StagelinQ + Timecode: Denon’s SC5000 Prime Now Control Visuals

There is a lot of chatter around Denon DJ after the release of the SC5000 Prime last year. Today, Denon DJ announced a unique partnership with BLCKBOOK, the set design company behind the software, Timecode, which is used all around the world to connect the front of house with the DJ booth to coordinate visuals. By combining Denon’s track information protocol StagelinQ and BLCKBOOK’s Timecode software, the front of house can see exactly what the DJ is doing in the booth.

• Product: StageLinQ + Timecode
• Manufacturer: Denon DJ (StageLinQ) and BLCKBOOK (Timecode)
• Availability: Available Now with Timecode
• Price: Included feature for Denon’s SC5000 and X1800

The Importance of Synchronization

Visuals during live performances can make an amazing performance legendary. While some DJs can do it all, most need to count on a number of people in the production booth to run lights and effects. The production team needs a way to know what the DJ is doing and, if possible, see what they’re going to do next to properly controls lights and FX.

A DJ is all alone in the DJ booth and has no real way of communicating with the production team to coordinate visuals. The other people working to make sure the visuals match the audio need more than hand gestures to be accurate.

Now, production teams can have all the information and control they need to work with the DJ to bring a show to life. As of today, Denon DJ’s Prime gear will now work with BLCKBOOK’s “Timecode” plugin to provide a window into or automatic control from the booth to external resources. Now the production team can not only hear what the DJ is doing, they can also see what is happening as well. There are three different versions of TimeCode available for clubs to implement:

• Timecode View ($24.99 / month): DJ, VJ and LD get a visual reference of the artist activity in the DJ booth. Waveforms, BPM, track information, time, and fader position.
• Timecode Sync ($59.99 / month): Everything in TimeCode view plus 10 channel audio routing, playlist import/export, 1 lighting out control, and Ableton Link functionality.
• Timecode Live (Varies per Client): The software for the largest tours, festivals, and parties. Full and total control of every professional protocol. All features of Timecode View and Sync.

“StagelinQ opens Denon DJ’s Prime Series to the visual world and delivers a powerful solution for artists who need to combine dramatic visual effects along with their sound. The visual aspect of the show is becoming more important every day.” – Paul Dakeyne, International Marketing Manager for Denon DJ

Fully Taking on the DJ World

While many DJs need not worry about this level of production, for DJs with dedicated visuals and production teams this could be promising solution. Denon DJ is poising it’s Prime eco-system to be an industry standard and by offering a seamless way to relay what is actually happening in the DJ booth to the front of house Denon’s hardware is even more attractive to club owners and stage designers.

Timecode is already being used today with Pioneer gear – so having a more powerful system included with the hardware makes the Prime lineup even more of a competitor. Denon wants to be the new industry standard and this partnership may bring them one step closer to that goal.