LEARN ABOUT KARAOKE

This page explains the differences between the various karaoke formats like; CD+G, DVD / DVD+Midi, Magic Sing, CD, VCD and Laser Disc. We also talk about DVD Region Codes, Multiplex Audio, Dolby Digital Audio, PAL and NTSC, and other General Technical Terms.

CD+G KARAOKE CD+G also known as CD+Graphics has the largest range of Karaoke songs available in the world today. These discs can be played in a normal CD player but no on-screen lyrics will be visable, some discs also where stated may include lyrics in booklet form. CD+G is the professionals choice in Karaoke and if the song isn't on CD+G it probably hasn't been produced for Karaoke. The CD+G library of songs features well over 50,000 English songs. As a general rule CD+G discs priced $19.99 and over are the best quailty discs having been produced by a band in the style of the original version. Discs under this price point are generally computer generated music. There is no video clip on a CD+G, only a coloured background along with the scrolling song lyrics which highlight in time to the music.

A CD+G KARAOKE SCREEN SAMPLE

Some CD+Graphics discs feature two versions of the song on the same disc, one is called a (Karaoke Version) which features the songs music with some chorus line backing vocals and the other track is the (Vocal Version) which features both the songs music with lead and chorus line vocals. Where only one track of each song is present it is the (Karaoke Version). The coloured screen background with video mixing equipment, also know as genlocking, can be removed and replaced with a video source of your choosing, like from a video camera showing the live singers for example. You can create your very own video clips by adding the CD+G Superimposer Mixing Unit, this removes the blue, black, pink coloured backgrounds and replaces it with any video signal you choose from a Video Camera or even a DVD Player. Click Picture below for more information. ^ TOP PAGE   < BACK PAGE

DVD KARAOKE / DVD+MIDI These discs will require a DVD Player for playback, discs are region coded to either 4 or 0, region 4 discs will most likely be in the PAL format. Region 0 discs will be NTSC so they can be played on any DVD Player regardless of region. As a general rule DVD discs priced $14.99 and over are the best quailty discs having been produced by a band in the style of the original version. Discs under this price point are generally computer generated music. DVD players are backwards compatible with other optical media discs like, VCD, SVCD and CD, and some DVD players will like The Sunfly Pro-88, The PCK-3000 and Sonken M-688 Karaoke Machines also enable you to play back the video component of a CD+G disc.

A DVD KARAOKE SCREEN SAMPLE

DVD Karaoke discs can either be PAL or NTSC format, Dolby Digital or Multiplex Audio featured. They feature a background video clip along with lyrics scrolling across the bottom of the screen. Video clips are not of the original artists unless stated and vocals are cover versions. DVD+Midi is an entirely different format and DVD+Midi discs will only play in a compatible DVD+Midi Player like the Sonken M-688, however the Midi discs are not interchangable between other DVD+Midi Players, these players will however also play normal DVDs. The DVD+Midi format enables thousands of songs to be placed on one disc with the aid of compression, these songs are computer generated and because there are thousands of songs on one DVD Midi Disc the player randomly selects from a pool of around 30 general video clips each time. The DVD+Midi format is great for customers looking for different language Karaoke songs. The majority of songs on the DVD Midi disc don't feature any vocals whatsoever, where highlighted in the song list you will find approximately 4500 songs that have switchable on/off lead vocals. ^ TOP PAGE   < BACK PAGE

MAGIC SING KARAOKE Magic Sing (Made in Korea by Enter-Tech) is entirely new concept in Karaoke, each different model comes with a base range of inbuilt English songs (2100) in the microphone and you can add more songs, by purchasing additional songs chips. There are no vocals whatsoever on Magic Sing (except on selected songs for ET-18000K model only) and all music is computer generated. All lyrics appear on-screen and in the background a static picture slide show runs as the song plays, on selected models you can connect a video camera and replace the static picture slideshow with a live feed signal showing the person singing on screen with the on-screen lyrics superimposed over top. All songs are numbered and listed in a song book which are entered on the key pad for instant playback, on selected models you can also record yourself singing for playback later.

You can purchase additional English and Foreign Language songs chips, we recommend that before you purchase any Magic Sing Karaoke Machine that you have a good look through the song libaries available to ensure the songs you are interested are available, you should also consider a DVD+Midi Machine with over 50,000 songs (various Foreign Languages) many of which have vocals which can be switched on or off, you can also then to play Karaoke CD+G and DVD discs amongst other formats, which gives you access to all the Karaoke formats.

All Magic Sing models also feature Song Scoring, and selected models also tell you when you are singing on or off key via the (Singing Tutor). Selected models also feature games: Singing Contest - Divide into 2 teams (A team vs B Team) sing 3 songs randomly in turn to figure out a total score and decide a winning team. Challenge 100 Songs! - This is the Intro game, listen to the prelude of the song and select from four possible song titles (max time 60 secs). If you choose the wrong answer, you lose one life, get a bonus life for each set of five correct answers. Othello Game - Othello is also known as the Reverse game. It is a two-player game (black and white) and is normally played on an 8x8 grid. To win, the player must occupy the board with more of his/her own color pieces than the opponent's. Key Lesson Function (Tuning Meter) - Practice your vocal pitch and check if you are in tune to the notes! Song Quiz - Listen carefully to the music and select the correct song title, points are awarded if correct answer given! ^ TOP PAGE   < BACK PAGE

COMPACT DISC KARAOKE These are standard audio backing Compact Discs which will play on any CD compatible player, no artist vocals are on these discs, and they no video component to them, lyrics are provided where stated but only in the CD booklet included. ^ TOP PAGE   < BACK PAGE

VCD KARAOKE A VCD (Video Compact Disc) is an earlier version of the current DVD format, with a reduced compression rate. Improvements have produced discs are called SVCD or Super VCD which is a technical specification upgrade. Both are compatible with DVD players further expanding the available range of product on Karaoke.

A VCD KARAOKE SCREEN SAMPLE

If you have a VCD only player you will not be able to play DVD discs, some of these Karaoke Machines will play CD+G discs, check your instruction manual. VCD discs are have excellent reproduction of the music accompaniment and almost always feature Multiplex audio as standard, they are mostly formatted in NTSC though some PAL discs are available and just as DVD feature a background video clip along with lyrics scrolling accross the bottom of the screen. Video clips are not of the original artists unless stated and vocals are cover versions. ^ TOP PAGE   < BACK PAGE

LASER DISC KARAOKE Laser Disc is the largest medium of the Karaoke formats, a 12" LP sized compact disc. They feature Digital Audio and Analogue Picture in the NTSC format, Multiplex Audio Options and have 60 minute running time per side. They can only be played on an NTSC Laser Disc Player, of which most players can also play normal audio compact discs via an inner disc tray.

A LASER DISC KARAOKE SCREEN SAMPLE

Laser Disc was phased out in late 1998 with the introduction an 100% digital medium for audio and picture in the size of a standard compact disc now commonly known as DVD Video, and just as DVD feature a background video clip along with lyrics scrolling accross the bottom of the screen. Video clips are not of the original artists unless stated and vocals are cover versions. ^ TOP PAGE   < BACK PAGE

PAL AND NTSC The Television broadcast world is made up of two competing formats NTSC and PAL. The United States, Japan and selected Asian Countries us the NTSC Television broadcast system. In Europe, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia we use the format called PAL. DVD, VCD and CD+Graphics Discs are all made up of either of these two formats, some DVDs have both formats on the single disc, with one format one side, and the other on flip side. Compatiblilty is an issue for some people, as the majority of Karaoke discs come from either the United States, Japan or Asia which are commonly produced in the NTSC video format so you would be best to check if both your Television, Monitor or Video Projector and your Karaoke Machine can play back an NTSC signal. ^ TOP PAGE   < BACK PAGE

DVD WORLD REGION CODES Karaoke Home Entertainment is based in Australia, We are a PAL Television Broadcast Country and our Karaoke DVDS are either Region 4 or 0 Encoded. As the World Map shows there are 6 different DVD Regions and unless your DVD player is Worldzone, meaning it can play all these regions it will be locked into your Specific Region and Television Broadcast format. Keep in mind a DVD player purchased for example in America will be Region 1 Encoded, and the Television Broadcast Standard there is NTSC. So in order to be able to play a PAL 4 (Region 4) DVD in America (Region 1) you will need a DVD Player that is Worldzone (All Regions) and both your DVD Player and Television need to be PAL compatible or Multisystem. DVDS online listed with a 0 after the Format i.e. NTSC 0 or PAL 0 are Region Free Worldzone DVDS, meaning they are not locked for any region and will play worldwide subject to your Television standard or compatiblity. ^ TOP PAGE   < BACK PAGE

MULTIPLEX AUDIO " LET'S YOU TURN ON / OFF VOCALS " You'll see this keyword "Multiplex" appear on many of our Karaoke DVD discs. It's a great feature which let's you turn on and off the lead vocals, so you can sing-along with the singer helping you to learn the song. Once you think you have mastered the song turn off the vocals and you become the lead singer! To use this feature is your Audio Button on your DVD Players remote control. All vocals are cover versions unless stated otherwise. ^ TOP PAGE   < BACK PAGE

DOLBY® DIGITAL AUDIO ON DVDS These Dolby Digital Stereo discs don't contain any vocals and feature only the music of the song. A DVD in general which carries the Dolby Digital Logo doesn't necessarly mean the disc is 5.1 surround encoded. There are 5 different types of Dolby® as listed here. Dolby Digital 5.1 - Surround Dolby Digital 5.0 - Surround (No Centre) Dolby Digital 4.0 - Surround Dolby Digital 2.0 - Stereo Dolby Digital 1.0 - Mono Were possible we recommend that you don't use any surround sound, and that you switch your rear speakers off, as microphone feedback is common with four or more speakers surrounding the singers, 2 Channel Stereo is the best option. VCD Karaoke Discs are in the standard Stereo audio format, which can generally be split in to their separate left and right audio channels using your Karaoke Machine. ^ TOP PAGE   < BACK PAGE

MP3 / CDR / CDRW / KODAK PICTURE CD These formats are also supported by some of the Karaoke Machines we sell. MP3 - Compressed Audio Files, this means the Karaoke Machine plays audio CDs which have been made on PC with a CD Burner and compressed so you can store more songs on the disc. CDR - Compact Disc Recordable, this means the Karaoke Machine plays audio CDs which have been made on PC with a CD burner. CDRW - Compact Disc Rewritable, this means the Karaoke Machine also supports rewritable formatted audio CDs which have been made on PC with a CD burner. KODAK PICTURE CD - Store Your Photos on Disc, this means the Karaoke Machine supports the Kodak Picture format, enabling you to have your photos processed onto a Kodak Picture Compact Disc and displayed on the machine in a slide show environment. ^ TOP PAGE   < BACK PAGE

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