Numark D2 librarian

[rob1963]

I know you can use the D2 as a straight plug & play system, but I've heard you should connect the hard drive containing the music to your PC and use the Librarian application software to build a library & make seek tables, as this makes the D2 faster when searching for songs.

Does that mean that you should connect the hard drive to your PC and use the Librarian to build a new library & make seek tables every time you add songs to the hard drive you use with the D2?

...Or if you already have about 5,000 songs on your hard drive & are only adding about 20 more, will it not make any difference whether you build a new library with the Librarian or not?

Thanks in advance for your help.

:)

[Vectis]

Apparently it makes searching quicker, but I generally attach two HDDs to mine with over 80000 tracks (OK some duplicates) and find the search performance acceptable.

The librarian thing also generates 'wavemaps' so you can see visual representations of songs on-screen (helps you identify quiet portions at the beginning of tracks for example so can cue past them) - but I thought this was a bit gimmicky and not worth the wait or effort of re-running each time I update the disks.

As I carry a laptop for background music (and backup for video & lighting) I run a small database on that and search for music there instead.

The way I organise my two HDDs is I have one whopping great disk permanently mounted in the flightcase with the d2. Then I have a small self-powered jobbie which contains my "top 5000" tracks and this is the one I add to on a weekly basis. Once a year I'll do a merge of new stuff onto the big HDD to keep it fresh. So in theory I could use Librarian on the small drive weekly without too much trouble, but I don't see the gains.

[rob1963]

Apparently it makes searching quicker, but I generally attach two HDDs to mine with over 80000 tracks (OK some duplicates) and find the search performance acceptable.

The librarian thing also generates 'wavemaps' so you can see visual representations of songs on-screen (helps you identify quiet portions at the beginning of tracks for example so can cue past them) - but I thought this was a bit gimmicky and not worth the wait or effort of re-running each time I update the disks.

As I carry a laptop for background music (and backup for video & lighting) I run a small database on that and search for music there instead.

The way I organise my two HDDs is I have one whopping great disk permanently mounted in the flightcase with the d2. Then I have a small self-powered jobbie which contains my "top 5000" tracks and this is the one I add to on a weekly basis. Once a year I'll do a merge of new stuff onto the big HDD to keep it fresh. So in theory I could use Librarian on the small drive weekly without too much trouble, but I don't see the gains.

Thanks very much for the info, Vectis.

In that case, I'll just use the librarian initially for the 5,000 songs on my hard drive, but after that I won't bother using it again every time I add a few songs the the hard drive. I'll probably just use it a few times a year.

I am hoping to take delivery of my brand new D2 later today. It was £308.99
Including free next day delivery & a free 2gb USB stick, which I thought was a good deal.

:)

[spin mobile disco]

I use the librarian software every week to add songs. An update from scratch on a new drive would take about 1 hour for 8000 songs. But if you just add say 20 songs you can do a fast update where it just adds those songs to the existing database. This takes about 10 - 15 minutes on average.
It is well worth doing as I find the unit responds well to it. I use a laptop type hardrive for all my music and have no performance issues at all.

[rob1963]

I use the librarian software every week to add songs. An update from scratch on a new drive would take about 1 hour for 8000 songs. But if you just add say 20 songs you can do a fast update where it just adds those songs to the existing database. This takes about 10 - 15 minutes on average.
It is well worth doing as I find the unit responds well to it. I use a laptop type hardrive for all my music and have no performance issues at all.

Thanks for the info, Spin.

:)

[CRAZY K]

Thanks very much for the info, Vectis.

In that case, I'll just use the librarian initially for the 5,000 songs on my hard drive, but after that I won't bother using it again every time I add a few songs the the hard drive. I'll probably just use it a few times a year.

I am hoping to take delivery of my brand new D2 later today. It was £308.99
Including free next day delivery & a free 2gb USB stick, which I thought was a good deal.

:)

Thats a good buy Rob (for an obsolete piece of kit) :D :D :D

At that price I would have bought one :bang:

Is it worth buying another for back up and ditching the CD back up plan---which is never going to be as good.

Theres still time before the end of the tax year--you can claim the cost back against tax--as you know.

Must admit cos I dont add tracks every week I just do a new database run on the Cortex each time I add music and as I have about 12,000 tracks ( with many duplicates ) it takes about 45 minutes--I just leave it running and go make a cuppa!

Im sure you will love being a digital DJ--its fantastic--you will be able to boast about in on your website---make sure you dont pinch any of Darrens text though:eek:

regards

CRAZY K

[rob1963]

Thats a good buy Rob

Thanks Crazy. I thought so too, especially as there are people on fleabay selling them for £399 plus delivery, and without a free 2gb stick thrown in!


Is it worth buying another for back up and ditching the CD back up plan---which is never going to be as good.


No. I want a CD player too, partly for back up & partly for when a client hands me a cd to play.


Theres still time before the end of the tax year--you can claim the cost back against tax--as you know.


Oh yes...I'm just about to add the details to my paperwork. Anything to reduce next year's tax bill!


Im sure you will love being a digital DJ--its fantastic--you will be able to boast about in on your website---make sure you dont pinch any of Darrens text though :eek:

I'm looking forward to it, Crazy, although it won't happen until late in the year at the earliest. As you know, I bought the Numark now due to the fact that they are being discontinued.

I won't pinch any of Darren's text, but I'm looking forward to boasting about it on my website. I already have an idea of how to word it...

...something like "You can rest assured that we play all music on obsolete equipment"

:Laugh: :Laugh: :Laugh:

[Jiggles]

I was wanting to get a D2 but now seeing that they are discontinued I'm at a loss http://smileygenerator.us/t/genbig/links/653976001207313630.gif

[rob1963]

I was wanting to get a D2 but now seeing that they are discontinued I'm at a loss http://smileygenerator.us/t/genbig/links/653976001207313630.gif

Callum...why not still get one?

Only £308.99 including next day delivery & a free 2gb usb stick here:

http://www.westenddj.co.uk/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=NUMARK_D2

...and they have them in stock.

You know it makes sense!

:D

[Jiggles]

I dont have that kind of money :(:( I was going to get one later on in they year when i get more dosh. If i were to ask my dad he wont let me :(

[Vectis]

Better tell him the replacement is nearer £600 then... might be persuasive enough :D

[Jiggles]

Heres what he says: You cannot keep getting things with no bookings.

[One Vision]

Hya Rob yes a very good price mate.
I would recommend running the library every time you add new tracks, although it will scan existing tracks it will only create search tables for the new ones so only actually updating the database unless you decide to do a complete rebuild of course.
When the library creates search tables its creating a database on your hard drive and creates a cache which means the track loads that much faster i.e. less potential problems as the D2 doesn't have to work quite as hard when loading a track.
If a track has been run through the library software it generally only takes 1-3seconds to load depending on bit rate and size of track but if that same track wasn't run through the library software it can take 10-30 seconds before its loaded even longer in some cases and if say one of the 30 min mastermixes if not run through the library can take 2-3 munuets to load it.

In addition to the loading speed if you don't run through the library you wont find it by searching as the search tables have not been created.
Although I am going to do things slightly different with my setup, on my mates D2 setup we never actually leave the hard drive in the flight case.
We simply connect it in the back of the case at each gig via a powered USB hub and take out and have at the the side of the PC until the next gig.
By doing this it means I have plenty of time to update with the latest tracks or new Cd's we buy and run them through the library at my leisure (notice I say "I" he is useless on a PC so I do all that side of things).

On another note though with the new .9 firmware for the D2 the new library software updates the tags so you actually see artist - title rather than just title.

Honestly Rob its worth spending an hour a week or so doing a library update of the new tracks you've put on and then defrag the hard drive just to make sure everything is working perfectly and fast, it makes life far more easier at gigs when you can find things almost instantly and have it cued up within a few seconds of searching for it, especially with new material, older tracks you become familiar with to were to find but for the latest and greatest tracks every little helps when your looking for that requested track and your brain goes blank "were the hell did I put that" is it pop, rock, RnB :bang: .

CB Entertainments, don't be worried too much about it being discontinued mate, they haven't done this because the D2 has issues but just because they have brought a new one out with more bells and whistles, the D2 is a cracking piece of equipment especially with the latest firmware and so simple to use at gigs.
I reckon it wont be long before you start seeing them for £250 brand new just unsold stock.

[Vectis]

if that same track wasn't run through the library software it can take 10-30 seconds before its loaded even longer in some cases and if say one of the 30 min mastermixes if not run through the library can take 2-3 munuets to load it.

Well I'm not sure what tunes you're playing but the vast majority of stuff I play (regular run-of-the-mill disco tunes), mostly at 256 or 320k load in about 5 seconds - 10 max for a very long song. I couldn't live with 10-30 seconds :eek:

Maybe it comes down to the HDD and the fact mine's not hubbed ?

[One Vision]

Well I'm not sure what tunes you're playing but the vast majority of stuff I play (regular run-of-the-mill disco tunes), mostly at 256 or 320k load in about 5 seconds - 10 max for a very long song. I couldn't live with 10-30 seconds :eek:

Maybe it comes down to the HDD and the fact mine's not hubbed ?

Hya mate what kind of hard drive you using?
Unfortunately my mates is a laptop type so only runs at 56000rpm and unpowered, this is were I am going to do things slightly differently as I am using a PC based powered hard drive that runs at 72000rpm.
The speeds of loading probably are a bit better now also with the latest firmware, but still a hell of a lot faster if run through the library.
But in general if playing a radio edit track then they are not too bad but if the same track for instance that's on a clubland cd then can be a bit longer so takes a bit longer to load if not updated.

[CRAZY K]

Hya mate what kind of hard drive you using?
Unfortunately my mates is a laptop type so only runs at 56000rpm and unpowered, this is were I am going to do things slightly differently as I am using a PC based powered hard drive that runs at 72000rpm.
The speeds of loading probably are a bit better now also with the latest firmware, but still a hell of a lot faster if run through the library.
But in general if playing a radio edit track then they are not too bad but if the same track for instance that's on a clubland cd then can be a bit longer so takes a bit longer to load if not updated.

This is giving me a headache Rob:D

My Cortex plus Seagate 320gb Hard Drive has about 10,000 tracks ( including a lot of duplicates) and you can find most things in a few seconds as VV says.

I wouldnt want to wait much longer:D

CRAZY K

[One Vision]

Thats why its good to run the library update then you find and load within a minimum time so is less stress:D