Karaoke Forums

Personally, I think a laptop makes the most sense. The Dell machines now have a pretty darn good sound chip, and you should not need a USB interface unless you are extremely discerning.

Nowadays, you can get a laptop with 2G of RAM and a 250G hard drive for less than $800 -- I know because I just bought one. And if you are gigging out, I would use Compuhost. I have used MTU Hoster as well, and the features of Compuhost blow it away. Compuhost is no more expensive either. You do have to deal with the dongle, but I haven't found it to be a problem so far.

For cheap, there is a program called JustKaraoke from Tricerasoft. For $25, it seems pretty decent, actually. I am going to buy it as a backup in case I were to lose the dongle for Compuhost.

Last night I had to use the laptop. Just added another g2 and the sound was the most awesome yet in that little bar which has  the opposite wall of cinder block. Sometimes I think the laptop sound is better than the Delta44. The only way the delta44 is better is when using a different sound engine such as Sonar3.

We use a real wireless keyboard and mouse which helps. I would use the laptop  full time but  I use it for wifi internet and everything else.

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Lots of great replies here guys, I am now leaning toward going digital would you suggest seperate programs for karaoke and d/j? I am thinking about getting a rackmount computer case and building the rest of the machine myself. I have put together 5 computers and I think I could put together a nice machine just for gigs. Anyone here done this or has everyone just bought a machine to put to use?

I build my machines to my useage. ONly bought ONE storebought special, and I regretted it months later.

I'm the opposite of m'man mckyj57 in that I'm like Lonman and love the desktops for the ease of working on them, parts availability and affordability. Not to be arguemenative, but For his example of the laptop, which is AWESOME by the way, I can get tons of options for far less. Barebones that you supply the hard drive and operating system (and memory in some cases) for $199 or less... go to http:www.pricewatch.com and select barebones pc and do a bit of research. I put one together online with OS for $440

KIT PRICE:       $ 439.94

What I didn't include are the specific burners you'd need to do karaoke with. You'd need to do that with a laptop or desktop anyway. Unless you get lucky enough to use powerkaraoke and it works with your standard setup. Nor did I choose a mouse or keyboard. I can get them DIRT cheap, or buy the really nice optical mouse and illuminated keyboards...

unsure if this direct link will work, but here's how you can play around with it and try it out yourself with this one retailer.

http://www.ascendtech.us/customkititems ... AM2WIN3201

I too was in favor of a rack mount computer.  Until you find out how much the case alone weights.  Then you have to have a monitor and keyboard and mouse and a ton of other stuff that is already nicely and lightly packed in to a laptop.  With a case rack mount you have nothing to back you up.  No spare parts.  You will go home and not get paid if you have  a failure.

Would actually cost you more to build the rack mount with all of the stuff that's already in a laptop.

Here you go again. Can you think before you post. You sound worst than BD

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I actually prefer to have my karaoke on a computer all by its lonesome.  My dj program is on a separate system.  For the dj part I run OTSDJ.  otsdj.com  GREAT program!  I like it much better than PCDJ.

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Disagree.  I built my desktop (standard tower) to specs that weren't available in any laptop for about $800 cheaper than a laptop that was even remotely close specwise.  Also with a desktop you can repair any part that goes bad yourself by just going down to the local computer store the next day & picking up the piece you need, take it home & install it, no so for most laptops.  
As far as backup that's what my discs & players are for.  1 computer system is illegal enough to use commercially, i'm not going to have 2 systems ready to run with 1 library.

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Man Jian! No way would someone that joined on Dec2007 know anything other than heresay about BigDog!

Addressing the points with Sidewinder's post:

1.) if you have ONE of ANY kind of computer, rackmount or otherwise, you won't have a "backup". No spare parts for any other pc or laptop, unless you bring in another set!

It does NOT cost you more to do more with a rackmount, unless you specifically buy a server case or specially made case. Same thing can apply to the MTU Ruggedized laptop vs a standard storebought laptop.

I did a lot of research on this subject because i really wanted to use a case that could be upgradeable or one that i could swap out parts on, for repairs.  I still chose 2 laptops in the end.  Cheaper and a lot less weight. And i still have a spare part for everthing that could possibly go wrong that can be carried in a small breif case. I.E. my spare laptop.  That can be swapped out, up and running in 10 minutes.

[highlight=red]Too much weight and too much money to have spare parts laying around that you would still have to carry with you every night. [/highlight]

How many are that good that they can take apart a computer case and start troubleshooting, while your on the job, with a bar full of people sitting in silence watching you look very unprofessional??  And how much time will that take???  Swap a laptop in 10 minutes.

And you would need spare memory, processor, processor fan kit, video card, sound card, mother board, power supply, cooling fans, connecting cables, drives, keyboard, mouse, monitor...still sound cheap??? And what did i miss????

They said rack mount, [highlight=red]not desk top.[/highlight]  There is no way i would ever consider dragging my desk top computer to a job night after night.  There is no protection from damage. Plus it's big and bulky and delicate.

To get a case that will come close to fitting into a rack case you need to get a special short case.  Short in length.

Or something like this.

Small and light.
1 Space Rack Mount DJ Computer- 1U17  US $1,495.00  Buy It Now > [highlight=red]Remember this is one unit with no spare parts.[/highlight]
But you still need a monitor, keyboard, mouse.

Like this:

ATEN CL1758L 15" Rackmount LCD Monitor  

Part #: CL1758L    



 
   
    Email this page  
Purchase Information
Your Price: $1,616.99 [highlight=red] Remember this is one unit with no spare parts. [/highlight]

or

Eagle Tech RMAL4071-SL Silver Aluminum 4U Rackmount Chassis -Silver   21" long
$109. (Copy & paste and search in google)
and a monitor of some type.


Now add in all the guts, the cards, processor, memory, drives....remember these are single items with no spare parts.

No spare parts.  Now tell me how could it be cheaper than laptops ready to go.  Nothing to hook up, no keyboard and mouse wires.  

You could have 3-4 laptops all ready to go for that kind of money. A lot less weight. And 2 of everything.  In something you can carry.  A rack mount will weight around 100 pounds after you put everything (Case, monitor, keyboard, mouse, guts, etc) in the protective travel case.  Anyone that doesn't put their computer in a box is really asking for trouble.



[highlight=red]1 computer system is illegal enough to use commercially, i'm not going to have 2 systems ready to run with 1 library. [/highlight]

1 library of songs on 1 external hard drive and you can have 20 spare laptops with you.  What's so illegal about that?  No music on the laptop hard drive.  

The problem comes from having 2 complete libraries ready to go.  Not 2 laptops without music loaded. Hide the spare backup external hard drive in the glove box.

You are already a little bit illegal. Whatever that is.  You already did the format shift.

What's lighter than a 7 lb laptop?  Nothing..

Can't help it, there is even the red highlighting efx.

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

OK even with a 'rackmount' I would have saved over buying a laptop with the specs I wanted.  The only reason I went with a desktop is because the rackmount case I wanted ($235) was out of stock at the time & I needed something now.  SO getting the desktop case actually saved me $50.
Yes the format shift was done once - illegal enough, once you do it again for backup or whatever, you are considered a pirate.  I know people will argue that backing up your hard drive is smart, but according to the law, once is 1 time too much and all of us computerized people are already breaking the law, once you backup, you are now doing it twice as much!

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I'm real glad i went with laptops instead of rack mount.  So much convienence.

If you want the experience of someone who has run computer based karaoke for about 8 years. One unit server cases are definitatley not reliable for transporting and bouncing around. I have run a two unit rack with 3 or 4 MB'S in it in all kinds of conditions even plus 100 degrees in a hot afternoon. A typical server case is heavy and needs to be cut down to fit in a typical rack.  Over the years I have replaced many video boards that need to be inserted in a 90 degree PCI riser adapter. A computer bouncing around in the bottom of a rack has constant problems. (and this comes from a tech that has maintained ship board radars) The laptop I am posting on right now has many programs on it. I have run many  shows with  it and it has subbed for broken cd players  at other shows and the audience noticed the higher quality of audio. It hasnt missed a lick. A cd player gradually gets poor due to dirty optics and wear and tear.

To sum up ... A laptop is more convenient and more reliable. And the onboard sound now kicks (@$%&#!)!!!

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Wow seem like everyone is very passoniate about the type of system they are using. If I go with a laptop wont I need something better than the usual video card that comes with most laptops? I have decided against the rack mount specs look too heavy to lug around. However I have found several lightweight all aluminum micro cases that look intriguing. I pieced together a pretty kick butt system with a nice video card and 2gb of ram for around $550.00.

Most laptops nowadays come with everything you need for karaoke. The onboard sound is not too bad, they have an SVideo out for a TV, everything. I just bought a Dell for $725 that had 2G RAM and 250G hard drive.

Buy before Jan 30th if you want to get XP instead of Vista.....

[/quote]Wow seem like everyone is very passoniate about the type of system they are using.

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Buy it direct from the company and order the best video and sound cards they have.

Stop thinking cheap, off the shelf, it's not what i want, but i'll make it work.

Buy exactly what you need.

Then there won't be any upgrade issues or i should bought this issues.  

Buy it right the first time and you won't be kicking yourself in the ask... me another question....later  LMAO


If you want to rack mount it on a shelf, don't go bigger than a 15" screen. It won't fit between the rack rails, if you need to use any plug holes that they seem to want to put on the sides of the laptops.

Lots of great advice guys I really looking hard split between a desktop & laptop now arggggg....