The first obstacle is that CDG burner. This goes by many names. One heartening find is that most CDG players will handle MP3s. I also discovered that CDs actually have a tiny groove or ridge in the substrate to keep the laser beam from wandering.The CAVS manual confirms another suspicion. Most users are such no-techs, they are not learning to use functions much beyond search and playback. Now that I’ve something to work with, I’ll be an expert on this system within the week. But one thing is already certain: If Jim and I team up, it will a one of a kind operation in this part of the world. I am quite aware that musically, I have been the orphan in the triad Jim, Arnel and I have been discussing for a year now.
It turns out the CD burner Jim bought is not the recommended CDG for his karaoke gear. My task is to find a burner that works, thence to make it work. None of this is ever easy. I’ve located a Lite On and a family of Plextors (brand names) that make the correct claims. This is the necessary “baby step”, in Jim’s words, needed before any other plans make sense. Once I burn that first CDG, the only serious obstacle remaining is the graphics files. My first experiment will be to see if a CAVS ngc file can be transplanted to a new MP3. The words won’t match because the karaoke versions are not the originals, but just you wait.
One early conclusion about the CAVS system is that it is very fragile. The manual is full of precautions that must be taken. I even suspect the files must be sequentially numbered or the searches won’t work.
Oh, and the Jewish guy found another writer. I guess my offer to finish his project for $10 an hour was too rich for him. No problem, when he comes back to get it done right, it will cost $15 per hour. These newbies never learn writing is one field where you get exactly what you pay for. Fred is leaving town for a few days, and I have the keys to the shop. This is remarkable in that Fred has never before let out the keys to anyone, even his family. He’s going to a motorcycle show upstate.
Several hours later, I’ve combed the CAVS manual. The bottom line is the software is basically a playback device, and most of the advanced functions are better performed on a remote computer. Then the CAVS is used to play back the finished product. The CAVS can burn live vocals to disk, but only if the microphone is plugged into the Karaoke unit and not the PA system. I’ll pass on that.
Background videos or stills should be edited first, then placed in the JB-199 directories in AVI format. That is no mean feat for an amateur. The CAVS software is proprietary and all such systems carry the risk of instant obsolescence. I’ve also surmised that CAVS MP3 files are further compressed, another red flag. I suspect most of the work will be done on this computer, not the CAVS. Either way, this leads to an unprecedented amount of cooperation between Jim and I, two people who would never otherwise have anything in common.
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