Connection problems with Amplifier

[killertofu2]

Recently, I purchased a laptop from MTU made specifically for playing Karaoke Shows: A Durabook, the stats of which I'll look up if needed.

I've been having issues with it, in regards to getting it to support dual screens, but it finally decided to let me do that, so that's some progress in that department. I'm able to get picture out to the TV I'm using for the singers to view.

I've been running a Karaoke business for fourteen, fifteen years in my area, and am getting tired of toting the discs around, which's why I've decided to try going with this. As such, I have all of my old Karaoke equipment and generally run the player through the amp to get to the speakers, and to the TVs.

However, when I try to do that with my laptop, using the MTU laptop and Hoster software, it doesn't end with satisfying results. The only way I've been able to get picture is if I run directly from the laptop, and with the speakers I'm using, running the audio directly from the laptop wouldn't give enough juice, so the amplifier is entirely necessary.

I've been unable to find a thread in regards to this subject, so has anyone met with success in running through an amplifier to get the sound and/or video out? If so, how did you do it? Because it's becoming rather frustrating.

[killertofu2]

I was able to get the Video to work through the amplifier also, but the audio still isn't playing through it. Any advice on that?

[ddouglass]

Are you using the Line Out (usually green) connection on the laptop? The cable you will need a stereo 1/8" for the laptop to whatever type of plugs used on your Amp for input (RCA?). Cable at the Amp end should be two connectors for left and right.

[bobcox- with the Lord]

Originally Posted by killertofu2

I was able to get the Video to work through the amplifier also, but the audio still isn't playing through it. Any advice on that?

Why would you hook your video to an amp???.

You should be hooking sound from your laptop to mixing board,
and your video out of laptop to your TV.

[ddouglass]

It is probably a Mixer/Amp combo. If so then everything can go through it. I do this on my mixer so I can use my cdg player for singers discs rather than import the song into Hoster.

[bobcox- with the Lord]

Yea, prob right.
i have a few powered mixers.
but the only one i run my video through, is my vocopro.
it has video inputs and outputs.
the others i use a couple of Y adapters for video and go to rf modulator.
and TVs with video inputs.

[billyo]

Originally Posted by killertofu2

Recently, I purchased a laptop from MTU made specifically for playing Karaoke Shows: A Durabook, the stats of which I'll look up if needed.

I've been having issues with it, in regards to getting it to support dual screens, but it finally decided to let me do that, so that's some progress in that department. I'm able to get picture out to the TV I'm using for the singers to view.

I've been running a Karaoke business for fourteen, fifteen years in my area, and am getting tired of toting the discs around, which's why I've decided to try going with this. As such, I have all of my old Karaoke equipment and generally run the player through the amp to get to the speakers, and to the TVs.

However, when I try to do that with my laptop, using the MTU laptop and Hoster software, it doesn't end with satisfying results. The only way I've been able to get picture is if I run directly from the laptop, and with the speakers I'm using, running the audio directly from the laptop wouldn't give enough juice, so the amplifier is entirely necessary.

I've been unable to find a thread in regards to this subject, so has anyone met with success in running through an amplifier to get the sound and/or video out? If so, how did you do it? Because it's becoming rather frustrating.

i'm not sure, but why are you hooking your laptop to an amp ?my suggestions is if you dont mind, is to plugged the headphone out your laptop into one of the channels of your mixing board, myself i used an adaptor 1/8" to 1/4" i only used the left channel on my mackie board, that way you can control the eq's of that selected channel, ( actually laptop is just like a cd player, you hooked it up just like a regular cdg player on your mixing board ) simple way is : laptop headphone out to mixing board line in ( left chan. ) , mixing board main to amp, amp to speakers.

[bryant]

Originally Posted by billyo

i'm not sure, but why are you hooking your laptop to an amp ?my suggestions is if you dont mind, is to plugged the headphone out your laptop into one of the channels of your mixing board, myself i used an adaptor 1/8" to 1/4" i only used the left channel on my mackie board, that way you can control the eq's of that selected channel, ( actually laptop is just like a cd player, you hooked it up just like a regular cdg player on your mixing board ) simple way is : laptop headphone out to mixing board line in ( left chan. ) , mixing board main to amp, amp to speakers.

I've been thinking of doing that too. (hook up to left channel). Now does it matter which of the two (red or white) you place in the left channel. You see, my 1/8" stereo splits and comes to two 1/4"'ers. Can I just leave one dangling and plug in either of the two and assume that one plugged in carries the mono for both channels?

[muzicman144]

I use a stereo mini plug into the headphone jack of the computer using both red and white (Stereo) and connect to a line-in channel on my mixer, again using a stereo adapter, that has individual channel EQ, Reverb, Etc. just as my mike channels. If you only use the left side of your mixer, you can't get stereo sound. I never use the tape/CD in/out connections. Using a mike/line in connection gives you the same EQ, reverb, etc. control as using the left only, except you still have stereo.
muzicman

[billyo]

Originally Posted by bryant

I've been thinking of doing that too. (hook up to left channel). Now does it matter which of the two (red or white) you place in the left channel. You see, my 1/8" stereo splits and comes to two 1/4"'ers. Can I just leave one dangling and plug in either of the two and assume that one plugged in carries the mono for both channels?

yes you can do that, plugging in just one connector will give you the stereo effect, what ever color your 1/8 " pluged into is the one you have to connect..in my experience plugging in 1/8 to 2 rca jacks wont give you a stereo effect, your actually just connecting one cable..

[muzicman144]

Originally Posted by billyo

yes you can do that, plugging in just one connector will give you the stereo effect, what ever color your 1/8 " pluged into is the one you have to connect..in my experience plugging in 1/8 to 2 rca jacks wont give you a stereo effect, your actually just connecting one cable..

I have to disagree with you on this. If you plug a stereo 1/8 mini plug from the laptop headphone jack to the 2 rca jacks, you do get stereo. You get the same stereo sound your headphones get. You cannot get stereo sound by connecting only one side. I have run sound for over 30 years. In fact, running only the left side only will not give you stereo effect, you will lose the right side sound if the right connectors are not used.
How about another sound person chiming in here with an idea or correction.
muzicman144

[ddouglass]

A stereo plug regardless of size will have 3 sections called tip, ring and sleeve which is left channel, right channel, and a common return. So if you use a stereo 1/8" plug in the headphones jack of the laptop you will get stereo out. In most cases the music for karaoke is stereo, but I have found that some were mono or in other words exactly the same on both channels.
One note though. If you have multiplexed music with the vocals on one channel (some are left and some are right) then you may not be able to switch those on or off in Hoster.
Bryant my opinion is full sounds is always better than half sound and realistically have you gained any savings by leaving one channel out?

[billyo]

Originally Posted by muzicman144

I have to disagree with you on this. If you plug a stereo 1/8 mini plug from the laptop headphone jack to the 2 rca jacks, you do get stereo. You get the same stereo sound your headphones get. You cannot get stereo sound by connecting only one side. I have run sound for over 30 years. In fact, running only the left side only will not give you stereo effect, you will lose the right side sound if the right connectors are not used.
How about another sound person chiming in here with an idea or correction.
muzicman144

i'm not really sure about that, but since you have more experience than i do you maybe right, but anyway i've been running just one channel for years now and my left and right ch. on my main out has the same volume level, and if i pan it to either left or right or if i used my optical cd/dvd drive cleaner, i get the the right result , when prompted by the cleaner, i maybe wrong..but i do get stereo effect..