Karaoke Forums

I would like to get set up to host shows.  I just ordered an RSQ MK-22 to get started.  I have mixers,amps,spkr's etc., as I am a one man band.

The questionable part comes in If I want to host using a laptop too, using maybe the Hoster programs.  As I buy more disks(cdg), I want to put my songs on hardrive to retrieve at will, songbooks, database, and the rest of it.

Being of only average means, I would like to try and use what I have as far as possible.  My equipment is as follows:

RSQ player- Can start out playing disks

Laptop- Older Pentium111, not enough storage available(10GB), and does not read CD+G.

Possible solution- I can save my disks to hardrive with a USB external HD, but something has to read them first.  Would I have to have an external drive  to attach to my laptop ?

I probably didn't spell this out very well.  I have a basic idea of what I want to do, but am not savvy enough to do it.

Any help would be appreciated.

Bernie

If I were starting out and had the sound equipment and a player my first priority would be to purchasing discs and building a solid song selection of high quality music. The computer is a great way to go but if you have limited funds your best money spent will be on music.

My advice is to get your library built to say 5000 songs un-duplicated and then consider going computerized. Running computer based shows is not for everyone as it does take a reasonable knowlege of computers to set up, maintain, and troubleshoot them.

To answer your direct question - find a good hosting program, purchase a compatible burner for ripping them to HD ( I use Plextor Burner certified to do CDG)
and I use MTU Hoster for my hosting software. There are many programs out there and require alot of research to find the one that fits your specific needs. Take your time and consider each option carefully and you will learn alot about what you do and do not want. Then download a trial copy of each program that fits your needs and demo them and see what is the best fit. Whats important is what you want not what someone else wants for you.

Good Luck....and feel free to PM me if you want some specifics.

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FlipSide Karaoke
Scott

Pentium111????

Firstly, don't use a laptop.  Rackmount is cheaper and will save you headaches such as your hard drive problem.  For software use Sacks-O-Nuts ShowHoster becasue it was designed to run on old crappy machines and prints books and has a remote kiosk program intergated.  While it is not freeware it does have an unlimited trial period with no disabled features and only a beg screen at start-up.  Also, there is AutoKDJ which is freeware but takes a little more computer power.  To rip the CDG's from disks your best bet is a Plextor CD drive.  Not all of them will read CDG but they are you best bet.

If you are going computer, get a faster one. But I agree with Flipper on getting the library first. But there is a way to do both. there was a thread where I posted a link  for used laptops which has reasonably priced laptops including one for under $500 that is more than enough to do the job.  Second get autokdj as it's free so you save money on the player. Next go to TRicerasoft and purchase the entire library which is already in the foramt needed to run digital shows which means you haven't "format shifted your songs. you can also go to zoom to get songs that are not available in tricerasoft's library in downloadable form. Later if you want to you can purchase hoster as you can load the songs into hoster's database as well.
\I will say this for Hoster- they do listen to their customers on suggestions for their products if it is within their ability to do so. And their keychanger and multiplex buttons work the way that one would expect them to.

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The Line Array Experiment is over. Nothing to see here. Move along.

Hi Guys

Thanks for the replies.  This gives me a course of direction.  A couple of questions.  I have a much faster rackmounted computer called the Muse Receptor, that I use to play VSTi instruments.  I already found out that I can use this to store and recall songs(160GB), using my laptop to host the software.

My question is if my laptop is too slow because the songs that are being recalled uses DFD(direct from disk).  In otherwords, if I am forced to buy another laptop or rack computer because it is too slow ?  If when using Hoster's suite of programs, eg, a song is pulled up.  Is it tranferred to the host computer, or played directly from the harddrive ?  If it has to be DFD, I can see why my pentium111 might be too slow.

The other question is of a CDG burner.  I quess I am confused there.  Hoster says you can import different formats to hardrive.  If I get a Plextor for about $120, does it read the disk and load it to a harddrive by USB ?

If I don't go computer, I will have to be content to shuffle disks, and print out a songlist from Access or the like.  Right.

Even if you go computer it is not going to eliminate songlists but you are essentially right.

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The Line Array Experiment is over. Nothing to see here. Move along.

Thanks Danny

You have helped a lot