Manual-23
My SL 1 only outputs audio for about 10 seconds then quits.
I can still control Scratch LIVE with the control records, but I
get no audio output
This is a known Windows XP bug. Included in the Windows
Update SP1 (Service Pack One) download is a fix for the XP USB
1.1 bug. For more information visit
www.support.microsoft.com
Scratch
LIVE
freaks out when I use the master tempo (key
correction) function on my CD player
Scratch
LIVE
interprets the signal coming out of the CD
player, and uses this information to control the play back of
the files on your computer. Any audio processing performed on
the signal before it reaches the hardware interface, such as key
correction, will scramble the signal making it illegible to Scratch
LIVE
. Key correction will be available in Scratch
LIVE
in the
future.
I get a loud screeching sound like a fax machine and no
music, what am I doing wrong?
That is the sound of the control signal — make sure you are
listening to the line outputs of the hardware interface.
Can I use one turntable and one CD player?
Yes. You need a phono preamp (as in a DJ mixer) to boost
the signal from the turntable to line level, and you need to set
the input to line in the setup screen.
When I do transform scratches (switching between phono
and line level inputs) I hear a crazy noise; what’s happening?
When you switch to phono level, you will hear the sound of
the control vinyl. If you want to use the transform switches to
scratch, use separate channels on your mixer if you have more
than four channels, or disconnect the phono thrus if you have a
two channel mixer.
I want to backup my library and crates or move them to
another machine, so where are they stored?
Your database and crates are stored in the folder
Home\
Music\ScratchLIVE
on a Mac, and
My Documents\My Music\
ScratchLIVE
on a PC. Crates have the file extension
.slc
. If your
library contains tracks that are stored on a drive other than your
boot drive, a hidden folder called
.scratchLIVE
will be created
in the root of that drive, and a separate database will be made in
this folder. If it is a removable drive, the tracks will only appear
in your library when the drive is connected.
What needles are best for use with Scratch
LIVE
?
We recommend Shure M44-7 needles for use with Scratch
LIVE
, due to their high output volume, excellent tracking and
low record wear.
I have cue burn at the beginning of my control record, does
that mean I need to replace it?
No, use the
track start offset
function (in the
setup
screen)
to move the point at which tracks begin to a position further
into the vinyl.
Why do none of the songs I have imported from iTunes show
up in Scratch
LIVE
?
iTunes’ default encoder is set to AAC, which Scratch
LIVE
currently does not support. You need to re-encode those files to
a supported file type (AIFF, WAV, OGG, MP3). To change the
default encoding preferences in iTunes, go to
Preferences > Im-
porting
. Change the “
import using
” option to a supported file
type and click
OK
. To re-encode a track, select/highlight it. Go to
Advanced > Convert Selection to...
. You can lose quality after
you re-encode a track, so it's best to start from the original source
if possible.
To keep up with the latest tips, visit the Official Scratch
LIVE Forum online at scratchlive.net
Troubleshooting and
Frequently Asked Questions
Scratch
LIVE
hardware is not recognized
It takes five seconds for Scratch
LIVE
to detect the hardware.
The hardware can be unplugged at any time; you do not need to
exit Scratch
LIVE
before disconnecting the hardware. Use the sup-
plied USB cable, longer lengths are not recommended.
On some Windows machines each USB port is treated
separately, so you will need to install the driver separately for each
USB port.
The audio playback is dropping out / clicking / popping
Scratch
LIVE
is not getting a clear signal from the record, or
your computer is not able to process the information quickly
enough. Go to the
setup
screen and check the scope views.
When the record is playing, the circles should be round, and the
value in the bottom right corner should be 100%. If this is not
the case, you need to calibrate. See page Manual–5 for details.
You should also try increasing the
USB audio buffer size
if
your computer is close to the minimum spec.
Clean your needles! This is the most common cause of audio
drop-out. Because you are playing the same record over and over,
the needles will get dirty more quickly than usual.
The threshold goes to the far right when I click the estimate
button
Make sure the needle is on the record and the record is
stopped when you click
estimate
. If the slider goes hard right
and stays there, you most likely have an earthing problem with
your turntables/mixer. If you cannot eliminate this problem, use
rel
mode over
abs
mode.
The tracks are playing backwards!
The inputs (from the turntables or CD players) are the wrong
way around.
I can’t get the Scope View to show nice clean circles
Select
phono
as the audio input level in the
setup
screen if
you are using vinyl. Check your needles and make sure they are
clean. If the circles look fuzzy, try cleaning your control record.
If the Scope View shows a line instead of a circle, Scratch
LIVE
is only receiving a signal from one channel — check all your
cables, and the connection between your cartridges and the tone
arm. You can order replacement control records from your local
distributor. You may also order these in the online store at
www.
rane.com
if you are in the USA.
Scratch
LIVE
makes a strange “digital” noise, even when no
track is playing
Scratch
LIVE
is interpreting background noise as record move
-
ment. Go to the
setup
screen and move the threshold slider
(located to the left side of the
estimate
button) to the right until
the noise stops.
The first time I play a new track, it takes a while to load
Scratch
LIVE
has to read the entire file and create a file index
the first time it is loaded. This may take a few seconds for longer
files. After the first load, it should load instantly. See Build Over-
views on page Manual-21.
I have a particular MP3 that won’t play / plays badly / takes a
long time to load / crashes the program. What should I do?
The file may be damaged. Please go to the forum at
scratch-
live.net
and notify the support team that you have a bad file. By
reporting damaged or corrupt files, you will help the developers
to improve Scratch
LIVE’s
ability to play damaged MP3 files in the
future.
