Converted files causing hoster not to respond

[MrMark]

I purchased a secong license for hoster 4.03 for my sister to put on her laptop for family entertainment. I first imported my original kma files and everyhthing worked fine...when I ripped the zip files and go to play them I get a message "hoster not responding" and shuts down. I dont understand why this is happening? The data base is all good...the files are reading kma on the haqrd drive...I'm clueless. The drive is plugged in with correct drive letter in line with file path....I have checked everything. I don't want to disapoint her by not doing something I told her I could.

[marklwood]

Originally Posted by MrMark

...when I ripped the zip files and go to play them I get a message "hoster not responding" and shuts down.

I don't understand this line. What do you mean by when I ripped the zip files? You said that with the original kma files it worked fine. Hoster no longer supports zip files unless they have been added to the database through import. If you are trying to play zip files, this is the problem. They will need to be imported. Better yet, import from originally purchased CDGs.

[admin]

Be sure you are running Hoster 4.05. Or... wait about another week and we expect to release 4.06 with several bugs fixed. You can download free upgrades from http://www.mtu.com/upgrades/hoster.htm


marklwood is correct. If you read http://www.mtu.com/upgrades/hoster.htm#V402 #6 item, you will see we are converting your HDZIP (KMA) files to HDMP3G. This is so Hoster doesn't have to unzip them, which is a variable amount of time. This variance has been causing problems, and will cause great problems when we introduce "crossfading" from one song to the next.

Also in http://www.mtu.com/upgrades/hoster.htm#V404 #20 we further refined this.

When Hoster now runs, it scans your Songs Database. If it finds any HDZIP files, it presents a dialog for you to convert them to HDMP3G.

You are not yet REQUIRED to do this, and Hoster will still play HDZIPs if they have not been converted. However, the day is coming when HDZIPs will no longer play.

[MrMark]

I purchased another license for hoster 4.05...and put it onto another laptop my sister had sent me. I also have another external hard drive with mp3-g zip files on them. I used the Import Files from Hard Drive tab. I selected a folder where the zip files are. They showed up and I added them and and converted them. They show up on my hard drive as .kma files but when I go to play them I get the message Hoster isn't responding and vista shuts it down.I do import them into the database and the names show up in the data base. I am totaly confused here. There are no files that have the extension HDMP3G..

[ddouglass]

Originally Posted by MrMark

I purchased another license for hoster 4.05...and put it onto another laptop my sister had sent me. I also have another external hard drive with mp3-g zip files on them. I used the Import Files from Hard Drive tab. I selected a folder where the zip files are. They showed up and I added them and and converted them. They show up on my hard drive as .kma files but when I go to play them I get the message Hoster isn't responding and vista shuts it down.I do import them into the database and the names show up in the data base. I am totaly confused here. There are no files that have the extension HDMP3G..

HDMP3G and HDZIP are not filename extensions. These are Hosters Type classification. When you add a song to the playlist find the column with "Type" as the heading. This is where that information is located. It tells Hoster what type of file it will be playing.
Have you done all the Microsoft Custom Updates for her laptop? If not that could be part of the problem. Check this article for Vista and make sure you have done everything listed there.
http://www.mtu.com/kb/index.php?action=kb&article=105
Try unzipping one of the files and see if the MP3 part will play in Windows Media Player. If it doesn't then you may not have the right Codec installed to play MP3.
I am not sure why you purchased another license as you can install Hoster on 2 computers so one license for her two laptops was enough. All you needed to do is download the 4.05 install file and use it with the registration code you purchased for 4.03.

[marklwood]

Originally Posted by MrMark

I selected a folder where the zip files are. They showed up and I added them and and converted them. They show up on my hard drive as .kma files but when I go to play them I get the message Hoster isn't responding and vista shuts it down.

This seems like the right procedure. It sounds more like a Vista problem. The only other thing I can suggest is that you never know about the quality/compression ratio of ZIP files. What bit rate they are recorded at, what compression method/ratio they have been processed at. MTU has tried over the years to accommodate all these variables, but you never know. The best thing you can do is show your sister how to use ebay. You would be surprised at the deals you can get on used disks. Also your local WalMart and others have tons of cheap disks for sale all the time. Show her how to import disks and she may be "hooked for life". Watch out for the competition though, she may put you out of a job

[MrMark]

Originally Posted by ddouglass

HDMP3G and HDZIP are not filename extensions. These are Hosters Type classification. When you add a song to the playlist find the column with "Type" as the heading. This is where that information is located. It tells Hoster what type of file it will be playing.
Have you done all the Microsoft Custom Updates for her laptop? If not that could be part of the problem. Check this article for Vista and make sure you have done everything listed there.
http://www.mtu.com/kb/index.php?action=kb&article=105
Try unzipping one of the files and see if the MP3 part will play in Windows Media Player. If it doesn't then you may not have the right Codec installed to play MP3.
I am not sure why you purchased another license as you can install Hoster on 2 computers so one license for her two laptops was enough. All you needed to do is download the 4.05 install file and use it with the registration code you purchased for 4.03.

Thanks for the reply, I tried all the adjustments, the files get imported they show up in the database they show up in the hoster screen but still they don't freaking work. I did open the mp3 part and it did play on windows player.
I do have to say I have a dj business and have two other computers I haven't updated those computers to 4.05 and the other still running 3.xx I didnt want to install on both incase of major issues. these files I recieved are from a friends system these are used only on my sisters andmy home systems. Trust me I hate it when I see big comapnys running 20 systems e.g. and use the files from one disc.

these files play on karaoke pilot and sax n doty's fine....just dont know what the hell is going on????

[MrMark]

Originally Posted by marklwood

This seems like the right procedure. It sounds more like a Vista problem. The only other thing I can suggest is that you never know about the quality/compression ratio of ZIP files. What bit rate they are recorded at, what compression method/ratio they have been processed at. MTU has tried over the years to accommodate all these variables, but you never know. The best thing you can do is show your sister how to use ebay. You would be surprised at the deals you can get on used disks. Also your local WalMart and others have tons of cheap disks for sale all the time. Show her how to import disks and she may be "hooked for life". Watch out for the competition though, she may put you out of a job

SHe is well aware and thanks for the advice...was just trying to do her a favore and do this for her...but if it doesnt work out she's gonna be pissed for being out of the money she went in halves with me. Thanks again
Mark

[MrMark]

Ok, I loaded 4.05 on windows xp....no problem showing there and playing properly at this moment. One thing I did notice on the vista computer, unlike my xp screen there are two video screens and not on vista...I know when u click the large screen it goes to the second monitor? I dont understand why vista wont play these convert zips and xp will?

[madjim- with the Lord]

Originally Posted by MrMark

One thing I did notice on the vista computer, unlike my xp screen there are two video screens and not on vista...I know when u click the large screen it goes to the second monitor?

Mark,
After reading this, I would advise that you go to the laptop maufacturers web site and get all of the updates for the laptop. You may have a video driver issue. Also get all Windows updates.

In your message to me you said you "ripped" some zip files. Would you explain this please. All of the MP3G zip files I work with I bought off of the web, there was no ripping involved. What are you ripping from? If you are ripping from a CDG there is no need to make them zip files just import them from the CDG disc into Hoster. I advise you don't use any zip file formats.

Did the HDZIP file converter run and convert your HDZIP files to HDMP3G files? You can try forcing the converter to run:

http://forum.mtu.com/showpost.php?p=83155&postcount=9

What does it say in the Type area of the playlist when you put one of the zipped songs in the playlist?

Are all of your KMA files in the same folder?


Jim

[MrMark]

Jim.

Ripped, I am meaning converting zip to HDMPG using Hoster, should of been more clear on that. The files after they are convert show up in my database as .kma files and they show up in the Hoster play screen, for some un-godly reason when I go to play them, Holster doesnt respond: Vista shuts it down. I loaded 4.05 on my xp unit to see what happens....everything is fine?

I appreciate all the effort everyone puts in these forums, I can read all day, but it's people like you that know the tweaks. Once again thanks for any help.

Mark

[madjim- with the Lord]

Originally Posted by MrMark

Jim.

Ripped, I am meaning converting zip to HDMPG using Hoster, should of been more clear on that. The files after they are convert show up in my database as .kma files and they show up in the Hoster play screen, for some un-godly reason when I go to play them, Holster doesnt respond: Vista shuts it down. I loaded 4.05 on my xp unit to see what happens....everything is fine?

I appreciate all the effort everyone puts in these forums, I can read all day, but it's people like you that know the tweaks. Once again thanks for any help.

Mark

Try rebuilding the database. I reccomend that all of your KMA files be in the same folder.

Vista has a nasty habit of hiding files. You may be seeing this.

Your statement about converting zip files is very confusing. You can not make Hoster convert a file, it only converts zip files that are IMPORTED into Hoster automaticaly. Hoster is not a file converter program, Songverter is for that.

Did you rip these zip files from a CDG disc? If so you should bypass the zip file step and import the CDG's directly into Hoster.

Please answer all of my questions from the previous post.

Jim

[marklwood]

Originally Posted by MrMark

Ok, I loaded 4.05 on windows xp....no problem showing there and playing properly at this moment. One thing I did notice on the vista computer, unlike my xp screen there are two video screens and not on vista...I know when u click the large screen it goes to the second monitor? I dont understand why vista wont play these convert zips and xp will?

Have you tried importing them with XP? Since you said they play fine in XP try moving the kma files to the Vista machine and rebuild the database.

[madjim- with the Lord]

Originally Posted by marklwood

Have you tried importing them with XP? Since you said they play fine in XP try moving the kma files to the Vista machine and rebuild the database.

Right on Mark,
There may be an issue with the way Vista in importing the files. If the database rebuild didn't help, this was my next suggestion.

Jim

[MrMark]

Yes Hoster imported the zip files and yes they are with the .kma files in the same folder. It works on xp but not vista....the files are mp3g zip files. I have tried rebuilding and rebuilding...it's frustrating...the .kma files I ripped off the discs worked fine ov vista...as we know not the mp3g zipfiles after I imported them...Another sleepless night waits ahed of me.

[marklwood]

Originally Posted by MrMark

Yes Hoster imported the zip files and yes they are with the .kma files in the same folder. It works on xp but not vista....the files are mp3g zip files. I have tried rebuilding and rebuilding...it's frustrating...the .kma files I ripped off the discs worked fine ov vista...as we know not the mp3g zipfiles after I imported them...Another sleepless night waits ahed of me.

Just so we can maybe narrow this down try this. Take a couple of the original Zip files that you know for sure won't play in Vista. Unzip them to a folder on the Vista desktop. You should see 2 files for each zip. 1 MP3 file and 1 CDG file. This is the first check to make sure there is not additional files contained in the zip. Then open Hoster and hit the K-oke button. Navigate to the folder you created and add to the playlist. See if they will play this way. That will eliminate another possible issue with the compression of the zip file. If they play OK this way, delete the KMA files through the edit song in Hoster. Then re-import from the MP3 + CDG files, not the Zip files. Check to see if they play then.

I have to go to work right now, but I will check back here after the bar closes.

[Skybird74]

Originally Posted by MrMark

Yes Hoster imported the zip files and yes they are with the .kma files in the same folder. It works on xp but not vista....the files are mp3g zip files. I have tried rebuilding and rebuilding...it's frustrating...the .kma files I ripped off the discs worked fine ov vista...as we know not the mp3g zipfiles after I imported them...Another sleepless night waits ahed of me.

You didn't answer Jim's question:

"Did the HDZIP file converter run and convert your HDZIP files to HDMP3G files? You can try forcing the converter to run:

http://forum.mtu.com/showpost.php?p=83155&postcount=9

What does it say in the Type area of the playlist when you put one of the zipped songs in the playlist?"

ALSO, You don't seem to understand that MP3G and ZIP are 2 different formats, even though zipped files do contain 2 files, they are not referred to as MP3+g files, i.e. they are not MP3Gzips SOOOOOOOO, DID YOU "TRY FORCING THE CONVERTER TO RUN" as Jim suggested, instead of just "rebuilding & rebuilding" as you said?

ADMIN also made suggestions to you, and I don't see any response from you here as to whether or not you followed their instructions either

You might want to slow down, take a deep breath and re-read everyone's instructions, step-by-step, and I think things will work much better for you. Everyone here seems to be trying very hard to understand & give you the answers you need. You're not the only one having sleepless nights.

[MrMark]

Skybird74

why the haste? I understand what Jim wrote and I did what everyone said and yes the were converted in the files...what other way would hoster import mp3g zip and yes I understand there are two files in a zip...one is the MP3 and the other is the graphics....as I stated they show up in the folder they show up in the play list......I do slow down and read....geez...

[MrMark]

Originally Posted by marklwood

Just so we can maybe narrow this down try this. Take a couple of the original Zip files that you know for sure won't play in Vista. Unzip them to a folder on the Vista desktop. You should see 2 files for each zip. 1 MP3 file and 1 CDG file. This is the first check to make sure there is not additional files contained in the zip. Then open Hoster and hit the K-oke button. Navigate to the folder you created and add to the playlist. See if they will play this way. That will eliminate another possible issue with the compression of the zip file. If they play OK this way, delete the KMA files through the edit song in Hoster. Then re-import from the MP3 + CDG files, not the Zip files. Check to see if they play then.

I have to go to work right now, but I will check back here after the bar closes.

Marklwood

I did what you said I unzipped the file, 1 mp3s and one cdg file. I went to K-oke tab and opened the unzipped file. Only the mp3 file showed up at this point..because of the extension. I click on it to open it loaded in my play list and played. So now if I want to import these files what is going to ahve to be done?

Thanks Mark

[MrMark]

While I was importing the zip files in the begining before I originally started my posts....I was noticing that hoster/vista were replacing the impoted file to a disc number that was already being used...So I went to the folder and these discs were missing....so I went to the xp computer and checked the files and they were still intacted...I noticed in knowledge base that vista sometime hides/deletes files???