Often teased, one timed beta’d and now available for your Djing and VJing pleasure, Serato have finally honed their cross platform Serato Video solution ready for the masses. But before you start thinking it’s just for a bit of a laugh in your bedroom, it’s worth shouting about, as Serato are about to do in style, that one of  the superest of superstar DJs – Fatboy Slim – has now adopted Scratch Live and Serato Video for his shows.

First, the official PR, but you can guess what it’s going to say:

Serato Video, the revolutionary plug-in, which enables DJs to manipulate video playback with Serato DJ software Scratch Live and ITCH, is out now.

Based on the popular Video-SL plug-in, Serato Video now gives ITCH DJs video mixing tools that Serato Scratch Live DJs have enjoyed for years, with the use of supported ITCH controllers. Scratch Live DJs can use the same tools with their choice of turntable or CDJ control.

With a reworked architecture, Serato DJs can experience an even smoother workflow and greater flexibility when using effects and transitions to amplify video mixes, at home, in the club or on-stage.

DJing legend, Fatboy Slim chooses Serato Video and Scratch Live as his preferred tools for mixing music and videos for his stadium performances, saying:

“Over the years the visual element has kind’ve grown and technology’s just allowed us to do more than just standing there playing records. So the big break through for me was when I ditched vinyl and started using Serato. Introducing the video element was a way of making the show bigger.”

Features

• Manipulate video playback with Serato Control Vinyl and CDs or an ITCH Controller.
• Visual effects library of transitions and effects.
• Add your own images and text to your video mix.
• Store effects within each video file for instant recall.
• Choice of configurations for external connections to monitors, screens or projectors.

Scratch Live 2.4.1 and ITCH 2.2 are also out now with support for Serato Video, as well as many performance improvements.

Serato Video is a free upgrade for existing Video-SL customers and available to purchase for US $149 from www.serato.com.

Now it would appear that Serato is justifiably proud of snagging a VIP with their product, and are quite happy to let you know in detail exactly which household name DJs are bigging up their stuff. The first is Norman Cook aka Fatboy Slim, who has made the jump from boring old vinyl to a rather more visually interesting Serato video.

He has this to say, which unlike other press releases, it sounds like he actually did utter these words:

AN ICON DEFINES A GENERATION AND LEADS THE NEW MOVEMENTS.

They love music. They are open and honest with what they do, and they share 100% of themselves through their music and performance.

Serato is hand picking a diverse collection of artists to represent and epitomise the Serato ethos.

Not many DJs have the ability to cross from underground to mainstream and back again like Norman Cook aka. Fatboy Slim does.

Renown worldwide as a producer with numerous top ten singles and a number one album, Norman has never lost his passion as a DJ and performer. He has performed through the technology evolution of the DJ industry, seeing people move from vinyl to CDJs to digital vinyl systems and now towards controllers.

A love for a traditional DJ setup and a desire to grow his live show saw him add Scratch Live and Serato Video.

“The thing is you’re just one bloke standing there playing records…and you’re kinda pretty much stuck static. You can wave your arms around, but as the show’s got bigger and I would be following rock bands on main stages at festivals, it’s like we have to, how do we make this show bigger?”

“Introducing the video element was just a way of making the show bigger. When you’re on a festival stage and you have to follow the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, you gotta do something pretty big. So the big break through for me was when I ditched vinyl and started using Serato.”

The result is a live show that you have to experience for yourself.

Fatboy Slim Tour Dates:

11.04.12 - Snowbombing, Mayrhofen, Austria
25.05.12 - Rock Coast Festival, Tenerife, Spain
27.05.12 - Ushuaia Beach Hotel, Ibiza, Spain
01.06.12 - Big Beach Bootique, Brighton, UK
02.06.12 - Big Beach Bootique, Brighton, UK
15.06.12 - Sonar Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
27.07.12 - Tomorrowlands Festival, Boom, Belgium

And they made a video too:

Just one thing – Dear Norman Cook, if you’re done with vinyl, feel free to “ditch” it round at my house. I’ll organise a courier if you’re busy.

This is the first of Serato’s Icon series. At a time where all DJ software has more or less the same features, it makes little sense to talk about sample decks and suchlike. It does however make a great deal of sense to show that some huge names put their trust in Serato products. If I knew of any big name readers, I’d be name dropping too.

In my brief plays, I’ve really liked Serato Video. Unless one of the team is desperate to manhandle it, I think I’ll do this review myself.

Posts related to Serato Video out - Fatboy Slim approves

Serato Video hits public beta

RELEASED: Serato Scratch Live 2.4.3

Serato Update 1: Serato Video v1.1 public beta

RELEASED: Serato Video 1.1