Need recommendation and advice...

[psinkiws]

Just a comment and not a criticism of MTU, but I would like to point out the reality of software. The most difficult type of problem to get resolved is one where two different companies products work flawlessly on a virgin OS but not when another company's software is installed on that machine. Either company will see it as a problem that the other company needs to address. Since neither company will share the source code with the other, either company would need to try to resolve the problem blindfolded. In this case, SD6 is sacrificial (at least during a karaoke show) so the conflict is minimal and non critical. I cannot stress how I do not mean this as a criticism of MTU but simply the reality of software developed by multiple companies residing on a single PC. I honestly don't know how these companies, MTU included, can keep their software working as well as they do. Many are unlike MTU in that they do not even listen to a users comments much less attempt to add features and correct glitches like MTU does.

Second, what is it that 4.06a fixes? I thought that Beavis was criticized earlier for not being specific but I see ddouglas only stated: "4.06a was to fix a unique name problem. It is not necessary unless you have that problem." I was hoping to get more details on that problem as I do not know if the name that was referred to is a file name, song name, performer name, or perhaps some other name that I did not think of. I presume that 4.06 is the mainstream download and that 4.06a is only available by request if you happen to have this specific name problem. I will assume that since I did not have any problems, other then what I outlined earlier, that I do not have this name problem.

Also, regarding the image that can be used during intermission, is it possible that MTU can use the additional two choices that Vista provides when it is installed on a Vista machine or would the coding to provide that be too difficult? I will not switch to Vista on my computer either way. I will wait and see what Windows 7 has in store for us. Perhaps MTU has received a Beta version and is playing with it already. They probably cannot comment due to the NDA (non-disclosure agreement) anyway.

Lastly, I think that Harryoke made a good choice when switching back to MTU. This is the only company whose product I purchased that was as responsive to customers concerns and comments. I cannot stress enough how important that is especially in today's day and age where most companies, especially larger ones, ignore the comments of the little guys like us and focus on addressing the needs of other corporations.

[ddouglass]

Originally Posted by psinkiws

Second, what is it that 4.06a fixes? I thought that Beavis was criticized earlier for not being specific but I see ddouglas only stated: "4.06a was to fix a unique name problem. It is not necessary unless you have that problem." I was hoping to get more details on that problem as I do not know if the name that was referred to is a file name, song name, performer name, or perhaps some other name that I did not think of. I presume that 4.06 is the mainstream download and that 4.06a is only available by request if you happen to have this specific name problem. I will assume that since I did not have any problems, other then what I outlined earlier, that I do not have this name problem.

I have slept since then and cannot find the one thread about it. If Beavis or someone else can remember what thread it was then maybe that would help. I do know it was a unique situation that the average user will probably never see. It happened to point out a bug in the import utility that would only be found in that situation. If MTU had thought it was something that would effect the rest of us, then they would have released an update to fix it. They did not create a new update download and only gave those individuals a link to a replacement Hoster program executable.

Originally Posted by psinkiws

Also, regarding the image that can be used during intermission, is it possible that MTU can use the additional two choices that Vista provides when it is installed on a Vista machine or would the coding to provide that be too difficult? I will not switch to Vista on my computer either way. I will wait and see what Windows 7 has in store for us. Perhaps MTU has received a Beta version and is playing with it already. They probably cannot comment due to the NDA (non-disclosure agreement) anyway.

What two additional image types does Vista use?

[marklwood]

If the disk ID is 12 characters long, Hoster could randomly append an extra character when adding to the playlist.

It is in this thread.

Track Path is Missing

[ddouglass]

Thanks Mark. I am getting too old to remember all these things.

[Harryoke]

I am not regretting my migration back to MTU either...so far so good. First night out, no problems. I did not push it too hard, and it was a quiet night, so I did not try importing singers discs while a singer was singing or anything like that. I still have my player hooked up just in case and am using an a/b switch to go between the laptop and the player if necessary, to keep any downtime down to a minimum.

I can say I feel comfortable not bringing my discs in with me any longer. My back and arms thank you.

Kneejerk reactions...I love the marquee option!!! I am not sure I love the singers rotation listing, as sometimes it is inaccurate...that is, if you have singers that dont let you know what song they are doing until they get to the stage, it can send out erroneous info. I will have to teach my attendees that what is on the screen is not gospel.

I love the ability to rip and use the new feature of the predictive title and artist...this makes things go quickly when ripping a disc not in a database.

THe manual and website seem to communicate things clearly if you have comprehension to follow orders. I had zero glitches on the first night...it felt more like getting acquainted, LOL.

I still am not 100% comfortable with having my library in the KMA format alone, but now with the improvements in Hoster it appears I have a tool I can work with. I will miss features on my other hosting program, most especially the ability to queue background bumper music and have it auto fade and cross fade between singers. That is a huge loss to me, but dealing with that for now is easier than re-ripping my library to mp3g files I suppose.

Looking forward to pushing it harder Th and Fr. Unless you hear complaints from me, assume that all is well.

THANKS.

[JNS02]

Originally Posted by Harryoke

Kneejerk reactions...I love the marquee option!!! I am not sure I love the singers rotation listing, as sometimes it is inaccurate...that is, if you have singers that dont let you know what song they are doing until they get to the stage, it can send out erroneous info. I will have to teach my attendees that what is on the screen is not gospel.

THANKS.

To get around this problem I took a song that never plays (it is a childrens song with vocals) and renamed it to "NEEDS TO PUT IN A SONG" so when someone forgets to give me a song my singers list reads 'Bill NEEDS TO PUT IN A SONG'.
Just a suggestion, someone else in this forum does that and I took this suggestion from them.

[Harryoke]

Originally Posted by JNS02

To get around this problem I took a song that never plays (it is a childrens song with vocals) and renamed it to "NEEDS TO PUT IN A SONG" so when someone forgets to give me a song my singers list reads 'Bill NEEDS TO PUT IN A SONG'.
Just a suggestion, someone else in this forum does that and I took this suggestion from them.

Great idea! I will do that, fo sho!!

[ddouglass]

Glad you like it. By the way the auto/cross fade is coming in the next release....sometime next year. Even now you can import your audio tracks into Hoster, so all you have to do is add then to the playlist.
I am not sure I would want my singers to wait until they come up on stage to tell me what song they want. That to me would slow things down even with Hoster. One way to keep your rotation straight on screen would be to create a dummy track (title it "Need song") with bookid that you could enter in place of their song, so it would hold their place in the rotation on screen.

[JNS02]

Originally Posted by ddouglass

One way to keep your rotation straight on screen would be to create a dummy track (title it "Need song") with bookid that you could enter in place of their song, so it would hold their place in the rotation on screen.

Isn't that what I just said??

[billyo]

Originally Posted by Harryoke

I am not regretting my migration back to MTU either...so far so good. First night out, no problems. I did not push it too hard, and it was a quiet night, so I did not try importing singers discs while a singer was singing or anything like that. I still have my player hooked up just in case and am using an a/b switch to go between the laptop and the player if necessary, to keep any downtime down to a minimum.

I can say I feel comfortable not bringing my discs in with me any longer. My back and arms thank you.

Kneejerk reactions...I love the marquee option!!! I am not sure I love the singers rotation listing, as sometimes it is inaccurate...that is, if you have singers that dont let you know what song they are doing until they get to the stage, it can send out erroneous info. I will have to teach my attendees that what is on the screen is not gospel.

I love the ability to rip and use the new feature of the predictive title and artist...this makes things go quickly when ripping a disc not in a database.

THe manual and website seem to communicate things clearly if you have comprehension to follow orders. I had zero glitches on the first night...it felt more like getting acquainted, LOL.

I still am not 100% comfortable with having my library in the KMA format alone, but now with the improvements in Hoster it appears I have a tool I can work with. I will miss features on my other hosting program, most especially the ability to queue background bumper music and have it auto fade and cross fade between singers. That is a huge loss to me, but dealing with that for now is easier than re-ripping my library to mp3g files I suppose.

Looking forward to pushing it harder Th and Fr. Unless you hear complaints from me, assume that all is well.

THANKS.

this is just me, i don't let someone give me a song slips without any songs written down, if they do i put it at the bottom of the list, until they figure out what song they wanted to sing..do what a lot of us do , run a mock-up show on your free time , play a song and import a disc as a singers disc, that's the only way if your cd/dvd drives is working and if importing a disc while playing a song will give you problems..

[Harryoke]

Thanks guys!

As to the slip issue...many of my singers dont use slips. Yes it can be annoying, but, it is my job to keep things moving. I found that the more rules you impose on people, the more they resent it...so I do appreciate the ones who fill out slips then stick to the program, BUT, the reality is, I work in an alcohol fueled environment where common sense, ability and the skills of reading and writing dont always work. Rather than get frustrated and buck it, I go with the flow. This works better for me, and the singers seem to appreciate it. After doing it for 10 years this way, they keep coming back, LOL.

There is always that singer that changes the song when they come up. I would rather have a rotation full of singers who told me what they were singing when they came up than have people change it after I took the time to queue it up. Would rather work hard once than to do it twice, LOL. Yes, there are those that would penalize a singer for doing that, but by not doing it, and busting my butt to get the singers changed out, I feel as though I have earned loyalty from my following, and carved a little customer service niche out that other shows arent offering.

Discs or hoster, I can find a song and queue it in a 10th of the time that the customer can, LOL. I found in the time it took for me to explain procedure, argue or penalize a singer, I could have just fixed the song and got them singing faster. That is the route I take for now.

Thanks again guys!

[psinkiws]

The two additional desktop image handling features that Vista added are: (1) Maintain Aspect Ratio so that the full picture will take up as much of the screen as possible without being distorted (extra space on either vertical or horizontal borders is black); Crop To Fit which eliminates all black borders but instead crops the centered pictures edges so as to take up the whole screen.