Downloadable Karaoke Songs

[Skybird74]

Originally Posted by kod

Dale,

Skybird, I still can't get the e-mail link to work. I keep getting (You have turned off private messages. You may not send private messages until you turn them on by editing your options). I can't figure out how to edit my options and turn it on to be able to use the e-mail system.

KOD

I checked and private messages is not turned off. Just click on "Skybird" in my post & you will see a list - one says Send a private e-mail. It's still working as far as I can tell. Maybe you need to turn something "on" at your end in order for it to work for you

[SteveWalker]

I have a few .zip files (each contain .mp3 & .cdg file) albums. Does Hoster import these .zip files? How does it detect which CD+G manufacturer to assign the DiskID? Or, how is this done manually?

[Roy Dennis]

Yes it does import zip files, look in the manual under import hard drive files.

Roy.

[SteveWalker]

Originally Posted by Roy Dennis

Yes it does import zip files, look in the manual under import hard drive files.

Roy.

Please address each of the following 3 questions:

1. When importing, how do you assign the DiskID to each zip file in the folder? Do I manually assign the DiskID or does Hoster automatically detect this?

2. When importing, are the two files in the .zip extracted, then renamed to the Hoster file extenstion? Or, is the .mp3 and .cdg extentions remain the same?

3. Does Hoster ID3 tag the .mp3 files?

Thanks,
Steve

[Roy Dennis]

Originally Posted by SteveWalker

Please address each of the following 3 questions:

1. When importing, how do you assign the DiskID to each zip file in the folder? Do I manually assign the DiskID or does Hoster automatically detect this?

If the disc id is in the file name it will assign it for you but you have to set up the define feild order correct. If the disc Id is not in the file name then you have to enter it yourself.

2.

Originally Posted by SteveWalker

When importing, are the two files in the .zip extracted, then renamed to the Hoster file extenstion? Or, is the .mp3 and .cdg extentions remain the same? .?

They remain the same.

3.

Originally Posted by SteveWalker

Does Hoster ID3 tag the .mp3 files?.?

Hoster writes a small header file to the same directory as the origanal zip with a .kmh extension.

Best to just try it, if you do it wrong delete the .kmh file and try again.

Roy.

Thanks,
Steve[/quote]

[ddouglass]

Originally Posted by SteveWalker

2. When importing, are the two files in the .zip extracted, then renamed to the Hoster file extenstion? Or, is the .mp3 and .cdg extentions remain the same?

3. Does Hoster ID3 tag the .mp3 files?

Thanks,
Steve

Steve,
The originial zip files stays exactly the same as it is. Hoster creates a 3rd file outside the zip that will have the same exact name as the other two with just the Header information needed by Hoster.
Hoster does not create the ID3 tag for mp3 files.

[Chad Slater]

You can also check out Karaoke-Version.com it is an excellent source of purchase to download.

[RandyMcCharles]

Karaoke-Version is good. They used to offer CDG format, but no longer. You can get audio only or .wmv with lyrics.

[SteveWalker]

Chad and Randy,

Thanks for your suggestions. I looked at the website and it appears to be extensive offering.

I have purchased a couple karaoke songs online to quickly satisfy special requests for private parties. However, I prefer to buy cd+g disks because they provide physical proof that I own and purchased the mp3+g files on my laptop. It's hard to prove ownership of mp3+g files that you download from the internet, isn't it? Showing your receipts that can easily be self-generated is not good proof of purchase.

I understand that most of the KJ's out there are purchasing hard drives full of thousands of mp3+g files for cheap but these are illegal pirated files. These so called KJ's would pay a huge fine beyond belief if they are proven guilty of this crime. So I stay away from downloading karaoke files.

Thanks,
Steve

[RandyMcCharles]

I also prefer to have physical CDGs. However, the industry looks to be moving toward downloads in order to complete. The cost of manufacturing, warehousing, shipping, and retailing physical CDGs is not insubstantial, as the lower price of downloads demonstrates. As music stores shrink and consumers move to iTunes, so the karaoke industry will follow. I think it is only a matter of time (decades) before we have iKaraoke. The move by KJs from CDG players to HD only speeds this transition as the tracks can come from either source. All that is missing is for the industry to agree on a iTunes-like protection system. I have to think KIAA at least is discussing this. They will then say that only iKaraoke enabled HD systems are legal. Getting an industry to agree on a format and who profits how much from it can take a long time, however.

[ddouglass]

The biggest problem I have with downloads is the format. MP3 is a compression format that tends to lose a lot of the depth and sound quality thay you get from a CD copy. That goes for any music in this format. I would hope someone could come up with a compression format that does not have all that loss befor ethey go completely to downloads.

[RandyMcCharles]

I know little about MP3 data loss.
I would assume that iTunes is using a format that provides comparable quality to CD. Karaoke downloads 'should' follow suit. I assume they will once downloading becomes more popular and competition increases. I think right now the quality of the instrumentation and background vocals is a differentiator among download sites that is obscuring the need for better sound quality.

[SteveWalker]

I sure you are right that the quality of the audio on a CD is as good as it gets but many KJ's have been using Hoster for years and seem to get by just fine.

As for the issue of downloading files, there may be some industry standard on the way to rescue this situation but I seriously doubt it will happen. The reality of today is that there are no standards and when you download the files, you cannot prove where they came from. The files could have easily come from your friends CD or hard drive and you have no real way to prove that you paid for the files to make it legal.

Does anyone here know how to adequately document that you paid for the downloaded karaoke files? The same thing is true for DJ's who may download music files and therefore don't have the CD's to prove ownership. Please offer an honest answer to my question.

[billyo]

i've been downloading songs from itunes for a # of years, ( 6.079 tunes to date ) and everytime i download i can go to my acct. and print the songs i downloaded on that date,or any other dates and i also have my original disc stored and sitting in my garage ,now i'm not sure if that is good enough proof to show that my songs are legal.

[Skybird74]

Originally Posted by SteveWalker

Does anyone here know how to adequately document that you paid for the downloaded karaoke files? The same thing is true for DJ's who may download music files and therefore don't have the CD's to prove ownership. Please offer an honest answer to my question.

Simple - only download songs that you purchase with a credit card & thus you have a paid receipt.

[RandyMcCharles]

iTunes has come a long way in making all the stakeholders reasonably happy, which is why I think that is the way karaoke downloads must move. As mentioned, the whole issue is currently in chaos. The only thing preventing it from following iTunes is that the market is so much smaller. It costs the manufacturers money to discuss, agree, and implement any kind of standardization and associated policy and they just can't afford it. Since much of the work has been done for iTunes I think they will just adopt it. Eventually. In the mean time it is buyer beware. That said, an industry in chaos is probably a good defense in court.

[ddouglass]

Originally Posted by Skybird74

Simple - only download songs that you purchase with a credit card & thus you have a paid receipt.

Even that does not make what you download legal.

[Skybird74]

Originally Posted by ddouglass

Even that does not make what you download legal.

Maybe so (since these companies are outside the U.S.), but at least there is proof by way of a paid receipt that that these songs were "purchased" and not just downloaded from a "share" site, which is the question I was answering.

[RandyMcCharles]

Canada has just created a new copyright protection bill that is now pending approval. It defines paid downloads as legal and unpaid (shared) files as illegal. It also defines media transfers (eg CDG to HD) as legal. The current law is hazy. The new one is not. To my knowledge it contains no discussion on 'proof of payment'; that will be up to the courts. The download sites appear to be keeping very good records of what you paid for and downloaded, so I suspect that will be 100% required to prove you bought a specific track. I assume they also need these records to verify they are paying appropriate license fees. If that vendor goes out of business, however, your proof may get iffy.

[ddouglass]

To bad the US can't get their act together and come up with the same kind of law. It would sure uncomplicate things.
Start writing to your Congressmen and Senators people and maybe we can convince them it is needed.