Karaoke Forums

My dad is wanting to switch all his karaoke over to his computer. Where do I start. He has enough computer equipment to do it, I just don't know where to start. What programs, equipment do I need?

Many options available depending on your father's application (commercial shows or home use?) Many use MTU Hoster and Compuhost. Advantage to Hoster: Simultaneously creates your song book as you load your music -- in other words, as soon as you are finished ripping your CDGs you can print out a book. It also allows you to play singers' discs that they bring in with them and deletes the file from your computer (to maintain legal status re: not having any songs on your computer for which you can't demonstrate a hard copy). Disadvantage: Saves your files in .kma which is a proprietary format. Does allow importing of MP3+G which I haven't done yet. Other fancy things it does that I don't use.

Many hosts will answer this question and denote the benefits of theirs.

If you're not sure what software is right for you, try them all. I have been using Compuhost for over 2 years and love it but unfortunately the software's needs requires more computer than I have so I have switched to JustKaraoke, a good cheap standalone software. Does everything the big boys (Compuhost and Hoster) does.
Their support is very helpful as well but that is true about the big boys too.

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

Also if it's strictly for home use, you can use Winamp & CDG Rip and set the computer up for free!

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

Scrolling marquee? Audio/video bits and filler music player? Advertising slideshows? Singer history? Really?

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[color=#ffff55]Mickey J.[/color]
Alas for those who never sing, but die with all their music in them.
-- Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.

Well, it has "some" of the features of the "big boys". Like singer history, audio bits, announces singer, and has the capability of doing background images (advertising? or slideshows? maybe?). Supposedly, there is a new plugin for filler music, but I haven't seen anything on it yet. JustKaraoke isn't quite as extensive as other programs out there, but it IS a good one, especially for ease of use and cost.

The filler player is a simple player where you add your songs to the que and it ramdomly chooses a song to play. Oh it has a feature that none of the big boys have without spending extra for Karaoke SongFinder. It's own kiosk. It's a true kiosk using two or more client computers that sends song requests back to the hosting computer's que. You have the choice of spending an extra $25 to get a touch screen friendly kiosk or getting the remote tool from Swift Elite and being keyboard based. I am choosing the latter. The only other hosting solution that has a kiosk specifically made to interact directly with the hosting software is AutoKDJ, which is a winamp front end. AutoKDJ and it's kiosk AutoFE are free programs. Basically download winamp, AutoKDJ, and AUtoFE and you're all set to run karaoke. AutoKDJ's download contains Pacemaker and the MP3+G plugin as well as the AutoKDJ plugin. Although it has some nice features, it has one major flaw. It is reliant on the naming convention that Winamp's Media Player will work with which isn't a common naming convention for karaoke files.

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

Thanks for all the replies. He does it mainly for fun, but does some parties. He is tired of the big CD case and changing CD's. He is pretty savvy with the computer but as far as karaoke software, we are both noobs.

If he doesn't work in a bar, he probably doesn't need Compuhost. Although I use it and think its the best of breed, it's really overkill for home use and basic private parties. No need to advertise drink specials and play videos generally. For home use and friends parties, keep it simple.

I started at home having friends over to sing using good ole' bare bones "Power Karaoke", then when it became a business moved to RoxBox before settling on Compuhost.

Power Karaoke- $39 (link)

RoxBox - $79 (link)

Compuhost - $179 (link)

JustKaraoke - $25 www.tricerasoft.com

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

Karma from Latshaw Systems does everything a host program should for FREE.
Just as long as you don't use the rotation function.

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I like everyone when I first meet them. If you don't like me that's not my problem it's YOURS!
A stranger is a friend you haven't met yet

I've been playing with the free version of Karma and rotation works as long as you don't go beyond 5 listings at a time. You can set up your singers and it keeps history. As long as you are there to keep adding the songs as you go, I think it's great for the home enthusiast.

You can even throw in an MP3 that will play automatically after the karaoke song ends.

Of the programs I've tried, Karma has one of the best looking screens and is not real expensive ($99). However, there is an add-on cost for the song book generator, etc.

I haven't seen a way to create a playlist that will keep music going between singers without loading them individually. Without that, I'm hesitant to purchase the full version.

From what I've seen, it is the fastest at indexing your songs on hard drive. However, I have to rename my MP3 files so they display properly (PITA). But they also have a program (extra) to help with this process. My MP3's are ripped on WMP and the file names are not correct for importing properly into Karma (at least I haven't found the solution yet).

One feature I would look for in a professional host program is to be able to play a singer's disc (CDG). Karma does not do this. Siglos and MTU do (I believe) RoxBox looks like it should, but doesn't.

I would try it and all the others available with free trial before spending money on any of them.

personally, even for home use i would want a fully functional program. For the money and for what he wants it for $25 isn't too much to spend.

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

response in yellow

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

Again, if it's mostly for fun, Winamp & the karaoke plugins will do just that for him.
http://www.winamp.com/
http://www.winamp.com/plugin/cdg-plug-in/100775 - The plugin to show the words on screen
http://www.winamp.com/plugin/cdg-disk-p ... gin/141804 - the plugin to play a cdg directly from the computer
http://www.winamp.com/plugin/pacemaker/12689 - the plugin to change the key & speed of the songs.

http://www.kjtools.com/CDGRip.html - the program to rip the cdg's to your computer

Cost of all above - nothing! All free downloads for a fully functional home use & occasional party computer. If he wants a hosting program as well, I think you can still get Autokj for free as well.
http://www.autokdj.com/?q=node/86

Everything you need for a home use & occasional party setup - free!

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

Lonman, if he downloads AutoKDJ he does not need to download all the plugins separately. They all come in AutoKDJ's download. The only thing he needs to download separate from AUtoKDJ is winamp. I am willing to bet that he is going to find Pacemaker lacking.
But what do you want for free. Be sure to download foldmomkey because he's gonna need it to rename all his songs to match AutoKDJ's naming convention unless he rips it as Artist - Title.zip.

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

I'm just saying, he doesn't need to spend a ton if any to get computer karaoke that will work for his most likely hobby.
Toqer might be able to help with the naming aspect. I don't know anything about that.

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