Should I wait to reimport

[marklwood]

I put a new machine in service about a month ago. As part of that process, I also added a bunch of new music I had bought from a local KJ who went out of business. He was fairly new in the business, and as a result, had mostly newer music. I usually rip to mp3 + G at home in my spare time, or have one of my kids or wife just feed CDs and rip them when we get time. I then load them all on a HD and take them to the permantly installed comp at the bar. I know the quality suffers a bit, but it is a timing and ease issue. I used to use my backup comp to do this, but I prefer to keep it at the bar in case it's needed.
Since I own the bar and this is my major draw, I invest a LOT of $$ in my music. Karaoke AND DJ music. I usually buy any and all karaoke CDs from local dime a dozen DJs who THOUGHT they wanted to be in this business without realizing how much time you have to invest in it. I also offer my regulars to buy their Cds that I don't have. This gives them no reason to go anywhere else. They aren't out of pocket for music, and they have to come here to sing it. I am getting close to the limitations of the database because of the numbering scheme. You really only get 9,9999 CDs, not actually 100k. My new comp ALREADY lost a hard drive, so I am bringing it home to put in a new one and improve the cooling. I also need to print new books, weed out dupes, and set up a networked automatic backup.

My question is twofold.

1. How can I set myself up to load more songs in the database without a MAJOR investment in time. ( I already put in 16hr days ) I would like to keep adding DJ music too, but would be willing to weed them out. Even then, it is only a short term solution. At the rate I'm going, just CDGs will # over 10k in the next two years.

2. Since I have to do some work on the comp anyway, should I just start over and wait for 4.0 to come out to take advantage of the new database.

I really don't want to invest the time in loading CDs again since they are already ripped to a HD.
Starting over is appealing to me just to start from a clean slate.
My biggest drawback is the fact that 90% of my files were added to the database when we still had volume normalizing. I really miss that with the newer versions. I could run a one time normalize on all the mp3s prior to adding them to the database.
Right now, I have over 100k invested in this whole process over the last 12 years as a bar owner. It is a great draw for the crowds and I would have spent twice that much or more in advertising anyways. I only need to unlock the doors, and people just show up to sing. Word of mouth is cheaper and MUCH better.

As a note to MTU, I feel like you aren't charging me enough
The few hundred I've spent with you has been the best investment I have ever made in my business. I started with a CAVS unit and found it to be terribly limiting. I feel like I wasted the 10 grand I spent on that crap first. You can expect to see me as a customer for as long as you have Hoster.

[ddouglass]

To answer #2 first - You do not have to re-import when you install 4.0 unless you really want to. The database will fix itself (add the new fields) the first time rebuild is run.
As to #1 there is really no way around the time it takes to import the disks either by using Hoster or Microstudio or whatever you use to convert to MP3+G.

[marklwood]

Originally Posted by ddouglass

To answer #2 first The database will fix itself (add the new fields) the first time rebuild is run.

Even for the ones I just entered as custom, or whatever just to save time? That was my question about waiting for the new database. I should have stated that differently. I was refering to the DB of potential songs provided by MTU. Since I don't put my show machine online, I can't access the free DB. I do this to keep programs and risks to a minimum. I don't even go online for updates, I do those manually as well.
The advantage I was speaking of was the updated DB by MTU to fix all those screw-ups by not having access to current info. ie: mispelled songs, artists. Sometimes I can't even tell you if the name is the song name or the artist.

[admin]

Originally Posted by marklwood

The advantage I was speaking of was the updated DB by MTU to fix all those screw-ups by not having access to current info. ie: mispelled songs, artists. Sometimes I can't even tell you if the name is the song name or the artist.

We have spent many hours updating, referencing Google for what is "correct" on both Artists and Song Titles. These tables are cleaned. We cannot "automatically clean what you already have imported, or at least we haven't thought about doing that. It could be difficult to do, but now that I think about it, there may be a way we can do this. I'll consult with engineering on Tuesday.

However, we are adding what is called "auto-complete editable combo list boxes" into the Import Screens and also Edit Songs. Thus, when you go to "enter" a Artist or Title in the Import Tracks'Files windows, you won't have to type the entire name in most cases. It will scroll (like Brand does now) to matching entries that may be in the list. Same when you go to "edit" a song.

We are now working on adding more DiscIDs to the database. This won't have much progress when we release 4.00. However, the Bucket (import) database can be updated outside of the Hoster install. That is what we are currently planning on doing as we expand the DiscIDs.

I appreciate your comments about our not charging enough. We have to worry about competition, which is why I don't have a price yet to upgrade or for new purchases.

We, and our honored Beta Testers also, have worked very hard to retain the ease of use Hoster is known for, and not changing how you run your shows so it is an "install and continue running". Then, you can look at the new features and see what you want to use in your shows.

Some things, such as the Singers field automatically saving all names you enter, will happen without your doing anything. Having the Intermission screen appear when silence would happen is something you will need to enable, and set up what will appear and play when it does appear.

[marklwood]

Originally Posted by admin

We have spent many hours updating, referencing Google for what is "correct" on both Artists and Song Titles. These tables are cleaned. We cannot "automatically clean what you already have imported, or at least we haven't thought about doing that. It could be difficult to do, but now that I think about it, there may be a way we can do this. I'll consult with engineering on Tuesday.

That would be a pretty small market share unless it was SUPER easy to implement. That is why I was asking about waiting and just re-importing when I get a revised database. The problem I have is there was 4 of us ripping songs/adding to the database. Differences like "CCR" or "C.C.R." or "Creedence Clearwater Revival" or my favorite "The Game" or "Game, The" or an old man like me not knowing the name of a band or song and getting them reversed.

In the past, because I don't keep the machine at home, I have my wife edit the song list before printing to correct these instead of editing the database to actually correct them permanantly. I was just considering starting over, leaving my main and backup comp at the bar, and buying a shiny new copy of 4.0 and starting over. I have all my songs already ripped to MP3+G so that would save a lot of time. I just am absolutely sure the naming problems start with those files. But if I try to re-rip all my files from CD with hoster, I wouldn't get done until Hoster 5.0 comes out. I was looking for some shortcut I may have missed (aren't we always)

Originally Posted by admin

We are now working on adding more DiscIDs to the database. This won't have much progress when we release 4.00. However, the Bucket (import) database can be updated outside of the Hoster install. That is what we are currently planning on doing as we expand the DiscIDs.

I would definitely be a recurring customer for this. Even if you wouldn't make the same choices I did in naming conventions, they would be consistent. This would be invaluable.

Originally Posted by admin

I appreciate your comments about our not charging enough. We have to worry about competition, which is why I don't have a price yet to upgrade or for new purchases.

I just want people to remember how much you have done for so little $$. Unless you just pirate all your music, the price of MTU is a small % of the total investment. Most guys spend more in mic cords than they do on Hoster. Just the protection afforded for my CDs is worth every penny.

PS. As I was witing this I was thinking of another solution. A batch conversion of only the songs that are in the database you provide, leaving the ones with improper naming conventions. Then put those files in a seperate folder and index with google desktop. Then I could quickly search during a show and add only those files to the database that people want to sing.

As a matter of fact, I may just start over with only Sound Choice songs and add the rest as needed. That would free up entries in MY database without losing the ability to have the others available. Then I could copy them to a folder on the desktop and add from zip to the playlist. After the show, I could quickly add those files permanantly to hoster and end up with a smaller overall book list, but only the ones that people want to sing. The only thing I need now is to find a way for people to use their cell phone to search my list over the internet and I could do away with books entirely

[ddouglass]

The only problem I see is when you rip them to MP3 then you have already added the Title and Artist name, so that when you import the MP3s to Hoster it doesn't look them up in the database. Importing directly from the CDs creates the KMA file directly and has as much compression as the MP3 but in a better/less signal loss format and looks up the information in the database. If it was me and even though it would take a while I would re-import them at home, then transport the KMA files to the other computer and start a new folder on there. Once you get all you want in it then rebuild the database using the new folder.