Karaoke Forums

I called around today trying to find a used JVC CDG player, and I got into a discussion w/the salesperson (a KJ himself). He used Pioneer for the CDG playing before he went to digital. He reccomended that I go digital, saying that the dual players will tend to mess up every few weeks or so, going to computer completely solved this. He's using Virtual DJ and said that its imperative to get the proper software and reader.
I'm to the point where I'm ready to commit my home desktop to this, its a Dell Dimension 4600 Pentium 4 (approx. 4 yrs old)w/both a CD Rom drive (D) and a DVD/CD-RW drive (E), with 94 GB free hard disk space. I'm sure with all the music that I want to DL/backup from the CDG's plus  my MP3 DJ/KJ music mix that I will need an additional hard drive.
I have a few questions to begin this thread, will add more as it goes along.

1) Will my current drive(s) read the CDG's already, is all I need is the software?
   This was discussed in an earlier thread (will print out hardy copy today for
   reviewing) This guy uses Virtual DJ, he said he does have some problems w/it
   every now and then. I noticed a lot of you recc. winamp. I did a search of this  
   hard drive and winamp is on here, but just not loaded yet. Someone mentioned
   that I may need a download or 2 to tweak winamp, that this won't be costly.

2) What is the better software out there for computer KJ'ing? What software do you
   use?

3) Looking at my owners manual, there only seems to be one video connector in the
   back...to set up a second video monitor, can this be split? How do I go about
   hooking a second video monitor to my computer when only one outlet exists?

4) With all the questions I have, I'm also starting to wonder whether its feasable to
   just buy a used desktop ($500-800) from a computer store with the winamp/dual
   monitor capabilities/sound card/backup hard drive/software installed just to save
   me the hassle of breaking up my home system. I was gonna transport my Dell
   notebook to and from work to keep my internet access alive.

That's all the thoughts I have for now, as always thanks ahead of time for your inputs. This site has been very helpful.

                                                                               

                                                                            bigjim56

ALWAYS, pick out the software you want to use first.  Then design your hardware around it.  Most all karaoke software has a demo.  Download them and look at them.  Go to a shows where you know they are digital. Ask questions.  Go to the sites that sell the software and read the forums.  Remeber though, that in any forum associated with any karaoke software company, you will read more complaints than you will the good.
That's human nature.

I personally use MTU's Hoster.  I looked at the others and made my choice.  But I spent 3 months playing with all the other demos and reading their forums before I did anything.  Then I made sure my computer would run the software.  Different software has different requirements.  Don't go with the software that best fits your computer; go with computer that best fits the software you like best.

Not meant to sound critical, but you have way to much homework in front of you before you need to be worrying about how to hook up the monitor.

Take your time.  You will be glad in the long run.

Kelly

The first thing you need to do is find out if the computer you want to use has the "Extended Desk top feature".      Check your display settings and look for the second monitor.      If you don't have this, you're no go.

Sax & Dotty's is a nice program.

But a simple fix for this is get a new video card that has dual display & you are a go again.

I also use MTU Hoster.  It costs money, it writes to a proprietary file format, but it does what I need it to do & IMO sounds better than mp3 based systems.

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So it's the type of video card that determines the number of displays?



Meaning it's a hardware issue, not software?

You are correct sir!

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LIKE Lonman on Facebook - Lonman Productions Karaoke & my main site via my profile!

It's both actually. You will need the right hardware to be able to span your desktop over two displays. However, you still need to configure your OS to make sure you have set it up to span two desktops. Believe it or not, it does not automatically do it, specially the NVidia cards. Not sure about others.

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Seize the day and SING!!!

OK, checked out the MTU Hoster website and the cost for Karaoke video Hoster = $199.95. The Video Hoster and Karaoke Suite 4 is $319.95.  How do I know which one I need? Kellyoke recc. buy software first, then design hardware around software...maybe get software, trip to used 'puter store and have desktop made to my demands for cheap.

The MTU advertisement says it compresses the songs, allowing up to 55000 songs on a 250 GB hard drive. If this is true, my need for a larger hard drive is not as dire as thought. My original library will consist of 2000 songs, of which I will build from there...slowly. It says it is capable of stringing songs together for the host, allowing the KJ to work the crowd more. That sounds like an excellent feature! What are some of the other features that are useful?

Does it perform with MP3's? I will have 50 GB of MP3's for KJ/DJ mix-it night, it would be very benneficial if it also worked with that format.

Thanks for posts!

                                                                            bigjim56

Yes it plays mp3's as well.

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You will be too busy mixing the vocals and the music together to be playing around in the crowd too much.    Mixing is the most important part of the job.

i recently purchased hoster (and all the peripherals after much consternation.  so far it's a good product that does what i want.

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All work and no play make Homer something something

Not true. A mix can be set within the first minute of the song - usually less.  Unless the singer is fluctuating so much between hardly hear & over the top, there is no need to ride the fader.  A good engineer can get a good mix relatively quick.  The compressor/limiter is there to keep the volume of the vocals in balance.  But yes mixing a good sound is important.

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First test your system to see if it will read a CDG disc.  You can use Winamp with the CDG DISC plugin (not the mp3+G plugin, but you may as well install that too if you are goiing to rip your discs to mp3+g format)
for the plugins....
http://www.physysteme.com/index.html

Now if your cd drive dosen't read cdg discs, then you need to get one that does.  Most, but not all Plextor drives, will read a CDG discs and they are kinda the unoffical standard for karaoke cd drives.

And yes, rip you discs to a 2nd hard drive in the computer, and buy an extra one and backup that drive too.


And don't try just MTU, a lot of people like it but a lot don't and it is a bit expensive.  There are a lot of other programs out there that will run a karaoke show for a lot cheaper.  I use winamp with Sax & Dottys Show Presenter to handle the rotation part.

Now you need to get a 2nd video display.  IF your current video card won't support EXTENDED desktop, then just buy a 2nd cheap video card  for the singers display.  Preferably one that can easly be hooked to a TV screen.  I got one for $15 that has a composite out that hooks directly to the TV's compostie in jack, and it works great.

Now when you have all your testing done, and chose the software you want, ERASE YOUR HARD DRIVE AND RE-INSTALL THE OS.  Who knows what has been messed up in the last 4 years of using the computer at home.  You don't want the OS crasshing in the middle of the show due to a virus, spyware, bad registry, program conflicts, ect....

Now with a re-isntalled OS, install only the programs you need to run the show and rip discs.  Don't put that computer on the WWW ever. !!!!!

If ya need more advice, just ask!

Actually you should have a backup computer.    You would have two cd players, why not two computers?

A crash at the beginning of the night equals...NO money.    You may not have it fixed in time for the next show.    Equals NO money.

There is no need for a "backup" computer.

  You plan on committing karaoke suicide?  :shock:


That's playing with fire.


A crash in the beginning of the night equals...... NO money.   People looking for another karaoke bar.      A reputation that takes an uneccessary hit because, why??????????      You want to believe in your computer never crashing?    LMAO  LMAO  LMAO  LMAO

I own a big Orange Bridge in San Fransico that I would like to sell.  :yes: It's a really good deal.     I'll let you make payments.

How much time will it take to get the computer back up and running, while your paycheck walks out the door?

I guess every KJ is a computer genius?


Very unprofessional to think that you don't need a backup computer.    Why have a backup hard drive?   Nothing ever happens to computer stuff.  


No back up cables, microphones.......    nothing ever happens??????  LMAO  LMAO  LMAO

  Sorry we woke you from your karaoke heaven dream.   The place where everything goes perfectly fine.    

Maybe if you don't work, nothing will happen.    :yes:

Can't wear out anything that isn't used.  

If it isn't necessary, why do you use two CDG players?   Or are you a time wasting one player guy?   What do you do if the computer has to go to the repair shop.    Twiddle your thumbs?     Pull out your $25 MR. Microphone?

Sorry folks, we only have karaoke on the nights we have a working computer, this isn't one of them.    Go down the street to my competition, they have working karaoke equipment.    But be sure to take a chance and come back to see if we may have it tomorrow,..... or the next day,...... or the next day..........


I will say it again.... Be careful who you take your information from.

I have always used two machines and I will always use a backup computer, when I make the switch.   I would hate to crash and look like a totally unprofessional jerk.    Remember hack KJs out number the good ones by the thousands.    

My karaoke business reputation is worth the investment, yours must not be.

Once again you prove how much you are an idiot.

I constatly maintain my computers, and keep them in perfect working order never touching the internet. I carry 3 computers and 3 copies of my hard drive. 3 may be over kill but i needed a backup this past sunday, when my video card failed to go into dual screen mode and I had to reinstal my video drivers, the next day.

I suggest everyone using a cps have 2 computers and 2 hard drives with identical contents.

Well I can see no need for a backup computer if you keep your discs & players with you at all times - which should be done anyway for legality purposes, but that's another argument.

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So much for 1:1 copying.  Now it's one copy for a computer, then a back up and soon a back up for the back up.  Well heck someone wants a show when I'm already booked, I guess I'll give the originals or a back up to little Jimmy so he can do the show and I'll make more money.  Afterall I'm not hurting anyone. (Heavy sarcasm)

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You can be strange but not a stranger

sarcasm noted, but you're the first in this thread to suggest that a backup would be used at the same time.

Backups are exactly that. Backed up on a shelf, in a totebag, back pocket, wherever... it's not being used. It's a hardware/software/music combination that makes perfect sense in the computer world.