Karaoke Forums

Hi Everyone,

I am wanting to do Karaoke at my bar. Now I understand that quality of sound/on screen lyrics and such is important, but I hate all the blue backgrounds that generally go alone with karaoke.

Is there a set of discs/or computer files that provide music videos or picture backgrounds with good sound/text graphics/animation etc. Also I am not interested in ripping/editing/etc to make it happen, I just want to buy as is.


Thanks!

Not too many around anymore, Pioneer had a set of karaoke DVD's that were based on their original LaserDisc library, but it was pretty short lived and you'll be lucky to find many of them. I think there is a brand Original Footage that has the actual video of the original band playing along - but there are not a whole lot of those discs so you wouldn't have an extensive library.
YEARS ago there were a couple of CDG machines with a superimpose feature that would allow you to add any video source you wanted that would show up under the words, I doubt you will be able to find these but the makes were JVC & DK.
Otherwise sorry to say, if you want a good library, you're stuck with the plain backgrounds.

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Other than the Pioneer Laserdiscs, check out the Sunfly DVD series that is advertised as being with background video, with two caveats.

1. Sunfly seems to be a UK/Australia brand (mostly/only?) and MIGHT be available only in PAL format, which means you'd need a region-free DVD player capable of reading PAL and then outputting to a North American standard (NTSC rather than PAL) TV. This is a "get the right thing when you start and don't think about it again" problem to solve, not a continuing headache, so it won't add technical overhead to your business.

2. They don't always get the words right. Speculation is that some licensing issue was involved in using the exactly correct words for some songs, and it was "finessed around" by changing a few words to sound-alikes. This issue isn't unique to SF, but they're more infamous for seemingly-gratuitous word changes than many.

OK, 3:
3. Quality of the music isn't quite up with Pioneer and Sound Choice, but in a bar, depending on your clientele, few will probably notice that and even fewer are likely to care, because it's usually close enough. As you note, the video is part of the entertainment factor, and just like with any home entertainment system costing less than 5 grand, you have to make tradeoffs between audio and video quality.

Since I have around 2000 songs with background videos, I don't mind mixing in newer songs with just the lyrics and the dreaded blue or black screen background, and mostly buy Sound Choice today because their quality level is reliable. But I still think having SOME locally-popular songs with video is nice, to mix up the show a bit and add the "interest" factor of full-motion video to attract attention.

Is there any software that will let you have a superimpose option?

I would really like to take cd+g or other like files and have various videos that loop behind the lyrics. (like Asian KTV places)

Why not consider VCD?

Because I own a lot more CD+G CDs?

Also you can do things like have a live feed on whoever is singing, or use your own stock footage.

Powerkaraoke Power CD+G Player Pro I believe has this option.

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Hello,

Thanks for your reply's! I have figured out what we are going to do....as far as the blue backgrounds etc...so I ordered as many Sound Choice discs as I can afford. Want to know my solution for the video? It's kinda clever

So....I will run my karaoke players (video out) into my Roland V4 video mixer, and I will run a background dvd on another channel. Then I will use the chroma keyer effect. It will show the text, but also show the background DVD (Cancelling out the blue), and it works great!!

Thanks Everyone!

Just out of curiosity, why are you so determined to run video, it's distracting to most singers?

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

Hey,

Beacuase in my opinion there is nothing more ugly in a Karaoke spot than massive screens showing blue....boring old blue.....the blue that makes u blue.......I won't be running moving video now, just static wallpapers that change every so often.

Cheers

Tricersoft's JustKaraoke has video background ambients. Works with most Mp3+G songs.

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

I kind of like the CD+G format because I hated the laser discs with their videos that had nothing to do with the song. They were too distracting. And yes it's an ADD thing. I also have a friend who likes CD+G better because he's dyslexic.

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

I disagree with you about singers wanting interesting backgrounds but that being said...

The original CDG specification included a command to blank out the blue but a lot of players ignore that command because no one ever used it. It would be fairly simple thing to put that command into a CDG graphics file to see if it works on your player and it wouldn't hurt a thing if it didn't.

Have I got some wallpaper for you! I designed some graphics and have been using them for karaoke to display the name of the next singer and what-not between songs. They have met with success when I have used them but I don't play many gigs any more just the odd private party now and again. If your are interested go to www.freewebs.com/sacksonuts and download "The Naked Lady Clock." It contains two examples of these graphics. The naked lady clock may not work on Vista or 7, it's just something I kinda threw together. But, you should be able to click on the graphics files named "Slide1.bmp" and "Slide2.bmp" to get a look at them. I think they would go over great in a bar setting. I'm just looking for some feedback at this point.

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Okay, who took my pants?

Check out Original Footage, you can get on ebay. Only thing is they are all 50s 60s 70s based songs.

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Regards
Brian

I use alot of different programs for Karaoke depending on the venue. Some like the videos, some don't like it at all. Just karaoke does a good job on the video, but needs a music fader, it stops to fast to get to karaoke should fade in. Comphost I can get to do it with back grounds but sometimes will lag. Since these people or the ones buying the drinks and paying the tabs I get feedback from them to and who wants them and who don't also under Compuhost you can save a background for that certain singer or song, I like that option. Just my two cents. Robox also is pretty good thats my home use and fall back..............

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Where were you, we were having fun with Lonewolf Karaoke......

Latest version of JustKAraoke has fade in fade out.

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