Expert tips to run your karaoke box with KaraFun Business

If you are opening a karaoke box, the KaraFun iOS application provides you with all of the features to help you manage your karaoke box. An iPad with the latest iOS version is the way to go, but there is so much more to know when installing the iPad. Read on as we'll dig into the best practices to make sure you are getting the most of our application.

Can I use an Android tablet instead?

KaraFun Business features for karaoke box businesses like session timer, password-protected settings, and more are only available for iPad. Why? It’s not because the team has an undying love for Apple (au contraire, our KaraFun app for home use is available on Android, Windows, and Mac).

Rather, our team of savvy developers weighed the pros and cons of each application relative to usage in a private room karaoke box. Yes, our business features were once available for Android tablets, but after much debate and reflection, multiple orders of various tablets, and lots of internal tests, it all comes down to the external screen. After lots of testing, the team noticed that Android tablets make it difficult to guarantee that the lyrics, and not the app, will be displayed on the big screen.

So now that we have that cleared up, let’s get into the nitty-gritty of iOS and iPad for use with the KaraFun application in a karaoke room box.

What are the best iPad models to use?

We’d recommend iPad Air, the latest generation, or if your budget permits, the iPad Pro for the screen size.

How much storage capacity do I need?

This really depends on your usage. Remember that KaraFun Business is a streaming service and so a decent internet connection is essential and recommend using our offline mode as a backup (which requires a certain amount of space).

You may be thinking that the way to go is to synchronize the entire catalog of songs offline, just in case an internet catastrophe strikes unexpectedly. While this is certainly an option, it isn’t necessary and requires that you have adequate space on your iPad. Add to that, that we add 300-400 new songs every month, so the space required for your iPad will continuously grow bigger as our catalog of 81,000 songs also grows. Each song takes up to 5MB of space so if you were to sync the entire catalog of songs today, you are looking at needing an iPad with at least 225GB.

As such, we recommend that any karaoke box business synchronize a minimum of songs as a simple backup. Our recommendation is at least of 10,000-20,000 songs synched offline. This provides an adequate selection for your customers in case there is an issue with internet. In the event that there is a need to use the offline mode, our software detects and alerts you to a missing connection. Please note that in offline mode, the remote control feature and song images will not be available.

When you sync the TOP offline 10,000 or 20,000 songs (under SETTINGS > OFFLINE > TOP) we will manage the capacity to assure that you always have the most popular offline tracks available to you.

Tip: to know the amount of GB required, go to the application settings > offline > top, and next to the number of songs, we’ve added the space required.

What version of iOS do I need for KaraFun Business?

We recommend iOS 14 or later.

Should I auto-update to the latest iOS version?

To Auto Update or not to auto-update, that is the question! Not to auto-update is our answer. You may think that auto-updating will save you the time of manually checking each iPad, but think about it…. If Apple decides to update the iOS version on a Friday night in the middle of karaoke sessions, this forces a pause in the use of the KaraFun application and is unnecessary stress for you and a major disappointment for your clients.

Our recommendation: Program a monthly update check and in the meantime, we’ll do our best to notify you when we think the best time to update is.

When should I update if there is a new iOS release?

Our team recommends waiting a few weeks before updating to a new version of iOS. While Apple isn’t known for bugs or issues, it may be that changes in an iOS version have effects on the KaraFun application. We suggest waiting until we give you the green light to make the update. If you have doubts, don’t hesitate to contact us.

What about KaraFun application updates? When should I update?

We always recommend running our latest application version. We’ll be sure to keep you abreast of new updates, so be sure to regularly check your emails and if you are unsure, as always, reach out!

Can I use Apple TV to cast the lyrics to the big screen?

In a karaoke box, using Apple TV is not recommended. This requires a very strong internet connection and the slightest hiccup can cause a lag in what is heard and what is seen on screen. If you need help to get your iPad connected to the TV screen, don't hesitate to get in touch so we can help you with the right material and hook up.

Useful iOS features to use in your karaoke box:

• Dark vs light mode: In a karaoke box where the lights are dim, we think it best to use the dark mode, but this is entirely a preference. Here is how to switch the mode on your iPad: learn more.
• Language: If you find yourself hosting tourists in your karaoke private suites, a simple change to the language is possible. Our apps exist in English, French, Spanish, Dutch and Italian, so by switching the language on the iPad, you can switch the language of the KaraFun application, here is how.
• Guided access: This one is absolutely vital for any karaoke box room. Guided access allows you and your team to block the KaraFun application to the iPad. This means your customers can only access KaraFun and no other application that you may have installed on the iPad. Here is more information about guided access from Apple, learn more.

Questions?

We know karaoke and as leader on the market, we are here to answer all of your questions: reach out at business@karafun.com