Brand New to site

[mrmsu]

Hi,
I just found your site, looks great!
I have a karaoke "business", but all of it is on 600 cdg's, but I recently got a MAC to do my karaoke.
I have no idea how to get started...It seems your software is what I would need.
I would like to "rip" my cdg's (onto an external portable Hard-drive, which one, how big?), but would like to do that using my Windows XP desktop...because I think it would be easier and faster. Is that possible with your software?
Then I would like to use that hard drive with my MacBook Pro and connect that to my karaoke system.
Would I be able to download songs while at a gig, using the mac (wifi?)
Is there a step-by-step how-to-get-started (for those over 40)?
Thank you,
Don

[dave]

I just found your site, looks great!

YAY

I recently got a MAC to do my karaoke.

Super YAY

I have no idea how to get started...It seems your software is what I would need.

You are correct! I wish more people understood this!

I would like to "rip" my cdg's (onto an external portable Hard-drive, which one, how big?)

600 CDs? that's about half a terrabyte, uncompressed. divide by ten assuming you're using MP3.
just get a big drive, they're so flippin cheap!

but would like to do that using my Windows XP desktop...because I think it would be easier and faster

kJams is identical on mac and windows, there is no reason to rip on windows then do your show on mac, you're just making it harder on yourself. the only reason to use one vs. the other is if only one drive works for ripping and the other doesn't. cross that bridge only if you come to it. just do it all on your mac if you can. i have no idea why on earth you think windows would be faster or easier, can you explain that?

Is that possible with your software?

you can do ANYTHING at Zombocom! Just kidding. Yes, that is possible. kJams is insanely flexible.

Then I would like to use that hard drive with my MacBook Pro and connect that to my karaoke system.

if you must share a drive between mac and windows, format it FAT, not NTFS. Or, if you MUST use NTFS, you have to get Paragon for mac.

Would I be able to download songs while at a gig, using the mac (wifi?)

of course!

Is there a step-by-step how-to-get-started (for those over 40)?

all the documentation is here
Let me know if you get stuck!

-dave

[mrmsu]

Hi Dave...
I am finally getting around to start using kJams. I downloaded the pro tryout version to my apple MacBook Pro, but it seems that the "Incompatible Drive" message appears when I try to play a song. I bought the Mac last summer, but after reading your wiki: "the Matshita drives built into many older laptops DO NOT WORK", I guess I have one of those.

So, can I use kjams without buying a new disk drive? I would like to rip all 600 disks onto my 1.5 TB Seagate portable hard drive, but how do I do that now? Can I use my Windows desktop computer (which can read cd+g disks) and rip them onto the external drive? Would I need to use kjams for Windows?

I also have the "Power cd+g Burner" software already on my windows computer. Would you know if that program would work to rip the disks to the external drive and then use kjams to play them on the apple?

I'm sorry I have so many questions...thanks for helping me out.
Don

[Karanight]

Is there a step-by-step how-to-get-started (for those over 40)?

No hope for me then

[dave]

it seems that the "Incompatible Drive" message appears when I try to play a song

did you click "attempt" ? what happened?

guess I have one of those [Matshita drives]

you guess or you looked?

yes you can use your windows computer to rip then add them to the library in kJams. as long as you format the drive FAT and not NTFS.
http://karaoke.kjams.com/wiki/Reformat

for a getting started guide try this:
http://karaoke.kjams.com/wiki/Getting_Started

[DeusExMachina]

To save yourself the indignity of formatting to FAT, you could also plug the drive into a networked mac and access the drive over the network as an NAS.
You can also use NTFS free by using MacFUSE.

[dave]

note that using NTFS with MacFuse or Paragon is not an officially supported configuration. if you're having file-related problems and i see that you are using one of these configs, i'm going to ask you to eliminate that before continuing to provide support. just FYI