Important Notice Before operating this unit, please verify that you have the latest firmware version available from our website - http://www.cortex-pro.com. New versions of the HDC-500 firmware will include additional features, bug fixes, and enhanced compatibility to guarantee optimum performance of your unit.
Setup Guide Table of Contents Warnings and WEEE.............................................................................................2 Introduction..............................................................................................................3 Features...................................................................................................................4 Compatibility and Recommended Peripherals.................................................5 Device Requirements........
IMPORTANT WARNING & SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS P L E A S E R E A D P R I O R TO O P E R AT I N G T H I S D E V I C E ! CAUTION: This product satisfies FCC regulations when shielded cables and connectors are used to connect the unit to other equipment. To prevent electromagnetic interference with electric appliances such as radios and televisions, use shielded cables and connectors for connections.
Introduction Foreword Thank you for purchasing our Cortex HDC-500.. We are confident that the Cortex platform of products will not only make your life easier through the use of the latest technogical advancements in cross-platform connectivity and sound reproduction but will raise the bar for DJ and pro audio products. With the proper care & maintenance, your unit will likely provide years of reliable, uninterrupted service. All Cortex products are backed by a 1-year limited warranty*.
Operational Notes Features The Cortex HDC-500 has been designed & engineered to provide digital music playback and manipulation features demanded by professional users. The HDC-500 is designed to liberate DJs from the issues associated with PC-based solutions, by eliminating the need for a computer during performance. The HDC-500 also offers superior portability and flexibility over that of a typical PC. Jog Wheel The Jog Wheel on the HDC-500 provides highly precise control for a variety of functions.
Operational Notes Compatability & Recommended Peripherals A Word About Compatability The HDC-500 (and all Cortex products) are designed to interface with all driverless USB devices. This means that if the product does not require proprietary driver software and can be accessed natively by a PC or Macintosh computer, it should be compatible with the Cortex. Note that just because the product works on a computer without using an included driver disk, that does not mean that it is truly driverless.
Operational Notes Additional Information Maintaining Storage Devices When using writeable storage devices, such as hard drives, and harddrive-based music players (iPod, Zen), certain maintenance might be required. Because the Cortex units use streaming technology to manipulate more than one music file from one device simultaneously, hard drives and hard-drive based units need to be defragmented regularly to ensure the integrity of the streamed files.
Setup Guide Parts Diagram and Functions Rear Panel 1 2 4 3 1. AUDI O OUT L/R XLR connectors (BALANCED) XLR type balanced stereo audio output. These connectors output audio signal generated from the HDC-500 unit. 2. AUDIO OUT L/R RCA connectors (UNBALANCED) RCA type unbalanced stereo audio output. These connectors output audio signal also generated from the HDC-500 unit. NOTE: Both outputs can be used simultaneosly for example one output to your mixer the other to a recording device. 3.
Setup Guide 1 3 12 2 4 14 11 5 13 10 9 1. USB connector (type A) This connector is used to attach the USB mass storage device that contains your music library. Suitable mass storage devices include, but are not limited to: external hard drives, flash memory, portable digital music players, CD/DVD-ROM drives, memory card readers, and active USB hubs. 2.
Setup Guide Parts Diagram and Functions Front Panel (continued) 1 3 12 2 4 14 11 5 13 10 9 11. NAVIGATOR keypad These buttons allow the user to navigate through menus and features of the HDC-500. Depending on the mode of the unit, the buttons may serve different purposes. See page 25 for detailed documentation of all of the functions of the NAVIGATOR, in all modes and contexts. 12.
Using the HDC-500 Preparing for Use STEP ONE Connect the AC/DC adaptor to the DC Inlet, found on the rear of the unit. Fasten the Security Clamp (found directly below the DC Inlet jack) on top of the cable, so that it is not possible for the cable to become dislodged. STEP TWO Connect either the XLR type (Balanced) audio output and/or the RCA type (Unbalanced) Audio Outputs to a suitable audio mixer.
Using the HDC-500 STEP ONE - DEVICE SELECTION When prompted, select the desired storage device, that you wish to access. Use the Navigator Keypad to advance through the list of devices, and press Enter to select. Selecting Devices & Database Creation If necessary, you can also connect other USB storage devices without powering down the unit. Note that when you select a storage device, the unit will be required to complete any necessary Database Creation before being able to select another device.
Using the HDC-500 File Browser and Search Options USING THE FILE BROWSER The File Browser is designed to allow you to view the directory structure found on a connected storage device, rather than search by specific criteria. This can be helpful if you keep your music collection in order, but can also help to locate a song that may not have the appropriate ID3 tag information. When a track does not have an ID3 tag, it will not be added to the searchable database of tracks. Fig 2.
Using the HDC-500 Search Options (continued) SEARCH OPTIONS (CONTINUED) Search by Genres When Search by Genres is chosen, you will be presented with a list of all of the genres found in the database. Because not every MP3 has ID3 genre tagging, some tracks may not be displayed in this search. Once you select a genre from the list, you will be able to browse all songs within that genre. Search by Album Using the Search by Album option will allow you to search by the name of the album that a track is from.
Using the HDC-500 Search Options (Continued) and Waveform SEARCH OPTIONS (CONTINUED) Once you press Enter twice, the unit will begin processing your search. Depending on the size of your library, this may take awhile. After the unit is finished executing the search, it will display the results that were found for each category: Titles, Artists, Genres, and Albums each of which can be accessed by using the Navigation Pad Arrow Keys or the Jog Wheel.
Using the HDC-500 Info Button & Track Attributes You will find that the Info Button, located to the top middle of the HDC500 and will become an indispensable part of using the HDC-500. Despite the HDC-500 being able to display an adequate amount of information on the LCD, not every attribute of each track can be displayed all at once. Additionally, there will be times when you may run into two tracks with the same title, and the Info Button will help to reveal which track you truly want to select.
Using the HDC-500 Play Mode and Single Auto Cue Section Five: Play Mode Track Title Progress Indicator/Waveform The Play Mode is the heart of the Cortex HDC-500. Just like conventional CD players, the HDC-500 allows you to select multiple pitch ranges, memorize cue points, and frame accurate searching. The HDC-500 excels over traditional CD players, as it is much faster at loading and starting playback, it has a more informative LCD display, and it can memorize cue points for future performances. Fig 2.
Using the HDC-500 Time Display and Pitch Control Time Display Modes Changing the Time Display Mode is as simple as pressing the Time button to toggle between elapsed and remaining time. Elapsed Time shows how much time has past since the beginning of the track, and Remaining Time shows how much time is left before the track is over. You may press Shift+Time to change the Time Display Mode .
Using the HDC-500 Jog Mode and Playback Navigation Jog Mode When the Jog Mode LED is unlit, the Jog Wheel (when in Play Mode) will perform a Pitch Bend. When the Jog Mode button is pressed, the LED indicator will illuminate, and the Jog Wheel will then allow you to search (FF/REW) through each track. The faster the Jog Wheel is moved, the faster the unit will search through the playing track. In order to use the Jog Mode, the unit must be in the process of playing, not paused.
Using the HDC-500 Cue Points & Memorization Setting and Memorizing Cue Points With the HDC-500, creating and memorizing cue points is quick and easy. By default, when there is no Cue Point set (or memorized), pressing the Cue button returns the unit to the beginning of the track (0:00.00) and pauses. To set a Cue Point during playback at a time of your choice, simply press Pause, and then use the Navigation keypad left & right buttons or Jog Wheel to make any adjustments by frame.
Using the HDC-500 Device Menu Changing, Adding, and Ejecting USB Storage Devices To access the Device Menu from any screen, press Shift+Power. From this menu, you can choose to Change or Eject Devices. Since USB is hot-pluggable, you can connect (but not disconnect) a USB device at any time, regardless of whether the unit is powered On or not and regardless of what mode the unit is in. - To Change devices: 1. Select Change device from the Device Menu. 2.
Using the HDC-500 Shuffle Mode, Loop & Soft Power Shuffle Mode A useful feature for unattended playback is Shuffle Mode. This feature randomly selects tracks based on what is narrowed down using the Search Criteria. For instance, if you select All Songs as your Search Criteria, then the unit will ramdomly select any song in that list. If you select Search by Artist, the unit will randomly select music from that Artist only. The same applies to Genre, Album, String, or even the File Browser.
Setup Menu The Setup Menu can be accessed as the final option on the Main Menu. Each option is changed by pressing the Enter key repeatedly. To exit the Setup Menu, simply press the left arrow key on the Navigator keypad. Using the HDC-500 Setup Preferences Pitch Bend - slow, norm, and fast - slow : bends at a rate of approx. 1% per second - norm : bends at a rate of approx. 2% per second - fast : bends at a rate of approx.
Using the HDC-500 Firmware Updates Firmware Updates One of the most powerful features of the HDC-500 is the capability to upgrade the internal software. This lends itself to the addition of new features and support, the optimization of current processes, and the capability to fix bugs as they arise. Firmware updates will be issued periodically at http://www.cortexpro.com.
Using the HDC-500 Using iTunes™ to optimize your sound files Before you dock your iPod™ and use it with the HDC-500 there are a few setup tasks you must do first: First where it says “On CD insert” choose “ Ask to import CD” option, which will set iTunes™ to prompt you when a disc is inserted, so iTunes will not automatically start ripping a cd when (A) Enable your iPod™ for disk use (B) Prepare your computer so that when you rip music into your computer it will be of the supported format.
Using the HDC-500 COMPRESSION(Mp3) Using iTunes™ to optimize your sound files (continued) Cortex chose to use the Mp3 format because it is the most widely used format for digital music compression. So when Mp3 Encoder is chosen set the SETTINGS menu to CUSTOM because although the default setting is Higher Quality (192 kbps) we recommend (320 Kbps) because its a generous increase in sound quality without sacrificing file size.
Using the HDC-500 Error Messages Error Messages If you experience an error message while navigating the unit, here are a few explanations of those errors and how they can be corrected. For a more complete troubleshooting guide, consult our website at http://www.cortex-pro.com. “Can’t access device” will be displayed because of one of the following problems with the storage device: - Device is write protected In the case of a USB flash drive, some units have a switch to enable writeaccess.
Other (Specifications) Specifications 1. General Type of unit.................................................Streaming Digital Audio Controller Format compatibility.......................................................MP3, WAV, CD-Audio MP3 format......................................8 kbps ~ 320 kbps, CBR/VBR, 44.1 kHz WAV format....................................................................44.1 kHz, 16 bit stereo Instant Start........................................................................
USA Warranty Info Cortex products are designed and manufactured to the highest standards in professional audio. With proper care and maintenance, your product will provide years of reliable service. Please register your product online at http://www.cortex-pro.com Limited Warranty: In the USA, Cortex guarantees its products against defects in workmanship for the period of One (1) year* from the original date of purchase.
