Windows 8

[MTUSUPPORT]

Seawolf,
I am going to shoot you an email with the link to the latest Beta to let you test. I have tried this on my Windows 8 systems, and not run into the same issues as yourself, but this does not mean they are not there.

[karaoke1]

This may be random, but I experienced random shut downs during singers, skipping background music, and lyric screen not refreshing on my display (singer's display worked fine.) I discovered all my problems were resolved by running my HDMI through a splitter. I was able to reproduce the problems by connecting HDMI directly from laptop to TV and resolve them by using a splitter. I have no idea why it works, but it does.

[RIKKI TIKKI]

Originally Posted by karaoke1

This may be random, but I experienced random shut downs during singers, skipping background music, and lyric screen not refreshing on my display (singer's display worked fine.) I discovered all my problems were resolved by running my HDMI through a splitter. I was able to reproduce the problems by connecting HDMI directly from laptop to TV and resolve them by using a splitter. I have no idea why it works, but it does.

I'm wondering if you have tried a different HDMI cable ( length, gage of wire/cable, Redmere or not ) ??? I have been using several different HDMI cables in different applications/venues, and have found a defective cable once which was a new purchase... but your issue seems to be a problem in this version (5.08), and maybe not a computer/port connection issue... hopefully the next update will remedy your problem! Please note that I have not upgraded to Windows 8 as of yet, even though I have purchased it, but have been watching the testing and problems that are being reported on this thread!

[RIKKI TIKKI]

Originally Posted by karaoke1

This may be random, but I experienced random shut downs during singers, skipping background music, and lyric screen not refreshing on my display (singer's display worked fine.) I discovered all my problems were resolved by running my HDMI through a splitter. I was able to reproduce the problems by connecting HDMI directly from laptop to TV and resolve them by using a splitter. I have no idea why it works, but it does.

Just a curosity... since you are new to this version... go to the Tools / dropdown, Audio Controls, and at bottom the PREVENT AUDIO DROPOUT ... is it set to "0"? If so adjust it to 4 or 6 and let us know if the dropouts diminish?

[karaoke1]

I've used 3ft, 6ft, 10ft and 50ft HDMI cables. Same result. I just ordered 2 HDMI splitters online so I always carry a spare and all is good. I just mentioned it in case someone else experiences the same issue. It took a lot of trial and error to figure it out and hopefully I can save someone else the effort.

[RIKKI TIKKI]

Here is the splitter I currently use... http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...seq=1&format=2

Curious which product you use, so we can see if the specs will tell us why the extra connection improves the stuttering, and drop out issue? Thanks!

[karaoke1]

I'm not sure what you mean by "audio dropouts". When I say it shut down I mean screen goes white and "Hoster shutdown unexpectedly. Windows is looking for a solution" pop up. Everything stops. I have to open task manager and end process then reopen Hoster. When it happened, I called a friend who is running windows 7 and an older version of hoster. She recommended I uninstall Media Monkey (I prefer it for background music). She had terrible problems running it with Hoster. Not only did that not help the problem, but that's how I discovered playing background music through Hoster caused it to skip and stutter. Karaoke songs play fine and are in sync. They just occasionally caused Hoster to shutdown completely. The fist sign of a problem was the lyric screen on my display not refreshing. Since the singer's display was fine I didn't worry about it. After stumbling across the HDMI splitter solution I noticed my screen cleared up and everything else works fine. I reinstalled Media monkey. I ran a busy 4 hour show using my splitter. I ran hoster, media monkey and a bingo caller program. I played karaoke, videos, background music through hoster, constantly scrolling marquee and media monkey and everything worked perfectly. So far I haven't had a single problem while using the splitter.

[karaoke1]

Here's the splitter I'm using.
http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...seq=1&format=2

[karaoke1]

This may help.

Link to my computer specs. http://kjheather.com/computerspecs.jpg

HDMI splitter I'm using. http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...seq=1&format=2

Bingo program. http://wagesplace.com/BingoCaller.htm

The only other programs I've added are the newest Media Monkey, AVG free and Google Chrome. I only use that laptop for work so nothing else has been added and I rarely even connect it to the internet.

Thanks!

[Roy Dennis]

The only explanation I can come up with as to why karaoke1's splitter corrects the problem is it is a powered by a 5v adapter.
This leads to my next conclusion that perhaps there is a fault in the graphics hardware not supplying enough voltage to correctly run the external monitor.
Also I note from the computer spec that it is intell only graphics chip and no mention of dedicated graphics memory.

Whether it's a fault with your particular computer or a problem with that model I don't know, perhaps searching google for feedback on that model will reveal a problem.

[karaoke1]

Doesn't matter to me why it works. Just glad it does! Hope it helps someone else. Thanks for all the input. It's all trial and error for me. I'm greatful everyone on here is so helpful! Thanks!

[nfountai]

I've been having problems with hoster shutting down right from the begining with Windows 8.

I'm using Hoster 4.32. When I first started Hoster a sign came up and said I did not have enough RAM. I dismissed the sign and check the box to not show it again.

Toshiba Qosmio
12 gb of ram
450 gb hard drive free space
Using and external hd 3tb and 1.2 tb free

I did all the recommeneded changes and computer updates. I even found a resource to fix the UAC problem with regedit.

When the songs I use are on the external hard drive, Hoster crashes.
Those that I use that are stored on the computer keep playing without crashing. Once Hoster gets to a external hard drive stored songs, crash.

All my songs are zip format and work fine from the computer hard drive. And work fine from the Windows 7 machine.

I tried swapping to a smaller external hard drive that I use for my Windows 7 machine and it still crashes when the songs are on the external hard drive.

When I use my Windows 7 with an external hard drive, like others mentioned, when that one crashes, somehow the "Performance Setting" got changed back to a default setting. I change that back to the recommeneded setting and things run smoothly again.

My wife is giving the evil eye for spending the money on a new computer that crashes. I can't send it back, help!

* Upon further research; I find that the creashes happen at the end of the song and while in auto play. The songs were imported from zip to kmh files. Those files are the ones that cause the crash.

I brought songs into the play list using the K-oke button at the top and they are on the external hard drive. But they keep playing as I can see without crashing.

[nfountai]

After my last post I downloaded the newest version of Hoster Demo.
I could not replicate the same issue as the demo only allows a 90 second play.

As long as I pick a song with the K-oke button the songs play fine. But if I use my search and data base I created, Hoster shuts down after playing a song.

I installed Hoster upgrade to 4.32 and made it compatible with XP, unistalled and re installed with compatible with Windows 7.

[Roy Dennis]

Originally Posted by nfountai

After my last post I downloaded the newest version of Hoster Demo.
I could not replicate the same issue as the demo only allows a 90 second play.

As long as I pick a song with the K-oke button the songs play fine. But if I use my search and data base I created, Hoster shuts down after playing a song.

I installed Hoster upgrade to 4.32 and made it compatible with XP, unistalled and re installed with compatible with Windows 7.

Sorry have not been able to offer much help on this question but I don't have Windows 8.
I have just been looking back at the upgrades page under version 4.32 and notice that a version 4.32.12 was released for 64bit machines, which version of 4.32 are you running ?
The fault there was to do with the installing but may have some bearing on it's function.
Hear is what it states: 432.12 UPGRADE 12/01/2010
FIXED Hoster On Windows 64-bit Systems Would NOT Upgrade - Versions 432.11 and prior had a problem with registering on Windows 64-bit versions that prevented upgrading. This was fixed in 4.32.12. If you run 4.32.11 or prior, and run Windows 64-bit OS, please submit a Support Ticket and include these two facts and we will correct the problem so you can upgrade. We apologize for this problem, but Microsoft gave us no warning they changed Windows operations!

[karaoke1]

I may have no idea what I'm talking about, but here's a thought. I use a 1TB external. On my old computer it worked well if plugged into one USB port, but not the other. It sounds to me like a USB speed problem. I googled your problem and found this.
http://forums.toshiba.com/t5/Compute...ow/td-p/278269
It might be worth checking.

[aznetbear]

Win8 issue and maybe other Windows OS...

I have been running Win8 and Hoster for awhile now and haven't had many issues until recently.

My CPU usage would spike to 96,97,98% and cause audio to start cutting out as well as lyrics becoming out of synch.

I was finally able to determine the culprit. A little system file called "defragsvc"(Service=optimize drives).
Would appear in Task Manager as Service Host: Disk Defragmenter

If anyone else experiences this, follow these steps:
Open Task Manager
Click Services Tab
Find defragsvc in list
Right Click and select Open Service
Services Window appears
Locate Optimize drives
Right Click
Select Properties
Select Startup Type=DISABLED
Click OK