Can anyone help me out there! I have been a KJ on and off for years and I have many CDg disks and Super CDG (many of these). I am gearing up to go back at it again but I want to go to a digital format. Can any one tell me how to get my Super CDG disks ripped on to a computer? What kind of computer should I use (laptop, desktop)? And what will I need to in the computer to run a good show? And most of all what hosting program is good to use and reasonably priced. I am formiliar with Hoster, but they limit you on PC's to load it on and their service is poor. Anyone have any ideas?
Thanks
Jockey
Tired of spinning disks!
Well from my understanding from a friend of mine that is also in this business, you can get all the software you'll need in one package from KJAmp.com. They have a ripper that will convert the SCDG's back to MP3+G's, the necessary hosting software which integrates with WinAmp, and the licensing is pretty flexible too as I understand it. Perhaps someone on this board who's actually used it could speak to the specifics.
As far as hardware, you'd do fine with either a latop or a desktop. The only issue I've run into on the laptop side is that many of the "stock" soundcards introduce Hard Drive whine into the sound. Getting an USB sound adapter will get you around this if it turns out to be a problem. I'd say get a minimum of 512MB RAM, plenty of hard disk space (maybe an external USB hard drive) for your music and a minimum 2GHz processor. Also make sure that the video card will support dual monitor display (almost all laptop and desktop PC's do now days) to run your display and the lyrics monitor for the singers.
Before you go computerized though, be sure you read through the other posts on this forum about the licensing battles occuring right now. Make sure you understand what you're getting into before you do it.
As far as hardware, you'd do fine with either a latop or a desktop. The only issue I've run into on the laptop side is that many of the "stock" soundcards introduce Hard Drive whine into the sound. Getting an USB sound adapter will get you around this if it turns out to be a problem. I'd say get a minimum of 512MB RAM, plenty of hard disk space (maybe an external USB hard drive) for your music and a minimum 2GHz processor. Also make sure that the video card will support dual monitor display (almost all laptop and desktop PC's do now days) to run your display and the lyrics monitor for the singers.
Before you go computerized though, be sure you read through the other posts on this forum about the licensing battles occuring right now. Make sure you understand what you're getting into before you do it.
the advantages to a desktop computer-
1:easy to fix if it goes down on you. One componant going down is easily replaced.
2:better soundcard
3: you damage your keyboard you just buy another
disadvantages:
1:Heavy
2: longer setup time (hooking up monitors, sound etc.)
advantage of laptop:
1:light weight
2:shorter setup time (everthing in one package only have to connect sound & external tv monitor)
disadvantages:
1:if it breaks you need a second syetm to run your show as it is harder to fix. One componant going down can not be replaced easily.
That said: advantages to going digital:
1: No more lugging discs
2: No more degrading graphics
3: No more skipping discs
disadvantages:
1: possible more pieces of equipment to carry (possibly heavy pieces.)
2: If you have SC or Pop HIts discs on system possibility that you might get sued.
1:easy to fix if it goes down on you. One componant going down is easily replaced.
2:better soundcard
3: you damage your keyboard you just buy another
disadvantages:
1:Heavy
2: longer setup time (hooking up monitors, sound etc.)
advantage of laptop:
1:light weight
2:shorter setup time (everthing in one package only have to connect sound & external tv monitor)
disadvantages:
1:if it breaks you need a second syetm to run your show as it is harder to fix. One componant going down can not be replaced easily.
That said: advantages to going digital:
1: No more lugging discs
2: No more degrading graphics
3: No more skipping discs
disadvantages:
1: possible more pieces of equipment to carry (possibly heavy pieces.)
2: If you have SC or Pop HIts discs on system possibility that you might get sued.
letitrip, DanG,
Thanks for your help. I was not aware of the legal side. I deffinately dont want to do anything illegal. If I have to keep lugging disks around then oh well...
Is there anything wrong with backing our "paid for" disks up to another CD just in case the CD goes bad? After all I did buy the music on the CD.
If replying to these type questions are to open on this site please feel free to email me at my person email address in my profile.
Again thanks allot for your help, it's good to know we can share ideas!!
Jockey
Thanks for your help. I was not aware of the legal side. I deffinately dont want to do anything illegal. If I have to keep lugging disks around then oh well...
Is there anything wrong with backing our "paid for" disks up to another CD just in case the CD goes bad? After all I did buy the music on the CD.
If replying to these type questions are to open on this site please feel free to email me at my person email address in my profile.
Again thanks allot for your help, it's good to know we can share ideas!!
Jockey
First to add to Dan G's list. One more advantage of a desktop is that if you use a rack for your other equipment (mixer, amp, etc) you can mount the computer right in there too (this can also help address the hookup issues a bit).
As far as backing up your discs, most of the manufacturers will claim that using such a disc in your show would violate copyright. Now on the flipside many KJ's will claim that the manufacturer's interpretation of the copyright law is flawed and that this is not a violation. I'm not aware of any court case one way or the other that has established a clear precident on this.
As far as backing up your discs, most of the manufacturers will claim that using such a disc in your show would violate copyright. Now on the flipside many KJ's will claim that the manufacturer's interpretation of the copyright law is flawed and that this is not a violation. I'm not aware of any court case one way or the other that has established a clear precident on this.
I weighed the laptop vs desktop issue for a long time. I went with 2 laptops. One is a back up. I also have backup external hard drives.
Much lighter and you have a spare everything. Monitor, keyboard, OS, mouse/keypad, power supply, karaoke program, etc. I can swap it out in 5 minutes. You can not even find a screwdriver to open the desktop case in that amount of time. What will your audience be doing while you're looking like an unprepared idiot?
Everything is mounted in a protective box and all of the wiring is all hooked up, all the time. I just have to hook up the 110v power line, the TV coax and the R & L wires for the sound to the mixer..done...how much time was that????
The biggest reason for having everything always plugged in???? You do not want to be plugging and unplugging wires into the laptop motherboard everyday. It will weaken the connectors and your new laptop will be junk real fast..
Don't buy a junk laptop, unless you buy a truck load and then it won't matter. Spend the money to get quality video and sound cards in it.
Mine is a two gig, duel core with 2000 ram and very good video card and sound card. It sounds great. Picture quality is great. No hard drive humming noise or any other interference noises coming from it.
I have well over $40,000 in karaoke music and I will NEVER, not have a backup copy of my music again. Legal or not. I have many worthless discs because the foil is oxidizing and you can see through them. Some are out of print and that means irreplaceable at any cost. Show the judge your original junk discs from lack of manufacturer quality and you will more than likely win the case. Or just plead insanity....
Much lighter and you have a spare everything. Monitor, keyboard, OS, mouse/keypad, power supply, karaoke program, etc. I can swap it out in 5 minutes. You can not even find a screwdriver to open the desktop case in that amount of time. What will your audience be doing while you're looking like an unprepared idiot?
Everything is mounted in a protective box and all of the wiring is all hooked up, all the time. I just have to hook up the 110v power line, the TV coax and the R & L wires for the sound to the mixer..done...how much time was that????
The biggest reason for having everything always plugged in???? You do not want to be plugging and unplugging wires into the laptop motherboard everyday. It will weaken the connectors and your new laptop will be junk real fast..
Don't buy a junk laptop, unless you buy a truck load and then it won't matter. Spend the money to get quality video and sound cards in it.
Mine is a two gig, duel core with 2000 ram and very good video card and sound card. It sounds great. Picture quality is great. No hard drive humming noise or any other interference noises coming from it.
I have well over $40,000 in karaoke music and I will NEVER, not have a backup copy of my music again. Legal or not. I have many worthless discs because the foil is oxidizing and you can see through them. Some are out of print and that means irreplaceable at any cost. Show the judge your original junk discs from lack of manufacturer quality and you will more than likely win the case. Or just plead insanity....
I have gone laptop now and I don't regret it as it is much faster to setup and teardown the system, only monitor I have to disconnect is the singer's tv. Unlike Bigdog though, my backup is outside disc. Again I'm up aned running with dj music while I figure out why my laptop went down. Laptops have come down in price so it is possible for me within a couple of months to get a second laptop and then the only reason to keep the outside player would be for discs singers brought in.
I run a laptop and I have an external USB drive to play outside discs.
In the event of an external hard drive or laptop failure, there would be about 10 minutes of change over...
Shortly I will have two different music drives to play. If one fails I'll play music from the other until I change the bad one. Still talking about 10 minutes to take out the bad one and rename the drive to get it back into the Sax & Dottys. The laptop would take 10-15 minutes to get out the spare, disconnect the bad one and hookup, bootup and rename the drives again.
It's much better than going home with empty pockets and looking like a jerk.
In the event of an external hard drive or laptop failure, there would be about 10 minutes of change over...
Shortly I will have two different music drives to play. If one fails I'll play music from the other until I change the bad one. Still talking about 10 minutes to take out the bad one and rename the drive to get it back into the Sax & Dottys. The laptop would take 10-15 minutes to get out the spare, disconnect the bad one and hookup, bootup and rename the drives again.
It's much better than going home with empty pockets and looking like a jerk.
I personally believe that any computer disc drive was not designed to take the abuse a regular cd player was made for. I'd rather wear out a drive I can replace easily enough without spending an arma and a leg for because I have to make sure that the drive reads the cdg subcode. I can get a dvd drive that reads cdg for a lot cheaper. And before bigdog goes into one of his "spend more for better" rants. I will argue that if you can get it done without overspnding, then you are the better business man as it does come down to overhead verses profit that defines who is the better businessman.
You will be suprised to know that I am playing Other peoples discs with used CDROM drives from Ebay. I put them in a USB fan box. CD ROM drives that support CD+Gs are getting much harder to find. Most companies have stopped supporting CD+G. The DVD "blue thing" is all they are worried about. Like CD+Gs are going to be obsolete soon.
So shortly converting to computers may be an illegal necessity. Start planning for it or you could be left in the dust with a nice pile of CD+Gs that you won't be able to play.
So shortly converting to computers may be an illegal necessity. Start planning for it or you could be left in the dust with a nice pile of CD+Gs that you won't be able to play.
