that associates the track/source of the DJ's players to individual Time Code Pool objects in MA2, so the DJ is still free to choose whatever track they wish and whenever they want to use it.  This could be very simple, a list that defines for example "When DJ plays Track 3 we use Time Code 3" or even more advanced such as "When DJ Plays Track 12 on Player 2 we use Time Code 24".  Possibly (and likely), with further investigation Tracks and Time Code Objects could associate by simply name & label.

■ We also (and as shown in a video above) have assignable speed groups that rename themselves in MA2 to 'CDJ-1', 'CDJ-2' etc available for selection, and these are updated to reflect the iBPM of the track playing on the specific player.  We can then have effects and chases assigned to use these speed groups.  Even cooler is that when the DJ scratches or stops the "virtual record", the BPM in MA2 follows all the way down to 0 (show in the last part of the video) - this is the EDM busking tool from hell!!

■ We can allow the LD to choose MA2 commands to execute on particular events from the DJ, (even specific to particular tracks), such as the play/stop/cue/direction/live events tied directly to MA2 command lines... All sorts of uses there!

■ We could also display this information in a CITP video window right on the console too.

It's very possible we can even stop/start the players also, in-case DJ wanders off :-)

For other consoles, that can receive MIDI notes or MIDI Show Control or Time Code, we could still provide beat, start, stop, and cue information.

How The Funds Will Be Used

If we achieve this small goal, I will pick up a CDJ-2000 player, and this will enable me to include and support the CDJ-2000 functionality into TimeLord into the future, and help ensure this feature is well supported.

If we exceed the project goal, it will help greatly in facilitating time and access to multiple players of various brands to investigate expanding support further.  As I am not a DJ outside of my own headphones, any equipment purchased by this project would then be resold and the funds used towards purchasing other player models & brands to continue development.

In the unlikely event we drastically exceed the goal by enough to purchase an MA2 console, you will see all sorts of craziness become available!  Custom boot logos and lock screens, a media player, USB audio, and dual boot Linux are just a few of the possibilities... AND TimeLord will be completely free, I will open-source my available software and implementation notes, and focus mainly on developing console mods. This has always been my long-term goal, I have always been more interested in the technology than in the money!  Why not shoot for the stars?!

The Challenges

The biggest challenge in this project is actually having the readily accessible hardware that's necessary to get the job done.   There are bugs and functionality to be worked out, though as you can see from the video it is effectively going to work.  Though because of the difficulties of not having this hardware, this will likely never end up in TimeLord without this funding to ensure it's stable.  

As you can see from the videos, this is very possible, but getting hold of this information is not so easy! Without proper access to the hardware to test on, it will be a very difficult and prolonged process to get this working stably at it's maximum potential, and difficult to add extra features and iron out the bugs. No true reverse-engineering of firmware is needed, as we are interpreting the data that is freely sent across the network, however so specifications are available for these messages, so it then becomes a time consuming process of trial and error.

Warm & Fuzzy Feeling

The recipient will have a warm and fuzzy feeling that they have contributed towards enhancing live shows :)

1 chosen

Est. delivery is Apr 16

TimeLord Media Player

The recipient will be sent an activation code which provides for one installation of TimeLord - The Media Time Code play-out software, which includes the MSEXLord CITP video streaming to console server, and HTTPLord (a MA2 connected web server), and will also have the warm and fuzzy feeling described above. (https://timelord-mtc.com).

13 chosen

Est. delivery is Apr 16

Things can only get beta!

A recipient of the reward will get a TimeLord activation code, a warm fuzzy feeling, AND access to beta (experimental) versions of TimeLord (including early access to work towards the project's feature objectives.)

2 chosen

Est. delivery is Apr 16

YourLord Customization

The recipient of this reward will get a TimeLord activation code, a warm and fuzzy feeling, access to beta versions as above, AND the ability to personalize and advertise your install by placing your own logo on your TimeLord desktop.

1 chosen

Est. delivery is Apr 16

8-bits of YourLord Reward

The recipient of this reward gets all of the benefits of the YourLord reward, PLUS seven additional TimeLord activation codes, making 8 installs in total! You can re-gift individual codes to your friends, co-workers and employees. This many codes would currently be worth AUD$400

3 chosen

Est. delivery is Apr 16

Exclusive MAtrix of DooMA

You are keen to see hippy get a console, and as a reward for your awesome support, you get the 8-bit reward PLUS I'll post you a USB stick for an MA2 console, that you can save your shows on, and it can also run DooM, the MAtrix, and a funny popup eyeball prank. Note: The USB stick is useless for onPC users, and only tested on MA2 Light consoles running version 3.0.0.5 (There is some risk here this stick might not actually at all yet work with higher versions, though I believe it should).

1 chosen / 49 available

Est. delivery is May 16

The OverLord

As the recipient of this reward, you will receive every other reward, AND: * Provide the funds to purchase an MA2 Console, to document and facilitate the open development of expanded functionality (such as USB sound/MIDI drivers, custom lock / boot screens, a media player, dual boot Linux) * Make TimeLord and it's source code available to everybody in the world! * Ensure the development of new apps, and continued improvements to all my existing MA2 related applications. * Be my hero :)

0 chosen / 1 available

Est. delivery is May 16