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Topic: OVERKILL? - Page: 1

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I am looking for some information about using my laptop with my 8 channel Audio Vox older mixer.

Currently I use the mixer board with my karaoke player to do karaoke shows from time to time. I am almost 60 so to old to be a hip hop DJ lol. At a friends wedding reception someone came in with their laptop and plugged it into my mixer and used their mp3's on their computer to play through my mixer and speakers and it sounded fine. Unfortunately I had no information left for me about what he was using. Since buying a Sony Vaio laptop I am trying to use my vast supply of mp3 files to play from my computer so I can eliminate the cd's.

Do I need hardware? Can someone tell me what web sites to look at for hardware and software to get this working.

What I am wanting is to be able to take a song request and look it up on my computer and then cue it to play while another song is playing so there is minimal down time.

Is the volume from a laptop loud enough to go to my mixer and play out my speakers without distortion?

Can you tell that I am new? lol - Also I have a 40 gig hd and will look to buy an external hd to use as well. Is this a problem? Any suggestions?

Eventually I would like to get all of my karaoke music on my laptop and play that as well. Since I am very familar with karaoke stuff I will purchase a hosting software and it will work fine once I get my mixer and laptop to work together.

Thanks for your help. Just the older generation trying to keep up.

Jerry
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Moderated by Lady Cameron
Sorry djkaraok no email address is allowed from a demo user
 

Posted Sun 24 Apr 05 @ 10:58 pm
djcelPRO InfinityModeratorMember since 2004
Virtual DJ works very well with karaoke in .cbg
You can see the text in vdj (effects menu) and/or use a TV output to watch in full screen on a TV.
 

Posted Sun 24 Apr 05 @ 11:02 pm
djjbPRO InfinityMember since 2004
vdj is a great software for karaoke...
the crossfader of the hercules console will also mix the lyrics, and that is vary cool...
i use a external harddrive (250Gb) and it works great to.....

i used the explorer search for another karaoke program, and did find a lot of other software, but for me vdj is the best for me.....
 

Posted Mon 25 Apr 05 @ 8:51 am
Thanks for you response's but I really was wanting to find out how to hook my laptop to my mixer so I can use Virtual DJ to run a DJ system from my hard drive. Since I only do this a couple of times a year and yet want decent quality and volume capabilities I would like to know what equipment that I might need to hook my laptop up to my mixer. The Karaoke player that I hook up to my mixer gives me enough output to get plenty of volume but am concerned with what a laptop will give to my mixer to work with.

As far as karaoke is concerned I really cannot use VDJ I don't thnk since I need something that will play cdg (Compact Digital Graphics)disks. I can also run on my system a CDA file with the proper software. But then I need to get the video (words to the songs) out of my laptop and to a cable tv connection for the words to appear on the TV. A true cdg disk is made up of a mp3 and a cdg file together. The Virtual DJ would play the mp3 but not the video correct?

My first and foremost challenge is how to hook up my laptop so I can play mp3 files over my mixer board. I saw something about a hardware Maya 44USB but don't know if I need this or not. My laptop is a Sony Vaio PCG-FRV31. If there is a reasonable way to do this without spending a lot of money then I am all for that, but if this will not produce any quality then I will have to opt for purchasing some hardware.

Thanks for helping

Jerry


 

Posted Tue 26 Apr 05 @ 2:51 am
cstollPRO InfinityMember since 2004
 

Posted Tue 26 Apr 05 @ 11:27 pm
djjbPRO InfinityMember since 2004
The Virtual DJ would play the mp3 but not the video correct?

wrong wrong wrong.....

this works perfect. mp3 and video,,...
 

Posted Wed 27 Apr 05 @ 7:02 am
Ok You guys that helped are great. Since I am almost 60 I need all the help that I can get. I am still a little confused on how VDJ can run karaoke files. If I click on the file or select WinAmp to play the file it plays the mp3 portion of the file unless I have a plugin and then it will display words on my screen. I do have a program called Microstudio that will play the video and the mp3 on my computer. These are not midi files but rather a cdg+mp3 file. The karaoke machine that we currently use plays the mp3 portion for music and background vocals and the video portion (cdg file) goes out a video out connection on my karaoke machine. With my Vaio I do have a video out I believe but how does the signal get from VDJ to the video out? Is it like a movie that has vocals and graphics? - I think I have a connection on my VAIO that allows me to connect to a TV but am not sure. So technically I guess I could play a dvd in my dvd burner/player and it would send vocals and graphics to the TV. I always thought that I would have to buy a karaoke hosting package to run karaoke off of my VAIO and through my mixer board and TV connection.

This is sounding exciting and I am anxious to get it to work. I have already downloaded the VDJ and tried it out but was concerned that it would not play karaoke and thought that I was going to have to go with my karaoke software that only plays and cues one song at a time. I think that I had a demo of VDJ that only lasted so many days. Can I download it again and it will give me an additional 30 days so I can see how it plays the karaoke files?

Thanks again for the help - One blog was great. The other link to DAMS blog did not work.

Jerry Thomas
djkaraok
 

Posted Thu 28 Apr 05 @ 1:45 am
cstollPRO InfinityMember since 2004
djkaraok (Jerry) -

With the full version of VDJ, you can download a Karaoke plug-in that will play the cdg and mp3 files like Microstudio. Part of the plugin configuration is setting the output of the video to the 2nd Video out of the Sony Laptop. Now I personally do not use the plugin. But, a local friend of my does do all his karaoke gigs with VDJ and it works excellent for him.

As for the DAMS blog, I think he has it set for only registered users. If you are able to get back to my BLOG then shoot me an email -- my email is in my blog.

Hope this helps further, hope you join the ranks; I am sure there are alot of people that could learn some things from you.

cstoll
 

Posted Thu 28 Apr 05 @ 4:04 am
CSTOL


Thanks for the help and the encouragement. There might be a thing or two that I know. lol - I am going to buy the VDJ program after I find out if I can install it on my desktop to work with and on my laptop to use at the DJ gigs.

Then I need to test it with the karaoke plug-in. What I need to do is do a demo with the plug-in but I don't think that I can since I did a demo once already. That is how I found out about this site.

If anyone knows if I can install the program on my desktop and my laptop at the same time the please let me know.

Also if anyone knows what the plug-in is and how to get it to work with the VDJ software please let me know.

Then finally if anyone from Atomix reads this post and can tell me if I can download the program and install it again on my computer and test the plug-in then I can do that and then buy the program so I can read the blog - lol.

Well I feel so much better about being able to do this with all of your help. It will be nice when I can test it out and do a final install of the software. You are all invited to Idaho to train me - lol You can have all the potatoes that you want.

Jerry Thomas
 

Posted Fri 29 Apr 05 @ 3:19 am
djjbPRO InfinityMember since 2004
@ djkaraok....
i have made a picture of vdj when it's playing karaoke...
click my name and see the picture if you want......
 

Posted Fri 29 Apr 05 @ 7:29 am
cstollPRO InfinityMember since 2004
@ djkaraok

Check out djjb's pic on the plug-in. But, to answer your question about the multiple installs -- YES! you can buy one time and install on both your desktop and laptop. Plus, like you mentioned you then would have access to the plug-ins for downloading the karaoke plug-in to try out before you make the switch. Just remember, the karaoke plugin relies on two video outs available, so if your laptop doesn't have a second out for video then you won't be able to get the full experience.

Look forward to seeing you a full member!

cstoll
 

Posted Fri 29 Apr 05 @ 8:34 am
cstoll & djjb


Thanks again for helping. I can see the video karaoke showing on the picture. Does the program show on your monitor as well as send a signal to the tv? Part of my problem is that I cannot always see when the person is about to get done with their song because the only video is what the singer see's. That is because I do not have a TV hooked up in front of me. In fact I have a one of a kind (that I know of connection) that permits me to connect up to 50 tv's that display the karaoke words on each of them without ANY cables attached to the TV's. This product is a German made item and was told that you could not get them anymore. It is about 12 years old now and I would like to replace the item if possible. It runs on uhf signal and on channel 14 on the tv sets or 3 or 4 lol. This way I don't have to run cable from my karaoke player to each TV to get video for the singers. I am hoping to connect it to my PC and make it work. It uses a rca plug in to the box and then a rca plug to connect to on the karaoke player.

Why do I need two video outs? - Does the Maya have any video outs that I can use? Also no one has said whether or not I could download the program again to do a demo (since I already tried this one time before) and try the karaoke plug-in. Also no one has said what the plug-in is called and where can I get it. Does it cost anything? Once I try this out I can then buy the stuff that I need. I am waiting until I try the program with the karaoke plug-in if possible. Does anyone know if there is a 30 day satisfaction guarantee? That way I could pay for it and download and install it again and try the plug-in. If it works for me then I can just keep it and if not I can get a refund before I buy the Maya and other hardware and external hard drive.

I am waiting to buy my hard drive and Maya until after I try the software that I am using. I am getting so close that it is getting exciting. Now I feel like this will work. By the way why does it say on some people info "professional edition user" ? When I buy VDJ will that be the professional version or just a basic version. Is there more than one version?

Thanks again!! You have been great!

Jerry



 

Posted Sat 30 Apr 05 @ 1:14 am
cstollPRO InfinityMember since 2004
Jerry,

Let's start from your earlier question about downloading the demo and using it again? I can't answer it directly, but if you contact e-service ( http://www.virtualdj.com/support/e-service/ ) they might be able to answer it, to include your 30 day question. [ Or, if dj-in-norway reads this thread he might be able to help you on this one. ]

As for the Karaoke plug-in, it is part of the standard load with VDJ so you don't need to download it from anywhere, it is already in the FX section of the software. And should be usable in the DEMO 2.05 for testing.

As for your two (2) video outs, its just one in addition to the laptop's display. If you only have one ( the monitor's display ) then the laptop will not be able to distribute the words to the monitors. As for seeing the words, yes you will be able to see them as shown in the pic that djjb provided. And the Maya is only audio, no video outputs.

Hope this has helped.
Look forward to seeing you as a 'Professional Edition User' soon.

cstoll

"Professional Edition Users" are those that own a version of the software that they got directly from Atomix. There is an edition of the software that persons with the Hercules controller gets and it is different then the version received directly from Atomix.
 

Posted Sat 30 Apr 05 @ 9:45 am
Go to e-service and ask, we can expand 20 days more for the demo...
 

Posted Sat 30 Apr 05 @ 2:42 pm
djjbPRO InfinityMember since 2004
well......that's realy good of the team....
didn't know that.....if that's not service than what!

cool....i'm proud of the team....
 

Posted Sat 30 Apr 05 @ 7:14 pm
Boy if all of the software developers had the kind of people that help each other and program support personal really offered help what a different attitude the public would have when buying software.

The reason demo's are so important today is due to the way software promise's overstate the softwares' ability to perform specific tasks. If all software came with the kind of help from users and support personal as VDJ the world would be a safer place to purchase dependable software.

Thanks again for all of your help. I just downloaded the software again and tried it but it kicked me out since I had '0' days. I just wrote E-service per DJ-In-Norway to ask for an additional time extension and am waiting a reply. After getting a reply I can test out the karaoke and then will be ready to purchase the software. All of this hopefully will be done this week-end. If not then I will wait as patiently as a kid in a candy store lol.

I know that I have the ability to plug in a monitor to the laptop and also a printer. Then I have 3 mini plug in type of connections as well. One is yellow and has a square symbol with an arrow pointing from inside the square toward the outside of the square and also a headphone and a speaker mini plug holes. I copied the below info from a web site and hopefully this will help. Expansion Ports 3 x USB 2.0, 1 x IEEE 1394a (FireWire), VGA out, Parallel Port, RJ-11 (modem), RJ-45 (NIC).

Someone who is reading this is asking themself why not look at owners manual and read what specs say about my laptop. Well I purchased my laptop from E-bay and it did not come with any manuals. Now you know why lol.

P.S. if my Sony Vaio PCG-FRV37 does not have enough video outs is there a usb/firewire connection that I could use? Remember I have to use one for external harddrive and one for Maya and would like to have one for mouse if possible.

This all seems like it is going to work well. Oh Yea! I also thought of one thing that I use on my karaoke player a lot of the time. I can go up and down on a song up to 8 steps to lower or raise the song for the karaoke singers. This does not drag down the song but actually lowers the pitch. Can VDJ do this? Also I can do what is called vocal replace to play a regular cd and remove some (never can remove all) of the vocals. If the software can do all of this then I need to contact the karaoke community that I belong to and let them know of this prduct.

Ok that is all - lol

Thanks Again - Yes DJJB you should be proud of the team they are showing their true colours and a peacock they are!

Jerry Thomas

 

Posted Sun 01 May 05 @ 12:08 am
djjbPRO InfinityMember since 2004
jerry ,,,it's cool to see you soon as a full user here.....

but you try the demo for a seccond time , and wanna test the karaoke.....but there is a pluggin you need. and i don't know if this pluggin comes with the trailversion.....
maybe the team will send the karaoke-pluggin, so that you can see how it works.....

if you want i can take more photo's of this karaoke thing.....
 

Posted Sun 01 May 05 @ 5:20 am
Well I was surprised when I got this reply to my request:

This is my request:

DJ-In-Norway told me to contact you about getting the new download that I just downloaded to be able to run for another 20 days demo. I originally downloaded the program after searching for a DJ software and tried it a couple of times but was doing the demo's with other software as well. The time expired and then I found the Community of help and think that the software is just what I need but I want to try the karaoke side of the software.

I just downloaded the software again and re-installed it on the same machine that I had installed an earlier version. It said 0 days but it let me load the software. Then when I was checking out something it booted me off the program.

Also another odd thing is that I have already registered so I could post items and yesterday (over 2 weeks after I already was registered) I got an email with a password. I am not sure why I got this because I already can log in with my current password. Any ideas? Hopefully I can get this done this week-end and then try the software.

Thanks for your help.

Jerry Thomas

This is their reply:
The demo will only work for 20 days. You can't re-download it and get another 20 days. If you enjoyed the demo, please buy the full version of VirtualDJ.
You'll find the purchase options here:

Well so much for that try.


 

Posted Mon 02 May 05 @ 12:00 am
djjbPRO InfinityMember since 2004
now you have to buy it???.........believe me jerry it works great...i use it to for karaoke and it's so easy in use..
 

Posted Mon 02 May 05 @ 7:18 am
Well I just went and bought the darn thing since DJJB said that it would do karaoke. Tech support had no solution to help and just kept telling me that I could not get a 30 day refund policy nor another demo and that I could not download and test plug-ins like the karaoke one unless I owned the software.

Thanks to all that helped with info because you sold the software not the Tech Support department.

Now I would like to ask where to get the plug-in for the karaoke files. Also I went to look at downloading some of the other effects and saw that each said home edition user only? So I am not sure where I fit into the realm of users. One thing for sure I AM A PAID USER!!! LOL lol

After I get my Maya I will start doing some of the testing on my laptop. Also I have heard or read about some users discussing a humming or electrical noise causing noise interference. Is there a better hard drive to use as USB/Firewire that is not as noisy and that will not affect the interference?

I never saw a karaoke plug-in yet but will keep looking.

Thanks again everyone - Now let's make the world sing!

Oldie but goodie
Jerry
 

Posted Tue 03 May 05 @ 2:50 am
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