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.

[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????

[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 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