how many here are thinking of going to kiosks
- Thread starter KjAthena
- Start date
Chartbuster is...
- Messages
- 190
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 102
Already there. It's a marketing godsend...the patrons think it's the greatest thing since sliced bread, and we never have to print books. Updating takes minutes. Awesomeness.
I put possibly. I like the idea of instant songbook updates so there doesn't have to be a new songs section printed each time. But we haven't even computerized the discs yet so the songbook will probably wait until then. I think I would still have a book or two for those who like to sit and browse and possibly a printed list of new songs.
Don't know the environmental aspects. Saves trees but adds to e-waste, although one could say one was recycling computers. Also, our equipment barely fits in the car as is so don't know how much more we can add.
One thing I have noticed at the younger people shows is that they text even while they are dancing. As most have smart phones, they can just look at our songlist on the internet if they want to. Many got excited by that and took cards with our web address and we actually got a new person because we had some songs another host wouldn't buy--imagine a show with no Journey? So in a way that is instant kisosk although they still have to fill our a slip. But I have heard of hosts who take text requests and text the singer when their turn is coming.
Don't know the environmental aspects. Saves trees but adds to e-waste, although one could say one was recycling computers. Also, our equipment barely fits in the car as is so don't know how much more we can add.
One thing I have noticed at the younger people shows is that they text even while they are dancing. As most have smart phones, they can just look at our songlist on the internet if they want to. Many got excited by that and took cards with our web address and we actually got a new person because we had some songs another host wouldn't buy--imagine a show with no Journey? So in a way that is instant kisosk although they still have to fill our a slip. But I have heard of hosts who take text requests and text the singer when their turn is coming.
- Messages
- 178
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 102
my hesitation is, i see a lot of tables where someone grabbed the book and just flipping through decided "what the hell" and tried one. lots of cherryokes
and i don't think they would not have gotten up and gone to sit at a kiosk when they aren't even singers yet. spending the money buying a computer and software just to see if it works has put me off of actually giving it a shot so far.
and i don't think they would not have gotten up and gone to sit at a kiosk when they aren't even singers yet. spending the money buying a computer and software just to see if it works has put me off of actually giving it a shot so far.
G
Guest
Guest
I see this at almost every show I do. when passing out the books I drop one at each table, many times I have had the people sitting there tell me no thanks and then later in the evening decide that they would sign up (first timers) without the book sitting in front of them 9 times out of 10 they would have simply left!
I also see people 5 or 6 deep waiting to sign up, these are the people who have already looked through the book and decided what song they are going to sing, I can only imagine what it would bne like if they had to go to a single kiosh to look at the songs availabe 20 deep and fighting over who gets to search for a song.
Perhaps if I were running a show with only 5 or 6 singers I would consider it, but when a show starts out with 20 or more on the list it is simply not an option!
Speculation and incorrect at that.
I've been running a kiosk for almost 6 years and I have routinely run A SINGLE kiosk and have had consistently a 20-30 person rotation WITHOUT a single complaint.... ever.
This is from YEARS of development and experience, not theoretical speculation.
The sky won't fall... it hasn't yet.
Honestly, if you're not going to use a kiosk for signing up and you know how to use a word processor, spread sheet or pdf editor you're wasting your time and money.
First, name ALL of your files correctly. Second, download a free directory listing app like JR Directory printer. Third, copy and paste text into a word processor of your choice. It's all formatting after that. Not particularly difficult.
I output my song list to pdf format for the web.
I have found 10" android tablet pc's that sell for less than $180 new and they have native pdf support built in. Scrolling through your song book like on an Ipad at 1/3 of the cost, is a real treat. I can also edit the pdf to include advertising, calendars, special notices, instructions, birthday wishes, etc. I tried the 7" form factor but it is too small to view a whole page legibly. Since I don't use numbers, updating is a breeze as I add new music and re-alphabetize the list immediately. I haven't put this into use yet, because I need to figure out how to make a stand that secures the tablet at an angle to that people can't use it for a coaster. I figure I would hold a cc or dl while someone has a one of the tablets. I would also install gps tracking software on each unit to discourage the growth of legs. The prices are falling on these things and I'll let you know when I pull the trigger.
In the meantime...
I've been using the 3rd party Access-Runtime songbook that works with Compuhost. I use it on an old XP laptop and the singers like it because of the singer history listings.
I still use sign up slips for a couple of reasons. One is for the interaction with the human beings. The other reason is that I use the back of the slip for contact information and registration for prize drawings. I've built up a large email list over the years.
I might be interested in CompuHost's kiosk if it will run on a tablet platform. I already came to the conclusion that if you're going to have remote sign-up, you have to have user-account access or you'll have chaos with people signing up under different or mis-spelled names.
First, name ALL of your files correctly. Second, download a free directory listing app like JR Directory printer. Third, copy and paste text into a word processor of your choice. It's all formatting after that. Not particularly difficult.
I output my song list to pdf format for the web.
I have found 10" android tablet pc's that sell for less than $180 new and they have native pdf support built in. Scrolling through your song book like on an Ipad at 1/3 of the cost, is a real treat. I can also edit the pdf to include advertising, calendars, special notices, instructions, birthday wishes, etc. I tried the 7" form factor but it is too small to view a whole page legibly. Since I don't use numbers, updating is a breeze as I add new music and re-alphabetize the list immediately. I haven't put this into use yet, because I need to figure out how to make a stand that secures the tablet at an angle to that people can't use it for a coaster. I figure I would hold a cc or dl while someone has a one of the tablets. I would also install gps tracking software on each unit to discourage the growth of legs. The prices are falling on these things and I'll let you know when I pull the trigger.
In the meantime...
I've been using the 3rd party Access-Runtime songbook that works with Compuhost. I use it on an old XP laptop and the singers like it because of the singer history listings.
I still use sign up slips for a couple of reasons. One is for the interaction with the human beings. The other reason is that I use the back of the slip for contact information and registration for prize drawings. I've built up a large email list over the years.
I might be interested in CompuHost's kiosk if it will run on a tablet platform. I already came to the conclusion that if you're going to have remote sign-up, you have to have user-account access or you'll have chaos with people signing up under different or mis-spelled names.
- Messages
- 608
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 102
KJsandman, right now Tricerasoft has a kiosk program that works with both the Iphone and the Android.
Man! You like to beat yourself with whip too? That's a LOT of work.... and expense starting with the hardware ($180 was it?) plus the software.... plus the time to make the pdf files, plus the GPS software to finally do what? Fill out a slip?
Here's what I do:
(1) Roll it in from the minivan and plug it into the wall.
(2) Turn it on.
(3) Touch the program icon
Don't need user-accounts because they're all over 21 and know how to spell besides, if they make a mistake, they'll tell me. (the "human contact" part) .
I also do not want "singer history" because it does nothing IMHO other than promote the same singer, singing the same songs, forever. If Mary wants to sing "Black Velvet" for the umpteenth time, she's perfectly capable of entering "B-L-A-C-K- -V"
And you're telling me you don't have people signing up under fake names with a slip? You don't have any more with a kiosk.
Seriously, I understand where most of you are coming from... I had the very same concerns years ago. Just because patrons abuse your books, spill on them, tear them up and basically trash them, it doesn't mean they will do the same with a kiosk. You'd be surprised how respectful (and helpful to each other) they are.
And if you really, really, really, want that "interaction with human beings," you can add a Dymo ticket printer that will print the slips for you. But this is another misconception too... you will still have the human interaction, LOTS of it....
It's actually sort of funny to read all these concerns.... because I've been there... and now I'm here.... Kinda like saying "We were scared about it at first, but we can laugh about it now.."
Cute technology and just opens up the door to abuse. Sometimes this much "convenience" isn't at all convenient for you.
well its a moot point for me now since i am not working. But i always wanted to use a kiosk.. i just couldn't justify the extra expense of a dedicated laptop *$25 my ****, the cheapest i've EVER been able to find anything that will run XP is $200* then there is another $100 for the extra monitor and a hell of a lot more if u want a touchscreen.
I think being able to request stuff by phone would be neat.. I already had my books online at one point..
-James
I think being able to request stuff by phone would be neat.. I already had my books online at one point..
-James
Who said XP? I have one that runs win '98 with an external USB network adapter ($29.95) and an Ebay Touch screen ($70) oh, and I had to buy a power cord: $12.99
I do have one with XP that I bought at a garage sale. It has a dead keyboard. So I used a usb keyboard to configure it, got another usb network adapter and the same touchscreen...
These are the 2 pictured ... (below)
The biggest drawback I see to a kiost is that it takes some of the personal element out of your show. I like being interactive with my singers. With a kiost, you may never meet that person singing on your stage.(then again you may not care to)
From a singers standpoint, I like to be able to take a book back to table and look thru it. I'd feel rushed if I had to wait in line at a kiost.
From a singers standpoint, I like to be able to take a book back to table and look thru it. I'd feel rushed if I had to wait in line at a kiost.
- Messages
- 608
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 102
If your host is running JustKaraoke or Swift elite or is running the standalone kiosk and you have either an IPhone or ANdroid phone you can go to www.tricerasoft.com and download the app for either phone. That way you can search via your phone at your table and not be rushed into choosing your song.
Sorry, doesn't happen....
Here we go with the "wait in line" thing...
For some reason -- and even I was guilty of this in the beginning -- there's this huge fear that there will be some long line of dedicated singers all itching to put in a song, and some dumb oaf standing at the kiosk browsing and he's only at the "C's" and can't read or spell very well....
I gotta tell you, after using a kiosk for 6 years, it just doesn't happen that way in real life. Maybe it's just that after so many years of working so hard on printed books, selecting typefaces, deciding on binding, number of columns, plastic sleeves, working on request slips, etc. it's just hard to think of karaoke without using them. Consequently, there's a myriad of pitfalls that are easy to invent as a natural progression if you were stop using them.
If you want to make it easier on yourself (and your singers if you think they will croak) then by all means, don't switch to a kisok, but supplement your books with a kiosk instead. At least to start with, because you will see that the books will be used less and less.
That's exactly what I did. I placed a kiosk in the club and next to it a stack of just 5 books - not on the tables, but next to the kiosk. They were welcome to take them to their table if they liked, and most would pick out their song and return the book to the stack - I never made that a requirement and frankly it surprised me too.
Since the kiosk was new, of course the first few nights I had to "educate" the singers on how to use it... surprisingly, it wasn't for more than a handful of singers before they began to help each other with an informal "tech support" if you want to call it that. It seems that people like showing other people what they know and how to use this new method of selecting songs. They all loved it and I loved not having to babysit them.
It's all good.... They still love it and help the new patrons that come in and all act very respectful around it.
- Messages
- 190
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 102
There is a browse function by artist and by title, as well as a keyword search. People do occasionally browse, and it doesn't create a problem with a lineup.
