Just wanted to start a thread about a karaoke system we are doing this week.

The original job is finished. 7 tv's, dedicated theater and patio sound for a pool house.

System backbone is Total control by URC. Total control for distributed audio. (ipad control mostly.) The downstairs game wall has 4 tv's on it. 2 55" tv's in the middle of wall and 2 32" on the corners. Customer wants to integrate Karaoke. Video distro is Zektor.

So, somebody needs to invent a rack mount karaoke system that is network controlled with a ipad app and lets you download songs from app. Couldn't find anything like that. Don't have any room for a pc and client wants to control it all with ipad of course. Client does not want to load cd's.

Here is what we have designed. a stand alone system. 2 in ceiling speakers, total control amplifier, peavey rack mount mixer, (2) shure wireless microphones, and http://soulo.com/ ipad karaoke app. We were able to successfully take a 30 pin to component and analog audio adaptor and get video and audio from Soulo app into matrix swithcher. We are not using the ghetto microphone for the Soulo app. It works great and gonna be a clean install. I will post pictures of the job when we finish. Just thought I would post this so that people can see how we plan to integrate into the automation system.

The customer has to buy songs for .99 each but can sync to itunes and use library to play songs as well. Not all songs on itunes can filter out the vocals.

To be continued.....

Thanks for the information... I'm contemplating design for a karaoke system right now and having a difficult time finding the right product mix.

Keep in mind the Soulo app is designed to connect to a set of speakers and use the microphone that they recommend that has some pre-loaded songs and vocal effects. I wanted them to have a better quality mic set up so our mixer has the effects to make up for that. Also, The app has the ability to use the ipad camera to take video of yourself and upload to youtube. The problem is, you will need the Soulo microphone to do this. My customer was not interested in posting personal karaoke videos online. what i liked about it was the fact that Soulo allows them to purchase the songs like Itunes and never have to load a cd. They control the karaoke with the ipad app but I set up a Karaoke Macro for them on the automation system to get everything going.

Also, the Soulo support was terrible. It took 2 weeks to get someone to answer the phone. They never called me back. I just had to keep calling until they answered the phone.

PC or Mac based KJams has streaming support from chart buster, tricersoft, sunfly giving access to 72,000 songs for a flat yearly subscription.

No room for pc or mac.

I was responding to your "invent a rack mount karaoke" statement

Um, ok

Update: Soulo is out! We could never get the Soulo to work right. The Soulo APP will not let you turn off the microphone feature on the ipad. Therefore feedback. I tried using a 4 pin 3.5 to compostite cable to kill the mic but presented another issue. We ended up using [Link: karafun.com]

When you subscribe to karafun, you get access to 12,000 songs. It is a bout $11/month. Or you can pay $8 for a 2 day unlimited access. We are using a 30 pin to component video and anolog audio cable with usb so that the ipad will charge when in the rack. The video outputs in 16:9 and no issues with the matrix system.

Turned out awesome.

What's wrong with running kjams on a Mac mini? If you don't have room for that in the rack what do you have room for?

We had room for 2u space and that was all. We needed a amplifier, and peavey mixer. That took up all the room we had left. We have a ipod dock recessed shelf that the ipad can rest in. It works great. No room for mini!

local guy that rents karaoke systems around here has racks built around 1st gen apple tvs. Even just handing the person the atv remote, the system is incredibly intuitive once set up properly