Am I The Only One?
 

My first version of Hoster was 2.014.I downloaded the Demo tried it out and thought "It´s OK!".I hadn´t really searched the WWW for other Karaoke hoster software.Anyway i bought it and one of the deciding factors was a function(inactive!!) to allow me to add my own pictures,adverts,photos as the background when no song was active.This function will be added later.Now many months later and several updates later(one of which deleted this inactive Treat!),i get a new update with yet again little inactive treats(wma,vcd,dvd).Totally bl**** useless when they don´t work,but how many more innocents will be encouraged to buy into Hoster with the promise it will come soon.And how much more will they have to pay on top of their 200 or 250 Dollars to get this?.
Will i get my treat(ability to show pictures,singer etc in the background without paying more,i doubt it!!.
To the new update;

Annoying having to put in a singers name for every song.
Can´t read the song/artist name for love nor money in pub light.


Am i getting p***** off.Yes!.Take a look out there guys and you´ll be surprised what the competition software can already do!.
Dvd,vcd,mp3,mp3+g,zipped mp3+g,background slide shows,singer displayed before each song,excellent search fuctions,double decks with fading.You name it.
And not 250 dollars.

Am i the only one getting p***** off here.Do you all want to wait 10 years for these things to work.
Let´s hear from you!

Just My Opinion
 

Wow, that was pretty harsh. No program can be everythig to everybody. MTU is very upfront about what their product will do and won't do. As far as future developement, it never goes as fast as we'd all like to see, nor is it ever a good idea to buy a program based on what it might do someday. In my opinion Hoster is the best thing out there for a karaoke host. I've talk to other people with the competitions product, and I don't know one of them that hasn't said that the program in unreliable; unless of course you don't mind if the program locks up and crashes on you several times a night. I don't know one other company that lets its users define the future of it's product in an open forum like this. Sure there's few things the program is not, but all the things it is, make it a clear choice.

Johnocolin,
Does Hoster correctly run your show, so that you don't crash?

Have you tried to use any of the other programs are out there? If so, how many times did you crash with those? I have had many clients tell me that they have tried all of the programs out there, and they have come to use because our software is stable, and they say it doesn't crash their shows.

Yes, you are correct we don't have all the bells and whistles. We are still progressing the product, and the features are still on the board to be implemented.

How MTU responds to the market
 

johnocolin, thank you for your feedback. You have direct access to MTU staff through this Forum. As President, I read almost every post to insure I have the pulse of our users. Glad to see you now voting for your preferences. However, I'm sorry you feel like you have to insult us. :s

As a product developer with 35 years experience and 130 products under my belt, I and all at MTU are PROUD of what we ship. If it doesn't work right, we keep fixing and testing until it is right.

As MTUSUPPORT pointed out, yes, there are competitors out there. And their focus is trying to catch up and pass MTU. Fact is, the one you alude to even called their product "M i m i c" for a while, saying it was a "Hoster work-alike." How's that for acknowledging that MTU is the leader! :w

Oh yes... if you will go back and read their installation instructions, you will find you must download the ILLEGAL IN THE USA Blade.dll to run MP3. OK. So, now you have to deal with a third party that controls EVERY song you play. Since the "T" company doesn't pay MP3License.com the $15,000 a year licensing fees, they are selling illegal product. But, maybe that doesn't bother you. :? The companies who push the MP3+G format are VERY aware of the crack sites where you can get illegal MP3+G songs. That's why they use and push that format. You decide... we already chose to be legal in everything we do. :)

We listen to EVERY customer who cares to give us feedback. So now you have. However, for the year+ we had the Display tab present, we had very few folks get demanding about it. In fact, several posted work-arounds to get ads on the display that frankly, we felt were superior to another dialog box to control the display. Then there are the VAST MAJORITY of users whose goal is to run as many singers on stage per hour as they can. They CLEARLY told us they would NEVER waste time between shows. Their singers are far more important. We see their logic, and Hoster is advertised as "Giving your time back" as a major feature. Efficiency of running a show has been more important to us than lots of bells and whistles that the VAST majority will never use.

More features makes a product more difficult to use. MTU very carefully weighs each feature we add to insure the market really wants it. Simply stated, our users demanded other features so that's why the Display feature keeps getting pushed down the list. We make what we ship work correctly. If what you want is flashy bells and whistles that crash, then please try the competitor's product. Then, any time you want to return to MTU, you're welcomed back.

MTU is the ONLY company with Karaoke software for hosting a show with a FORUM open to the public. And just look at the activity in the MTU Community Forum. It is one of the most active on the Internet. We're not afraid of airing our dirty laundry. It allows you to see who else is asking for your same desires. We respond to the majority, and sometimes to even the minority as many users have seen in the past.

If you want to give a clear description of exactly what you want, in the Hoster New Features Forum, I'll be glad to take it under consideration.

BTW: The main reason we removed the Display Tab is we have discovered a Microsoft flaw in using Tabbed Windows, where you click the tab at the top of the screen to shift between windows. Thus, we are in the process of removing the Tab architecture. When we add the "Display" features back in, they will be via a dialog box that allows modifications while playing. :w

Bad Hoster?
 

I don't think so,... I've had Hoster since it came out. I've always had a little advertisement scene pop up in between songs. And as far as having to put in the singers name, not meaning to be sarcastic but my memory isn't good enough to preprogram 12 or more songs ahead and remember who to call up.

99% of the problems I have read about in this forum, (including my own) result from people not taking the time to READ. This forum is a wealth of information on how to correct your problems. And I say "your" problems, because most of the time that's exactly what it is. It explains in detail what is needed to run MTU's programs and repeatedly people ask why can't I get product "XYZ" to work with Hoster.... DUH? Please folks, take the time to read! You're working people like "George" overtime in trying to handle simple problems that have already been addressed.

I'm not paid by MTU and I don't have any stock in the company. ( I wish I did) I'm a full time fire chief who started out doing KJing part time for fun. Because of good equipment AND MTU, that part time business has become a very profitable and enjoyable part time job.

Every update, (with the exception of the audio problem in the last two; which is now fixed) has made my job easier and more enjoyable.

I'd much rather "buy into" if you would, a product that continues to improve, rather than one that "claims" to have all the anwsers.

Sorry for being winded and blowing off steam, but I too work with the public on a daily basis. And as usual, it's the complainers who seem to howl the loudest. The mojority; those who really appreciate what you do, seem to keep quite.

Keep up the good work MTU!

Kelly:w

i like to see Doug get wound up !! he really knows how to lash back!


hey johnocolin. doug forgot (yesterday between noon and 3pm)more than you will ever know in your entire life !!

do a search on him and read, read, read ! this guy is a Genius !



keep up the good work doug !


ps: i would like to see the advertizing part enabled !

Well,well thank goodness for free speech eh!.

All i would like to add is that this was not intended to be an insult in any way.I obviously hit on a sore spot and i apologise if you feel insulted.

I have succesfully used the other software spoken about,in fact i have to run it side by side with hoster to play my video files.What i didn´t know about was the blade dll(i live in Germany).Nor did i realise that MP3+G was illegal!!.
You see, i have converted my legally purchased CDs to mp3+g format using Mp3+G Toolz(free to download) to save room on my hard drive.I did this before i legally purchased Hoster last year!.If this process was illegal i certainly didn´t know it and would appreciate source material,because it does bother me.

As for wasting time between singers well i show funny pictures,photos of singers, etc between shows and my customers are very pleased,and it was exactly this bell & whistle which played a role in making me decide to buy Hoster in the first place,that was my point!

It would be nice if you could react to the problem of being able to read the Song & Artist in the new update,that really is necessary.

Here's the outcome
 

I guess you can surmise when you post in a Forum, you should not have your guns already blazing hot. Calm down before you post and keep the emotions low. Calmness always wins! :w

As a result of your post, and those of many others, we are changing the "grayed fields" to black background with bright green text. See the attachment for how 2.210 will appear.

Please note: not all the displayed features will be in 2.210. The pause/resume will be in 2.211, and the the Multiplex will be either in 2.211 or the next release.

However, we are getting 2.210 out faster than normal to make everyone happier. I'll admit, I goofed on the grayed out fields. They are the "standard field" that prevents editing. We had used green on black in Microstudio, aid it is VERY VISIBLE!!! We have half way implemented that today.

We are upgrading our KMA file header to provide attributes for; Country, Duet, Multiplex and Voice on Left or Voice on Right, and Language fields. These upgrades will be completely compatible with your existing files. In fact, we are almost through with an Edit Header command that will allow you to correct the Song name and Artist name, and add the new attributes. We also will add a means in the Import Tracks Tab to set the attributes when you record in. :w

I would love to get back to displaying something between songs. However, it will be the fall before we can start on this. If you care to make a more formal request of what you want, we will take that into consideration for what we do.

As to MP3+G, forgive me if I implied IT is illegal. A format (such as MP3+G) is a tool, and as such is not illegal. However, MANY, MANY, MANY users are now swapping MP3+G files for free. That... is illegal. In the USA, and I expect in Germany also, the Blade.dll is ILLEGAL. It violates Thompson CSF's patent rights by not paying their required license. I have spoken to a Thompson employee who called me, and he made it clear that Blade and Lame dlls are illegal. I told him to call me back after he got "T" to stop using it, or make them pay Thompson's $15,000 (US) a year license! Well, he never called me back, and "T" is still using it. As for me, I like to sleep at night. :)

AMEN, DOUG !!!

looks great.!!!!

Re: Am I The Only One?
 

If you want to display static or animated images between songs, try MessageOke Pro. It allows you to do just that, with a simple click of a button. It comes with eight preset animations and you can add as many of your own static/animated images as you like. MessageOke Pro also allows you to type in text messages that you wish to display. Text and background colors are selectable, so your text can be made to look like a part of the song being played (great fun if you know your singers well).