Unable to play Karaoke Files

[RedDog]

I am trying to get Karaoke working for the first time in GameEx and cannot get them to play. This Karaoke stuff is pretty new to me so I may be missing something obvious.

I was not sure if I had installed the Karaoke files originally, so I went ahead and installed a new copy of GameEx over the existing copy and did include the files that time. I currently have karaoke configured to automatically play when a song is selected (instead of queueing). When I click the song name, the screen looks like it is transitioning to the song, but then goes black, and then goes back to the song list.

The log.txt says: Unable to open video

If I recall correctly, GameEx uses Windows Media Player for audio and video files. I did test the cdg and mp3 files with Windows Media Player and the mp3s played fine, but the cdg would not. I tested the files in VLC and they do work there (but then again, VLC plays everything - I think it would play a sandwich if I shoved it into the DVD drive; but at least I can assume the song files are valid).

After searching online, I learned that in order for Windows Media Player to play Karaoke files, an add-on called Karaoke for DirectX is needed. I next installed that using the instructions here. The cdg files still will not play in GameEx or WMP, so I am looking for some help.

In the log I attached, I tried to play La Bamba. Evindentally, that song it is public domain when no artist is attached to it, so I can also include the cdg and mp3 files if needed.

GameEx.ini

log.txt

La_Bamba_-_Richie_Valens.mp3

La Bamba - Richie Valens.cdg

 

 

EDIT:

[RedDog]

I am still struggling with this one. Any help is appreciated. 

[mviars]

Its been a while since I tried it but I think I remember getting it to work. Now if I can just remember what I did. I will try a little later to start it up and see what happens as it may jog my memory.

[RedDog]

Thanks mviars. At this point, I am stuck.

[DazzleHP]

I've never used the karaoke function in GameEx, but i have had experience with this in the past. For Karaoke to work you must either have a lyric file with the same file name in the same folder as your mp3/mp4 file, or, it must be attached to the media file itself via an ID3 tag etc. Then, i assume the Karaoke function will work correctly.

[mviars]

OK well when I started up the Karoke from gameEx after not using it for a while it did not work. It appears that somehow the GDG files lost their association to what file to use. After pointing it to use Windows Media Player it now is working again. However we are still back to square one for you. At least now you know I used WMP to play the files. Also I have both the .cdg and .mp3 for each song in the folder i using. One thing I can tell you is to get it working outside GameEx first. Now my problem is remembering  what I did to get WMP to play the files. Let me look through my files and install programs and see if I find any clues.

[mviars]

42 minutes ago, DazzleHP said:

I've never used the karaoke function in GameEx, but i have had experience with this in the past. For Karaoke to work you must either have a lyric file with the same file name in the same folder as your mp3/mp4 file, or, it must be attached to the media file itself via an ID3 tag etc. Then, i assume the Karaoke function will work correctly.

I think the main problem at least that I had which sound like the same problem RedDog is having is that WMP just doesnt know how to open the file. The  Karaoke for DirectX is what is needed however the version most people have links to is not compatible with the newer WMP.

The GOOD NEWS is that by some miracle I just noticed that I had a folder labeled Karaoke that had the compatible karaoke-3.0-beta3 setup file. What's amazing is that I didnt delete it after installing or since its been on my desktop for about a year. I will attache it but please be aware although I did go through my installed programs list and it does show that it is installed that I make no claim that it will fix your problem or that it will not damage you system although it did work just fine for me. Basicly use at your own risk.

karaoke-3.0-beta3.zip

[RedDog]

Thanks for the help, but sadly it made no difference. WMP still says it "...cannot play the file. The Player might not support the file type or might not support the codec that was used...". I tried opening the cdg several ways (dragging, through the Open File dialog). WMP plays the MP3 just fine, but it plays it just like any normal MP3 (ie, no words are displayed).

Any other suggestions?

Before this, I believe that the only codecs I had installed was the lav files that work with GameEx. Maybe I should clear all my codecs and start again. Any suggestions on how to do that? I've not heard of a codec cleaner or anything similar.

[Draco1962]

I am not certain as to how I got this to work, but one thing to check is to make sure that the .cdg files are set to open with playcda.exe. 

[mviars]

Well I can tell ya this when I double click the .cdg file WMP loads up both the video and audio. So thats all you should need to do for testing. Once you get that going I think your good. Now the problem is making that happen.

 

Here is a capture for my installed files I think may be relevant to Karaoke.

 

[RedDog]

19 hours ago, Draco1962 said:

I am not certain as to how I got this to work, but one thing to check is to make sure that the .cdg files are set to open with playcda.exe. 

I had the cdg files associated with WMP. After seeing your post, I tried associating the cdg files with playcda.exe in the KaraokeDX directory (and rebooted), but received the same error: "...cannot play the file. The Player might not support the file type or might not support the codec that was used..."

 

@mviars I will give the K-Lite pack a try. Messing with codecs is one of my least favorite things to do because I don't know a lot about them and I know that things can get messed up along the way...but I want ot get this working if I can. But, considering we have tried most of what SHOULD work, I am almost tempted to set up Karaoke as an emulator using VLC (which does play the files...because that thing plays almost everything on it's own).

[mviars]

Are you saying you got it to work with VLC. Mine doesnt it just shows the video. If you can then I would think that you just associate the CDG files to VLC and your done as I believe that the GameEx's Karaoke program just starts the CDG file not necessarily WMP however I could be wrong.

[mviars]

I never used playcda to get mine working. I just did the k-lite codec pack 7.1 and the Karaoke 3.0 beta 3 I posted earlier. At least I pretty sure that's what I did. If your like me you wont quite till you figure it out. I think I got just about every emulator going in GameEx just to do it as i hardly ever use it but I think I just like troubleshooting and seeing things work perfectly or something. 

[RedDog]

2 hours ago, mviars said:

Are you saying you got it to work with VLC. Mine doesnt it just shows the video. If you can then I would think that you just associate the CDG files to VLC and your done as I believe that the GameEx's Karaoke program just starts the CDG file not necessarily WMP however I could be wrong.

Yes, I can open an mp3 in VLC through the Media\Open File dialog or by dragging and dropping and VLC will play the song and display the data from the cdg file...but VLC has always been a fantastic player. Even when you do not have the appropriate codecs installed for WMP, chances are VLC will work. I am not surprised that it plays karaoke.

However, if I try to play a cdg file, it opens an extra window called Direct3D Output. Both windows display the lyrics of the song, but the music does not play. I am not entirely sure why it is doing it this way, but whatever.

 

Anyway, I tried associating both cdg and mp3 files with VLC and it did not affect GameEx.

But oddly enough, when I browse the song list in GameEx Karaoke now, the snap windows will show video of the song lyrics scrolling. when I try to play the song, the screen goes black for a moment and then returns to the song list. when I look at the log, it shows an entry that the video file for the song (ie the cdg) was played and then the next line says that the video file could not be played. It's the same file.

 

I still have to try the K-Lite codecs.

[mviars]

Well I tried fiddling with mine just to see if I can get it to play in different ways but like you experienced I get two windows that pop up one that direct3D output which is strange because that does not happen when I just open the mp3. also the screen is black and I have to hit the windows key to even see the two windows.

I do want to mention a few notes here i this may help us troubleshoot this.

1.  WMP with Karaoke 3 beta 3(Karaok for direct X) and k-lite codec 7.1 is what I believe got it working for me
2. I did set this up as an emulator I think mainly so I could filter the names to just show the cdg file name in list and not double up the names with both .mp3 & .cdg
3. when using WMP for karaoke I use the .CDG file not .mp3 when I try VLC I had to use the .mp3 file
4. I can not seem to get VLC to play properly through GameEx. (I did associate the .cdg & mp3. files to VLC and told GameEX to run the .mp3 since thats what works outsde GameEx.) 

Here is some screenshots of my Karaoke emulator settings

 

[DazzleHP]

Don't do it! I've read your posts from start to finish, and i can see why you are thinking the way you are, BUT, the so called "k-lite" pack is nothing but! It is a convoluted mess of absolute crap that seriously impacts your system and is far from streamlined.

I've assumed till now that you are pre-W10? If you are W10 none of it is needed anyway, in any case i'd like to know which version of Windows you are running, so i can help you forward.

[Draco1962]

+1 to what Todd has advised regarding Klite.

[RedDog]

@mviars I was trying to use the integrated karaoke functionality that GameEx has. Part of the reasoning was to become familiar with that aspect of GameEx to help others. VLC has pretty good command line options and I don't doubt it will work fine as an emulator (thanks for the screen shots by the way).

@DazzleHP I am running Windows 7. I know where you are coming from. Codecs are one of the things I am not so familiar with. Other than fddshow and Haali Media Splitter for mkv files and the lav filters for GameEx, I tended to stay away froim packs. Because of this little project, I have tried a number of things such as Karaoke for DirectX as mviars suggested (which I think was ok) and the Shark007 pack (which I uninstalled right after trying).

Anyway, if you have suggestions, I am all ears.

[mviars]

I have win 10 but it may have been the upgrade from win7. i did install the k-light codec pack I mentioned above without any known issues however I would rely on the wisdom of Dazzle & Draco. The truth is other than what  said above I cant really tell you why its working on mine and not yours. I do believe the first step is to get it working outside GameEx though.

[mviars]

For what its worth I tried enabling the GameEx karaoke to see why exactly I decided not to use it and even though I was able to get video preview with sound it would not work when clicking the song. After checking the log it just says unable to open video. I also probably did it so that I could filter the file names as I have many songs that have [karaoke] in the file name. 

[RedDog]

1 hour ago, mviars said:

I have win 10 but it may have been the upgrade from win7. i did install the k-light codec pack I mentioned above without any known issues however I would rely on the wisdom of Dazzle & Draco. The truth is other than what  said above I cant really tell you why its working on mine and not yours. I do believe the first step is to get it working outside GameEx though.

Thats cool. You gave me some options to try and I do appreciate the time and help. I also figured that once we had it working outside GameEx with WMP, GameEx would be fine.

 

1 hour ago, mviars said:

For what its worth I tried enabling the GameEx karaoke to see why exactly I decided not to use it and even though I was able to get video preview with sound it would not work when clicking the song. After checking the log it just says unable to open video. I also probably did it so that I could filter the file names as I have many songs that have [karaoke] in the file name. 

It sounds like your karaoke module is acting like mine. May be a bug I suppose. I would just be surprised that no one else may have reported it. Hopefully Dazzle will have some good suggestions. 

[Draco1962]

Not sure why mine is working exactly the opposite of mviars with the integrated Karaoke support - No preview videos, but I can play the karaoke files just fine with no errors or prompts. I am on Windows 10, but started out with Windows 8 and everything working as I just described.

[RedDog]

On 2/2/2017 at 11:39 AM, DazzleHP said:

I've assumed till now that you are pre-W10? If you are W10 none of it is needed anyway, in any case i'd like to know which version of Windows you are running, so i can help you forward.

So @DazzleHP , did you have some suggestions for me? Windows 7.

[DazzleHP]

On 10/02/2017 at 6:43 PM, RedDog said:

So @DazzleHP , did you have some suggestions for me? Windows 7.

Yes, completely remove/uninstall any codecs/packs you have installed, reboot, then use a registry cleaner. CCleaner is a popular and reliable one.

Reboot again using an account that has Admin privileges.

Install Sharks Codecs for W7 (using Admin), reboot GameEx.

Report back whether good or bad

 

[RedDog]

@DazzleHP OK, so I finally took the time to try your suggestions. I uninstalled and cleaned. When I installed Sharks, the program suggested I tick off a checkbox named 'Shark007 SUGGESTED settings'. I DID NOT do that. Instead I tested the stock settings as I did not want to make any missteps.

I also did not set up the DXKaraoke plugin yet, but the SetupWizard detected that I did not have it installed and said it was required. The button to install the plugin through GameEx did not do anything (file download or open to a website), so my guess is that it is not working. Would you suggest I install KaraokeDX-2.3 or KaraokeDX-3.0-beta3 version?

Currently, karaoke is not playing in GameEx (no surprise there I assume). In GameEx, the log says that it cannot play the video file.

In WMP it simply says that the cdg file cannot be played. Of course, it will play the mp3 just fine (without the lyrics being displayed).

I should add that the files are unzipped with the mp3 and cdg file in the same folder with the same name (other than the extension).

I am happy to say that the video previews for my emulators are working correctly. Some time ago, I had to install the lav filters as suggested by Tom to correct a problem with that. This time around the videos are working just fine.

Let me know what you suggest on the KaraokeDX. I will wait to make a move. Thanks again for the help.