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ADigital vinyl system (DVS) allows aDJ to physically manipulate the playback of digital audio files on a computer usingturntables as an interface, thus preserving the hands-on control and feel of DJing withvinyl. This has the added advantage of using turntables to play back audio recordings not available inphonograph form. This method allowsDJs toscratch,beatmatch, and perform otherturntablism that would be impossible with a conventional keyboard-and-mouse computer interface or less tactileDJ controllers.

A digital vinyl system may include a special time-coded vinyl record or be purely software.

A digital vinyl system normally uses specialvinyl records which are played on conventionalturntables. The vinyl is a recording of analog audio signals often referred to astimecode. The turntables' audio output - the timecode recording - is routed into ananalog-to-digital converter, or ADC. This ADC may be amulti-channelsoundcard or a dedicated externalUSB orFireWire audio interface box,DJ controller device or compatiblemixer (usually distributed with the software). The ADC sends digital time code information to the software, which then translates the signal into corresponding changes in the playback speed, direction, and position of a digital audio file. The audio file will react as if were pressed directly onto the record. The manipulated audio output of the program is then sent back through theDAC or the computer's sound card, and can be routed into an audio mixer where it can be mixed like any other analog audio signal.

The result is digital audio playback that sounds like music manipulated by an analog vinyl recording. However, there is always a short delay between the needle's reading of the time code and the software's playback of the audio. The delay time is treated as afigure of merit for vinyl emulation products. A shorter delay allows the DJ to have better response and control of the music and is usually not noticeable by the user or listener.

In some countries, for exampleFinland, adigital DJ license is required to legally play copyrighted music publicly with vinyl emulation software.

Final Scratch was the first DVS software sold publicly. Since its release in 2001, many similar software and hardware packages have been developed and marketed.

Notable applications licensed under the terms of theGNU General Public License:

• Mixxx
• xwax

Notableproprietary software applications include:

• Deckadance
• Final Scratch
• MixVibes DVS
• Serato Scratch Live
• Torq
• Traktor Scratch Pro

Some DVS software products are marketed with specifictime codedvinyl, while others are software-only products.

The following table lists DVS packages which come with specific time-coded vinyl:

This table presents lists software-only DVS packages (Note that software products presented here are these which are "controllable" through a time-coded vinyl):

• Audio editing software
• Music software

• The Digital Vinyl System project (DVS) - 2003, origin of the DVS technology name explained.
• Technical Information and Tips on Torq's Vinyl Control System by Chad Carrier, a technical abstract on Torq Control Vinyl time-code.
• Who Invented Digital Vinyl? Steven Carroll's history of digital vinyl and patent claims.
• The Spacedeck project developed by Chris Bauer in 1998.

• DJ equipment
• DJing

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