How to get Karaoke mic plugged into TV????

[Tiggsy]

Kids are loving Virgins Karaoke channel - but what mic can I buy to run along with it?

Set up is Virgin box is HDMI'd into the AMP and the Amp HDMI'd into the TV. Any options at all????

[headcase]

What amp have you got? Its not a facility your TV would have but if your lucky your amp may have a mic in and a mixer.

[Tiggsy]

Decent enough 7.1 yam amp.... But no mic in

Any work around?

[_dobbo_]

Microphone pre-amp into a standard set of phono line-input on the back of the amp?

Switch the amp to that input and let the TV take care of the music?

[Mikey G]

What about a cheap 2 channel mixer off ebay with a Mic input, TV sound into one channel and the Mic in the other and then connect the mixer outputs to the Amp?

[_dobbo_]

Mikey G said:

What about a cheap 2 channel mixer off ebay with a Mic input, TV sound into one channel and the Mic in the other and then connect the mixer outputs to the Amp?

This is actually a better solution than mine if you want music and voice through the amp at the same time. With a mixer you can control levels too so neither music or voice is overpowering.

Cheaper than a microphone pre-amp as well:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/G-FORCE-PHAT-2-CHANNEL-D...

[Tiggsy]

ok - i like this - but how does that work given that I use HDMI from TV to Amp right now?

Can I get an HDMI in on a pre-amp mixer? and HDMI out to the Amp? If not, how do I get the TV signal through the amp?

[Mikey G]

If your V box doesn't have phono outputs you will need a scart lead with one. It should work alongside your HDMI and give sound to the mixer. The mixer output would then need to be connected to a spare phono input on the amp, all you need to do then is select that input to allow use of the mixer and mic.

[Tiggsy]

so outputs from the virgin box (phono or scart) go into the mixer with the mic inputs.....and the HDMI still goes to the Amp from the Virgin box...and onto the tv for the video. How will the amp play the mixer input though if it's set to play the hdmi input that is needed to feed the tV?

[Mikey G]

Does the amp have input mixing? The ability to output via HDMI even if the input is not HDMI, most dont have it but a few amps have been known to do this.

Alternativly you could use a scart to component lead, the colours from the scart go direct to the telly for picture, the sound leads goes into the mixer. Keep the HDMI connected and when you wish to use the mixer input select the desired input on the telly and the input on the amp from the mixer and that should do it.
Checking on ebay probably spend a tenner at most on cables?

Have done something similar before but not with HDMI but 2 scart outputs, one to the telly and the other just a sound output to an amp.

Excuse the wonderfull paint image I hope it explains a little better

Edited by Mikey G on Wednesday 4th January 17:39

[Tiggsy]

Ok - I like that.

And will the picture be ok on a 50" plasma off a scart lead? Not important but it wont suck will it?

[Tiggsy]

also - you have 5 wires going from Virgin to mixer/tv.....is that right? 3 into the TV two into the mixer??

[Mikey G]

5 wires is correct for component video, red and white (little black line is the white) is left and right stereo sound. Red Green and Blue lines are the video output from the scart lead to the TV. Some scart will only do a single yellow video connection but you will get a better picture using the component format.

Its not going to be true HD but should be better than an SD signal via normal scart.

And for Karaoke your not going to be too fussed on the picture quality are you?

You need to check if your Virgin box will output Component, it may do RGB but either way no problem just need to make sure you get the correct cable.

Edited by Mikey G on Wednesday 4th January 19:14

[Tiggsy]

ok - this is my box. No component so I assume I use scart with 5 leads off it?

http://www.pcpro.co.uk/gallery/reviews/368182/virg...

So if I have this right.....I have a scart lead with 5 wires out the Tivo. 2 phono leads go into the mixer and the three video leads go into the TV direct. The mics go into the mixer and the mixer out put goes into the Amp.

So when I want karaoke I put the TV switched to the relevant setting for the video leads input and use the amp to play only the sound from the mixer?

Two q's.....Will my tivo still be outputting HDMI at the same time so when I switch the amp back to the hdmi that is going in from the tivo it will work as before for normal TV? and, should my (half decent) amp allow for the phono from the mixer AND the video from the box to be plugged in all at once and run it all via the amp HDMI out to the TV?

This is my amp:

http://usa.yamaha.com/products/audio-visual/av-rec...

Edited by Tiggsy on Thursday 5th January 00:09

[Mikey G]

Right I have a TiVo box myself, just looked into it and apparently the video output via scart is only Composite NOT Component.
This isnt a problem but it means a different scart lead and a lower quality picture (just like a standard scart really.)
All this means is you buy the 3 cable lead (red, white, yellow) where a single yellow replaces the 3 colours on my drawing above. This is the video signal to the TV. A cable like this will do it :- http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-5M-Meter-Scart-3RCA-A-...
If your tv doesnt have a composite input (single yellow coaxial) then you will need another scart adapter like this one to accept the video signal to the TV :- http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SCART-3-RCA-PHONO-AUDIO-...

I dont think the Amp supports the single output so you would have to use the same type of output that you use to input the amp. I.e. HDMI > HDMI or Component > Component.
You could use the amp for switching the signal to the telly but you will still have to switch the telly input to match anyway.