Karaoke Forums

Here is the set up that I have to work with... I am using my laptop (vga out, no S-video) as well as a JVC 6 disk cartridge player (supplied by my venue) and three TVs...(also supplied by my venue) .

I have purchased a vga converter from radioshack ($95.00) and also an A/B switch to go back and forth from the laptop to the player.  ($10).  


I also need info on setting up the laptop to split the screen to only send the lyrics graphic screen to the TVs and keep what I am doing on the desktop on the laptop lcd screen.  how do I set that up using XP?

Thanks in advance

unless your video card is set up for dual screen, it's very hard to do it. There was a program I heard of once that you could capture a certain part of your screen. But I never knew the name of it.

Your best bet I know of is to get a video card with dual video!

hook up your convertor & tv or a computer monitor to your vga port. turn that on.
next turn on your laptop.
On your main screen, move your mouse cursor to a space that contains no icons.
right click your mouse button.
from there a menu should appear, at the bottom of that menu there should be the word "Properties" click on that.
a window should appear that says display properties
there should be five tabs at the top of that window.
click on settings.
In the middle of the window should be two monitors indicating you have two displays available
click on the second display and find the checkbox that says extend destop to this display.
hit apply and then ok.
you have two different displays now.

Do their tvs have an RF (coax) amplifier hooked to them?   It will boost your RF output and keep the signal clear to all of the tvs.   You could put one on your system to use at other places.  Run the A/B out to the amplifier in.  Get an amplifier that has 1 in & four out.  If you ever need to make seperate tv runs to multiple tvs you will have them ready.   Radio Shack $35.   This is if your computer output is going to an RF modulator.   It goes in the mod as RCA plug, comes out as cable tV cable (Coax).     Start here.   From laptop AV out to RF Modulator, RCA in.   RF mod out as coax to A/B switch.  I am assuming that the A/B switch is for coax and not RCA.   Do the same hookup for the machine.   Laptop to A machine to B.    A/B switch out (Coax) to RF Amplifier in.   RF amplifier out to bar tvs.   Piece of pie.

Thanks for the replies... They currently have the 3 TV's set up connected to a player and they work fine.    I have been messing with it at my house and I got the TV to work as a second monitor just fine.  What I now would like to accomplish which I have read is possible on Intel's website is to make certain applications display on the TV while I can work on the desktop, etc to que songs, etc.  Please advise if you can...  :worship:

Thank you

What program are you using?
That will help me help you as I know what I have to do if using Winamp based programs. Other's may be able to help you with say Compuhost or PCDJ.
with winamp you need to go to options drop down menu and click on preferences.
This will open up a window. that will have a line of choices such as :plugins.
general
click and highlight mp3+G plugin and then hit configure.
should be a box that says full screen mode that should have a drop down box that switches between the two displays.
click apply and then ok.
then when your song starts double click the graphic screen and it should pop over to the second display in full screen mode.

Thanks for the help.  I am using winamp.  My version does not seem to have the same option windows that yours does?  Mine does not show me the mp3+G plugin, it says CDG settings?  I am only using winamp 3.0 maybe that is the problem.

Got it to work just like you described only clicked on CDG instead, works great I think... Thanks much.  


Now I have to figure out the A/B switch thing to integrate the laptop with the player on the same set of monitors.

DJFRANK, I explained that to you 4 posts ago.

I'm running winamp 5.  If you decide to add rotation software maybe you might want to switch to 5. It would mean downloading new plugins but it will be worth it in the end.

Thanks, that is what I needed, but I also need to figure out how to connect them because the A/B switch has coax in and out, and of course my player and laptop are using RCA as well as the current wiring that the bar has the TVs hooked to.   Maybe they sell a RCA switch instead of coax?  Didnt see anything else at radioshack...

Read the whole thing again its' all in there.

Thanks... Well here is my latest problem...

All three TVs have coax going into them... BUT there is a SINGLE RCA? Cable coming out from the ceiling.  I plugged into that with my cable that works perfectly FINE at my house.  It doesn't work at the bar though...?  I get nothing, black fuzzy screen.  The connector is slightly different at the bar, but the cable I have fits right into it fine. THe pin on mine seems to stick out a little more from the cable. I am at a loss here... Please help if ya can.

Go to Radio Shack and look at an RF modualtor.    It converts the signal from RCA to coax (cable TV cable).    The laptop out is ..Guessing here 1/8 th inch and the other end of the cable is Yellow RCA.   Plug the RCA into the RF modulator.   The coax (Cable TV cable) out of the modulator plugs into one side of your A/B switch.   The A/B switch has a TV out.  Hook another long coax cable from there to the bar TV.   You're done.    Put the TV on channel 3 or 4 depending on your local cable tv channel.   Make sure the RF modulator is set for the same channel.   Radio Shack also sells coax push-on ends.   I use these on every coax cable and on every bar TV.  Cuts down on the hook up time.   Don't have to worry about cross threading the tv.

Thanks for the help...

Ok, here is the deal so far.  I got the 3 TVs at the bar to get the signal from the laptop finally, BUT they are coming thru very fuzzy and the colors are not even the same as they should be.  I have NOT hooked up the A/B switch yet though.  I was told I could require a video signal amplifier from my laptop to the TVs.  I don't know why though, because the in house player has been working fine with no signal amplifier...the signal gets to the TVs just fine with it.  

Frustrating....

Your laptop only has enough power to play itself.    Let's chat.