Using Rekordbox DJ in HID mode - in depth questions

Hi all,

Stuck this on reddit but thought I would ask here directly as well.

I have been using pioneer CDJ equipment for a long as I can remember with CD's and USBs, but after moving to Rekordbox DJ and my DDJ-RX I want to start turning up with my laptop, plugging in through HID and using the setup as controllers for the software. But I have some questions as to how this works. I have watched YouTube videos but some questions I cannot find answers to.

I'll turn up with my laptop, 5 USB Cables to connect 4 x CDJS and Mixer through USB ports on my laptop/USB hub.

1 - Do I just plug in all the USBs and open the aggregator then open Rekordbox in performance mode, and activate the CDJs by pressing the link button?

2 - What if the DJ before/after is using Link mode with USB and Ethernet ports? Do I need to unplug them, or is it ok to have Ethernet & USB cables plugged in and select "HID mode" By pressing "Link" again and selecting with the scroll wheel?

3 - If going B2B with someone, and they want to use USB Link, can we easily switch between the 2 using the above method?

4 - Do I have the have the mixer connected with USB in order to make sound come through the mixer into the main club system? Or can I skip that, and use Rekordbox to push the audio through the CDJs and use the mixer as a stand alone as if I was playing directly from USB/CDs?

5 - If Using a USB hub, does the hub need to be powered and plugged in, or can it be a standard USB hub.

I don't have CDJs at home, but I am more than comfortable using them and don't want to have to carry my controller around with me, Just not done too much in terms of pushing further with Rekordbox DJ.

Samuel Alexander Spratt January 03, 2018 15:04 Answered

Official comment

My first recommendation would be to skip the complex audio configuration and just assign the mixer as your audio device for output. If the CDJs are CDJ-2000NXS2, they can be linked to each-other via the ProDJ Link (ethernet), and then connected to your computer via a single USB cable with the USB Link Export driver installed on your computer. If they're not NXS2's, you'll need to run a USB line from each.

We don't recommend having both the USB and ethernet connected simultaneously to the same computer just to avoid any conflicts, but in testing, I've found it can be done. If you wanted to switch between modes (HID > rekordbox / USB / CD / SD), that's not a problem.

If the DJ after you wants to connect to LINK and you're using rekordbox in performance mode, that's not a problem either - he simply connects via ethernet to the hub, switches one of the players you're not using out of HID mode, and then he can drop a song to it to mix out of your set.

I recommend a powered hub.

Pulse January 10, 2018 19:36

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4 comments

Thanks Pulse, as you can imagine this is quite a lot to get your head around without having the full setup at home haha.

I've just noticed that the NXS players have a Rekordbox button, so I would connect using this, and the other DJ use Link as normal.

(This has all stemmed from me not realising the played have this Rekordbox button haha, so now I feel a bit stupid - never noticed it before haha).

Samuel Alexander Spratt January 11, 2018 09:31 0 votes

No -- the rekordbox button is to "link" to rekordbox (in EXPORT mode), you'd be in the LINK mode to link to your computer.

Pressing and holding the BACK button (in the LINK menu) allows you to choose another CDJ's USB device as the source.

Pulse January 12, 2018 01:37 0 votes

Gotcha! So the Rekordbox button allows you to use your computer as your library, but use the players in standalone mode.

I need to be in Link mode, holding the back button to change between Rekordbox DJ & USB Media.

Thanks.

Samuel Alexander Spratt January 12, 2018 10:28 0 votes