Questions 'bout this Program

[Rockrz]

I'm just getting started tinkering with this prog to learn how it functions and it's features...

First question is - If you have your hard drive partitioned (C and E) with Windows and Hoster running on C and you designate that the songbook be stored on the E drive... does Hoster import the songs from the E drive back to the C drive, or does Hoster simply read the songs from the E drive?

I need to know because I install a 1 TB drive on my laptop and I need to know if I need to partition each drive equally.

Because, if hoster is simply reading the songs off of the E drive (when I tell the prog the songbook is on the E drive)... then I can partition the E drive to be larger than the C drive in anticipation of all the music being on E so I'll have plenty of room.

[Roy Dennis]

If you create a drive to store your music files on then Hoster will just read & play them from that drive.

[Rockrz]

As long as the second drive where the music is being stored at is 7400rpm / 6gbps it should function normally, right?

Just curious is anyone else is doing this in live shows.

[Roy Dennis]

I personally prefer to have all my music on a second external usb type hard drive.
The reason for this is I can easily swap the drive and plug it into my backup computer should I get a computer problem at a gig, I can only recall having had to do this once in the last 12 years. I also keep a backup copy of the usb disc just in case of failure.

I have never tried what you are doing myself so can't really comment but my drives are 5400 rpm and function perfectly.

[Rockrz]

Oh, don't worry... I use computers in my business and have been "backup happy" for years, so I'll have the data on a couple of external drives if not even more than that.

Another question... should I rip my CDGs to the kma file format, or MP3+G format?

Is one better quality over the other?

[KenKelley]

Originally Posted by Rockrz

I'm just getting started tinkering with this prog to learn how it functions and it's features...

First question is - If you have your hard drive partitioned (C and E) with Windows and Hoster running on C and you designate that the songbook be stored on the E drive... does Hoster import the songs from the E drive back to the C drive, or does Hoster simply read the songs from the E drive?

I need to know because I install a 1 TB drive on my laptop and I need to know if I need to partition each drive equally.

Because, if hoster is simply reading the songs off of the E drive (when I tell the prog the songbook is on the E drive)... then I can partition the E drive to be larger than the C drive in anticipation of all the music being on E so I'll have plenty of room.

When you partition a drive like you mention above, you may want to consider leaving at least 25% free space available on your OS Partition. You never know what other programs you may desire to install in the future.

Originally Posted by Rockrz

As long as the second drive where the music is being stored at is 7400rpm / 6gbps it should function normally, right?

Just curious is anyone else is doing this in live shows.

I have found that 5400 rpm HDD's work as well as 7400 HDD's.

What do you mean "Is anyone else doing this in live shows"?

Take a look at my signature block and you can see what equipment I use for Shows. The 1TB Seagate has 2 partitions and operates at 5400 rpm. I also keep a backup HDD (of my entire music/video library) that is updated regularly just in case. I had to use the backup once because my 2nd onboard HDD (music drive) errored out to the point that my OS drive would not boot.... thus the recent 1TB HDD.

[Roy Dennis]

Originally Posted by Rockrz

Oh, don't worry... I use computers in my business and have been "backup happy" for years, so I'll have the data on a couple of external drives if not even more than that.

Another question... should I rip my CDGs to the kma file format, or MP3+G format?

Is one better quality over the other?

It is all a matter of personal preferences, you need to make your own mind up on that.
I prefer to import all mine as zip files at 320 kbts. I choose the zip format over mp3+g as it stores the files in pairs (zip + KMA) rather than triple (mp3 + cdg + kmh)".

Then there's wma vs mp3, wma is supposedly better quality over mp3 at the same compression ratios but wma can only be imported at 128 kbts mp3 can be imported at 320kbts.

You can read more from the manual under "Index Song Files/KMH Vs KMA files."

[Rockrz]

I prefer to import all mine as zip files at 320 kbts. I choose the zip format over mp3+g as it stores the files in pairs (zip + KMA)

So, what is in the zip portion?

Does that take up more room than just doing kma?

[Rockrz]

How do you get Hoster to make all songs be shown
in numerical order according to "Book ID" number ?





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[kod]

Originally Posted by Rockrz

How do you get Hoster to make all songs be shown in numerical order according to "Book ID" number?

To sort any column, click on the title bar of that column. One click sorts descending, another click sorts ascending...

[Rockrz]

I tried that, but in version 5.20 nothing happens
when I click on the Book ID Column.

Is there anything else I can try?

[bryant]

Originally Posted by Rockrz

I tried that, but in version 5.20 nothing happens
when I click on the Book ID Column.

Is there anything else I can try?

Some times you have to click on it twice, maybe three.

[Roy Dennis]

Which view are you trying this, you cant sort columns in the main playlist view only from the search view or the edit view. If the book Id column isn't showing in those dialogs right clicking first on the header brings up a selection of columns to display then clicking on a header will sort it.

[Rockrz]

Originally Posted by bryant

Some times you have to click on it twice, maybe three.

That isn't working...

Originally Posted by Roy Dennis

Which view are you trying this, you cant sort columns in the main playlist view only from the search view or the edit view. If the book Id column isn't showing in those dialogs right clicking first on the header brings up a selection of columns to display then clicking on a header will sort it.

All I know is that I'm importing songs and adding them by selecting the numbers in the drop down book ID and clicking the ADD button below that.

Each time I add a disc of songs, I add them to what appears to be a playlist that does not show the Artist just the song title.

At this point, it looks like Microstudio is the better option for hosting shows since it shows title and artist and I can easily sort by title or artist like you can do in a spreadsheet.

Hoster is better for importing since I can control song / artist titles

[kod]

Originally Posted by Rockrz

That isn't working...

All I know is that I'm importing songs and adding them by selecting the numbers in the drop down book ID and clicking the ADD button below that.

Each time I add a disc of songs, I add them to what appears to be a playlist that does not show the Artist just the song title.

At this point, it looks like Microstudio is the better option for hosting shows since it shows title and artist and I can easily sort by title or artist like you can do in a spreadsheet.

Hoster is better for importing since I can control song / artist titles

The Playlist is where the Singer's sing from, and as Roy pointed out, you cannot sort from there.

Also, although the Artist does not display in this view, MTU is working on it being displayed in a future version.

[Rockrz]

It's not really a problem... I think Microstudio is going to be what I'll have to use when hosting a show.

[Roy Dennis]

I don't think your grasping how Hoster works, you do not load all the songs into the playlist only the ones that a singer has asked to sing.
You can't enter any singers names into Microstudio or keep records of your singers songs and the search features of Hoster far exceed those of Microstudio.

I suggest you take a look at this video showing Hoster as used in a show.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOaesDiPdco

I should watch all the way through as it shows various ways of searching and adding to the playlist, if only watch the first few minutes you won't see any different than your doing now.

[Rockrz]

This is why I was wanting the song ID numbers to be lined up in numerical order so I could require singers to include the song ID number when signing up, that they would see next to the song in the songbook that I would print out and make available to them.

For singer convenience, I'd really rather prefer that they simply tell me their name and the artist and song they want to sing... and Microstudio provides this capability.

Don't know why Hoster cannot have the option to do what Microstudio can do as a feature since some like being able to simply see their entire songbook on the screen and be able to quickly sort by song or by artist

Either way, I can use Microstudio for shows and Hoster for importing music from CD+G discs which I'm doing in KMA format. I hope KMA files are better quality than MP3+G files are.

[Roy Dennis]

Originally Posted by Rockrz

For singer convenience, I'd really rather prefer that they simply tell me their name and the artist and song they want to sing... and Microstudio provides this capability.

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So does Hoster if you use it right, did you watch the video right through ?

I'm dumfounded by your statements

If you really want to use it like your explaining with all the songs listed in order for you to find then you could actually do that in the search dialog by entering a wild card "*" for the search string it would then list the whole database in the search dialog with the artist and sort by which column you double click on. Then double click the song in the list you want to play to send it to the playlist.
Not how I would want to work but that's up to you.

[Rockrz]

I simply want to see the entire songbook in order either by Artist, or by Song and be able to click on the song I want and have it start playing.

I like quick, simple, and easy.

Besides, I don't see where Hoster has the ability to record singers as they sing like Microstudio does which will be a nice feature to employ.






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