Using hoster in the UK

[Garry A. Leslie]

Having received Bryan's recent e-mail regarding the discounted Hoster software, available until June 30th, I am debating buying it.
But while reading your specs for the portable PC for playing the Hoster programme, which are truly awesome, I also found this is not available outside continental US, so I would have to resort to a laptop if I wanted to use it for ouside kareoke.
I have put together, rather than built, plenty of desktop PC's but the problem of putting together one on the lines of MTU's seem a bit daunting
I also read about the difficulties involved in the previous MTU laptop and the reasons for discontinuing it, so obviously I would encounter the same problems.
Some thoughts please on any solutions which might prove to overcome these problems.
Anyone in the UK using Hoster?

[CochrellGary]

Garry

I am a Hoster laptop user and very pleased with the laptop and the Hoster software. I purchased the laptop from MTU before they discontinued selling the hardware. Here is my understanding of why the laptop was discontinued.

All the CD burners that MTU had been placing in their laptops had to be modified to fit inside the laptop case, very labor intensive. The CD burners also had to be certified to read CDG's. CD burners made for laptops run slower than external CD burners and full sized CD burners. This ment reading in your CDG's via the laptop took much more time, about 22 minutes per CDG. I read in my CDG using a desktop computer and it took about 17 minutes per CDG.

Now, there were probably other considerations that MTU had to contend with but I think the CD burners were a big part of their headache. ADMIN NOTE: Absolutely correct! It was a major pain to customize the Laptop. Having said all that I think that building a laptop to run Hoster is not a big problem if you don't mind not having the CD burner operations included in the laptop. You would have to import your CDG's from an external computer and then transfer your database to the laptop.

I really like the laptop for Hoster, everything you need to run a show is in one package. With the new computer that MTU is selling it looks like you need a monitor and a keyboard, now you have seperate pieces to pack, unpack, and hook up.

Please realize that I am only speaking for myself. I am just a user of the MTU products not an enployee of MTU. For all I know what I have just posted could be hogwash.

Good Luck from across the pond -

Gary

[kedmison]

I agree with Gary. I too have a MTU laptop. In fact according to Bryan mine was the first one they sold with dual hard drives. I admit I have had a few bugs along the way and I have found a better back up program than what MTU sent out. As I'm at the office right now the program name escapes me but I will get back on here and update it.

The laptop to me IS the best way to go. Portable; less components to work with. I have 2 60 gig hard drives. (one for back up) I currently have 5100 songs at 96 compression. I still have 29 gig left on my hard drive available. I figure by the time I get it full they will have come out with bigger and better hard drives to fit my laptop. I know they have an 80 gig presently.

I use a gig rig to hold my Mackie 12CFX mixer. I found a monitor holder (with an arm) that I slide down over a metal pipe that is mounted in the right hand front corner of my gig rig. I simply slide the monitor arm down over the pipe; slid the pipe down flush and set my laptop right there on the stand. I can't see using anything else. It's to convienient. I have an external burner at home that I use to load my songs. The CDG player in the laptop is fine for playing other peoples discs.

I guess like Gary, I'm trying to say to those of you who have not yet decided, don't throw the laptop idea out the window. And I'm not trying to throw cold water on MTU's new system. I'm sure it is an improvement in some areas.

I'm very much into having things as compact and portable as I can get. The laptop fits my bill.

Kelly

[Eric Whitehouse]

Hi Everybody,
I was just reading your post about Shuttle cases and I was wondering if you could get "rack lugs" for them? I'm currently using a heavy server case inside a 19" rack unit and it is heavy.
Regards,
Eric

[Garry A. Leslie]

I am at present sussing out the technical and monetary implications of setting this system up, and have already read the welcome comments, received so far, in response.

Many thanks all.

I like nearly everyone else would like an alternative to carting hundreds of vunerable discs about.

I already have all the latest Microstudio, KHPro and Vogone products.

Garry

[mallorn]

Carrying Bags are available from MTU for shuttle cases.... or, given that all you need to run hoster is a suitable CD Drive and a big hard drive, there are some ideas for how small you can REALLY go...

Admin note: I have edited this link until we research it further. Please read our Terms and Conditions of using these Forums. You may PM me directly with any complaints.

To ignore backup of your imported songs is dangerous. We have spend a long time evolving to our automated backup built into all our Portable PC(tm) models that just happens... protecting the investment of time made importing your songs.

[Garry A. Leslie]

Have bought Hoster and will use it on my PC for the timebeing.
I am going to have a go at building a small portable PC inside a perspex case and if that doesn't work out I can always return to MTU as dave says they will ship to the UK.
Note to Mallorn.... Im hooked.
All the best to those with advice
Garry

[mgrowolski]

Hi Garry

I am a KJ in the Uk and using hoster (awesome program ) I am using it on a Dell inspiron 8500 and have done for three months now and had no problems with it at all in fact most of my clients say the sound quality is fantastic. if you would like to call me I will give you the specs I requested from Dell and you can try it for yourself and being as they are in the UK then U will have no problem if there is any such problems. My number is 07766704854
Mark

[Garry A. Leslie]

Hello Mark,
Sorry I am late in replying but I am now actually building a mini
portable system, from scratch and it has been an intensive time consumer
Won't know until I've got Hoster on it how its going to work out
I'll be sure to post progress when its fully up and running
Thanks for interest and advice
Garry

[MTUSUPPORT]

Gary,
Your only issue you might have with building one of these tiny Pc's is the video card. I don't think that the Video on the VIA motherboards will be enough to correctly run Hoster, but I guess you will let us know.

We know right now that the Radeon 7500 and above will work perfect with Hoster. We also know that the Nvidia GForce 4 and above will work great for Hoster.

Other than this, we are not sure what else could or would work with it.

[Garry A. Leslie]

Hello Bryan,
Many thanks for your concern
I am not using the Via board but a Nvidia one with Geoforce 4 graphics which allows for dual outputs
All reviews I have read of this board suggests it is top notch for a board with built in graphics, only bettered in tests by stand alone Raedon and Nvidia cards
Obviously it won't be as good as a stand alone card but if it doesn't cut the mustard I'll have to get one, it has an 8x AGP
slot available, plus a spare PCI slot
Its not up and running yet but will let you know how things progress
All the best
Garry

[Flipeoke]

Garry,

As for that spare PCI slot, you might look into investing in a RAID1 controller card, and a second HDD this way you have a backup.

Flip

[Garry A. Leslie]

Hello Flip
Don't know anything about RAID 1 controller cards, but thanks for the advice, wouldn't have thought about using the PCI slot for a back up HDD, only being used to IDE drives
Something else to delve into
I thought Karaoke was supposed to be fun and you didn't need a PHd to be a KJ, I think I'm going to stick to singing in future
Only joking
Cheers
Garry

[MTUSUPPORT]

Gary,
That built into Nvidia Chip is awesome, it is what is in the Shuttle systems that we sell.

It sounds to me that you are using the same motherboard also, as we are, so it should work perfect for you. The Sound that is built into that board is also very clean, for built on sound.

You should be up and running in no time.