Karaoke Forums

Good evening!

I'm pretty new to Karaoke, on the KJ/DJ side.  My main bread'n'butter is in IT related things.  I found out about PC based Karaoke a little while back, and now I can't get enough.  While I am not, and do not aspire to be a pro KJ, I do enjoy working with the technology, and seeing the smiles that people get when they get behind a microphone.

I've been collecting CDG's for a couple years now, and found myself in a position where I needed to build a songbook for my collection.  So I started looking around for some list utilities, songbook makers, catalogers, etc.  I found lots of software available out there, with costs ranging from $20 to hundreds of dollars, just to make a simple list...

So, being the cheap-o that I am, I decided to begin writing my own software to build song lists.  I've built a sizeable database, and have got the queries built which will drive the software.  I've even built two 'alpha' versions as test platforms.

So anywho, the idea that I had is:

Why not share with the community?  

I was thinking of sharing this query-able database online, maybe develop thick client, connected to the web db, or maybe just a web based client.  

Maybe the db could be a community effort.  If you get a new disk that is not in the db, you enter it into the db.  Then other people could get the songlist.  I think we could save a lot of people a lot of typing....

There are a couple other ideas running around in my head, all circling this main idea.  I've been playing with the coding side of it for about a week now, and see no issues, yet.  There's even a quick and dirty web-based query page that I use for testing....

I have no publicly availble product, yet.  I would not be charging for this public database, or its clients.  Not looking for a payday, I'm just an IT guy who likes Karaoke, and would like to help and share with others.  

Sure, I'll host it as a subdomain on my site.  I have no problem with that.  Worst thing I would do is to put a donation button on the site if my host starts complaining about traffic.

So is this idea, this concept, something that others would find useful?  Do I build this for my own use, or begin a community project?

Any input would be appreciated.  If you think I am crazy, let me know.  If you think I am full of ****, let me know that, too.  Although, if you want to tell me, "Dang! great idea!", I'd really like to hear that.

Thanks,
Derek

Sounds like a great idea to me!

Just wondering if you are familar with freedb?

http://www.freedb.org/
I have a couple of programs that incorporate this db as their source. Is it perfect? No! However I would say that I have 85% success on every CDG I rip and burn. FYI

Tried using freedb, and you're right.  About 85% accuracy.  

So in your opinion, should I just dump my database to freedb?  Any idea how I could dump 25,596 disks into freedb all at once?

I wouldsn't...Keep your data, make your own accesable database for karaoke.  Keep controal of YOUR info, and perhaps someday you can sell it for $$$$$

Not only that, if you set it up, and you maintain it, you can make sure it stays accurate.

Also....Did you chek out the download section.....
http://www.freedb.org/en/download__serv ... are.4.html
I'm not a programer, but it seems that are giving away their software, and perhaps you could taylor it to suit your needs to create a web-bassed database of karaoke discs.  Or I could be all wrong.

Or read this......
http://ftp.freedb.org/pub/freedb/misc/f ... ntries.zip

Well, I really have no suggestions on what you should do with your database. Obviously, there would be no need to upload your entire database to freedb as there would be an enormous amount of duplication. However, since freedb is an open source dynamic effort with many contributors if you are so inclined you might contact them to see how your work might be of use to theirs.  

I am curious, are you stating that you personally own 25k cdg's? That is very interesting. At an average of 15 songs per disk your database must be approaching 400,000 records. So what method did you use to populate your database?

Nah, I don't personally own 25k+ CDGs, only about 150.  But I am an information junkie who doesn't believe in doing things halfway.

I collect CDG's from any *cheap* source I can find.  Yard sales, thrift stores, pawn shops, etc.  As I acquire these cheap disks, I wanted to be able to simply select the disk from a master list, and add it to my list.  Always be prepared, so to speak.

I've included a screenshot, so you can see what I am talking about.

oh, and there were various methods used to populate, mostly automated scripting to scour the inet.

I don't mean to rain on your parade but have you thought of the headache that maintaining the database is going to be?  There are already a few databases like freedb.  As for bookmakers, much of the hosting software currently available will print your books and a lot of that is free or beg-ware.  Not to mention that slips and books may be a thing of the past if this kiosk thing takes off.  I've been using kiosks for quite a while now and I don't get a whole lot of request slips anymore.  You may be re-inventing the wheel.

hmmm.... kiosks, eh?  Looks like I have some research to do.  I've not seen this kiosk software you speak of.

Sacks-O-Nuts and AutoKDJ both have kiosks/song stations (whatever you want to call them) and AutoKDJ is freeware.