Dear Traktor user,

On behalf of the Traktor team I’d like to welcome you to the Timecode Public Beta forum! Please note that the purpose of this forum and the public beta test as a whole is specifically to test Traktor’s timecode - please limit your bug reports accordingly.

Before you get started, please take the time to read the following guidelines.

1. General Notes

This beta version bears four improvements for vinyl and CD timecode users: resistance against record damage, tracking alert, high input warning and scroll-zone unresponsiveness.

This test has two main purposes:

  Directly test the functionality of the improvements on as many different systems as possible
  Make sure that nothing else in the domain of timecode tracking is negatively affected by these improvements

It is therefore essential that this version is used by as many timecode users as possible – also those not having any issues currently.

This beta version is built upon the rock stable code base of version TRAKTOR Scratch Pro 2.6.0 and because the changes made to the code are minor, we feel confident to say that this beta is suited for playing out live.

It may very well be that while using this version you will notice no difference whatsoever to the officially released version 2.6.0. This would be great news to us and is worth being reported, as it confirms that the decoder continues to work normally.

2. Installation

In the sticky area of this forum you’ll find the post “Downloads and Changelogs ” which gives you direct access to the Mac and the Windows version of the beta version.

You’ll also find the sticky post “Changelogs” which allows you to keep track of the changes introduced by a new beta version.

Important: the files that you will download are just the executable files and not the full installers. To run these files, an authorized version of Traktor 2.6.0 is required to be installed on your computer!

After downloading, unpack the zip file and place the .app/.exe on your desktop or to another location of your choice, e.g. the standard file path for Traktor’s backup versions,
C:/Program Files/Native Instruments/Traktor 2/Backup on PC and
Macintosh HD:Applications:Native Instruments:Traktor 2:Backup on MAC.

You can use the beta version side by side with your regular 2.6.0 installation, which allows you to continue using the regular installation for your gigs and to switch to the beta version only when you feel confident enough.

Important: Make sure to back up all your user data before you run the beta as a general measure of safety. If you’re unsure how to do that, please have a look first at this Tutorial.

You start the software by double-clicking the file, as you do with the .app/.exe of the regular 2.6.0 installation.

To uninstall the beta, just delete the .app/.exe.

3. Reporting Bugs

  If you found an issue, try to narrow it down by reproducing it and determining the influencing factors as well as you can.
  If you have created a reproducible scenario, report the bug with as much details as possible for allowing us to determine patterns across different bug reports.
  Please follow the Guide to NI Public Beta Test Forums as written down below.

4. Description of the Timecode Fixes to be Tested

Some problems that you may have encountered in the past are potentially solved by these last improvements – here is a brief overview of the purpose of the four fixes and under which circumstances they can be beneficial.

  Improved resistance against record damage (Vinyl MK2)
  Deep scratches on the record can cause audible glitches, fluctuations in pitch and large tempo spikes. If you use AUTO master mode, then such tempo spikes can even cause the deck MASTER to spontaneously switch to the other deck. If you are experiencing unstable playback due to scratched or dirty timecode records, or if you use AUTO master mode in combination with timecode and observed such “random” switching, you will probably benefit from this fix. This fix only applies to Mk2 timecode vinyl.

  Improved tracking alert warning (Vinyl MK2)
  Many of you may not even know that Traktor Scratch has a built-in tracking alert, which responds to poor signal quality and is intended to detect a dust ball under the needle. It must be enabled in Preferences > Timecode Setup > Tracking > Tracking Alert, and is shown during use as a red tint overlaying the relative and absolute timecode buttons. The intensity of the color increases with the severity of the alert.

  This fix improves the accuracy and reliability of the tracking alert. If you notice this alert glowing red then you should immediately switch to internal mode and remove any dust which may have been collected under the needle. Prolonged timecode playback with a very dusty needle will usually result in audible glitching.
  The tracking alert will also flash quickly if a deep scratch in the record is encountered. If you notice this regularly then you should consider replacing your timecode records for optimum reliability.

  Note: This fix is only effective on Mk2 timecode vinyl control.
  Note: During scratching, the Tracking Alert is also triggered, this is considered to be normal behavior.

  High Input Warning (CD all)
  Some may have already encountered the “Low Input” warning, displayed at the bottom of the timecode scope area - the most frequent reason for the Low Input warning is when attempting to play vinyl via inputs set to LINE level.
  Now the High Input warning does the exact opposite – it warns CD timecode users if they attempt to play via inputs set to PHONO level. The benefit of both warnings is to prevent erratic behavior which will occur in either or both situations. The warnings should obviously not show up under normal conditions.
  Please make sure to have the timecode scope visible for being able to see the displayed warning messages (Preferences > Decks Layout > Platter / Scope > On). If you see this message, please check your settings and then recalibrate the scratch decoder.

  Scroll-Zone Unresponsiveness (CD MK2)
  The 2.6.0 update introduced a bug, which makes the scroll zone unresponsive on MK2 timecode CDs. Browsing through files with the timecode CD track 3 should be fully functional again with this beta version.

  Besides testing the functionality of scrolling, the test should focus on potential side effects in position detection.

Please report your findings to the public beta forum which will be closely observed and moderated by NI.

Thank you for your participation,

The Traktor Team