Importing mp3g zip files to hoster

[Roy Dennis]

Originally Posted by Mustangt93

I guess what Im asking is..what are the benefits of going with the KMH or the KMA files over the mp3g zip files?

The kma format is a Hosters own format, it is compressed format. disadvantage in your case is as you already have 22,000 songs you would have to use about the same hard drive space again doubling your hard drive space.
KMH format just adds a small file alongside your existing mp3+g or zip files with information for Hoster to find your file and keep all relevant data in.
The advantages of this format in your case are:
1: it will be a lot quicker for you to initially set up.
2: very little extra hard drive space required.
3: your original zip files are not altered in any way should you want to use them in other programs.

You must have one or the other for fast file retreiving you can't just leave them as Zip or mp3+G

[Mustangt93]

Ok. Im not sure the best way to handle that just yet. I may just go ahead and convert everything to KMA files for ease since this is the only program I intend to use. IF I were to end up going with the another I know I could always just convert them to mp3g zip again. But, I will probably just go with the KMH files. I looked at that attachment that one of the admistrators sent me above. I see there is a list on the top rt side of the formats that you can import your files in but it doesn't show the order I was talking about but there is the drop down menu about midway down the screen where you can put them in the order that you want to import. That is what I would need to use, correct? Since I don't see my format on the top rt side? So, how do I disable the list on the top rt side so that Im only using the define field order in the center? Does that one automatically supercede the list on the rt? I just notice I don't see a way to disable that list on the rt based on the list choices.

[Roy Dennis]

Originally Posted by Mustangt93

I see there is a list on the top rt side of the formats that you can import your files in but it doesn't show the order I was talking about but there is the drop down menu about midway down the screen where you can put them in the order that you want to import. That is what I would need to use, correct? Since I don't see my format on the top rt side? So, how do I disable the list on the top rt side so that Im only using the define field order in the center? Does that one automatically supercede the list on the rt? I just notice I don't see a way to disable that list on the rt based on the list choices.

The list on the top right hand side you can just ignore, use the drop down menu midway.

As I have said before, you will learn far more by trying it first with just a few disc id, if you make a mistake and want to start again, use Hosters Edit dialog to delete your imported files, don't delete things in Windows Explorer.

[Mustangt93]

Ok. Sounds like I've got enough to go on. I'm going to sit down and give all this a try. Thanks.

[ddouglass]

Originally Posted by Mustangt93

Ok. Im not sure the best way to handle that just yet. I may just go ahead and convert everything to KMA files for ease since this is the only program I intend to use. IF I were to end up going with the another I know I could always just convert them to mp3g zip again. But, I will probably just go with the KMH files. I looked at that attachment that one of the admistrators sent me above. I see there is a list on the top rt side of the formats that you can import your files in but it doesn't show the order I was talking about but there is the drop down menu about midway down the screen where you can put them in the order that you want to import. That is what I would need to use, correct? Since I don't see my format on the top rt side? So, how do I disable the list on the top rt side so that Im only using the define field order in the center? Does that one automatically supercede the list on the rt? I just notice I don't see a way to disable that list on the rt based on the list choices.

If you do use the KMA format then Hoster copies your original ZIP file to another location and adds the Hoster header to the file. Your original ZIP files are not deleted or converted. They remain exactly as they are. So what you end up with is a KMA copy and the original ZIP file copy doubling the amount of space used. If you wish to use those ZIP files in another program there is nothing to convert to use them.
Since all of your library is already in MP3+G my suggestion would be to use the KMH import since that does not create a second copy (no extra space needed) and you can still use the same library location for other programs if needed.

[admin]

Since MTU was the first to ship computer karaoke software, we had to design a file format to import your CDG disc tracks into. We called it KMA, which was a single file containing the "audio + lyrics/highlighting + database fields header". It was the standard for years. Imported audio uses WMA compression, which allows 10:1 compression -vs- 8:1 for MP3 for the same audio quality. Compression damages your audio, so MP3 or WMA are inferior to WAV pure audio, and they take 1/8th to 1/10th the hard drive space. KMA files are created at around 8-20 seconds/song.

Several years ago, we created the .KMH "header" file that points to the audio+lyrics (mp3+g, wma+g, zip) file for which it stores the database fields. It can easily be edited to correct any mistakes. It does NOT duplicate the audio+lyrics and takes up 4KByte of hard drive space. Hoster can scan through MP3+G, ZIP, etc. files and create the KMH files for them at the rate of roughly 6 songs per second, which is MUCH faster than creating KMA files.

[Mustangt93]

So, compressing the files to mp3g damages the audio? So, what would I do if I don't want the audio damaged? You said the KMA is compressed, right? So, the audio is actually damaged in that form as well? Sorry, if I sound like a moron on this stuff but in actuality at this point in the game..I still am. Im sure in a year or so I will be where everyone else it.

[admin]

Originally Posted by Mustangt93

So, compressing the files to mp3g damages the audio? So, what would I do if I don't want the audio damaged? You said the KMA is compressed, right? So, the audio is actually damaged in that form as well? Sorry, if I sound like a moron on this stuff but in actuality at this point in the game..I still am. Im sure in a year or so I will be where everyone else it.

MTU is credited by Mix Magazine as being the "first in the world to ship a digital audio workstation (DAW) on a microcomputer." We were actually the first in the world to ship any DAW.

We sold to audiophiles with excellent hearing, and .wav files were the norm. Heck, MP3 wasn't even in general use then, and WMA from Microsoft didn't yet exist. There was no other format than pure samples without any compression.

I used to hear 22KHz frequencies, so our focus was absolutely the purest sound you could create, and we did it!

Today, most folks under 40 (maybe higher?) grew up with cruddy boom-boxes that destroyed the music. Thus, the CAN'T even hear the high frequencies and pure tones that the .wav format is able to deliver.

So, it's now a moot point what you are worrying about. I'm truly sorry I "jabbed" the MP3 and WMA compressors. You will probably already have MP3 songs in whatever compression ratio they were created with. For MP3's, a 160kb compression sounds to MOST people today, as good as a .wav. Your songs probably use 128kb, which ain't bad either. If they use 96kb, that's getting into a range where many users can hear the hissy damage done to the audio.

So, enjoy and don't worry about it unless you are going to turn into an audiophile!

[Mustangt93]

Well, I have to admit. I have noticed that high pitch hissy sound and don't really care for it that much. But, at the same time I don't want to have to have a 3 terabyte hard drive to hold all my files, either. But, as you said...the damage has already been done anyway, right? So, even if I converted my mp3g zip files to KMA it wouldn't really do any good, right? Hard to get back what's already been destroyed. But, I am kind of a stickler for good quality. I was known for that for years around my karaoke shows. The good singers came to my shows because they knew I had the best quality in karaoke CD's and in equipment.