Going digital how to.

[DK Karaoke]

I was looking at going fully digital, but it seems you have to do an awful lot of research, just to find out the best way etc. There are so many options and you dont know which one is best.

Was looking at threads on the subject, but there are so many and takes a lot of reading. Also scoured the net on the subject, can never find exactly what you want.

It would be nice if there was a guide of some kind on the forum, say under the DJ help guides (when its up and running), perhaps with things like

Type of laptop to use - spec etc.
Players like Cortex - Dennon etc.
Hard drive - usb or mains plugged.
music formats etc.

You get the drift.

Was looking at some sites like Dolphin and karaoke tutor and they had some interesting stuff, but you never know if its up to date etc.

These are the links
http://www.karaoke-tutor.com/digital-karaoke.html
http://www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/page/shop/news_story/a/news_id/e/356

What do you think

[CRAZY K]

I was looking at going fully digital, but it seems you have to do an awful lot of research, just to find out the best way etc. There are so many options and you dont know which one is best.

Was looking at threads on the subject, but there are so many and takes a lot of reading. Also scoured the net on the subject, can never find exactly what you want.

It would be nice if there was a guide of some kind on the forum, say under the DJ help guides (when its up and running), perhaps with things like

Type of laptop to use - spec etc.
Players like Cortex - Dennon etc.
Hard drive - usb or mains plugged.
music formats etc.

You get the drift.

Was looking at some sites like Dolphin and karaoke tutor and they had some interesting stuff, but you never know if its up to date etc.

These are the links
http://www.karaoke-tutor.com/digital-karaoke.html
http://www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/page/shop/news_story/a/news_id/e/356

What do you think

Seems pretty simple ---

Laptop with reasonable speed processing, mines got 1MB, with external soundcard

plus mixing software--PCDJ, Virtual DJ --Traktor--etc everyone says theirs is the best!


or

USB Reader ---Denon (sophisticated) or Cortex (simple ) with £20 keyboard


2 External Hard Drives around 300 gig--dont know anyone who has recommended USB driven? A lot on here use mains powered--Seagate, Maxtor etc no problems generally, some breakdowns reported.

Back up--possibly another USB reader or a laptop with the second HDD ---or CD backup of some sort

Lots of time ripping CDs to Hard drive ( correctly )

Audiograbber or other free program to put titles on your ripped MP3s

Mixer--youll have one of those:D

Loads of people on here can help you -go for it!

Most of the above products are regularly used without problem--some people have had problems with Cortex--Dragonfly and myself--no problems.

CRAZY K

[Tom]

also you can use windows media player if it is connected to the internet and it will find the album and tracks then just rip the cd and your done.


Digital i think is so much easier and the way foward. it can save time setting up (depending on what gear you use and is its all rackmounted).


but dont forget that what ever laptop you use for your dj'ing only have the essential programs and dont connect it to the net. the less programs that are on there the faster it will work and process infomation (im sure you knew that anyway)

but dont forget to have that good old CD player as a backup. just incase (which reminds me to get one. :( )

[Thames Valley Discos]

use audio grabber, does the same thing but better than win media.
Also run a program called enditall, this closes all non essential programs on the pc when djing. Turn things like auto syncrhonize time off and set pc to best performance

[DK Karaoke]

Seems pretty simple ---

Laptop with reasonable speed processing, mines got 1MB, with external soundcard

Was looking at one in Currys spec is
64bit X2 processor - 1600 mhz
1.7Ghz - 512 Kb cache
1 Gb memory
120 Gb hard drive
DVD rewriter/multidrive
15.4" widescreen
Nvidia GeForce Graphics
3 Usb prots
TV out
Sound type 3D Soundblaster pro comp
Modem type 56k
Weight 3.1 Kg
Price £399.00

Seems fine, but I have been told that you need to ensure the laptop has have a chanel audio interface in laptop, dont know if this has one
also its supposed to have a sterio soundcard with sterio output


plus mixing software--PCDJ, Virtual DJ --Traktor--etc everyone says theirs is the best!

or

USB Reader ---Denon (sophisticated) or Cortex (simple ) with £20 keyboard


So you dont put the sound through a standard mixer then?? all confusing...



2 External Hard Drives around 300 gig--dont know anyone who has recommended USB driven? A lot on here use mains powered--Seagate, Maxtor etc no problems generally, some breakdowns reported.


I have seen a seagate hard drive with 500 gig for £98.00, but had these before and in every case they broke after just a couple of months, they dont seem very reliable



Lots of time ripping CDs to Hard drive ( correctly )

Audiograbber or other free program to put titles on your ripped MP3s


This is the tricky bit I think, have all my music and karaoke backed up to computer already, but no doubt would have to do it again, to get all the tags correct.

I have all the set up on my home computers, but its taking that step to being mobile and mixing the technology of deliverying disco and karaoke via computer on the road, as opposed to doing all the computer wizzardry separately from the dj/mixing music wizzardry, hope you know what I mean.
M

[Thames Valley Discos]

All you need is laptop, external sound card,mixer,speakers

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

We did have help guides but they need to be re-written and updated and unfortunately it's going to take a lot of time, but they will be back.

[sandysounds]

I was looking at going fully digital, but it seems you have to do an awful lot of research, just to find out the best way etc. There are so many options and you dont know which one is best.

Was looking at threads on the subject, but there are so many and takes a lot of reading. Also scoured the net on the subject, can never find exactly what you want.

It would be nice if there was a guide of some kind on the forum, say under the DJ help guides (when its up and running), perhaps with things like

Type of laptop to use - spec etc.
Players like Cortex - Dennon etc.
Hard drive - usb or mains plugged.
music formats etc.

You get the drift.

Was looking at some sites like Dolphin and karaoke tutor and they had some interesting stuff, but you never know if its up to date etc.

These are the links
http://www.karaoke-tutor.com/digital-karaoke.html
http://www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/page/shop/news_story/a/news_id/e/356

What do you think

I'm digital.....before i buy any equipment i try to have a play on someone elses. There are so many choices out there, and what works for one person might not be the bees knees for another....I often think there are advantages and disadvantages to most things....so comes down to personal preference. I've recently been playing on virtual dj with a DAC3 (done two gigs with it now)....and its on my wish list with the intention of using my cortex and i-pod as back up.

[DK Karaoke]

All you need is laptop, external sound card,mixer,speakers

So the soundcard, is this a separate piece of gear, or will it come with the mixer. And is the mixer a standard mixer, I use Dynacord for all my mixing and ampflying etc. Paid too much money for the dynacord by the way

[DK Karaoke]

It seems that you need to bring the following:-

laptop
at least 2 hard drives
external sound card
separate mixer
usual cd's in case anything goes wrong
usual players in case anything goes wrong
usual mixer and amp in case anything goes wrong
plus your usual speakers, lights and rig etc.

I though going digital was supposed to cut down on the amount of gear you need to take.

I admit its easier with digital to locate those tracks you always get asked for some of which you may have left at home if you use only cd's.

With karaoke one always brings all you have got anyway, but not the music cd's

[DJ James Lake]

So the soundcard, is this a separate piece of gear, or will it come with the mixer. And is the mixer a standard mixer, I use Dynacord for all my mixing and ampflying etc. Paid too much money for the dynacord by the way

It depends what mixer you get. If you want to spend shed loads on the Allen & Heath Xone 3d like I did then yes it is part of the mixer but normally no, you will need a seperate sound card.