[SOLVED] Why are the waveforms on the XDJ-RX only in sync in the middle?

This has been discussed in another topic and the answer is that without sync being enabled, there is no "target" tempo to which to stretch the entire waveform in order to display them both moving at the same relative speed. If you played both tracks at 0%, they'd both move at the same speed but the beats wouldn't align. As you likely have one of them pitched up or down to match the other track, it displays that waveform moving faster or slower than the other waveform, with the beats meeting at the middle (think of that as the "play head").

Unfortunately there will be no update to address this functionality, and I will point out that Serato does the exact same thing when using CDJs as your control interface, so the RX isn't the only waveform display to exhibit this behaviour.

Why can the waveforms show completely in sync when sync is on then?

Because there is then a target BPM to which the unit can stretch the waveform in order to match the display.

...without sync being enabled, there is no "target" tempo to which to stretch the entire waveform in order to display them both moving at the same relative speed.

 

Exactly. Display the same stretched waveform then even when sync is off.

It can't - without sync, how does the player know what to stretch the waveform TO?

There is always a target tempo. Whatever the tempo/bpm is set too, the waveform should adjust accordingly.

You're answering as if songs don't have a BPM/tempo when SYNC isn't on.

It does that -- the original value (0%) scrolls at the same speed as the other waveform also at 0%. It doesn't stretch the waveform according to the percentage you use, it changes the speed of the waveform. It can't arbitrarily stretch the waveform based on that percentage.

It absolutely can. What percentage does the tempo/BPM increase by? Increase the waveform's length by that percentage.

And neither of us designed the player now did we?

Never said that, but you're telling me a simple update/feature isn't possible when it is absolutely possible.

SYNC's stretching of the waveform is proof that it is possible.

It's possible when the sync is engaged - but not when it's not. This is the information I've received from the engineers, so unless you're secretly an engineer at Pioneer DJ who is trolling me, my answer is the best one in this thread.

You guys need new engineers, because your engineers are wrong. SYNC does a very small calculation in the background to change the waveform when hitting SYNC. That is what produces the new waveform on screen, showing all beatgrids lined up instead of just the one in the center.

"Hey guys, how could we make the UI for waveforms better when SYNC isn't enabled? Could we have the display show the modified waveform as it does with SYNC, but not force the tracks beatgrids to line up/sync automatically?"

That is literally the solution. The current UI when not in SYNC is bad by design, and that is apparent to any normal person... engineer or not. Whoever is telling you it's not possible should lose their job.

So are you telling me Serato have been doing it wrong all this time as well?

Yup. Just because a bad UI/UX experience is duplicated elsewhere doesn't make it correct.

If the waveforms in Traktor were parallel, they would be lined up. Sync or no sync. 

Just because you keep saying it doesn't make you correct either.

Well, using that logic, neither are you or your engineers. There is very clearly a right or wrong here (whether or not you wish to admit who) and Pioneer deciding to ignore it is just lazy. Bad design is bad design. There is no argument.

If the waveforms in Traktor were parallel, they would be lined up. Sync or no sync. 

Actually, they don't. I just tested it with a screen-capture and video editing software. There is no stretching, the waveforms move relative to zero pitch. Adjust the pitch up, the ENTIRE waveform moves faster with the beats aligning at the play head.