ive had my hercules rmx for almost 2 years now. im using it with a macbook. havent had any issues before, i was on a month layoff from spinning and when i do my first gig all of a sudden i have issues. everything starts out running fine, but about 15 or 20 minutes into my mixing the song will start skipping and then all the sound cuts out. vdj still runs but i get no sound in my headphones or in the club. if i reboot vdj it will start working again but only to have the same problem minutes later. i get no crash error in vdj, so im not sure what is going on. ive tried hooking up to systems at 2 different clubs and the same thing happens. ive changed cables as well. the only thing ive done differently was updated to the latest drivers from the hercules website, i did that the day before the thing started messing up. can someone please help me.
Hello,
I doubt it is due to the drivers, but you try uninstalling the new DJ Console drivers (in sending to trash the Applications > Hercules folder) and re-installing your previous driver.
I rather believe the issue comes from a setting change in the Mac environment (as Wifi previously disabled and now running as background task), or a setting change in VirtualDJ.
You should make sure you follow the guidelines to optimize your Mac, and make sure the USB bus power is still powerful enough on your Mac (if you have a USB hub with a power adaptor, you should try connecting the Rmx via the hub to check if isolating your Rmx from USB port power fluctuations has any impact).
I tried uninstalling new console drivers and installing the older one but it still recognizes the new one and wont let me install the old version. I dont use a usb Hub. ALso something else i notice is that when the sound does stop, if I press play on the controller or in VDJ nothing happens, if I change the output from the Herc to built in output it starts working again
Hello,
Please precise:
- your version of DJ Console Rmx drivers (previous version and new version)
- you version of Mac OS
- your version of VirtualDJ.
DJ Console - Driver Package v.2.47 Firmware v1.0.6.31
Previous Driver package was 2.22
Mac OS 10.6.6
Virtual DJ V 7.0.2 PRO
Hello Epic,
It may be a power supply issue on the USB port: can you make sure the USB cable is not moving, and if you have the opportunity to test the Rmx with a USB hub which has a dedicated power adapter ? It should solve the issue if it is a power issue.
Another possible explanation is an electrostatic issue: can you try the following process
- on the rear panel, remove the screw attaching the aluminium cover (close to the USB port)
- wind up a thin coper or steel cable 360 degrees on the screw, and put the screw again in its original position on the aluminium cover
- wind up the other side of the copper cable to the ground screw on the input 1-2,
and use it that way.
Thanks I have connected the ground wire as you said I'll give that a shot. Also a little more info I have noticed that if I use my RMX as just a controller and set my VDJ output to built in audio and run my mac to a system it works fine with no problems, but if I use the RMX as the sound output I get problems. I was able to go a good hour at my last gig using the RMX as the sound and all of a sudden it cut out on me and i had to restart
Hello Epic,
If the issue occurs only in audio playback, and no in DJ control, then it is not an electro-static issue, it really looks like a USB bus power issue (the audio playback consumes more USB bus power than the MIDI controls) .
You should check if connecting a USB hub with its own power adapter between the console and the MacBook solves the issue, as I suppose the issue comes from power on the USB port.
You can also check if resetting the power management on the MacBook solves the issue.
Ok Max, last night was my first gig since your suggestion and I actually did both. I grounded the RMX and got a powered uSB hub and I had no issues. I have another gig tonight so I'll be able to see again if the problem is resolved. I appreciate your help. Any idea why all of a sudden this happened? I've had my RMX for 2 years and never had any issues til now.
Hello Epic,
Fluctuations on the USB bus power may be caused by
- a software system update (in updating Mac OS, or simply in changing a setting, or in installing a software which changes a setting)
- a hardware performance decrease (your USB bus delivering a not as stable power as before, on the opposite, your Rmx console not supporting as well as before power fluctuations which were already on your USB bus)
- a hardware environment change: generally, it is worth checking if you still get the same issues after removing all the other USB devices (for example, I have seen a DJ Console Mk2 not working any more, and the issue was not laying in the DJ Console Mk2, but in a USB mouse connected to the same computer which was still working but polluted all the USB ports on the computer: replacing the USB mouse solved the problem).
Well Max, since I did your fix I'm 4 gigs in with no issues. Thanks man, Still keeping my fingers crossed
Hey Max, I ran across that issue again last night. Since I fixed it originally I've done about 8 gigs with no problems. But last night about 3 hours into my set the sound cut out again. Everything kept moving in vdj, but there was no sound coming out of the speakers. I had everything ran through the usb hub like you suggested i even had the herc grounded. you think it may be time for a new mixer?
Hello Epic,
Was your USB hub powered by an independant power adaptor?
Yes it was, I had the hub plugged into a wall outlet
No i have not done that yet, but i will tonight.
Hey Max i've come to the conclusion that the issue is definitely the laptop. I bought the Deejay Trim 4 & 6 and after about 3 gigs it did the same thing that my RMX was doing the sound stopped coming out. And the monitor was showing sound on the Trim but nothig thorugh the speakers it cut out after 2 hours in the gig. I did reset the power management like you said and I was good for about 3 gigs after that then it started happening again.
Hello,
1) The view meters on the DeeJay TRIM are analog hardware view meter: they don't show the sound level coming from the computer, they show the sound played on the input or on the ouput of the DeeJay TRIM (you can set the view meter either on inputs or on outputs).
If the view meters you have seen showing sound
- were set on the outputs while you didn't hear anything in the speakers, the issue is on the speakers,
- were set on the inputs while you didn't hear anything in the speakers, the issue may be in the laptop or anywhere.
2) Have you the same issue whatever the VirtualDJ version or have you tested with only 1 version?
Hey, I have not tried any of the previous versions of Virtual DJ because I dont have any other versions of it. However With the sound, I flipped the switch up and down and there was no sound. However I have had this issue on other systems besides the one i was playing on last night
Hello,
The viewmeter switch doesn't switch the sound from inputs to outputs, it switches the viewmeter from inputs to outputs, so it is not supposed to change the sound, it is only supposed to switch the viewmeter.
Hmmm well.
I've done everything from change cables out, I've tried with RMX and with Trim. I've tried at 3 different clubs and the same issue happens. I think it has to be the laptop in some way
I was able to go back to a previous version but i still ran into the same problem. VDJ Chat advised me to try adjusting my latency buffer. Not sure if that will help
