Mobile DJ Mix release 1.07

Hercules has released a new version of the software Hercules Mobile DJ Mix, release 1.07, compatible with both Hercules Mobile DJ MP3 and with Hercules Mobiles DJ Preview Edition.

This new version improves
- the mix of audio CDs with an intelligent CD detection and loading (which means the audio CDs you have already loaded in Mobile DJ Mix 1.07 are recognized when you re-insert them in your CD/DVD-Rom drive, and you don't need to retype the name of each track (if you did it on the first insertion), and you don't need to re-analyze the tracks to calculate the BPM rate
- the samples supported on the FX buttons, which can now go up to 30 seconds.

http://ts.hercules.com/eng/index.php?pg=view_files&gid=2&fid=28&pid=201&cid=5

A New Version Of Hercules Mobile DJ: Mobile DJ Preview Edition

Hercules has released a new version of its Mobile DJ wireless controller: this Mobile DJ Preview Edition is the same hardware as Hercules Mobile DJ MP3, coming with the same Hercules Mobile DJ Mix software, with 2 changes:
• The DJ controller is black and its USB receiver is black
• It comes with wireless headphones (whose audio transmitter is connected to the sound card)






The extension "Preview Edition" means the headphones are intended to preview your next music track.

Hercules Mobile DJ Mix 1.05 release

Hercules has released an update of the software Hercules Mobile DJ Mix, it is called release 1.05 and is downloadable on:
ftp://ftp.hercules.com/sound/exe/MobileDJ/HerculesMobileDJMix_105.exe

This software is made for the controllers Hercules Mobile DJ MP3 and Hercules Mobile DJ Preview Edition, its change compared to release 1.04 is to be less CPU intensive in the playback of large MP3 files.

Computer Active review on Mobile DJ MP3

Andrew Zarkesh, from Computer Active, has published a review on Mobile DJ MP3 in the issue of 4 to 17th October 2007.

http://www.computeractive.co.uk/computeractive/hardware/2200348/review-hercules-mobile-dj

This review is also online on vnunet.com website:
http://www.vnunet.com/computeractive/hardware/2200348/review-hercules-mobile-dj

How can I delete the Cue points in Hercules Mobile DJ Mix?

Mobile DJ Mix automatically places cue points in the music tracks, so if you want to play your music from the start, without cue points, your must change this setting.

There is a simple way of having no cue points with Hercules Mobile DJ Mix:
1) You need Mobile DJ Mix 1.04 or 1.05 (downloadable on Hercules website), since Mobile DJ Mix 1.03 doesn't provide this function.
2) Before analyzing the tracks for which you want no cue points, you must click on Cfg button, and in General menu, enable the option "Disable Automatic Cueing".

If you have already analyzed your music tracks while the AutoCue function was on, the Cue points have already been set, so to delete the existing cue points for a music track which has already been analyzed and cue points saved:
3) You need Mobile DJ Mix 1.04 or 1.05 (downloadable on our website), since Mobile DJ Mix 1.03 doesn't provide this function.
4) When Mobile DJ Mix software is off, move in the directory C:\Documents and Settings\Username\HerculesMobileDJMix Data\Stripes, and delete the file of the music track name with extension fst (for example, if the music track name is "I_Wanna_Be.MP3", the information file to delete is "I_Wanna_Be.fst")
5) You can then start Mobile DJ Mix software, click on Cfg button, and in General menu, enable the option "Disable Automatic Cueing".
6) Then when you load your music track whose .fst file was deleted, this Cue points have disappeared.

Software update: Mobile DJ Mix 1.04 for Mobile DJ MP3

Hercules has released Mobile DJ Mix 1.04 software for Mobile DJ MP3.
This new version, downloadable on http://ts.hercules.com/eng/index.php?pg=view_files&gid=2&fid=28&pid=201&cid=5 , adds some new features :

- you can control on Mobile DJ MP3 the music track you preview (the previous release of Mobile DJ limited the control of the preview on the sftware interface)

- you can mix on 1 sound card and preview on another sound card, so laptop users limited to the stereo output of their laptops can use USB headphones for the preview, while they mix for the audience on the laptop integrated sound card stereo output.

- you can also change the pitch and the volume of the sound effects you loads.

Can Mobile DJ interfere with WLAN networks?

Mobile DJ communicates with its USB dongle in a proprietary 2.4 GHz protocol: it uses neither WIFI nor Bluetooth. Mobile DJ proprietary protocol operates at a base frequency of 2.407GHz, and when it detects noise in its frequency, it moves by steps of 250KHz to the next noise free frequency channel.
The dynamic frequency adjustment lets Mobile DJ adjust to 2.4 GHz wireless networks (WIFI, Bluetooth) so that
- Mobile DJ doesn’t interfere with wireless networks,
- and the wireless network doesn’t interfere with Mobile DJ.

You should place Mobile DJ USB dongle at 2 feet or more from any other 2.4 GHz transmitter (WIFI, Bluetooth or audio/video proprietary transmitter) to get a good transmission range, since if they are closer, both systems will continuously jump from 1 frequency to another to avoid each other disturbance, and such continuous channel changes reduce the transmission range.

For the same reason, you should place a WLAN device at least 2 feet away from another 2.4 GHz device (Bluetooth, audio/video transmitter..) to optimize the range of your WLAN network.

Is Mobile DJ MP3 compatible with rechargeable batteries?

You can power Mobile DJ MP3
- either with 2 pre-charged batteries (C type / LR14) (Alkaline or zinc carbon batteries)
- or with 2 rechargeable batteries (C type / LR14) (Nickel-Metal-Hydride (NiMH) or Nickel-Cadmium (NICAD or NiCd))
The only difference is the operation time, which is longer for alkaline batteries.

It is not recommended to power Mobile DJ MP3 with 1 rechargeable battery + 1 pre-charged battery since their operation times are different and their voltage are different (1.5v for the pre-charged battery versus 1.2v for a rechargeable battery).

CNET review on Mobile DJ MP3

Donald Bell from CNET has released a review of Mobile DJ MP3 on
http://reviews.cnet.com/audio-components/hercules-mobile-dj-mp3/4505-3022_7-32466616.html?tag=prod.txt.1#more

This review is also on ZDNET
http://review.zdnet.com/audio-components/hercules-mobile-dj-mp3/4505-3022_16-32466616.html .

How long can I mix with Mobile DJ with the same 2 batteries?

Battery lifetime depends on your battery model
- alkaline batteries capacity is the highest (up to 7500 mAh)
- carbon zinc batteries capacity is lower than alkaline
- rechargeable batteries have the smallest capacity (up to 3000/4000 mAH per charge, but you can recharge them).

Mobile DJ consumes over 300mA with LCD backlight on, but not much as soon as the LCD switches off.

Mobile DJ should provide continuous mixing for
- 15 to 25 hours with 2 fresh rechargeable batteries (akkus)
- 30 to 50 hours with 2 good alkaline batteries.
It may be shorter with old batteries and longer with excellent batteries.

How can I set the cue points in music tracks with Mobile DJ Mix?

Mobile DJ Mix software includes an AutoCue function in the analysis of the sound track to :
- define a Cue In point (Cue In = the moment where the song playback starts in a DJ mix, which is the moment where the software detects a regular beat)
- define a Cue Out point (Cue In = the moment where the song playback ends in a DJ mix, which is the last point where the software detects a regular beat)

The analyzes of the Cue In / Cue Out point is in general
- relevant for music with a fixed beat and for dance / techno / country / rock music,
- irrelevant for music with changing rhythms, as for example classic music, pop songs starting with vocal solos, slow electronic music and in general music whose rhythms are far from techno/dance...

The solution for the music tracks with bad cue points is for the user to define one's own Cue In / Cue Out points:
1) load the music file
2) browse in Mobile DJ Mix software (with the slider over the waveform) at the point of the waveform where the user wants to place the Cue In point
3) Click on the "In" button of Mobile DJ Mix software on the deck where the song is loaded (left and right of Automix button on the software screen), to define the point which will be the Cue In point,
4) Click on the button with a triangle down on Mobile DJ Mix software to set the Cue In point,
5) browse in Mobile DJ Mix software (with the slider over the waveform) at the point of the waveform where the user wants to place the Cue Out point (the end of the music playback)
6) Click on the "Out" button on the deck of Mobile DJ Mix software where the song is loaded (left and right of Automix button on the software), to define the Cue point will be a Cue Out point
7) Click on the button with a triangle down on Mobile DJ Mix software to set the Cue Out point
8) Once the Cue In and the Cue Out points have been saved for the music track, save the Playlist with the button "Save".
If the user doesn't save the playlist after changing the cue points, the new cue points won't be saved.

Mobile DJ MP3 in Top Ten superstar DJ gadgets

Techdigest has listed Mobile DJ MP3 in its top 10 superstar DJ gagdets.
http://techdigest.tv/2007/05/top_ten_superst.html

Mobile DJ MP3 in The Guardian

The Guardian describes Mobile DJ MP3.
http://technology.guardian.co.uk/weekly/story/0,,2080802,00.html

Mobile DJ MP3 reviewed in video by ShinyShiny.tv

ShinyShiny.TV has put on YouTube a video review on Mobile DJ MP3.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eHKMyixk0Q

Mobile DJ MP3 on Techdigest

Techdigest has released a short review on Mobile DJ MP3.
http://techdigest.tv/2007/04/hercules_mobile.html

Mobile DJ MP3 in Engadget

Engadget describes Mobile DJ MP3.
http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/23/hercules-mobile-dj-mp3-mixes-it-up-sans-wires/

New Kid on the Block: Mobile DJ MP3

Hercules has released a new computer DJ controller, Mobile DJ MP3.
Mobile DJ MP3 is a handheld, wireless dual-deck DJ controller to mix from any place in a party.
You don't need to remain in front of the computer to mix as an embedded display lets you browse in the music library to select the music track you want to load on each deck. This DJ gear is white, communicates in radio frequencies with a USB dongle, so you plug the audio output of your laptop in your speakers or your hifi amplifier, you run the software Hercules Mobile DJ Mix, you load your music tracks in the software so that it analyzes all, and you can animate the party from anywhere, the sofa while talking with your friends, the bar, the kitchen, any place where you can hear your music.

How to mix audio files with DRM protection?

You cannot mix directly DRM protect files, since DJ software cannot load iTunes DRM protected files, so the solution consists in;
- burning the DRM music files you buy on a CD audio on the computer on which you purchased the files (it means you need a CD burner on the computer where you buy music files with DRM, for example in iTunes),
- and afterwards either mixing the CD audio in your DJ software if your DJ software plays CDs, or extracting first the CD-audio tracks into MP3 files to mix them in your DJ software.