Hercules DJ Console - Page 3

- Installation Procedure

We used the latest available driver pack (C031G) and the latest firmware (V34) update. Our console already had the V34 firmware:

After connecting the USB cable to the PC, the hardware wizard will appear asking for the drivers. Press cancel and run the downloaded driver pack. The installation procedure is very straight forward:

After the installation has completed and the system reboots, a green icon will have been added to the taskbar for the DJ Console mixer:

From the taskbar icon, we can setup the Hercules DJ Console properties. The default audio mode is "Standard" while Advanced and ASIO modes are also offered:

The main difference between Standard (5.1), Advanced (DJ) and ASIO modes is the headphone output management:

• In Standard/5.1 mode, the headphones use playback channels 1 and 2, which means that the user hears over the headphones what is being played on the front speakers.
• In Advanced/DJ mode, the headphones use playback channels 3 and 4 for the DJ to:
  • Play audio for the audience in stereo on channels 1 and 2.
  • Get a headphone pre-listening (on channels 3 and 4) of the audio mix being prepared.
    The other additional function in Advanced mode is the Talkover function (cf point 13)
• ASIO is a driver setting created by Steinberg. With some music software applications, channels 1 and 2 are duplicated in ASIO mode on the headphones output, as is the case with Standard 5.1 mode. Most software that supports ASIO will also have a WDM setting.

The DJ Console Softmapper is a powerful mapping interface allowing you to assign keyboard shortcuts to your DJ Console's controls for keyboard control of audio applications (mapping of digital controls only).

The latest driver pack for the Hercules DJ offers MIDI capabilities. Most music software incorporating MIDI control, features a "learning" mode, allowing the user to assign specific functions to individual buttons and so on. MIDI control makes using music software much easier and far more enjoyable by giving users tactile control for all their favorite functions. The Hercules DJ Console can send the following MIDI commands:

• 28 fixed MIDI messages, via the DJ Console's 28 buttons.
• 11 gradual MIDI commands, via the 6 finite rotary potentiometers (independent Treble, Medium and Bass frequency controls for each of the 2 decks), 3 sliders (2 pitch sliders and a crossfader) and the directional stick (2 MIDI commands via the X and Y axes).
• 4 MIDI velocity instructions, controlled by the rotation speed of the 2 infinite rotary potentiometers (independent volume controls) and 2 jog wheels.