- Do you have any shipping information?
- What is your shipping policy?
- Can you explain me the shipping methods?
- Do you ship internationally?
- Do you ship to PO Boxes via US Mail?
- What is your Return/Exchange policy?
- Warranties and Disclaimers
What is Karaoke
The Japanese word stems from the words: "kara" (‹ó) which means 'empty' (same as in Karate) and "oke" which is short for 'orchestra'. The words together make a
contraction literally meaning 'empty orchestra'. It used to be a slang in media
where a live performance is substituted by a pre-recorded music and thus it is
written in katakana. The term karaoke can be interpreted as "virtual orchestra"
because one can specify a key to the music and start singing along without the
presence of a live band or orchestra. In the United States, the word is often
pronounced as /karioki/. The Japanese pronunciation is /ka-ra-o-ke/.
Karaoke History
The industry started in Japan in the early 1970s when singer Daisuke Inoue
(Inoue Daisuke) was asked by frequent guests in Utagoe Kissa where they
performed, to provide a recording of their performance so that they could sing
along on a company sponsored vacation. Realizing the potential for the market,
Inoue made a tape recorder that played a song for a 100-yen coin. This was a
karaoke machine. Instead of selling karaoke machine he leased them out, so that
stores didn't have to buy new songs on their own. Originally it was considered a
fad which was lacking the "live atmosphere" of a real performance. It was also
regarded as somewhat expensive since 100 yen in 1970s was the price of two
typical lunches. However, it caught on as a popular entertainment. Karaoke
machines were initially placed in restaurants or hotel rooms; however, new
businesses called Karaoke Box with compartmented rooms became popular. In 2004,
Daisuke Inoue was dubiously awarded the Ig Nobel Peace Prize for inventing
karaoke, "thereby providing an entirely new way for people to learn to tolerate
each other." [1] (http://www.asahi.com/english/opinion/TKY200410060126.html)
There have been some sources saying that the karaoke has been invented by a
Filipino, however, due to it's lack of technology and financial setbacks,
Karaoke was introduced in Japan.
Early karaoke machines used cassette tapes but technological advances replaced
this with CDs, VCDs, laserdiscs and, currently, DVDs. In 1992, Taito introduced
the X2000 that fetched music via a dial-up telephone network. Its repertoire of
music and graphics was limited, but the advantage of continuous updates and the
smaller machine size saw it gradually replace traditional machines. It is now
common to use karaoke machines connected via fiber-optic links to provide
instant high-quality music and video.
Karaoke soon spread to the rest of Asia and then to the United States in the
1990s. Facilities such as karaoke bars or "KTV parlors" provide the venue,
equipment and software for amateur singers to entertain (or "torture") each
other.
Its popularity has spread to the United States and other Western countries,
where some people still regard it as purely a method for the intoxicated to
embarrass themselves, but as the novelty has worn off many now take it slightly
more seriously; sometimes, much more seriously. In the US, it is not uncommon
for some bars to have karaoke performances seven nights a week, commonly with
much more high-end sound equipment than the small, standalone machines noted
above. Lyrics are often displayed on multiple TV sets around the bar, sometimes
including big screens.
Karaoke Technology
A basic karaoke machine consists of audio input, a means of altering the pitch
of the music (not the singer) and an audio output. Some machines provide vocal
suppression so that one can feed regular songs into the machine to filter out or
greatly suppress the voice of the original singer. Most common machines are
audio mixers with microphone input built-in with CD+G, Video CD, Laser Disc, or
DVD players. CD+G players use a special track called subcode to encode the
lyrics and pictures displayed on the screen, while the other formats natively
display both audio and video. In some countries, karaoke with video lyrics
display capabilities is called KTV.
Karaoke machines may involve technology that electronically changes the pitch of
music so that amateur singers can sing along to any music source by choosing a
key that is appropriate for their vocal range. Older equipment does this merely
by varying the playback speed, which affects the tempo of the song as well
(which can throw some singers off), whereas newer gear utilizes digital pitch
changing, which maintains the original tempo of the song.
Some machines have a grading system of how well a song was sung. A popular game
using karaoke is to randomly type in a number and call up a song, which
participants take a turn to try to sing as much as they can. In some machines,
this game is pre-programmed and may be limited to a genre so that they can't
call up an obscure national anthem that none of them can sing. This game has
come to be called "Kamikaze Karaoke" in some parts of the United States, which
may be a somewhat inapt choice of term, considering karaoke's Japanese origins.
Many low-end entertainment systems (boom boxes etc) have a karaoke mode that
attempts to remove the vocal track from general (non-karaoke) audio CDs. This is
done by center removal which exploits the fact that in most music the vocals are
in the center. This means that the voice, as part of the music, has equal volume
on both stereo channels and no phase difference. To get the qausi-karaoke (mono)
track the left channel of the original audio is subtracted from the right
channel. The crudeness of that approach is reflected in the often poor
performance of voice removal. Common effects are that you hear the echo of the
voice track (due to stereo echo being put on the vocals), and also other
instruments that happen to be mixed into the center get removed (snare/bass
drum, solo instruments), degrading this approach to hardly more than a gimmick
in those devices.
And with the increase demand in portability, Koreans have came up with the so
called "Magic Mic", the microphones that contain songs inside the mic, using
MIDI music with video background and for some models, the super impose
technology has been added into these mics so singers can see themselves on
screen while singing, of course with video cam attached.
What is your shipping information?
We're using UPS and US Postal service to ship out the package for customers.
International, Express Mail or other shipping Methods are available upon request
for an additional charge. All orders that are processed before 3:00 p.m. PST
(M-F) will be shipped that day. Orders processed after that time or on
Sundays/Holidays will go out the next business day.
What is your shipping policy?
Free shipping for orders over $89 in US 48 states. Your package will be sent out
either by UPS or US Postal service. Normally UPS Ground shipping or Priority
Mail will take around 3 - 7 business days, but the arrival time is not
guaranteed. If your order is urgent, we recommend you use UPS 3rd day, 2nd Day,
Next Day or US Express Mail.
Can you explain me your shipping methods?
UPS Next Day: Arrives next day. Available for US 48 states only.
UPS 2nd Day: Arrives in two days. Available for US 48 states only.
UPS Ground: Time in transit varies according to the locations. Available for US
48 states only.
Do you ship internationally?
Yes. We do. We will need a photocopied of your pictured ID with the the credit
card fax to (323)256-5029 or email to
info@latestaudiovideo.com before
processing your order. Besides, time in transit varies from location to
location. Service available only to selected countries. Customer may be
responsible for customs or import fees. Please see International Shipping
information below.
Do you ship to PO Boxes via US Mail?
Yes, we do ship to post office boxes via US Mail and other areas via US Mail.
APO/FPO orders are sent via the US Postal Service as required by law. There are
no exceptions.
What is your return/exchange policy?
All Returns must have a Return Authorization Number (RA Number). No Returns will
be accepted without the RA#. If you have a problem with an order, call (800)
369-3956 or fax to (323) 256-5029 to obtain a RA #. All returns must include
original packaging, copy of sales receipt /invoice, and reason for return. The
customer is responsible for insurance recommended for returns.
Unopened Software
We will exchange or refund the purchase price of any UNOPENED software purchased from us within 15 days from date of invoice. RA #, copy of sales receipt, and reason for return required. NO EXCHANGES OR REFUNDS WILL BE MADE AFTER 15 DAYS.
Opened Software
Due to copyright issues, no opened software can be returned.
Defective Software
In the event the software is defective, please contact us for a RA # and we will replace the software with the same title and catalogue numbered item. A Latest Audio Video receipt must accompany all returns within 15 days from the date of sales receipt/invoice. Any attempt to fix or repair software will void return.
Defective Hardware
Defective Hardware, that is, machines which do not function according to the manual specifications and which have not been abused or damaged by purchaser, will be exchanged immediately for a duplicate machine upon presentation of a copy of sales receipt/invoice and all original merchandise components with respect to cords, microphones, manuals etc. Please do not attempt to make any adjustments or repairs of equipment. Be advised that in many cases the manufacturer’s warranty will pertain. We must be notified of any defective hardware within 15 days from date of sales receipt or invoice. Call immediately for instructions (800) 369-3956
Non-defective Unopened Hardware
A 15% restocking fee will be assessed on all non-defective hardware returns. All exchanges or refunds must be made within 15 days from date of sales receipt/invoice.
Refunds/Exchanges
Any credit or refunds, if applicable, will be mailed to the customer by check or credited to the customers account or credit card within fifteen business days of receipt of goods. Exchanges will occur within 48 hours of receipt and inspection of the goods. Does not apply to merchandise out of stock. After 30 Days from date of purchase, you must go through the manufacturer for any and all warranty issues. We strive to carry only quality items so that you may enjoy years of karaoke satisfaction.
Warranties And Disclaimers
Policies, item availability, and prices are subject to change without notice. The price in effect when we receive your order will be the price that you are charged. We are not responsible for any typographical errors in this online catalog. Please note that if the terms and conditions stated on your order form differ from those stated on our sales receipt or invoice, and you do not notify us within 15 days, it will signify your acceptance of the terms and conditions stated in our invoice or sales receipt.
Sources of supply and specifications are subject to change and are believed to be correct at this time. Every reasonable effort will be made to ensure that all listed materials are available in adequate supplies. Quantities are limited. All merchandise is guaranteed against manufacturer defects. Hardware warranty varies according to manufacturer. (See return/problems for specific information)
