The VCI-100's Last Hurrah: New Traktor Pro 2 Overlay

The VCI-100’s Last Hurrah: New Traktor Pro 2 Overlay

By FlashFlooder on February 9, 2012

The VCI-100 might be dead, but we’ve got good news for all our faithful VCI-100 users. After some persistent requests from our passionate forum community, we decided to produce one final overlay to accommodate the official DJ Techtools VCI-100SE v4 mapping, designed for Traktor Pro 2.

For a little historical background, it’s been five years since Vestax’s VCI-100 was released and nearly four years since the DJ Techtools modded VCI-100 SE/Arcade controllers came to life. We even officially announced the controller’s death last year in this article. However, these tanks continue to be used and loved by a large array of both new and longtime DJs, many of whom are still active in the VCI-100 section of our forum.

As a result of these users’ passion for the VCI-100, DJ Techtools received a lot of requests to create a new mapping for Traktor Pro 2 when the new software was announced in early 2011 and shortly after we released a new V4 mapping that allowed use of the new TPro2 features such as the Loop Recorder and Sample Decks, leveraging them in an interesting fashion. Along the way, some other mapping features were also revamped, including a slight change to the FX routing in Fader FX mode that allow some of our popular Midi Fighter Classic mappings to integrate more smoothly with the VCI-100 (a common request).

All in all, the V4 mapping was well received and we were happy to give our dedicated community another reason to keep jamming out on the VCI-100 before relegating it to storage. However, providing a new mapping alone simply wasn’t enough, and soon after a forum driven outcry for a new overlay began. Well, without further ado, the new overlay is now here!

The new VCI-100SE V4 Overlay went back to its roots and sports the DJ Techtools’ standard blue text instead of the gold text common to all older V3 overlays.

There are Standard and Arcade versions of the overlay available in our webstore now here for just $29.99. Check them out and get ’em while they last!

Lastly, I want to personally thank all of the dedicated VCI-100 users in our forum who have enjoyed the V4 mapping and made this overlay a reality. Without your perseverance and undying support for this beast of a controller, this would have never happened. You guys rock!

The VCI-100 may be dead, but the new model is alive and kickin’… and we customized it, too. Get a VCI-400 Special Edition in the DJTT webstore!

Aguirre 11 years

OMFG what a heated argument I had with my friend due to this news… But interesting nonetheless… He say that, like all other things built these days, the “gagetization” of everyday things, in this case DJ equipment will ultimately end with huge piles of perfectly working things in the never ending race to have the latest and greatest. You can see it in cars that every model each year adds very few upgrades from the last model. The following article was published on gizmodo.com:

“The Gadgetization of Cars Is Kind of Ruining Them
The antique Thunderbird parked outside on my street right now will run, approximately, forever. Unlike my Honda Civic Hybrid, which will be in the scrapheap before my baby daughter hits college. Why? Because the gadgetization of cars is ruining them.As the L.A. Times reports:A key auto quality study found that new or redesigned 2011 models were less reliable than the previous year’s line, much of it because of new high-tech navigation systems that didn’t work properly.J.D. Power found that overall auto quality dropped in 2011, especially among American-made vehicles, largely due to the onboard electronics like in-dash touchscreen navigation systems that can befuddle and flummox users. Or the computerized transmission systems that are designed to give better fuel economy, but feel like hesitating ninnies to consumers. Back to my own Honda Civid Hybrid, it has never run as well after its most recent software update.Think of that. As a part of routine maintenance now, I have to update my vehicle’s firmware.When I was a kid, very few cars had computer systems. Today, the average car has anywhere from 30 – 70 computers in it. Many vehicles now have up to 100 million lines of computer code. Computers control the transmission, diagnostic systems, the climate control, entertainment systems, navigation, communications, braking, and much much else. And then there’s the Prius,which is essentially a microprocessor on wheels.Our cars have become rolling gadgets. And like all high tech gadgets, that means that they’re going to become outdated more quickly, and more likely to have problems. And then there’s the vehicle hacking issue: hackers have been able to wirelessly crash cars’ computers at highway speeds.Look, I love all the conveniences that modern automobiles afford. Love them. But there’s a lot to be said for the old-school completely manual T-Bird or Buick or Volkswagon that can essentially be endlessly repaired with a wrench and a spark plug gapper a greasy old rag and some gumption.What do you think? Has the gadgetization of cars been an overall good thing, or do you yearn for simpler vehicles? [J.D. Power via Los Angeles Times]”- http://gizmodo.com/5815889/the-gadgetization-of-cars-is-kind-of-ruining-themSo, how all that translate to DJ equipment? Well, it’s kind of easy with several reasons. With such tight integration between software and hardware, the software will ultimately kill the hardware. You need the firmwares and the patches to have it going on. Not to mention that a lot of the newer controllers are built with not that great care in quality ultimately having broken faders and platters soonish rather than later. Although DJ software companies will always aim for a solid built, bugs and freezes will always be a serious threat to a performance.The VCI-100 didnt die, it was killed, not by Vestax but by NI. Introducing TP2 would render those type of controllers useless maybe because they dont have enough knobs and faders to make it relevant in the new big thing. Now lets give it up for DJTT and Ean for having the necromancy to have this “ancient” controller (released 2006!) still kicking it with this new overlay. I could only marvel how they would make the same Serpent and the Rainbow with the Kontrol S4 or VCI-400. So what’s it’s the alternative to end those lifecycles? For that you have to look back. Just like on the car article it say the Thunderbird will run forever, 2 TT’s and a mixer will run forever with the same shortcommings of a Thunderbirds (finding replacement parts, who works that kind of car, and the such). After all the use of a car is to take you from point A to point B. All the other huzzah of new cars is irrelevant for what they are used for. Just like 2TT’s and a mixer is used to transition track a to track b seamlessly. It has been done for years and now it is that we are seeing the art differently adding samples, cues, FX, etc.Thats when we went stalemate. New stuff will get you to perform more creative stuff while old form will get you to use the same thing forever. So, You have to integrate stuff. Just like you can buy a GPS to that THunderbird, you can add a modular DJ new thing. Or a new thumping stereo like a pair of dicers. So it got resolved not by alienation but by integration. What a wonderful thing.

Comments (30)

OG 8 years

Hi,
Firmware 1.4 is ready for traktor 2.7?
Thx
OG
Frederico Rodrigues Dias 10 years

does anyone in brazil do this for me? tkz
Ambientcloud 11 years

Will the mappings and firmware mod work with an old non-SE VCI-100?
Audionerdz 11 years

Yes! Received mine plus the firmware kit yesterday… Update went really smooth, overlay is applied already, feels like a completely new console!

Thanks DJTT, you guys rock!
nycjunglist 11 years

THANK YOU DJTT Team!! I’ve been meaning to attempt to remap my VCI-100 with v2 overlay (believe it or not)! This is amazing!
dkchunky 11 years

Im having trouble downloading the TSI file. The DL link is not working…
Luismigr 11 years

I bought V3 but i won´t buy this one, i find it so expensive. But anyway, thank you DJTT for the vci-100 support !
ronaldo_102 11 years

$37.00 shipping to the UK for a light overlay wtf?
FIM 11 years

This is fantastic news, thank you so much!!!!!
Futureglue Musik 11 years

Great…I’m buying.

But what’s the logic of making the secondary font color blue I wounder. High contrast yellow was better. Is it to go with the new DJTT blue buttons? C’mon guys stop selling your integrity to marketing gimmicks, it hurts your brand image…
Phil_watson24 11 years

Has anyone replaced their v3 overlay? How easily does it come off? Any tips for removal?
safadao 11 years

I’m definitely ordering one! This is great news. Thank you very much Ean and DJTT staff!
Dual Citizen 11 years

And…. ordered!!!! Thanks a bunch guys for coming out with one last overlay. The VCI 100 may be dead from a product development standpoint, but it’s usefulness is far from over. Especially now.
Awesomer 11 years

OMG, I love you. Extending the lifetime of my VCI. DJTT FTFW.

!!! AWESOMER !!!
Ecogreekdevteam 11 years

What you guys should have added was a Foot pedal mod. I think it would have been well recieved
- Evgeny Kuchkov 11 years
  
  yeah! Ean, please, make a a how-to article about adding a pedal stuff to vci-100
Dj_ECCO_ 11 years

FINALLY THANK YOU VERY MUCH DJ TT TEAM
Aguirre 11 years

OMFG what a heated argument I had with my friend due to this news… But interesting nonetheless… He say that, like all other things built these days, the “gagetization” of everyday things, in this case DJ equipment will ultimately end with huge piles of perfectly working things in the never ending race to have the latest and greatest. You can see it in cars that every model each year adds very few upgrades from the last model. The following article was published on gizmodo.com:

“The Gadgetization of Cars Is Kind of Ruining Them
The antique Thunderbird parked outside on my street right now will run, approximately, forever. Unlike my Honda Civic Hybrid, which will be in the scrapheap before my baby daughter hits college. Why? Because the gadgetization of cars is ruining them.As the L.A. Times reports:A key auto quality study found that new or redesigned 2011 models were less reliable than the previous year’s line, much of it because of new high-tech navigation systems that didn’t work properly.J.D. Power found that overall auto quality dropped in 2011, especially among American-made vehicles, largely due to the onboard electronics like in-dash touchscreen navigation systems that can befuddle and flummox users. Or the computerized transmission systems that are designed to give better fuel economy, but feel like hesitating ninnies to consumers. Back to my own Honda Civid Hybrid, it has never run as well after its most recent software update.Think of that. As a part of routine maintenance now, I have to update my vehicle’s firmware.When I was a kid, very few cars had computer systems. Today, the average car has anywhere from 30 – 70 computers in it. Many vehicles now have up to 100 million lines of computer code. Computers control the transmission, diagnostic systems, the climate control, entertainment systems, navigation, communications, braking, and much much else. And then there’s the Prius,which is essentially a microprocessor on wheels.Our cars have become rolling gadgets. And like all high tech gadgets, that means that they’re going to become outdated more quickly, and more likely to have problems. And then there’s the vehicle hacking issue: hackers have been able to wirelessly crash cars’ computers at highway speeds.Look, I love all the conveniences that modern automobiles afford. Love them. But there’s a lot to be said for the old-school completely manual T-Bird or Buick or Volkswagon that can essentially be endlessly repaired with a wrench and a spark plug gapper a greasy old rag and some gumption.What do you think? Has the gadgetization of cars been an overall good thing, or do you yearn for simpler vehicles? [J.D. Power via Los Angeles Times]”- http://gizmodo.com/5815889/the-gadgetization-of-cars-is-kind-of-ruining-themSo, how all that translate to DJ equipment? Well, it’s kind of easy with several reasons. With such tight integration between software and hardware, the software will ultimately kill the hardware. You need the firmwares and the patches to have it going on. Not to mention that a lot of the newer controllers are built with not that great care in quality ultimately having broken faders and platters soonish rather than later. Although DJ software companies will always aim for a solid built, bugs and freezes will always be a serious threat to a performance.The VCI-100 didnt die, it was killed, not by Vestax but by NI. Introducing TP2 would render those type of controllers useless maybe because they dont have enough knobs and faders to make it relevant in the new big thing. Now lets give it up for DJTT and Ean for having the necromancy to have this “ancient” controller (released 2006!) still kicking it with this new overlay. I could only marvel how they would make the same Serpent and the Rainbow with the Kontrol S4 or VCI-400. So what’s it’s the alternative to end those lifecycles? For that you have to look back. Just like on the car article it say the Thunderbird will run forever, 2 TT’s and a mixer will run forever with the same shortcommings of a Thunderbirds (finding replacement parts, who works that kind of car, and the such). After all the use of a car is to take you from point A to point B. All the other huzzah of new cars is irrelevant for what they are used for. Just like 2TT’s and a mixer is used to transition track a to track b seamlessly. It has been done for years and now it is that we are seeing the art differently adding samples, cues, FX, etc.Thats when we went stalemate. New stuff will get you to perform more creative stuff while old form will get you to use the same thing forever. So, You have to integrate stuff. Just like you can buy a GPS to that THunderbird, you can add a modular DJ new thing. Or a new thumping stereo like a pair of dicers. So it got resolved not by alienation but by integration. What a wonderful thing.
- agrippa 11 years
  
  it’s not the completly right what you tell imho!nothing and no one forces me to buy new software, just because there are new possibilities.
  you say that tt’s and a mixer are infinite and i say that dj soft- and hardware are infinite too. when someone has his workflow with tp”1″…it’s fine to me as well it’s fine to me when somebody uses tp2, serato or classic hardware.
  the problem is that “we” think that we need the new stuff!a classic turntablelist has no sample decks or a loop recorder like in tp2 nowadays and they rock crowds away…just my 2 cents about it!
phantasm 11 years

oh my god!! thanks a lot! greets from germany
Mr. V 11 years

Finally my wife can get off my back!!!! Thank DjTechTools….my money was well spent!.
– Mr. V
Audionerdz 11 years

Do I need to update the firmware first in order to run the new mapping?
- Flashflooder 11 years
  
  Nope, but this mapping does require the newer 1.4 firmware. But that has been available and been used on the v3.6 mappings for a while now
marco skv 11 years

Thank you so much! Thumbs up for DJTT 🙂
Tom B 11 years

This is totally amazing! I can’t wait to get home from college and mess with the v4 mapping… with support for TP2- this is off the hook! Long Live the VCI-100!
Scaper7 11 years

I don’t own a VCI-100 but I’m impressed by the service. Eagerly waiting to hand over my $s for the upcoming VCI-400. DJTT rocks.
Djviirus 11 years

only $30!
guest 11 years

Wee! <3
Ben Cove ? 11 years

about time 😉
Nattevagten 11 years

Thx a lot !