How do I use KKBOx?
I have an English system at home… would swap to Chinese if I had to.
But how do I use KKBox? How do I buy points? How do I register?
I’m confused! I do read some Chinese, so it’s not 100% impossible…
Kenneth
I’m a big KK Box user. I love the online song lyrics in Chinese and English. KK Box is an all you can listen to music service for about 149 a month if you choose pay monthly by buying vouchers at Family Mart. Less, if you subscribe through your internet provider.
It has one very cool feature. You can down load your songs as protected WMA files. They magically run as long as your account is current. There are versions for your pda and phone that will let you display song lyrics as well.
First, can your computer display Chinese web pages? If you’re here already I’d assume so. Next, you’d want to type Chinese, though I don’t think that would even be necessary. It would be helpful in finding songs but I think the only time you really need Chinese would be in opening your account. Have a local friend fill out the application for you on their computer.
If you want type Chinese, go to IME utility of your Window’s os. Select the proper Chinese language keyboard input for Taiwan. You can search for many thread on this issue in the forum.
If you need some more help getting more out of KK box, or some set up help, please pm me.
OK. I do run an English system so would the software run in XP in English? I can use Chinese and view Chinese … but the software itself… last time I tried, all I got was squares… where the Chinese should be.
Kenneth
I can help fix that problem but I’m not alert enough now. I’m stuck sterilizing baby bottles now and got a bad cold. I’m enjoying the complete weird Al Yankovich Collection on KK box just to stay awake.
I believe your squares are coming from non-uni-code text. The program assumes you are using a computer that displays Chinese as the primary character set so it sends the text to you as simple Chinese text with out character set information.
Somewhere in your windows settings is a choice to tell your computer which character set you’d want to use for non-Unicode text. If you have an English system, it’s set to western text style. Select Chinese traditional as your default character set and your problem should be licked. Good luck.
I really like this program. It has a really huge English Catalog from Peter Paul and Mary to Disney songs, Classical and of course Taiwan and Chinese pop. Enjoy.
That setting is in Start > (Settings >) Control Panel > Regional and Language Options > Advanced. Choose Chinese (Taiwan) from the drop down list.
(Assuming you’re on Windows XP)
You’ll need to reboot after making the change.
Well, I’m gobsmacked.
I didn’t know that it was possible to install Chinese language software on any English system… but that tip by Taiwan_Student was very helpful.
I have got KK box installed successfully. I tried it out last night. There’s lots of stuff on it.
Some of the Chinese is difficult for me to read, though, so I have to get a little research done on that!
MORE LATER! Brilliant help! Thanks!
Oh, and be careful switching languages like that may bork some of your installed software. I know that BlogDesk is broken, now. I haven’t seen anyother problems. Yet.
You also may find new software installing the Chinese version of itself instead of the English version as well. Many programs like Nero seem to read your machine and choose the setup language for you.
Then you have to search all around to find the switch to set it back to English. But it’s all worth it.
I’m sure irishstu could tell us the proper settings to enjoy non-unicode Chinese program along with telling the new software that you want the English version installed.
How are you enjoying your KK Box. Did you pay for your account yet? Give us review. If you need further help with KK box. Let me know.
Ok.
It’s going well.
I set the language default to Chinese (Taiwan) and it installed fine. I have not restored the language default yet. I don’t really need that Blogging program anyway. Though I used it a lot, I can give it up.
I paid my money, just had the amount added to my Hinet bill. I tried to pay it at 7-11 on the ibon system but couldn’t find the buttons. However, there are MANY ways to pay so it’s not really a burden to pay. You can have it added to ANY phone bill, print it out, pay with CC. The only option I couldn’t find was Paypal.
I have already played with most of the functions on KK, but couldn’t figure out how (or if) Kkbox can burn CDs or transfer songs to your mp3/ipod. I know it can do the latter. But one mp3 is broken, and the other is missing, so I haven’t got a chance to do that!
Catalogue: There’s seems to be a halfway decent catalogue of songs including lots of my favs. But the catalogue doesn’t have that much ‘DEPTH’ some albums are missing, some genres aren’t well represented, non-mainstream (as you’d expect) music isn’t so well represented (from our pov). Saying that, I will be happy to pay for it for a long time; and it’s great to be able to listen to songs I like that weren’t available before.
So, to add variety, I also subscribed to last.fm to make up for the lack of depth and its song discovery.
By itself, KKbox wouldn’t be considered THAT great, but combined with what else is available, I think I’ll be happy with it. One suggestion: why isn’t there like a PREMIUM option for KKBox? It’s part of the weird culture of shopping here. I would certainly pay more than I’m currently paying for their service.
Compared to Emusic before they closed to foreign accounts, there’s much choice of modern stuff, mainstream stuff, and popular stuff. But I still don’t understand why the Big 4 music companies are so against their customers. Make it easy to pay for music, and people WILL. Sue potential customers, cut off non-legal options, then fail to provide reasonable alternatives is a recipe for angry and disaffected music lovers who will go elsewhere and listen to other stuff.
Kenneth
Hi Kenneth & All,
It’s really easy to download whole albums for off line use, provided your download it through KK BOX. The files get download in Microsoft’s protected WMA file format.
As long as your KK account remains current, you play it in almost any media player that exists on that machine. KK Box keeps a list of the computers you download the files to. You’re only allowed three but if you put it on another, you just have to delete one from the list.
I use the the Window Mobile version on my PDA and am quite happy. I think there’s an I-phone version now too.
I don’t believe you can burn or transfer the files directly but there are workarounds mentioned in an other thread. You can PM me if you want additional information.
Have you tried the VIP area? I can’t read Chinese enough to tell what’s in there. Maybe that’s where the burning privileges are.
Warning… KKBOX Music Catalog has some disappearing songs…
If you are into the super Kawaii singers that do their Chinese versions of other peoples pop songs, watch out. I’ve revisited some of my favorites like Yuki, and a singer who used to be called “The Little Witch” and Chinese versions of Anime songs only have three or four of their original songs left in their collections.
I guess they did not pay their royalty fees or something. Also many Disney albums disappear after a while.
All in all, KK Box is good. Just record or buy your favorite songs.