Downloadable Karaoke Songs

[kod]

I just found a site that lets you buy individual Karaoke Songs (Karaokechannel) and I have two questions.

1. Is it legal? (I've read somewhere that you must own the original disc)

2. Once downloaded, how do you get the song into Hoster?

I don't go online with my Hoster laptop except for loading things from MTU.

My System:
Dell Inspiron 1545, Pentium Dual Core, T4400 @2.2GHz, 4GB RAM, Windows 7 Home Premium W/Hoster 4.20

[ddouglass]

This one is supposedly legal in that they bought the rights to Sound Choice's older properties. Whether downloading is legal at all is still questionable. Be sure you keep any receipt you get from them.
Either format would work in Hoster for importing. Be sure to copy them to the folder you want to keep them in. Hoster will create a KMH file in the same location when you import. You must keep them there in the same file for Hoster to be able to use them.

[kod]

I downloaded some songs (5) from The Karaoke Store but cannot do anything with them. I put them in a folder on my desktop. They will play through Windows Media, but that's it. I downloaded vocal and non vocal version of the songs that provide both versions.

I have tried burning them to a CD but at times only get the music and not the text file. Sometimes I don't even get the music. I can't figure a way to get them into Hoster without using a CD.

I downloaded them in WAV and MP4 formats, but either way I can't get them to work. I downloaded them to this Laptop and not my Show Laptop. I then moved them to my Show Laptop via a Flash Drive.

Can someone please tell me where I'm going wrong? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Show Laptop:
Dell Inspiron 1545, Pentium Dual Core, T4400 @2.2GHz, 4GB RAM, Windows 7 Home Premium W/Hoster 4.20

[ddouglass]

Originally Posted by kod

I downloaded some songs (5) from The Karaoke Store but cannot do anything with them. I put them in a folder on my desktop. They will play through Windows Media, but that's it. I downloaded vocal and non vocal version of the songs that provide both versions.

I have tried burning them to a CD but at times only get the music and not the text file. Sometimes I don't even get the music. I can't figure a way to get them into Hoster without using a CD.

I downloaded them in WAV and MP4 formats, but either way I can't get them to work. I downloaded them to this Laptop and not my Show Laptop. I then moved them to my Show Laptop via a Flash Drive.

Can someone please tell me where I'm going wrong? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Show Laptop:
Dell Inspiron 1545, Pentium Dual Core, T4400 @2.2GHz, 4GB RAM, Windows 7 Home Premium W/Hoster 4.20

WAV is audio only so no lyrics on screen.
MP4 is made for I-Tunes, so you need the codec for this format installed. Search for the K-Lite full pack of codecs. I am pretty sure that one is in there. This is a video format, so must be added via the Video button from hard drive on the main screen or Imported from hard drive as a video to add permanently.
Your best bet is to download them in AVI format as that is pretty much universal and will play in Windows Media Player as well as Hoster.

[kod]

Dale,
Thanks for the information, but I'm still confused. Although I'm pretty computer literate, I don't understand this. The lyrics will show on the screen in Windows Media in either format (wav or mp4).

I'm beginning to believe I need to abandon this project...

KOD

This comes from the Karaoke Channel download store:

In what formats are the Karaoke Store's files encoded?

Audio files are encoded in high quality (192 kbps) MP3 format, the most common standard for digital media devices. Video files are encoded in high quality (640 x 480) MP4 and WMV formats.

• Audio MP3 files work on an array of digital media devices as well as iPod and iPod Touch/iPhone
• Video MP4 files work on iPod Video, iPod Nano v3, iPod Touch, iPhone, Mac, Apple TV
• Video WMV files work on Zune, Windows PC, X-Box 360, PS3

When you purchase a video song (with scrolling lyrics), both the MP4 and WMV files will be included in your purchase. You may choose to download either the MP4 or the WMV or both.

Note: MP3, MP4 and WMV files should work on many other platforms (including mobile phones, other portable media devices, game consoles and DVD players), but are not directly supported. Check your device manual for compatibility.

[Skybird74]

Originally Posted by kod

Dale,
Thanks for the information, but I'm still confused. Although I'm pretty computer literate, I don't understand this. The lyrics will show on the screen in Windows Media in either format (wav or mp4).

I'm beginning to believe I need to abandon this project...
KOD

This comes from the Karaoke Channel download store:
In what formats are the Karaoke Store's files encoded?


Audio files are encoded in high quality (192 kbps) MP3 format, the most common standard for digital media devices. Video files are encoded in high quality (640 x 480) MP4 and WMV formats.

• Audio MP3 files

• work on an array of digital media devices as well as iPod and iPod Touch/iPhone
• Video MP4 files work on iPod Video, iPod Nano v3, iPod Touch, iPhone, Mac, Apple TV
• Video WMV files work on Zune, Windows PC, X-Box 360, PS3

When you purchase a video song (with scrolling lyrics), both the MP4 and WMV files will be included in your purchase. You may choose to download either the MP4 or the WMV or both.

Note: MP3, MP4 and WMV files should work on many other platforms (including mobile phones, other portable media devices, game consoles and DVD players), but are not directly supported. Check your device manual for compatibility.

You are still a little confused Like Dale said before, WAV is an "Audio" format, so there is no way that you saw "lyrics" with Windows Media Player. You must see "+G" at the end which shows that "graphics" are included with the audio. Your WMP can play a lot of Video formats with the right Codec which is sometimes included with WMP. With Hoster, you need to INSTALL the appropriate Codecs for the type of Video files that you want to use in Hoster. WMV format videos may or not play on your extended Singer's screen depending on your computer, but generally these are music videos - not good Karaoke songs you want to use in your Show.
(The Manual explains what types will work with Hoster)

The best thing is to purchase MP3+G songs that are universal & the easiest to use in Hoster as well. Then you won't have to do any converting either to get them to work with Hoster. There are several places to purchase these on-line, but I don't think it's appropriate for me to give you the names of these sites on this forum. You will actually be purchasing from Canada or England.
The Karaoke Channel is basically for people who want to sing karaoke on-line with other people, and for use on their ipod. If you will notice, they don't mention anything about being able to use their files/songs for Professional Karaoke.

[kod]

Skybird74,

My apologies! The files are actually in WMV (or mp4) format.

After reading your reply, it's a done deal. I'm abandoning this project and going to look for some mp3-g songs...

Thanks!

KOD (Karaoke Old Dude)

[Skybird74]

Originally Posted by kod

Skybird74,

My apologies! The files are actually in WMV (or mp4) format.

After reading your reply, it's a done deal. I'm abandoning this project and going to look for some mp3-g songs...

Thanks!

KOD (Karaoke Old Dude)

KOD,
Glad I was able to help clarify things for you.
I'm a Karaoke "Old Gal"

[kod]

Skybird74,

I've been doing a little surfing for mp3+g's. Found some sites but not sure yet where to purchase them. It will be nice to be able to buy one song for a customer instead of a full CDG to get one song.

Do you have any experience in doing this?

KOD (65-year-old KOD)

[Skybird74]

Originally Posted by kod

Skybird74,

I've been doing a little surfing for mp3+g's. Found some sites but not sure yet where to purchase them. It will be nice to be able to buy one song for a customer instead of a full CDG to get one song.

Do you have any experience in doing this?

KOD (65-year-old KOD)

I need your e-mail address or you can set up your Profile to allow for sending a Private Message. You can also do a "search" in case I can't get back to you right away. I'm packing, etc. to go out of town.
Just remember to save your receipts. MTU does not recommend anything other than buys CDGs, as there is still a question of legality of using downloaded songs for professional use in this Country.

[ddouglass]

Since you confused us all I couldn't answer correctly.
WMV files will play in Hoster. How are you adding them into Hoster?
Try adding from the Main screen by clicking on the video button. This will tell you if they work or not.

If you add them from the "Import from Hard Drive, then you need to have those files in a folder somewhere and plan to leave them there. Hoster will create a separate second file (256 byte) with just the header in it. Both files must be present in the same location for Hoster to be able to play them.

[RandyMcCharles]

What I have heard is that these sites offer WMV format and not MP3+G because their license is only valid for personal use on a home system. The theory is that it is more difficult to take WMV to a bar than downloaded MP3+G. A couple of sites I saw that offered both WMV and MP3+G discontinued the MP3+G. That said I have been reading their vague licensing statements (if they have any) and found none that state "for home use only", which tell me they are trying to sell to as broad a market as possible and let the buying worry about legal use. SO I suspect the licensing organizations got on their case about offer MP3+G formats.
I have tried to get clarification from download sites as to what their license covers, but any answers I got (and not all answered) were equally vague. As a result I have yet to purchase any download karaoke.

[kod]

Randy,

Thanks for the information, but based on what I've read from everyone that replied, I have abandoned this project. I tried what Dale suggested and it didn't work so that pretty much cinched the deal. It won't be the first $7.50 I've wasted.

It would be very nice not to have to buy discs to get 1-2 songs because you already have the rest on the disc.

If I read you correctly, it's not legal to buy them anywhere, even in the mp3+g format.

Skybird74, I can't figure out how to do the e-mail thing. I read somewhere from Dale that it's not kosher to post your e-mail address here. I would be glad to give it to you, I just don't know how...

Skybird74, Dale & Randy, thanks for your responses. Although I'm old, I'm new at MTU and appreciate any help I can get because, believe me, I love Hoster and am hungry for any knowledge I can get to make my show better!

KOD

[ddouglass]

Find Skybird's post, click on her name and send a private message with your email address in it. Only Skybird will see it and you won't get any spam by doing it that way.

What I don't understand is if they play ok in Windows Media Player then they should play in Hoster ok, because Hoster uses Windows Media Player to play your songs and videos.

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by kod

It would be very nice not to have to buy discs to get 1-2 songs because you already have the rest on the disc.

If I read you correctly, it's not legal to buy them anywhere, even in the mp3+g format.

Skybird74, I can't figure out how to do the e-mail thing. I read somewhere from Dale that it's not kosher to post your e-mail address here. I would be glad to give it to you, I just don't know how...

Skybird74, Dale & Randy, thanks for your responses. Although I'm old, I'm new at MTU and appreciate any help I can get because, believe me, I love Hoster and am hungry for any knowledge I can get to make my show better!
KOD

Follow Dale's instructions on how to send me a Private Message. OR just Search for "Karaoke Downloads". There are several sites that sell MP3G songs. You can even listen before you buy. I have purchased many for the same reason - I already have all the songs on a CD except 1, so I frequently go looking for just that song. The sites I have used also show their "License" - these companies are not in the USA.[/color]

[RandyMcCharles]

If I read you correctly, it's not legal to buy them anywhere, even in the mp3+g format.

That is the safest conclusion to draw. From what I can tell from the lack of clarity in the licensing statements, is that the manufacturers are legal if you only play the downloaded songs in private, but they don't want to come out and say that because people burn their downloads to disc and take them to bars. Thye don't want to limit their market.

There are still some sites that offer MP3+G downloads, Chartbusters being the newest. I can find no licensing statement on their web site, so must assume that downloads burnt to disc is as legal as purchasing a disc from them. Until they say otherwise.

Lastly, there are still several manufacturers who still provide disc-on-demand, including Charbusters. This is how I buy most of my karaoke these days. You decide which 16 songs are on the disc. It costs more, buy you only get what you want.

[ddouglass]

If you check the disks you buy they have exactly the same license information. If you keep your receipts for downloaded songs from legal sites (Chartbuster, Stingray, etc) then you should be ok.
Sound Choice sold the rights to many of their older productions to Stingray who markets them through their Karaoke Channel. Should be ok to use them, but make sure you keep the receipts.

And as a reminder videos do not show in the preview window.

[kod]

Dale,

Thanks for the information. I finally got the downloads to work in Hoster, but only after I used the WMV versions. I was trying to use the mp4 versions.

I have found the ChartBuster site, but have not tried downloading as of yet. I would prefer to be able to load them directly into Hoster, so this appears to be the best option (mp3+g).

Skybird, I still can't get the e-mail link to work. I keep getting (You have turned off private messages. You may not send private messages until you turn them on by editing your options). I can't figure out how to edit my options and turn it on to be able to use the e-mail system.

KOD

[Roy Dennis]

On the header bar select "User CP" then Edit Options, scroll down to Message & Notification. Tick the box "Enable Private Messaging"

To send a message, click on their name, If they have Private messaging enabled you will see an option in the window that opens.

When you get a reply you will seea notification listed top right hand side in the welcome Box.

Roy.

[kod]

Roy,

Thanks! I got it now. You guys have been great in helping me and teaching an old dog new tricks...

KOD (Karaoke Old Dude)