Installing

Downloading 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

It's drag and drop! [Now, with even more drag-and-droppiness!] Don't you think all applications should install that way?

1. Click the link of the version you want to download.
2. The distribution DMG file should download into your Downloads folder
3. Double click the DMG file, and it should open a window on your desktop, with the kJams icon on the left, and a shortcut on the right which points to your own Applications folder on your Mac
4. In keeping with the big red arrow, click on the kJams icon, and drag it over the Applications shortcut icon, then let go. kJams will be installed. You can then...
5. Drag it from your Applications folder to your dock. Now you can launch it from your dock with a single click.

For Windows Users

1. Click the link of the version you want to download.
2. Respond Save to your browser's query "Do You Want to Open or Save this File?" (if it asks, or do whatever else is necessary on your OS and browser to get the file downloaded)
3. Once the file has been saved, double-click on it to install kJams and follow the instructions.
4. The kJams icon automatically appears on your desktop and in your Start Menu.

Installing an encoder for ripping CDGs

In order to rip karaoke tracks from your CD+G or other commercial discs to your hard drive, the audio needs to be converted from the raw CD-audio format into a computer-file format. (This is known as “format shifting” or “encoding.”) This requires a specialized software library called an encoder. QuickTime (which you should already have 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 download 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 download 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.
• If you want to encode to Ogg Vorbis, then also install XiphQT.

• Some formats require a QuickTime decoder:
  • ffmpeg for MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 playback (free) Note: for MPEG2 you still need ANOTHER MPEG2 plug-in, below.
  • MPEG2 for Lion (OS X 10.7 or higher)
  • MPEG2 For Pre-Lion (Earlier than OS X 10.7) $20 required for MPEG2 playback, sorry
  • 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 to read CD+G disks.

Other downloads

If you are a Mac user, and want to be able to create new karaoke songs by syncing lyrics, download the Producer plug-in. *If you would like to download sample songs, click here: Sample Files. (This download includes "Twist and Shout" and a test file from TriceraSoft.) Once the songs are downloaded, the songs are ready to be added to the kJams library (pick "Move").

Uninstalling

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

• Mac: just search for "kJams", and get rid of everything that is in the Applications or Preferences folders
• Win: Go to "Add / Remove Programs", click "kJams" then click "Uninstall"

Don’t delete the kJams folder that is under your "Music" folder, or you will end up deleting all of your music!