Karaoke Forums

This has probably been discussed before; excuse the redundancy.   I'm not very familiar with these formats, as I have only been to a couple shows where they were in use.  A friend of mine is considering switching over from CDG to one or the other and I've been asked to help select the hardware (complete system).  I thought that for ease-of-use (which is a prime consideration), as well as compactness, the CAVS unit would the choice.   What I'm wondering though is if there is any inherent difference in sound quality between the two.   Appreciate any comments on this.

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Sounds Great! Entertainment
Bartlett, Illinois

I prefer MTU Hoster - no it's NOT free, but it's a damn nice program.
As far as the CAVS is concerned, I feel anything is better than this, I can't stand the way it swipes, almost delayed ever so slightly but enough to tell.

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LIKE Lonman on Facebook - Lonman Productions Karaoke & my main site via my profile!

Hoster User here also, Quite satisfied. No need for a separate program for ripping, or songbooks.

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

Hoster User here also, Quite satisfied. No need for a separate program for ripping, or songbooks.

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

I'm another happy Hoster (MTU) user! It's an all in 1 system.

Marty
I have never used the CAVS unit and or MTU's Hoster  but I've purchased the software from PCDJ both the RedVRM for regular DJ use and also their PCKJ for of course KARAOKE.  I am in the process of ripping all my CDGS to hardrive which no matter what software you chooses is just time consuming.   I like the set up from PCDJ as I do a fair of amount of REGULAR DJ'ing also.  I would suggest this setup if your friend also DJ's.  If its just for KJ'ing I heard many good things about HOSTER also.     Its a personal choice,  many software companies allow you dowwload trial programs which I would suggest your friends does.... OH and regarding sound quality that I believe depends on the rate you convert you cdgs to mp3+g's.
There are different thoughts on this as well ..Currently I convert all my mp3 and mp3gs at 192CBR

I work for Twilite Karaoke in Northern Illinois, and we have both the jb-99 and jb-199 in our systems. The CAVS players have problems but they keep the cd+g disks at home where THEY BELONG!! I can only imagine the cost of a laptop to accompany the cost of holding and retaining the library of 18,000 songs without some idiot at a bar walks by and trips, spills their drink on your nicely,thought-thru set-up!! I really don't THINK LAPTOPS ARE THE WAY TO GO!!

I use the RoxBox front end for winamp, I also have a copy of Hoster lite and while ease of use between the two in searching for songs goes to RoxBox, Hoster does have some good points as it is the best all-in-one to deal with Keychanging and Multiplex discs that are imported onto your system- great feature if you have a lot of Nutech discs.  I still have gone back because I wanted something to make running a show easier. I hardly ever get a request for a keychanger and I bought a mike mixer that has a multiplex button so I can live with RoxBox. The other advantage of RoxBox is that I have run a few shows on a laptop that only had 300MHZ and 128 mb RAM without any problems. The only reason I gave up the laptop was that the only way I could use the s-video out was to run it in clone mode.
Just for ha-has I took an extra harddrive I had lying around and slapped it into my main unit and loaded it with 98SE and the roxbox stuff. It was only when I used the most recent MDAC components that I was able to get the database to work. So it also works with an operating system as old as 98SE. Which means coupled with a Pentium II laptop 300 and above you can run karaoke. It also comes with it's own ripper and songlist program. The ripper rips, names, encodes and zips.
Of cousre I have a guy up here kicking himself for not listening to me and going ahead and purchasing several CAVS units.  I believe I was there when they used  one of those units for the first time. Midway through the night the machine froze. I also heard from a buddy that for four or five weeks they kept trying to use it and every week it froze.  They went back to their JVC triple trays from what I have heard.  They also had visitors from KAPA visit and were lucky enough that they didn't have those units running as there were loads of SOund Coice on their CAVS and SOund CHoice loves to push their weight around.

KAPA???

What a joke. They have NO teeth... all threat, no substance.

Knightshow.......

I own a CAVS unit which I bought before finding this Forum. and still I can wait till I rplace the 388 songs with regular CD+G's so I dont have to lug the slow Loading cavs unit. sure it's a great Idea to have soo many tunes on one disk but the reality is, if those SCDG's get scratched your $crewed.

I have all my disc's loaded on my Hard drive on my lap top but havent yet did a show from my lap top yet I got this program called Trubador and it seems to work ok however sometimes it will freeze for no reason in the middle of a song and I have to reboot...it dosent do it all the time but enough to keep me from trusting it for a show.
wish I had money like the rest of you guys so I could Buy MTU Hoster but I just spent $2000.00 on a new Bose L1 system and need to recoop for the moment.
By the way I love my Bose L1. Ease of Lugging equipment and what a great sound I get from it,

I would Stay away from CAVS

To answer the original Question No I notice no difference in the sound between CAVS and my RSQ single Tray.

Another Happy MTU Hoster owner here. Using Hoster since 2001.  In fact I'm waiting on my second latop from them.  Will be using my first one for DJ.

I have a good friend who uses the CAVS unit with his show.  He has problems with it.  BUT, it is better than lugging those CD's.  I just personally like the Hoster.  Much more versatile,  BETTER sound quality.  I would suggest going to a show where they use CAVS and then going to one where they use Hoster.  I believe that will tell you all you want to know.

Kelly

I have been using MTU's Hoster w/Laptop for about 2-1/2 yrs for karaoke and love it.

For DJ work I use OTS DJ they produce a great product as well (zero problems)

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FlipSide Karaoke
Scott

Michael, you should look into going to "winamp"...

I'm telling you, it's easy on the pc or laptop! Very low resources...

Or try Sax & Dotty's...

I've never had a song hang up, although I did have a problem once when I was running two cdg windows, and suddently, three hours into the show, I had a lag issue. I uninstalled the 2nd window, and continued with no problems.

Occassionally I'll get a hiccup if I'm doing too much at one time. I create custom cdg screens for folks, and put that in the winamp playlist... it's my rotation software at that point, but if I try to do way too much, the audio will pause for a moment. So I've learned to press the "create cdg" button when a song is done, and I have filler music for a few moments off my 2nd player.

If you choose not to go with Roxbox go with S&D as both are great programs.  As to MTU's hoster, for the price they charge, it should have already had the search method easier. I would admit that S&D's search engine is better than RoxBox due to it displays songs as you type, but if you are running a slower processer, that can eat up cpu resources. I still like the fact that you can get all ou need softwarewise without having to usa separate downloads.

Danny if you look below the search box on roxbox there is a button Labeled SAYT "Search As You Type"  If you click this it will do the same thing as sax and dotty.

Umm they closed a Karaoke bar over having Sound Choice on a cavs jbl-99 jukebox.

Umm they closed a Karaoke bar over having Sound Choice on a cavs jbl-99 jukebox.

Which bar & when?

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LIKE Lonman on Facebook - Lonman Productions Karaoke & my main site via my profile!

Star Struck in Plaiville, Ct

First time I heard that rumor.  Used to go there.  I know the family that owned the place.  It had nothing to do with them using CAVS units.   The owners sold the bar because they got an amazing offer on it.  I could go into it further but there's no need to.  Just thought I'd clarify.

Some of the family is still in the karaoke business and publicly supports KAPA.  They also still use CAVS units.

Oh yeah, and the name of the place was Starstruck in Plainville, CT.