Troubleshooting
Fixes for the most common connection and output issues. Still stuck? Email [email protected].
GrandMA2 Telnet works on the same machine but not to a separate console
If GrandMA2 Telnet output works when TimecodeLink and MA2 run on the same computer (loopback, 127.0.0.1) but won't reach a GrandMA2 console on another machine, the connection is almost always blocked by the firewall on the GrandMA2 machine.
- Allow the Telnet port through the console's firewall — TimecodeLink connects to the MA2 host on port
30000by default. The firewall on the GrandMA2 machine must allow that incoming connection. - Check the host and port in TimecodeLink match your console's IP and Telnet port.
- It is not a login issue — it fails the same way whether you use the
Adminuser or a different MA2 login, and toggling "Telnet enabled" won't help if the firewall is the cause.
Serato doesn't appear in Serato's Available Devices
If TimecodeLink is running but Serato DJ Pro doesn't list it under External Control → Available Devices:
- Enable Local Network access for both apps — macOS System Settings → Privacy & Security → Local Network, and turn on the toggle for both Serato DJ Pro and TimecodeLink. If an app isn't listed yet, it usually appears after the first connection attempt.
- Start TimecodeLink first — it must be running before Serato scans for devices. If in doubt, quit both apps and launch TimecodeLink before Serato.
- Activate External Control in Serato — Settings → Expansion Packs → External Control.
- Check your firewall isn't blocking TimecodeLink's incoming connections (System Settings → Privacy & Security → Firewall → Options).
Ableton Link shows 0 peers
If the output banner reads "Ableton Link 0" and the receiving app isn't syncing:
- Restart the receiving program (Resolume, BEYOND, etc.) — Link peer discovery can fail on the first connection and recovers on a fresh start.
- Update macOS — Ableton Link discovery was broken in macOS Sequoia before
15.7.3. Update to 15.7.3 or later if peers can't find each other.
TimecodeLink closes a few seconds after starting on Windows
The window opens normally, then the app disappears two or three seconds later, on every launch, and reinstalling changes nothing. This is almost always antivirus software killing the process: a freshly downloaded build has no reputation yet, and some security tools block it on its first few runs.
- Check Protection history — Windows Security → Virus & threat protection → Protection history. A blocked or quarantined TimecodeLink entry confirms it. Using a third-party antivirus? Look in its quarantine or activity log instead.
- Add an exclusion for TimecodeLink — and restore the app from quarantine if it was moved there. Excluding the folder you installed it to is enough.
- Or simply launch it a few more times — most tools clear the file once their cloud analysis finishes, and the blocking stops for good.
Rekordbox input is missing on my Intel Mac
Rekordbox input requires an Apple Silicon Mac or Windows. From TimecodeLink 0.1.7 the Rekordbox option is greyed out on Intel Macs, and an existing Rekordbox setup is switched to Pro DJ Link on the first launch after updating.
- Why — TimecodeLink reads the running Rekordbox process, and the Intel build of Rekordbox can no longer be verified against each new Rekordbox release. Rather than ship support that may silently fail mid-show, it was removed.
- What still works on an Intel Mac — Pro DJ Link (CDJ/XDJ), Serato DJ Pro and VirtualDJ inputs, and every output.
- To keep using Rekordbox — run TimecodeLink on an Apple Silicon Mac or a Windows PC. If you play from CDJs/XDJs, switch to the Pro DJ Link input instead.
Related
- Serato Setup Guide — full Serato connection walkthrough
- Rekordbox Setup Guide — requirements and patching walkthrough
- Example Setups — sample IPs and ports for multi-machine rigs
- Ableton Link — how tempo and beat sync works
Ready to Sync?
TimecodeLink bridges your DJ software with show control systems using real-time timecode output.