Problems Importing CDs in Hoster

[Wrahn]

I’ve just installed Hoster 4.32.12 and I’m having problems importing CD+G tracks.
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The first problem is with the databases identifying the CD. It identified a DKKaroke USA-4, “60’S Hits Vol. 1” as House Party Karaoke XYZ 0009. Both databases did not recognize any of my Maestro Music Club Pack CD’s. This means I’ll have to manually type in the information, if I want the songbook to be correct. I also tried to import Chartbuster 40201 and the title for the songs had the artist’s name included in the title block.

The second problem involves the speed of the import process. I tried to import DKKaroke DMK3080 and it took 50 minutes to import the first track. I cancelled the rest of the import process. I then opened MicroStudio 4.23 and it recognized the DMK3080 and imported the entire CD in less than 10 minutes. Of course, I then had to import the .bin tracks into Hoster and they were then converted to the Hoster files. It seems MircoStudio has a better import function than Hoster.

What do I have to do to get it to work?

Hoster 4.32.12
HP Compaq Presario C302NR Notebook PC, Celeron M Processor 420 (1.6Ghz, 1MB cache, 533MHz FSB) the RAM was upgraded to 1GB and the HD is 50GB.

Thanks,
Wes

[ddouglass]

Originally Posted by Wrahn

I’ve just installed Hoster 4.32.12 and I’m having problems importing CD+G tracks.
The first problem is with the databases identifying the CD. It identified a DKKaroke USA-4, “60’S Hits Vol. 1” as House Party Karaoke XYZ 0009. Both databases did not recognize any of my Maestro Music Club Pack CD’s. This means I’ll have to manually type in the information, if I want the songbook to be correct. I also tried to import Chartbuster 40201 and the title for the songs had the artist’s name included in the title block.

Which database are you using? The On-line or the Local?
The On-line database is not an MTU product. This database is maintained by an organization called FreeDB. It is only added as an additional source for information. However they use a First Name Last name format for artists where Hoster uses the reverse.
For the Local Database MTU does not get lists of CDG disks from the producers. All entries in the database come from users entering the information. That means not everything available is yet in the database. There is a database update put out normally on a monthly basis in which new entries by users are added. This also means there may be some mistakes that do get listed.
For the DK Karaoke disc did you enter the brand and diskid before doing the search? The reason I asked is a diskid of XYZ0009 would be a custom assembly and those are not added in the bucket database.

Originally Posted by Wrahn

The second problem involves the speed of the import process. I tried to import DKKaroke DMK3080 and it took 50 minutes to import the first track. I cancelled the rest of the import process. I then opened MicroStudio 4.23 and it recognized the DMK3080 and imported the entire CD in less than 10 minutes. Of course, I then had to import the .bin tracks into Hoster and they were then converted to the Hoster files. It seems MircoStudio has a better import function than Hoster.

Originally Posted by Wrahn

What do I have to do to get it to work?

Hoster 4.32.12
HP Compaq Presario C302NR Notebook PC, Celeron M Processor 420 (1.6Ghz, 1MB cache, 533MHz FSB) the RAM was upgraded to 1GB and the HD is 50GB.

Thanks,
Wes

What version of Microstudio? Actually Hoster uses the same import code as Microstudio, but in my opinion does a better error checking and correction tha Microstudio does. Thus it can be slower. It sounds like there was something in the first track on that CD that was causing an error that Hoster was having problems with.

[Wrahn]

ddouglass,

Thanks for your quick response.

I used both databases. The online one gave me misinformation. Both didn't work for Music Maestro Club Pack (1998)

Microstudio is ver. 4.234

The DKKaraoke disc is labled CMGUSA-4 I entered the brand and USA-4

I used three different CDs in Hoster that took more than 1/2 hour to import a single track. I also picked different tracks with the same result. When I used the same CDs with Microstudio the entire CD was imported in less than 10 minutes.

[ddouglass]

Originally Posted by Wrahn

ddouglass,

Thanks for your quick response.

I used both databases. The online one gave me misinformation. Both didn't work for Music Maestro Club Pack (1998)

Microstudio is ver. 4.234

The DKKaraoke disc is labled CMGUSA-4 I entered the brand and USA-4

I used three different CDs in Hoster that took more than 1/2 hour to import a single track. I also picked different tracks with the same result. When I used the same CDs with Microstudio the entire CD was imported in less than 10 minutes.

Your import time is a bit confusing. I have never noticed any time difference using the same CDR with both programs. Like I said both use the same import code. Maybe try reselecting the drive in tools and see if that helps.
As far as the DK disc, I don't think USA-4 would be unique enough. There should be a disk number on it somewhere or try the whole CMGUSA-4.
And as far as the Music Maestro I guess no one has entered that one. Once you get it entered then no one else will have that problem.

[Roy Dennis]

Originally Posted by Wrahn

I’ve just installed Hoster 4.32.12 and I’m having problems importing CD+G tracks.
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The first problem is with the databases identifying the CD. It identified a DKKaroke USA-4, “60’S Hits Vol. 1” as House Party Karaoke XYZ 0009. Both databases did not recognize any of my Maestro Music Club Pack CD’s. This means I’ll have to manually type in the information, if I want the songbook to be correct. I also tried to import Chartbuster 40201 and the title for the songs had the artist’s name included in the title block.

Wes

When importing using the Online Database It rarely gives you the the correct disk id, if it comes up with the correct list then change the brand name and enter your disc id manually before importing. Also as it rarely gives you the correct naming "Lastname Firstname".

The local database is more accurate but you sometimes have to experiment to find the correct Disc id. It won't have it as a Title form there is usually a # on the disc to identify it, so if you enter "DKK Karaoke" in the brand field the disc id field search for your # but it might be preceded with some letters.
Your Music Maestro disc, if you look down the disc id's in that drop down box there are some MMCP#### , I don't know if you have tried them but sometimes if you experiment with finding your # with the various prefix letters it will come up correct.
With the Chartbusters 40201, that is in the list as CB40201.

As to your drive taking so long to import I don't now the answer to that.

[RandyMcCharles]

I believe that Microstudio uses less memory than Hoster, so the time difference could be that there is very little free memory when Hoster is running. Home much memory does your PC have?

[Wrahn]

It has 1GB of ram.

[Lonman]

Hoster recommends 2gb ram for memory.

[ddouglass]

Originally Posted by Lonman

Hoster recommends 2gb ram for memory.

That is for operation of all the functions, not importing.

[Wrahn]

Originally Posted by Lonman

Hoster recommends 2GB ram for memory.

Lonman,

Based on your input, I upgraded my RAM to 2G. I haven't imported much since I only have the discs that have to be imported manually due to not being recognized by the databases. I'll install them when I'm bored and want something to do to pass the time. So, I'm not sure the increase in RAM has helped, but I'm sure it hasn't hurt.

Thanks,

Wes

[Wrahn]

I made a strange discovery while importing CDs that were taking a long time to import. I was importing "DDKaraoke Standards Volume 1 USA-12" and it was taking forever. I left clicked on the box heading, "Importing Track", to try to move the import box and the import indicator bar started to move very quickly. I released the left click and the indicator bar went back to a very slow import. I clicked on the box heading again and the indicator began to move quickly. As long as I held the left click on the heading the track and the KMA were downloaded very quickly. I have checked the downloaded tracks and the sound and graphics are fine.

So I have learned that when I have a disc that takes hours (and I mean hours) to download, I can left click on the import heading and keep it there and the tracks will download in minutes rather than in hours. I don't know why, I just know it works.

Thanks for all the inputs,

Wes

[RandyMcCharles]

Shoot. I had the same experience. There is a thread discussing it. (http://forum.mtu.com/showthread.php?t=11636)
MTU was unable to reproduce it.

[Wrahn]

Randy thanks for the input and link to a thread that if I had seen I would have been able to "Fix" my problem earlier. I guess I didn't use the correct words to find the thread when I did a search, when I first had the problem. Anyway, I've had the hours to import problem a few times and now I can import the tracks quicker.

I hope the problem goes away when I buy my new laptop with 4G RAM. The only thing I'm worried about is that the new computer's CD drive will not recognize the cd+g files for import.

Wes

[RandyMcCharles]

I believe MTU used to list somewhere brands and models of CD drives that support CD+G but I looked around the site and could no longer find it.

[RIKKI TIKKI]

Originally Posted by RandyMcCharles

I believe MTU used to list somewhere brands and models of CD drives that support CD+G but I looked around the site and could no longer find it.

Most of the newer laptop cd drives are compatable and will read cdg's, it would be the rare one these days that wouldn't support the cdg function... and there is always the external cd roms that MTU will sell you, and save your laptop cd rom from becoming overworked... I have been using the same two I bought from them about five years ago! *see the optical drives listed in my signature below!

[Beavis]

Originally Posted by Wrahn

I made a strange discovery while importing CDs that were taking a long time to import. I was importing "DDKaraoke Standards Volume 1 USA-12" and it was taking forever. I left clicked on the box heading, "Importing Track", to try to move the import box and the import indicator bar started to move very quickly. I released the left click and the indicator bar went back to a very slow import. I clicked on the box heading again and the indicator began to move quickly. As long as I held the left click on the heading the track and the KMA were downloaded very quickly. I have checked the downloaded tracks and the sound and graphics are fine.

So I have learned that when I have a disc that takes hours (and I mean hours) to download, I can left click on the import heading and keep it there and the tracks will download in minutes rather than in hours. I don't know why, I just know it works.

Thanks for all the inputs,

Wes

i can recreate this exact problem. when i right or left click it speeds up to 2x or more faster.

im still running 4.11

[ddouglass]

There have been 2 more updates that increase the number of songs in the database. Get the latest (4.32.03) and it will add an additional 40,000 songs to the internal database.

[Wrahn]

Dale,

Thanks, I did it yesterday, but was confused because this is month 02 and I thought the changes were tied-in to the month they are released. Also, I'm not sure how we know we have the change.

I'm glad they do, but for Gee Wiz, purposes how does MTU develop the database changes?

Wes

[ddouglass]

It is tied to the month (they just got ahead a couple days)

For your Gee Whiz, they take our inputs and add them. When you have to type in a new CD or it is loaded from the on-line database (be sure you correct the Artists name to right format) then that information is sent to MTU when you are on-line and that gets incorporated into the database. It is verified for correct names and titles, before it is added.