What makes a night feel like KTV
In much of East and Southeast Asia, "KTV" means a private karaoke room you book with friends: a big screen, a couple of mics, a song list everyone can browse, snacks, and coloured lights. The magic isn't fancy equipment. It's a shared queue, a big screen with lyrics, and a room where nobody's a stranger.
You can recreate most of that at home for free. Encoreverse turns your TV into the screen and everyone's phone into the song remote, using karaoke and lyric videos from YouTube. Here's how to set up the rest.
1. The screen
Open karaoke.encoreverse.com on the TV and select Create party room, then tap Tap to start the stage 🔊. If the TV browser struggles, cast a laptop with Chromecast or AirPlay, or plug it in with HDMI for the most reliable picture and sound. Our karaoke on your TV guide walks through each option.
2. Mics and speakers
The website doesn't send your voice to the speakers: phone mics are only used for the optional on-phone voice score and Premium recording. For a real KTV feel, you'll want separate mics:
- Bluetooth karaoke mic with a built-in speaker. Cheap, cordless and fun. Each mic plays your voice from its own little speaker, so it works without touching the TV setup.
- Wireless mic kit with a receiver plugged into a party speaker, mixer or karaoke machine. Low delay and good for two singers at once.
- Wired mics into a speaker or PA with mic inputs. Zero delay, the most "real KTV" sound.
One warning: Bluetooth adds delay, often 100–300 ms. Pairing a Bluetooth mic to the TV, or sending the TV's music to Bluetooth speakers, can make your voice and the music feel out of step. Keep the music on the TV speakers or a soundbar on HDMI/optical, and most TVs have no mic input anyway, so mics usually go into a separate speaker.
3. Lighting and room vibe
- Dim the main lights so the lyrics pop. Keep a lamp on so nobody trips over cables.
- Colour-changing LED strips or smart bulbs behind the TV give that KTV-room glow. A disco ball or star projector is a cheap upgrade.
- Seating facing the screen, with space at the front for whoever is singing.
- Snacks and drinks within reach: fruit plates, sunflower seeds, bubble tea, whatever your crew loves.
- A tambourine or shakers for the non-singers. Trust us.
4. The song queue
Guests scan the QR code on the TV, enter a nickname and search. They tap Add for the end of the queue or ⏫ Next to go right after the current song. The TV shows who's up next, so the "who's singing?" scramble disappears. Free rooms take up to 2 guest phones, so in a bigger group, pass a phone around and take turns adding songs.
No ideas? Open 🎉 Playlists for ready-made sets (there are C-Pop / 华语经典, K-Pop, Duets, Ballads, 80s and 90s lists, among others) or tap 🎲 Add random 3.
5. Chinese, K-pop and Japanese songs
Keep Add "karaoke" to search ticked on the phone. For Chinese, Japanese and Korean searches, it adds "KTV 伴奏" (backing track) to find lyric and instrumental versions, which is usually what you want. Some tips:
- Search in the song's original script if you know it, e.g. 周杰伦 晴天 or 미안해, as well as the English title.
- For K-pop, try the song title plus "karaoke" or "instrumental"; many fan channels post lyric videos with romanisation.
- For J-pop and anime songs, add "karaoke" or "off vocal".
- If a karaoke and an original video were both found, the now-playing bar lets you switch between 🎤 Karaoke and 🎵 Original.
- Some YouTube videos don't allow playing on other sites; the stage skips them automatically, so just pick another version.
6. Run the night like a KTV room
Start with a warm-up round where everyone queues one song. Use the 👏 Clap button during songs; it fills the applause meter, and each song ends with a star rating. At the end, open the 🏆 scoreboard to crown the night's best song. For more structure, borrow a few karaoke party games, or pull songs from our best karaoke songs list.
Frequently asked questions
What is KTV?
KTV is the common name in China, Taiwan and much of Asia for karaoke in a private room with friends, usually with a big screen, mics and a shared song list.
Can I have KTV at home for free?
Yes. Open Encoreverse on your TV, create a free room and let guests queue YouTube karaoke videos from their phones. You only pay for optional extras like mics or lights.
Do I need a karaoke machine?
No. The TV shows the lyrics videos and plays the music. A Bluetooth karaoke mic with a built-in speaker, or mics plugged into a party speaker, is enough to make voices louder.
Can I sing Chinese, Korean and Japanese songs?
Yes. Search in any language. With the karaoke option ticked, Chinese, Japanese and Korean searches add "KTV 伴奏" to find lyric and backing-track versions. There are also C-Pop and K-Pop playlists.
Why does my Bluetooth mic sound out of sync?
Bluetooth adds delay, often 100 to 300 milliseconds. Keep the music on the TV speakers or a wired soundbar, and use a mic with its own speaker or a wired or wireless mic kit.
Ready to sing?
Create a free room on your TV. Guests scan the QR code and queue songs from their phones. No app, no sign-up.