I’ve got three posts on the subject. But the winners are kJams (Mac), Winamp + CDG plugin (Windows), and PyKaraoke (Linux).
If you use both Mac and Windows, t’s a tough call between kJams and Winamp. If you’re going to be actively updating your library and your song books, kJams is it.
If you want to set things up once, never think about it again, and spend your karaoke night hitting on people, use Winamp.
Now, without further ado, the verdicts:
The best karaoke software for Mac OS X: kJams
The best karaoke software for Windows: Winamp
The best karaoke software for Linux: PyKaraoke
kJams is not free
kJams is shareware, you don’t have to pay. and it’s pretty fully functional shareware. the only serious limits for the free version is you can’t make long playlists (a non-issue if you do the find-then-play type of show), and that you can’t rip from disc any track above track 3, also a non-issue if you use the built-in music stores or have your own files already. if you’re ok with these “limits”, then kJams *is* free.
Here’s a Q for the moderator:
Quote: “If you use both Mac and Windows, it’s a tough call between kJams and Winamp”.
May I ask what would make it a hands-down easy call for kJams? What does Winamp currently have over kJams that makes the call “tough” ?
-dave at kjams dot com
ummmmmmmmmmmmmm, winamp probably does not crash all the time
makes me want to buy a crappy pc just to run some alternate karaoke program!!! Can someone make a program that does not crash????
Looks like kJams just released a version for Windows. Finally, a real professional solution for Windows.
http://karaoke.kjams.com/wiki/Windows
Help! I am just getting into being a KJ and I have a Macbook Pro with a dual processor. Go Mac side or PC side? A KJ I know said don’t go with the Mac. And why is KJAMS the best???
Steve,
did you ever write to me to tell me about your crashes? I don’t remember hearing from you. Are you aware that i’m a real person who actually quickly FIXES problems that users report? unlike other software vendors. Take a minute and browse my forums, you’ll find i answer every single question myself, same day. and i make new releases *weekly*. So claiming it’s crashy is kindof, well, cowardly, unless you’re willing to actually say it to my face and give me a chance to make it right, which i will right away. not to mention that by the time you tell the internet (but not me) that it is crashy, i’ve probably already fixed that bug and made a new release.
Nancy: go with kjams. check out the forums, testimonials and facebook page, *nobody* does tech support like kJams.
sorry about that, don’t know what snit i was in, but i re-read my comment later and thought “wow, i was a bit snitty”. i don’t feel right about using the word “coward”, so i apologize for that. Anyway, i really *would* like a chance to make it right for you, please contact me directly and I will make SURE kjams is NOT crashing on you, if it still is.
-dave
Hi Dave,
can you help i have an apple mac laptop, I know nothing about all this Karaoke free downloads At the moment I use disks and want to do Karaoke dj will your s work on my mac laptop and what do i do to down load it
thank you
Jeannie x
Have been trying all morning to download kjams but keep coming up with deadlinks, help where can I find a shareware version to try?
Do I need special drivers for my macbook to read CD+G discs, or is it already compatible?
Hey. Nice Post