Installing

Installing kJams is simple. All versions of kJams and its plugins and accessories can be downloaded here.

By the way, the download is the same for the trial version and the registered version. Why? Because you have to download the trial version first in order to purchase. This keeps it very simple in that once you install kJams, there’s nothing more to do to get the registered version. You already have it!

For Mac Users

Here is a tutorial video.

1. Click the link of the version you want to download.
2. The DMG ("Disk Image") file should download into your "Downloads" folder
3. It should automatically mount the disk image, and open it's Finder window on your Desktop. If not, double click the DMG file in your Downloads Folder
4. for the rest of the instructions, click here

For Windows Users

1. you will need .NET 3.5, more info on that here in step 6.2
2. then watch this video tutorial
3. Click the link of the version you want to download.
4. Your browser will query you (At the bottom of the screen) "Do You Want to Run or Save this File?". Click "Run". If it asks for confirmation, do whatever affirmative action is necessary on your OS and browser to get it running.
5. if you see "This may not have been installed correctly", just ignore it, close the window
6. go thru the installation wizard, following the instructions. You may have to confirm you really want to install it, again.
7. The kJams icon automatically appears on your desktop and in your Start Menu.

Uninstalling

If you really want to utterly remove everything related to kJams from your system:

• Mac: just search for "kJams", and delete what you find
• Win: Go to "Add / Remove Programs", click "kJams" then click "Uninstall", then do the step above for Mac (it's the same)

Keep in mind that if you delete the "kJams" folder that is under your user's "Music" folder, you will end up deleting all of your karaoke music!

Installing an encoder for Ripping CD+G Discs

In order to import karaoke tracks from your CD+G discs to your hard drive, the audio needs to be converted from the raw "CD-Digital Audio" (aka "PCM") format into a computer-file format. This is known as "ripping": it is a type of “format shifting” and one of the steps is called “encoding.” This step requires a specialized software library called an "encoder". QuickTime (which is already on your Macintosh computer, but will have to install on a PC) includes several built-in encoders that are quite excellent, so you don’t need to install an encoder unless you want a file format that QuickTime does not support.

If you are okay with AAC, AIFF, WAV, or AppleLossless encoding, then all you need is QuickTime.

However:

• If you want encode to MP3, then install LAME.
  • Translation for non-techie types: if you want to copy songs from a CD and have them end up as MP3+G files, you will need LAME installed on your computer.

Installing decoders for playing certain song formats

• ffmpeg for MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 playback (free) (note: for MPEG2 you still need ANOTHER MPEG2 plugin below)
  
• MPEG2 (OS X 10.7 or higher)
• Perian for AVI, DivX, FLV, MKV, GVI, VP6, and VFW
  
• Flip4Mac for KMA and WMA playback
• DivX
  
• AC3
  

If you want to install any of those codecs, it's likely you're technically inclined enough to know how to do it on your own, and we don't have to tell you.  :-)

Don’t forget -- Your drive may not be able of reading CD+G disks.

Other downloads

Here are some Sample Songs to try for free. (This download includes "Twist and Shout" and a test file from TriceraSoft.) Once the songs are downloaded, they are ready to be added to the kJams library (pick "Move").

Here are some Tools you may find interesting (Mostly for Mac)

• SoundByte Instantly play little sound clips (applause, other sound effects etc)
• Unlock all files within a folder (script)
• Crash kJams if kJams is hung but still "responding", this script will force a crash, then you can send the crash report and i'll know what to do!
• Bulk Rename: free tools for batch renaming files in the file system
• Yet Another System Utility excellent tool for kicking your system permissions back to normal for when you can't move files to the trash)