Karaoke Forums

Just realized I didn't answer all your questions;

Lonman said:


Just duplicate your kiosk set up and configure it to your network... as many times as you need to since it's a limitation set by your network and not the software.

For experimentation purposes, I have set up five kiosks in the same room just to see if it would cause a problem and had none, zip, zero, zilch.

In my case, each kiosk gets a different "name" on the network so there is never any confusion with request slips. The user sends a song slip and gets a "confirmation" that it was received.

Babs Said:

Quote:
I just can't see dealing with the extra expense or headache of up keep when I don't have to. I take my hat off to those of you who use them because I think it is a nice thing to do for your customers when you don't have to. I also think it is a great way to look more professional than the competition.



I think this is one of the "great misconceptions" regarding kiosks. Yes, there is an added expense, but one time only. After the set up, there is no added expense, or should I say no recurring added expense.

It's actually less of headache than books... I don't have to chase it down at the end of the night, much less pencils and wayward slips.

And it's really not "a nice thing to do for your customers" although from their perspective it's all about them.... It's actually a LOT less work for me.

I stand corrected.
It's me being lazy though that keeps me from doing it. It will take work to put it together and lug from show to show. I admit it is me that doesn't want to deal with it. I do think it is a good idea. It maybe something I'd consider in the future, but not now. The way I do things now is the easy way out.

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[shadow=pink][glow=deepskyblue]. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
[updown]~*~ MONKEY BUSINESS KARAOKE~*~ [/shadow][/updown][/glow]

I still prefer to take a book & look through it at my leisure. If the kiosk was an only option I wouldn't go to that show. I don't want to just stand at a terminal & browse, not knowing what it is I want. I don't necessarily go into a show & absolutely KNOW what I want to sing, which is WHY I prefer books. I can sit & relax, while listening to others & peruse the book. This is the only way I might find that one song that happens to spark a memory at that moment that I would love to try. Can't do that with a spur of the moment, need to pick your song because other are behind you.

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[shadow=deepskyblue]I'm impressed, I've never met such a small mind inside such a big head before.[/shadow]

How about this, a book for those who want to browse but they need to go to the kiosk to put in a request? would that work for you? I may end up doing it at a later date.
By the way my book is accessable via the web on a cellphone.

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

Danny that sounds like a good idea having both books and a kiosk to sign up on.

However i believe most people, IMHE, like to fill out multiple song slips while they're scanning a book. Then they decide which song goes 1st ,2nd, etc...

It sounds like more for work for the kj to bring two methods of having to deal with rotation....no?

OLD habits are hard to die, but I DO believe this KIOSK thing has good potential to replace books in the future. I'm enjoying this thread and learning a new way of doing things.

Also with books, when you're with friends, they discuss it, saying things like "John try this one" or"sally, this one's for you", and especially for kamikaze karaoke.

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You can be strange but not a stranger

DannyG2006 said:

That's certainly one way to force them to get acquainted with a kiosk! I like it....

TTownTenor Said:

Yep, you can sit & relax and peruse a book for that one song to spark your memory. However, your insinuation that with a kiosk it could only be a (somehow unpleasant) spur of the moment experience and that you feel you'd be somehow rushed is pure speculation. I can tell you from three years of experience with kiosk-only shows, and busy shows at that, the situation you are projecting simply does not happen.

You are welcome to visit my shows anytime you'd like and I'll even forward you a cd of a PDF file of a printed book in advance... you're welcome to print that out at your leisure and bring it with you. This way you are completely prepared in the unlikely event that I am wrong... And if so, I'll purchase the book you printed at the end of the evening from you.

The bottom line is, although you've never been at a show with a kiosk, you simply prefer books.... and there's nothing wrong with that except that it's unfair to anticipate a situation that as a matter of course, doesn't exist.

Basically all I need is the software, a monitor and a wireless router and the cart of course. May invest in it at a later date. too little funds right now.

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

Us KJ may not like the kiosk, but have we ask ours regular singers their opinion?

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I can neither confirm nor deny ever having or knowing anything about nothing.... mrscott

I remember the argument for 3 years that the computer will never take over. Sheesh!!

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CStaley

I really didn't follow your response to Lonman. I hope you don't mind exploring this further.

Assuming I want to only set up a WIRELESS network that transmits "song slips" from my KIOSK (a Slim-line Lenovo shown in a previous post) to my Laptop Show Computer, what must I do to accomplish that in terms of both software and hardware. In responding, could you please specify exactly which computer would be provided with each of the required resource.

Assuming further that the venue has wifi and I'm willing to put my system online, how does someone with a cellphone or the like contact me? Don't I have to provide an "address" in order for that to happen?

Please note that I already have in available parts: a Network Card (for a desktop), a Belkin router, and a Linksys Adapter. The Linksys Adapter can be used to download songs at a show, if I so desired, without putting the Show Computer at risk.

Lastly, if I go "online" with this system, how do I protect all parts of the network from hackers and viruses and.....?

I can only answer these questions using my reference points, so let me first say that the system I use is one that is a "closed private LAN (local area network)" and not one that is connected via a wifi, internet or cellphone link. Those are cans of worms I didn't want to open or get near. So here is how my system is set up and I'll relate it to yours by telling you what you would need to do what I do.

1. your Lenovo will need a wireless network adapter. You can use either a card or even a USB network adapter. It does NOT have to be any kind of super-zippy-nuclear-turbo adapter... a song slip is so little data, even an older one (802.11b or g) will work just dandy.

2. Your hosting computer will need a router to manage the network traffic and both computers will need to be set up in the same workgroup (and with at least a little security) with only one folder on the hosting machine property set to "full access" and "shared."

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DISCLAIMER: This setup is designed to utilize the software that I've written and should not be relied upon for the operation of other software for the same purpose. Check with your software vendor for recommendations of hardware and network settings.
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3. The software that I've written uses 2 programs:

(1) the program that the singers use to "send" their songslips that would reside on your Lenovo and

(2) a program that resides on the hosting laptop show computer to "recieve" their song slips

Once both of the programs are running on their respective machines, singers can send their songs over at any time and the hosting computer will check every 3 seconds to see if one has been requested. If it has, the recieving computer will send a confirmation back that is displayed to the singer.


Someone with a cellphone would have to access the web to a page you've designed to allow them to search and send requests. How you decide to receive them is entirely up to you. So to answer your second question, "yes" you would need to provide a "network address." If you want to do it as a WIFI system, you'd need to set up your show hosting computer as a "server" and perhaps your network as "ad hoc" with an open port. Both of these senarios --for me-- just seemed like too much work and complexity.



The network card is great if you have any problems with wireless, you could simply plug in a cable and be done with it. I assume the Belkin router is a "wireless router?" And the Linksys adapter is a wireless adapter attached to the Lenovo? If yes, then you're already 90% done. (You may find that you might need to disable the regular wired adapter in the Lenovo through Device Manager when you're using wireless.)

If you download a song with the Lenovo then you will have to kick a singer out of the way while you do that and then transmit it to the hosting computer.


That all depends on where you go and what you do when you're online. If you only access very trusted sites, you should have no problem but I certainly wouldn't use it to simply do "general surfing" in any shape or form.

If you don't want your drinking crowd to have access to the other functions of your computer, then the safest method then is to go with a "touch screen monitor" because they are restricted on which "keys" they can hit and they can't reformat your drive or navigate to anything you don't want them to. This will require a touch screen monitor and the software must have a touchscreen interface designed into it.

...Or, just use different kiosk software that already had all but the alpha numeric keys locked out.

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Okay, who took my pants?

And that'll work too...

Also, keep in mind that I've used the keyboard version for 3 years and never had a single incident where someone even attempted anything underhanded.

BTW, with your current system I'd strongly recommend that you place the CPU on the floor, under the table so if there is a spill, it will not occur directly on your CPU, but "around it." Leave nothing on the table top but the keyboard, mouse and screen.

Thanks, C


I think I'm getting a clearer picture. It was only after I realized that I already have some of the hardware, that I began to wonder if it is worth setting up the network? I might do so if a am completely happy with how the Kiosk works out over the long run for the first priority I assigned it.

I can't say that I have had anyone attempt sabotage but I have had several sloshed IT folks complain "Hey buddy, yer keyboard's not workin' right..." it was to laugh.

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Okay, who took my pants?

It's those drunk IT folks you have to keep an eye on.....

C I would really consider running adhoc with certain singers that sometimes bring their laptops in It would require the software on their end. Actually a table with singers could send everybodies requests. Ideas or suggestions?

I have used adhoc to access the music from a mainframe with no problems or delays. They could also share a folder with songs we dont have and we would access them that way. When people discuss new ways my mind goes into overtime with new ideas and improvements.

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That would be fine, but I've never had consistent good luck with ad hoc in a busy club... or in general. Also, I'd be concerned either leaving an open port for someone else to poke around with or a shared folder on my hosting computer. I'm just paranoid like that....

I'd just give them a PDF file to poke through, they'd still have it all at their table and it's searchable.