Karaoke Forums

When I first started doing karaoke about 5 years ago most of the local places had at least 2 TVs/Monitors running with the lyrics. One for the singer and another for the crowd to see the lyrics.

Since that time I know of four places that stopped having the second tv, and only let the singer see the lyrics. Others never started with a second TV.

I like the idea of more than one TV and I am wondering how common it is. It seems like it helps get the crowd into a performance more, even if it shows when the singer flubs a line.

Do some of you prefer not having the audience see the lyrics? I know there may be a few out there, but I imagine the main reason the second TVs have disappeared is laziness by KJs. Especially if all they have to do is plug into a local bar TV that is already there for the second screen.

I like two.. If there are available..

Present gig has a fairly large flat screen above and behind the singer. We dont have 3 display capabilties right now but I have run a 3rd tv with the singers rotation on it.

Some KJ'S use the 3rd monitor for announcement or even run ads or videos on it.

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2 TV only?.... The place I sing have 12 of them. You can sing from any place and the will be at least one tv mon to help you with the lyric.

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

The place I go to most regularly has about 3 screens - one on the stage, one to the left of the bar, and one to the right of the bar.  I'm one of those people who likes to "work the audience" so having screens spread around the room lets me do that even when it's a song I don't have memorized.  I think most of the venues I've been to in the past year or so have at least 2 screens.

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"I hold the key to an open door....will I ever be free...?"

I have songs I would rather not do if the audience can't see the lyrics.

I much prefer the second screen, or even a third and fourth. I always try to put extras up when I do one of my amateur gigs (party for friends/family, picnic or dance for club, karaoke at the state park). I can do five, given the TVs -- one composite video and four co-ax.

I think it adds a lot. If you have a group that is not used to karaoke, sometimes you can get them into it by putting up some old standards and encouraging a sing-along.

yeah, mulitple monitors...

mostly cause I can look around the club, and not be rooted in one place.

Also, for audience participation, it's great to have it that way. Also, it is a spot on advertisement for other singers that don't want to participate... and after a few drinks decide what the heck! !

I'm kind of surprised.  Personally when I sing I don't like the audience to be able to see the lyrics.  You sometimes get drunks who will try to sing along, but can't follow the tempo of the music and will simply read the words they see out-of-time, throwing off the singer.  Plus it makes it harder to improvise or omit certain lines or phrases.  It also tends to draw people's attention to the monitor rather than the singer.

If there is more than one monitor I'd prefer that it be placed behind the audience so the singer can see it.  Instead in places I've been it's always behind the singer, so it doesn't help the singer at all.

I was just talking about this issue the other night at a karaoke venue with another person who thinks the same as me.  Maybe we're in the minority.

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One place I have been going to has one monitor to the side facing out into the bar.  The KJ's laptop sometimes is used to show the lyrics and is in a place where the singer can see it and also be facing the audience.  However, most of the time, the KJ is using the laptop and therefore the singer would have to turn sideways to the audience to be able to read the lyrics... kinda sucks!  Another place I go to uses one of the bar's tv's to display lyrics that the audience can see and a small flat-screen LCD to show the lyrics for the singer.... works quite well but again many singers will turn and face the monitor rather than the audience.  Fortunately 99.9% of the songs I sing I do not need the lyrics displayed and so these set-ups don't bother me ... I think it is far better to be singing to the audience and not at a screen!

I notice that a lot of the time, the audience tends to watch the singer or be talking to their friends rather than reading the lyrics screen.

I think many of the laptop/computer users don't realize the singer display signal CAN be split to go out to bar tv's as well.  I run tv on stage & 2 in the audience plus my personal cue/view monitor in the host booth.  The crowd does get more into it if the lyrics are displayed.  I disagree with the singing along part mentioned above, I would think if the audience was going to sing along - remember it's karaoke - then you'd want them at least singing along to the words & not maybe making something totally completely wrong up in the actual words place because they think that's what they are actually saying.
Last club I worked had 10 tv's throughout that would be tapped at the main cable source.

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our place has one screen for the stage, a big flat panel for the audience (unless the UT game is on) and a third to watch whatever (poker, another game, M.A.S.H., whatever).  The third use to run the lyrics as well, but folks wanted to be able to watch TV as well as karaoke.

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That UT is the University of Tennessee Right?  I am a big UT Vol Fan.

On the subject of extra monitors the times that I could have hooked up to a secound monitor. I did not have a splitter or a long video component cord. I have found a splitter available at Radio Shack but the longest cord I can find is 9' and I would need about 20'. My cord to the monitor now is 2-6 ft cords hooked together which is barely long enough. Any idea where longer cords might be found?

Jim

You could get wireless video system.

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I have used a wireless like this.

It works good It is best to have both units near ceiling level so people cant walk between them.

I actually run video and monitor audio to the stage with this.

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Well thats a bit more than the cost of a cord. I actually didn't know that was available.

Thanks

Jim

For the DIY here is the schematic for a video distribution amp. For a few dollars as many stages can be added as necessary..

This is a box I made with 2 video ouputs and 2 rf ouputs. pic


This circuit is a simple but effective way to add video outputs to various devices



One can modify a rf modulator by adding two of these circuits fed from video in. Cut the traces to the audio inputs and connect the 27 ohms to each one for 2 video outputs.

 Also cut the trace to the ant in and rf out. Take the transformers out of a 75 ohm splitter and mount with silicone and connect for 2 rf outputs.  Do not mash or change shape of the splitter coils...

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http://www.iewc.com/
Try this company for all the coax you need, or find a wiring harness manufacturer who would be willing to sell you the length you need. Some hardware stores carry spools of cable as well, I know my local Tru-Value does. I work in the manufacturing part of it and get all my stuff I need from my boss.

One monitor - how boring. Part of the experience of karaoke is singing along to your favorite songs. I can't say I've been to many places that have one monitor. Usually it is 2 or more. I think it is ascential to entertaining everyone in the bar, singers and nonsingers.

wireless video, very cool !

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When you think about it it's very nice especially in places that have long cable runs or where you couldn't run a cable along the wall & that system is actually cheaper than the one I used to have.  But like stated, keep it high above the crowd & in direct line of site.

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