CNET Editors' review
DJ software for portable and personal use has gotten so powerful and capable that it's becoming indistinguishable from expensive pro-level applications. Xylio's FutureDecks Pro is typical of the new breed of DJ software, with all the bells and whistles, but it offers many useful tools that other applications don't. Features like video mixing and vinyl timecode compatibility are pulled together in a single package that can do the job in clubs, live performances, outdoor venues, and even the studio. Its features are too many to list, but some highlights include full compatibility with major external controllers and MIDI interfaces, VST effects, a selectable MasterTempo "KeyLock" feature, ASIO compatibility, vinyl simulation and effects, song preview, beat-matching, and many sampling, syncing, mixing, and looping options.
FutureDecks' interface is sleek and stylishly skinned but crowded with controls. However, it's logically laid out and easy to figure out, thanks to panel-like groupings of related controls. There are duplicate controls for the two decks it can handle, which can be turntables or CD decks, as well as the video controls and a browser/playlist management window. As with most top-level DJ software, FutureDecks performs best in conjunction with a superior sound card with external outputs and turntables, CD decks with DJ-oriented features, or similar audio/video gear.
FutureDecks Pro's free trial version is limited to 20 minutes per session. It leaves folders behind in the program files when it's uninstalled. It's cross-platform capable, running in Windows versions up to Vista and Mac OS X.
Publisher's Description
From XYLIO INFO:
FutureDecks DJ pro is a professional audio-video DJ mixing software that allows you to mix like a pro DJ/VJ in no time and with great control and flexibility. Included you will find 7 completely different user interfaces (skins) with 2 or 4 decks, with or without video previewing. You can connect up to 8 hardware MIDI controllers at the same time to control the software without even touching your keyboard/mouse. There are over 25 zero-configure controllers supported from Akai, American Audio, Beamz, Behringer, Denon, Hercules, M-Audio, Numark, PCDJ, Reloop, Vestax. You can also use any other MIDI controller that you can visually map using the intuitive LEARN feature. To spice up the mix you can set up seamless loops instantly, tweak the equalizer (with kill switches) and load up external effects in VST or AU (AudioUnits) formats. These are professional studio-quality effects that you can buy or install for free from 3rd parties. You can even map the effects' parameters to real knobs/sliders on your MIDI controller(s). Included is a very powerful and flexible sampler (sample player) where you can load small files with beats or jingles, or you can send a loop from any deck to any of the sampler's 8 banks. The loops will also be in-sync with the other decks allowing for a seamless experience. If you are a professional, you can connect your microphone, CD-players and turntables directly to the software and truly blend the analog with digital. You can also use timecoded vinyls or CDs to fully control the playback, scratch on songs or even videos. For musically perfect mixes you can lock the key (master tempo), change the musical key to your desired one to achieve not only beat-matched but also key-matched mixes. The app even detects the key of a song/video to considerably simplify harmonic mixing. You will find the automatic BPM detection very precise allowing you to sync instantly the 4 decks and to have perfect loops (that you can also save and recall later on). You can also reverse play, brake the track like on a real turntable and pretty much do anything and more than with traditional hardware. There are many other features that we encourage you to find and use.
What's new in this version: Version 3.0 add over 50 new features.
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All versions:
3.0 starsout of 2 votes
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"Very good dj mixing software in both price and quality"
Version: FutureDecks DJ pro 2.0.4
Pros
I have to say that i really like the fact that it's compatible with many hardware controllers and MIDI devices, as well as turntable/CD player support. It's a stylish software with intelligent features, at a reasonable price.
Cons
The BPM detection sometimes gets the BPM wrong with some songs, and then you have to press the Sync button quite often in order to keep the other song synchronized with the first song. Other than that, it's very well made.
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"Pales horribly in comparison to Virtual DJ 6."
Version: FutureDecks DJ pro 2.0.2
Pros
The beat-matching feature works...
Cons
The main problem was that the program pulled on my RAM so much that the music frequently jumbles. This rarely happens when I run Virtual DJ.
Summary
Get Virtual DJ instead!
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