Singer Monitor Issue

[eben333]

I have a strange problem with the Hoster. This just came up recently. I am running on a laptop and have the extended desktop using a VGA to RCA converter for the singer monitor.

When I start a CD+G, the CD+G section shows up shifted up. I lose some graphics at the top. The entire window, including the singer list at the bottom and the marquee at the top shows up fine, just the middle section where the CD+G information show shifted. Here is the funny thing. If I resize the window a bit, it fills up the screen properly.

Another info. When I play a video format, it never shows that problem. It's getting annoying, having to change the window size with every song. When I fill out the screen, using the double click, it still shows the screen shifting up.

Any clue as what I can do to fix this? Appreciate your help in advance.

[Roy Dennis]

Check your screen resolution hasn't altered on the 2nd monitor I think it needs to be 1024x768 or higher.

Roy.

[eben333]

Thanks for the response. I had a chance to check that last night's gig. The second screen was set for 1280x1024. I had the same issue. However, it did work for me briefly. I usually have the main window, search window and background music window open on my laptop screen. External screen is just singer window.

When I minimized the background music window, the singer window did come up right. Then Hoster crashed and when I restarted it, it went back to cutting off the top portion. I had to adjust the window every song to make it work.

Any other suggestions?

[Roy Dennis]

Try setting the 2nd monitor to 1024 x 768 from the control panel/display/screen resolution.
Are there adjustments on your VGA to RCA converter ?
On mine there are adjustments for vertical, horizontal, zoom & various other settings. I make sure zoom is off.

As you say you have your BA window open all the time, is any part of it stretched over and off your laptop screen, perhaps slightly over and under the singers screen ?

Can't think of anything else at the moment perhaps others can respond.

Roy.

[Roy Dennis]

Just to add to my previous post, what version of windows are you running and what make is your graphics card ?
When you say you have to adjust the window for each song, are you saying that if you select the top, bottom or a corner of the floating screen that puts the graphics section right ? or are you adjusting it some other way ?


Roy.

[eben333]

Hi Roy, thanks for the suggestions. I figured what was causing the problem. Out of my laptop, I am using a VGA splitter, that goes from my laptop's VGA to two sources. One goes to the monitor and other goes to the convert that converts the VGA to Composite video, which I plug in to a TV for the audience. Both are set as 1280x1024 resolution.

When I connect the monitor directly to the laptop and nothing else, the problem goes away. When I connect both, the problem appears. I think I can work around it but it's a very curious error.

To answer your question, yes, when I adjust the singer screen's window size by resizing the window, it adjusts to right.

[ddouglass]

Does that monitor have Composite Video capability? If so run both through the converter. That should get rid of the problem.

[eben333]

Thanks for the suggestion. Here is something new. I got a new laptop to use as a backup/second unit for the Hoster. I just connected it up to a 23" monitor (widescreen at 1920x1080) via HDMI connection. Everything is working fine, including the extended desktop. However, it's now showing the exactly the same problem on the singer screen. This is just a single monitor connected to the laptop without any converter.

This seems like a bug based on the resolution of the screen. Any thoughts?

Edit: FYI, the first laptop is a Vista and the new one is Win7.

[ddouglass]

You can not use that resolution for Hoster. It is a wide screen (HD) format and Hoster is not equipped for it. Pick one that is a 4:3 ratio and set the monitors local setting for full screen.

[eben333]

May I ask why that is? Most of the bars now have HDTV, which is 1080P. It would make a life a lot easier, and the words on the screen a lot clear for older folks like me, if the wide screen is supported. I am seriously thinking of moving everything to 1080P using HDMI connection so I can control everything with a single interface for both the singer screen and the HDTV. Any thoughts if this is in the works for a fix?

Thanks in advance.

[ddouglass]

These are graphic images are created by the producers of karaoke music and not generated by Hoster. You want that changed then you will need to get Sound Choice, Chartbuster, etc. to change their format. This goes for the VCD's as well.
As I said you can set the HDTV to "Full" screen even with the 4:3 input. I use a 20" HDTV monitor for the singers. And this works to fill the entire screen with no missing words.

[eben333]

I think there is a confusion on what the problem is. The width of the singer screen is not a problem. The middle portion, which is where you said the manufacture produces, between the Marquee section at the top and the singer list section at the bottom gets shifted up. So, the top portion of the song window gets clipped. Again, if I resize the entire singer window, that image shifts back to normal.

It seems to me it's more a bug than a feature. If indeed that it is the problem of the manufacturers, then why does the window sets itself right, once I resize the window, even just a tiny bit? I certainly would like this fixed to it works with any resolutions.

Not only that, it's only with CD+G. When I play a video file, it never has that problem. It just gets stretched wider than usual. Again, another data point that may suggest a bug, not a feature.

[Roy Dennis]

It seems to me to be where you are connecting two different types of output from the outputs of the computer. i.e either use 2 vga monitors or two TV's.

As the problem seems to occur when you add the singers screen, could it have anything to do with your aspect ratio settings on the external TV ?
These can usually be selected from the TV settings, nothing to do with your computer settings. Just a suggestion.

Roy.

[ddouglass]

If you feel this is really a bug, though I think as Roy and I have said that it is a resolution usage or connection method problem, then submit a Support Ticket and let MTU take a look at it. Since yours is the only complaint on this, I really doubt it is a problem in the software.

[Roy Dennis]

I have tried to replicate your problem on my own computer but can't.
This is the setup I tried.
Laptop with Hoster control panel showing for DJ, from the VGA out I connected a VGA to video converter (as shown in attachment "VGA conv,") . This has outputs for VGA, svideo and composite video. I connected a VGA monitor to the VGA out and an svideo out from svideo out socket at the same time. I had pictures on both external monitors with no loss of picture area.
But my resolution from the Windows/display/screen resolution was set to 1366 x 768 this is shown as the recommended in the windows setting as you can see in the attachment "Screen resolution".
With this VGA to video converter you do not need a splitter cable. If you are interested in this converter there is one for sale on Ebay at this address: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/PC-VGA-TV-Vide...item563b59151e

Also on my system, if I show a video it doesn't stretch it to make it out of proportion, if the original video is 4.3 that is how it displays it.

I haven't seen any mention in these posts as to what version of Hoster you are running my above tests were done with 4.21.
Hope this helps you.

Roy.

Roy

[billyo]

Originally Posted by Roy Dennis

I have tried to replicate your problem on my own computer but can't.
This is the setup I tried.
Laptop with Hoster control panel showing for DJ, from the VGA out I connected a VGA to video converter (as shown in attachment "VGA conv,") . This has outputs for VGA, svideo and composite video. I connected a VGA monitor to the VGA out and an svideo out from svideo out socket at the same time. I had pictures on both external monitors with no loss of picture area.
But my resolution from the Windows/display/screen resolution was set to 1366 x 768 this is shown as the recommended in the windows setting as you can see in the attachment "Screen resolution".
With this VGA to video converter you do not need a splitter cable. If you are interested in this converter there is one for sale on Ebay at this address: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/PC-VGA-TV-Vide...item563b59151e

Also on my system, if I show a video it doesn't stretch it to make it out of proportion, if the original video is 4.3 that is how it displays it.

I haven't seen any mention in these posts as to what version of Hoster you are running my above tests were done with 4.21.
Hope this helps you.

Roy.

Roy

i tried it at home too,and, i have the same pc to to converter you have, i got mine connected to my 19" ( vga ) monitor and to 56" flat screen tv LCD ( 1080p) (s-video ) i have the same connection at the place i play,and i didnt have have problems, he can get the same converter from www.monoprice.com for $26.00

[billyo]

Originally Posted by eben333

I think there is a confusion on what the problem is. The width of the singer screen is not a problem. The middle portion, which is where you said the manufacture produces, between the Marquee section at the top and the singer list section at the bottom gets shifted up. So, the top portion of the song window gets clipped. Again, if I resize the entire singer window, that image shifts back to normal.

It seems to me it's more a bug than a feature. If indeed that it is the problem of the manufacturers, then why does the window sets itself right, once I resize the window, even just a tiny bit? I certainly would like this fixed to it works with any resolutions.

Not only that, it's only with CD+G. When I play a video file, it never has that problem. It just gets stretched wider than usual. Again, another data point that may suggest a bug, not a feature.

you might wanna check the tv setting, see if the picture size is on zoom1 or zoom2, i have a 56" Samsung LCD tv and everytime i changed the picture size to either zoom 1 or 2 i am unable to read the bottom display , make sure the picture size is on 16:9.

[eben333]

Roy, I am repeatedly able to replicate the problem with just a simple set up. I use my laptop and use the HDMI connector on the laptop to a 23" screen with a HDMI connector. Set the external monitor to 1920x1080. I see this issue when I play a song, not with the static image or with video playback. This only happens with CD+G.

The original problem was using a video converter but I was able to replicate the problem with the above setting. BTW, I use the same converter as one you showed below.

Originally Posted by Roy Dennis

I have tried to replicate your problem on my own computer but can't.
This is the setup I tried.
Laptop with Hoster control panel showing for DJ, from the VGA out I connected a VGA to video converter (as shown in attachment "VGA conv,") . This has outputs for VGA, svideo and composite video. I connected a VGA monitor to the VGA out and an svideo out from svideo out socket at the same time. I had pictures on both external monitors with no loss of picture area.
But my resolution from the Windows/display/screen resolution was set to 1366 x 768 this is shown as the recommended in the windows setting as you can see in the attachment "Screen resolution".
With this VGA to video converter you do not need a splitter cable. If you are interested in this converter there is one for sale on Ebay at this address: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/PC-VGA-TV-Vide...item563b59151e

Also on my system, if I show a video it doesn't stretch it to make it out of proportion, if the original video is 4.3 that is how it displays it.

I haven't seen any mention in these posts as to what version of Hoster you are running my above tests were done with 4.21.
Hope this helps you.

Roy.

Roy

[eben333]

Originally Posted by billyo

you might wanna check the tv setting, see if the picture size is on zoom1 or zoom2, i have a 56" Samsung LCD tv and everytime i changed the picture size to either zoom 1 or 2 i am unable to read the bottom display , make sure the picture size is on 16:9.

Thanks Billyo, I can understand if only the TV side shows that issue, that may be a problem. However, I see this on both the TV and the VGA monitor I use for singer. Both shows the issue.

Besides, when I connect via HDMI directly from the laptop to a LCD display in to HDMI port only, I see this issue also. I made sure that the singer screen was set to 1920x1080.

[Roy Dennis]

I have never tried the HDMI connection myself so am not able to re-create that set up. (I haven't got the leads)
I notice in all these posts that you haven't told us which version of Hoster you are running. All the people that have replied are either using 4.20 or 4.21, are you are using earlier version? If so perhaps that is where the problem lies.

Roy.