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DEX 3 Pro Tip | How To Batch-Unzip Karaoke Files

How-to batch unzip karaoke files

DEX 3 is a capable karaoke software player in addition to being a full-blown audio and video mixing application.

While it’s not quite as robust for just hosting karaoke compared to our Karaoki product, you have all the required key-features to host a successful show: Basic karaoke singers list, key control, next singers display and lyrics-only screen 2 output. DEX 3 supports MP3+G, MP4 karaoke videos and standard MP3+G zip files. The important item to note in the previous sentence is “standard MP3+G zip files”.

There are quite a few third-party zip utilities on the market – many of which can batch zip files. Even though the extension on the zip file says “.zip” — the algorithm used to compress and unzip the file isn’t standard; it’s not truly the same format as a zip file that was created with standard versions of Winzip. Currently, DEX 3 will only support files zipped with the standard version of Winzip.

While we plan to add support to DEX 3 for various third-party zip utilities in the future — if you’re having an issue (‘error loading file’) when attempting to play a zip karaoke file in DEX 3 it’s likely because it’s an unsupported format.

So what do you do?  How can you play your many thousands of zipped karaoke tracks?

It’s what’s inside of the zip file that counts, the MP3+G.  Providing you leave both the .MP3 and .CDG components of your unzipped MP3+G files in the same directory you can import, load and play them in DEX 3.

You can easily batch unzip all your karaoke zip files using the following method. After doing so, import them into DEX 3 following the usual protocol and they will all load and play perfectly.

How To Batch-Unzip Karaoke Zip Files

  • Install WinRAR (Evaluation Version will work, or you can purchase a copy of WinRAR):  Follow this link to download and install a copy of the WinRAR software.
  • If WinRAR opens up after installation – CLOSE IT.
  • Within Windows File Explorer, navigate to one of your directories (folders) of zipped karaoke tracks and “select all” (right click “select all” should do it)
  • Now, right-click on any of the highlighted zipped karaoke tracks in the directory.  From the pop-up menu select the option ‘Extract Files…’, then choose the directory you’d like to all the files to (they will be extracted as MP3+G files – two files for every track) NOTE: We recommend that you create a new directory (folder) first, and then extract your .zip files to the newly created directory.
  • Import the new folder into DEX 3 (using one of the various import methods) and you’re ready to host karaoke!

 

Have questions?  Please leave them in the comments section below!