First off, lets define exactly what a "karaoke laptop" is. Basically we're talking about a laptop computer that has karaoke hosting software installed and can be used to run a karaoke show. It will be able to display the software's workstation on the laptop while displaying the karaoke on a remote monitor or television.
With the hosting software we will be implementing the minimum requirements of the laptop will be a Windows XP or later operating system, 64 MB of video ram, and the extended desktop feature. All these things are standard in most laptops sold over the past 10 years. The original integrated sound card will also work fine. A large hard drive would be required if you plan on storing a lot of song files on the laptop. It is commonplace to store the songs on an external hard drive.
If you plan on using the laptop solely as a karaoke laptop you should format the hard drive and reinstall the operating system. This is not absolutely necessary but it does get rid of all unneeded files and gives the laptop a fresh start. I recently bought an HP laptop at a yard sale for $50 and turned it into a karaoke laptop. The previous owner neglected to format the hard drive and it was full of junk files that were of no use to me. After a format and reinstall it was like a new computer.
Now for the hosting software. This is a program that I have used for several years to host commercial karaoke shows. It is light weight and fast and requires little system resources. It will run perfectly well on a laptop with the minimum requirements stated earlier. It is called JustKaraoke. But rest assured that this is a full featured karaoke hosting application. Features include database creation with full song search capability, singer rotation, singer history, key control, filler music, next singer display, and more. With an internet connection you can purchase songs from within the program.
There is a demo version of JustKaraoke that you will download and install on the laptop. It is fully functioning but has the limitation of allowing you to play just 10 songs. When you purchase the program (only $49.95 as of this writing) you will receive an unlock code to remove all limitations. If you have a collection of karaoke song files on a hard drive you can import them into the program's database by selecting the appropriate naming configuration. Supported file types are MP3+G, ZIPPED MP3+G, AVI, MPG and MP4. If your karaoke music is all on CD+G discs you will need to rip them to MP3+G files. This is explained in detail in this CDG ripping tutorial.
At this point your karaoke laptop is ready to be connected to your sound system and monitor. Hooking up the audio is very simple. Obtain a 1/8" stereo to dual RCA adapter cable (found at nearly all department and electronic stores) and run it from the earphone jack of the laptop to the audio inputs of the sound system. If your sound system would happen to need some other type of input connection you should easily be able to find the right adapter.
If you are using a computer monitor as the remote monitor the connection is as easy as connecting to the laptop with a VGA cable. If you are connecting to a TV the procedure is going to depend on the input options on the TV. There are several possible scenarios. If the laptop and the TV both have HDMI connections then the solution is obvious. If the TV has only composite video (RCA input), S-video, or coaxial, you will need some sort of VGA to (whatever) converter. These are not expensive and should be available locally. I suggest that you go to a local electronics store, explain the situation to a salesman, and let them recommend some options.
So there you have it. A super cheap karaoke laptop. If you don't have a spare laptop lying around you should go to yard sales, search through the classified ads, check local pawn shops, and search on eBay. Older laptops are not really in demand and you should be able to pick one up very cheaply.
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