Seriously guys, congrats! While I'm not sold on the idea of DVDs for Karaoke usage (so damned slow, using your screen monitor to load up the one you want... at least Pioneer's is this way!), I totally encourage and support Sound Choice in this endeavor!
Best of luck SC, and enjoy your stuff guys!!
Matt
Posts: 3332 | From: Independence, mo | Registered: Oct 2001
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posted
Matt, quoting direct from this morning's email;
1. Quick loading with the ability to skip straight to singing (other manufacturers usually make you sit through the copyright warnings and intro messages). 2. No cheesy backgrounds or background videos. 3. Sound Choice quality music.
posted
Sorry for being so DVD-illiterate, but on...
1. Quick loading with the ability to skip straight to singing (other manufacturers usually make you sit through the copyright warnings and intro messages).
Does "go to straight singing" refer to bypassing the copyrights when you insert the disc in initially? or does it mean one can bypass what we currently see on the CDG's as a 7-10 second title Sound Choice screen?
2. No cheesy backgrounds or background videos.
I'm assuming this means just "no backgrounds" (not just "no cheesy"). Will it look identical to the CDG then? Any type of fades or special effects?
3. Sound Choice quality music.
Will it actually sound better?
Posts: 1487 | From: Irvine, CA, USA | Registered: Jun 1999
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Even though I carry a DVD player in my rig, Im really not that interested in DVDs for karaoke at this time at all. It seems like a big of space on a DVD (no backgrounds, remember) and looks to be targeted more towards the home market then for KJ's (DVDs outsell VHS over here by the ton). Unless they make a discounted "mega disk" with a lot of songs at a good price, I'll most likely stick with CD+G's.
I also hope that SC doesnt make some songs exclusive to the DVD format only and neglect the CD+G format people. It would most definity suck big time if we gotta be forced to switch to the different format to get some of the songs.
I also hope KJ's are getting ready to buy DVD players if they havent done so already, as people who attend our show will definitly start bringing DVD's to the show instead of or in addition to the CD+G's they already carry around now.
:stepping of the soapbox:
Thanks for dealing with that folks! Congrats again!
TM
Posts: 257 | From: Brooklyn, NY | Registered: Jan 2002
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posted
Well if the DVD can offer better copy protection (the format alone will set back the pirates for awhile), then I'd be pro-DVD and recommend switching everything over both old and new.
Posts: 1487 | From: Irvine, CA, USA | Registered: Jun 1999
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(Pouting big time). Gosh, I was the first one to guess/mention about the SC DVD concept and I wasn't on list of winners (check out first page of this topic post # 11). Bummer! Anyway, I'm just glad that I was partly right about the dvd surprise. I was wrong about the background wherein I stated it will be like MTV style video. Congrats, SC.
Posts: 72 | From: Anaheim, CA | Registered: Jul 2000
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Grateful, what usually happens with most of the DVD's out there now (Pioneer anyway, not sure of Priddis), is you put the disc in, wait for it to load up, then wait for the intro screen to pass by, then wait for the menu to come up. Then you scroll through the menu to the song you want to play. Then the song loads. Very cumbersome, and since we've seen on here how many KJ's don't like even 5 seconds of silence between singers, this would seriously affect their shows.
I don't imagine SC is going to change their policy about the 7 second (or whatever it actually is) intro that they currently use. I don't know if the previous 100-song DVD that SC had is anything to go by, but on that disc, everything looks the same as the CDG.
I'm also curious as to how often new DVD's are going to come out. I wonder if they will plan on new releases each month coming out on both formats (as Top Hits does with their VCD's), or if the DVD's will be compiled separately, probably to target the home market. If the DVD and CDG are the same, I'll probably stick to CDG, since the bars don't have DVD, but it will get interesting if the DVD's are different, and I have to decide if I want to buy songs that I can only sing at home
I'm a home user. I've always loved karaoke, and I always practice at home. Until I got internet access a couple years ago, I had absolutely no idea where to buy a CDG player. They didn't really begin selling CDG players and discs in retail stores until somewhat recently. I used to sing at home with karaoke cassette tapes, which you could find at Media Play or some music stores.
It looks to me like, "Now that everybody already has DVD players in their homes, let's start selling karaoke DVDs" is the line of thinking here. Wouldn't it be easier to make CDG players more affordable and readily available? Why do the "tray" style CDG players cost upwards of $300, while DVD players can be purchased for under $100? And what about the mic inputs for the DVD players? I saw the survey briefly mention something about a microphone input attachment.
[This message has been edited by Mark Cheetah (edited August 02, 2002).]
posted
Here's one example of a "mic adapter" for DVD Home Karaoke...
Radio Shack 4-channel Stereo Mixer Cat.#: 32-1218 $99.99
Control up to two (up to four) line-level sources, & two mics. Slide-action channel and volume controls. Dual LED level meter. Cue/level control, crossfader. Two stereo outputs for amplifier and recorder.
You'll be missing the key control but for a hundred bucks you can sing along with DVD, (and CD+G or Cassette) - Record what you sound like, for self-critique and improvement, Entertain your family and annoy the neighbours.
The screen shot is of the main navigation menu. As soon as the dvd is loaded you can press your menu key to by pass everything and get straight to the menu.
The Windows Media Video File is about a 20 second sample of a song in action. I was going to go into an explaination of what you are going to notice but I think I'll wait and see what everyone says here on the board.
The Screen shot looks like it's real easy to get to what you want quickly.
Are the individual songs encoded as "chapters" allowing us to use the >>| button found on most remotes?
Are the with and with-out demonstration vocals recored as separate tracks 1-15 + 16-30? Or are they alternate audio tracks with the same chapter number?
Posts: 900 | From: Ottawa, ON Canada | Registered: Dec 2000
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I am checking into the question about chapters as I am not familiar with the final development of the product but I can tell you that you do have demonstration versions and performance versions of each song that you can turn on and off on the fly in the middle of the song. Very cool.
Posts: 10112 | From: Charlotte, NC, USA | Registered: Apr 1999
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Will Sound Choice be releasing the DVD's coinciding with the Spotlight discs - same songs, same order, or will they be their own line by themselves with entirely different songs. Right now I probably won't be getting into the DVD market, but if the DVD "Spotlight" discs came out, with the titles in the same orders as existing CDG Spotlights, I could see getting into the DVD market as I need to replace my cdg's with the same disc only in a DVD version & if that happens buying new DVD's as opposed to cdg's at the same price. Like I said in an earlier post, & it looks to be true, the swipes are a lot smoother on the DVD since words are actually video as opposed to a graphic & I like that, the blue background is pleasing on the eye & of course the music quality should sound crisper & cleaner (although you wouldn't be able to tell on most systems in a noisy club environment).
Posts: 1851 | From: Tacoma, WA, USA | Registered: Nov 1999
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I honestly don't know. I looked at the list and there is nothing new or very little that I want and don't have. I would also have to agree that there could be a problem with bringing in a DVD to where you do karaoke and if they have a DVD player. I doubt that they do, and maybe I'll ask, but I don't see buying something just for home use or what I already have on CD+G.
I'll have to agree with the big question of will there be new releases on both CD+G and DVD for us to decide which version we want, or will it just be songs already out on CD+G.
Posts: 2246 | From: Palmdale, CA, USA | Registered: Oct 2001
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posted
In regards to the Microphone input for DVDs....
Priddis makes a blister pack that works with DVD machines. It has L/R/V in and out, and has in the front a mic input plus a volume control. Doesnt seem to have echo though. With a priddis karaoke DVD and a microphone it sells for under a $100.00
TM
Posts: 257 | From: Brooklyn, NY | Registered: Jan 2002
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For those of you who carry a bunch of formats... The pioneer V888 plays everything (including LD's)! only problem that im aware of is that some older SC disk with mediacloq might not play in the machine. That machine sells for about $800-$1000 when I last looked into it. I saw one on eBay used going for $400. Also If LD's arent your thing, Pioneer makes the v555 that plays dvds and cdg's. Retails about $800 and was seen on eBay for about $400. I expect these models to become one of the more popular choices for KJ's now that DVD karaoke is coming to light. After all, why carry around 2 units when you can carry just one?
TM
[This message has been edited by toastedmuffin (edited August 03, 2002).]
Posts: 257 | From: Brooklyn, NY | Registered: Jan 2002
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posted
If they re-release the old cdgs to a dvd format, I will buy them ONLY if it's released with the exact same songs/titles. Like 15 exact songs Spotlight, or 16 exact songs=2 PowerPicks. I already have over 1400 cdgs and I am running out of storage. This way, I can just pull out the old one and replace it with the exact dvd title. Then in my book, just retype from SC8100-1 to DVDSC8100-1, etc. That also eliminates adding more pages in my book.
Posts: 72 | From: Anaheim, CA | Registered: Jul 2000
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TM, I don't think either of those Pioneer machines will become popular with KJ's or home users (which I think is the target here anyway). The 888 might have more hope, with KJ's that still carry LD's, since I think it's about the only LD karaoke player you can buy now.
But the 555 is an obsolete player, compared to the new RSQ505, or the CAVS101G. The 555 also has the same MediaCloq issues the 888 does, while the RSQ apparently will play them. Also, the 555 doesn't play MP3 discs, and doesn't have component video outputs. The RSQ and CAVS can also be had for hundreds less than the 555, and usually come with a set of discs, depending on where you look.
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TM
Here's one example of a "mic adapter" for DVD Home Karaoke...
says he couldn't get a picture either. 
