Karaoke Forums

I saw there was something on this topic in the archives, but wasn't sure how to post to an archived thread.

I warn you now...I am a noobie. I currently have a home karaoke machine that has it's own speakers and just hooks up into the TV. No effects basic machine. I'm ready for the next step. Please "dumb it down" for me. I'm not up on the technical terms.

I have an Laptop with XP. I know how to get the music onto the laptop and run the the songs. I am pretty confident that I can run one of the hoster software on my PC. Where I am stuck is on what hardware I require. I want to be able to run professional Karaoke from my PC.

From what I have read, I need to run the sound from my PC to a mixer. The mixer will allow me to have multiple microphones, effects, and inputs. The mixer will also pump the sound to the speakers. What is the best way to go from the PC to the mixer? Do I need a special sound card? If so what sound card do you suggest?!? Is there a sound card that has two outputs (one for Karaoke and one for background music)? Also, what mixer do you suggest? I would like to be able to support at least 4 microphones.

I am not clear on how I get the display to another TV/Monitor. Do I need special video card? What are my options? Do I need a video card with two outputs? One for the my screen and one that only pumps the hosting software?!? What video cards would you suggest?!?

Also I read something about pumping the output from the mixer to a home stereo may blow out my home speakers. Is this true?

Thank you in advance,

Ken

You'll need a 1/8 inch stereo plug to two 1/4 inch plugs (check Radio Shack or other electronics store) they're pretty common cables nowdays. that will get you from your laptop (headphone or audio out jacks) to a mixer. You can input those as a stereo channel or two mono channels. The video output will depend on your laptop. My IBM has a video out. Unless you use a "powered mixer" (with an amplifier built in) you will need a mixer and an amp. Check the other discussions here for more info on mixers, although I don't remember seeing much on amps. Mackie seems to be a popular choice here and a DFX-6 would fit your needs for under $200. I wouldn't recommend running your mixer through a home stereo system, the speakers aren't designed for it. Some here use powered speakers, JBL's, Mackies and others, however since they have amplifiers built in they're on the expensive side $500 - $800 each. The other way to go would be, an amp and some speakers.

Using a laptop, amd plugging into a mixer you will probably need to buy a "hum Eliminator" to put in line with the audio cables. This will eliminate the computer noise from the music (also ground loops).

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I'm Not Dead yet...... But every day Im getting Closer !

or you can USB out to a specific device...

I have a Soundblaster MP3. It has standard RCA outputs. you hook up standard rca cables from that to your amp.

no hum, no mess

LOVE IT.

For Forty bucks!

Matt, you seem to be completely hooked to USB! I for once, agree with you

We've agreed on other things in the past... I think!

I AM hooked on USB, though. Too many times, people are looking for their computer to be Bigger, Better and Faster and hold so much... when you may not need that all the time... I love the usb external cases for that... and for products you may only need from time to time.

! I just bought a new 200GB hdd, and I went to get my handy dandy usb case for it... it was backordered. ! Tig started giving me a hard time telling me I should keep my big mouth shut about the great deals I find!

It's hard not to do that, though... cause it's in my nature to help.

KNIGHTSHOW,
The usb thing works well also. But The laptop I have as well as many have (2) usb1.1 ports, and I use them for mouse, and keypad. I have a cardbus usb adapter (usb 2.0) with 2 outputs and have a cd (plextor) on one of them, and a 200 gig hard drive on the other. I chose to use the internal sound card rather than have a multiple usb hub (more hardware to carry). Either way works as well tho. It's just a choice.

BTW which Soundblaster usb adapter do you have?

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I'm Not Dead yet...... But every day Im getting Closer !

Soundblaster MP3. It is a 2.0 interface.

Thanks to everyone who responded!

I'm doing my research on the right mixer to purchase. I was talking with a co-worker and he suggested a PA as well. I'll be searching the boards for comments. In any case thanks for letting me know what I needed.

I do have a question with the video. I have s-video out on my laptop. I purchased an s-vdio cord and hooked it from my lap top to my TV. No video comes out. Do I need to do something special?

Dr. D...Can you give me a name brand/model of a hum eliminator.

Hitwtom...thanks for the advice. That worked out well. Plugged it into my wifes crappy karaoke machine and it worked fine.

To the USB folks...thanks for the advice but I am limited by my USB outputs.

For the Svideo output you have to turn it on. If you right click on any blank spot on the desktop goto properties click on the settings tab, you should see two screens labeled what else 1 & 2 click on screen 2 and then check the box that says extend my windows desktop onto this monitor. This should work for you. That is assuming that the video card in your laptop does indeed support dual displays. If not there may be other hoops you have to jump through to get it working and then it will just be a duplicate of your laptop display. Good Luck.

Mixer ...... a gOOD PRICE RIGHT NOW IS THE GUITAR CENTER mACKIE DFX12 IS GOING FOR $189.00

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I'm Not Dead yet...... But every day Im getting Closer !

Pkircher,

I did do this and I did get something to come up on my TV. Is there a way with XP to do this without extending my desktop? I just want to see exactly what I see on my desktop. Of course microsoft XP Help is useles

Also...what I did get onto my TV was very blurry. Is there a setting I'm missing?

Thanks,

Ken

Yes you can uncheck the extend my desktop onto this mointor once it is on and it should clone the desktop, however the blurry tv there is really nothing you can do about it. TV are simply not built to be computer monitors. It will be fine for displaying lyrics but you will not be able to use it as a monitor very well. The maximum resolution you will be able to use is 800x600 and that will be almost completely unusable for anything but playing a movie or cdg lyrcs. If you turn down the resolution you will get a clearer picture however you will have a very small desktop. Good Luck.

Going back to the hum if you get it when using a laptop, instead of wasting money on a device, a simple solution is to disconect the earth lead from the plug, as it only runs to the actual power supply and NOT to your laptop.

The above will stop any huming

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OK, my tuppence on this one...

I'm not a KJ, I'm a pro singer.

I use a laptop for all my backing tracks.

All I do is get a cable which plugs into the headphone socket on the laptop at one end, and into the stereo input of my mixer on the other end.

I use the onboard cheap-as-chips soundcard.

I get crystal clear, high quality sound, and NO hum from the laptop... the only problem is if I have it plugged in, but thats only cos I need a non-switching power source. When it runs internal power, its perfect.

The lead cost next to nothing.

So try the simple options before you go for the more expensive ones... you might find the cheap one works great and you don't need to spend out

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Atomic.....agree with you there

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