While we're looking at cool interfaces and video hardware this week, we can't miss Pioneer's DVJ-X1 digital video turntable. The DVJ-X1 has been out for about a year, but in case you missed it, this amazing virtual turntable spins high-quality video and audio simultaneously. DJ Eldorado got his hands on it at the Winter Music Conference -- and watched the pros show it off. Click read more for the whole story. -PK

(see CDM's full WMC coverage for more on this electronic music & technology fiesta)

Being an up-and-coming DJ it's hard to ignore the benefits of 'spinning' digital tunes. Hard to find tracks, compilations and MP3 CDs will tempt even for a vinyl purist. At Winter Music Conference (WMC) 2004 I got hooked on the CDJ-800 CD turntable while playing with it in the Pioneer tent, so much so that I had to buy one.

This year it was the Pioneer DVJ-X1, the world's first DVD turntable, that caught my eye. The Pioneer DVJ-X1 provides seamless video and audio mixing simultaneously. I took a pair for a spin at the Pioneer tent at Ultra Music Festival (UMF) 2005 in Miami and am happy to report that this machine is deadly! Not only can you spin CDs packed with MP3s and scratch them like vinyl but you can now spin, scratch and mix a DVD of movies or video clips - morphing your into an instant VJ. They DVJ-X1 platter feels exactly like platter on the CDJ-800 that I'm used to and looks almost the same with the exception of the stealth black color.

Being a student of the CDJ-800 CD turntable I want to focus on what's different about the DVJ-X1. First it plays several more media types than the CDJ-800, namely MP3 files and MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 encoded video popularized in the form of commercial DVDs. The DVJ-X1 allows you to do real-time digital video scratches, loops and instant cues.

Other bells include: Hot Cues (memorize up to three points per disc), Instant Reverse and Real Time Seamless Loops. As a bonus you can save all your wave data, cue and loop points and image thumbnails (for DVD memory points) to an SD card.

The DVJ-X1 gives the digital DJ the ability to spin music or movies which could be output to a video screen or plasma wall over the dance floor. DJs are busy enough perfecting their craft that they not be interested in the video side of the business, but if you're into video AND DJing, then this is the piece of hardware for you.

According to Pioneer, the DVJ-X1 retails for US$3,200.

In action at WMC

DJ Lars from MTV Real World rocked the Pioneer DVD Turntables at the Remix Hotel at WMC 2005. Mixing and scratching videos effortlessly, the Teutonic mixmaster demonstrated the next generation of essential DJ Hardware.

James Zabiela demo'd the Pioneer DVJ-X1's in the WMC 2005 Audio Lab Thursday March 24th.