Karaoke Forums

Hey guys, it looks like Sounds Choice and Stellar are about to give problems to us KJ's that use hard drive based systems. What do you guys think? Do we really have to go back to the horribly cumbersome CD system? Hell, I have paid thousands and thousands for my collection, and have purchased duplicates for each of my hard drives. Why is this industry so backwards? THoughts?

See this link for the press releases:
http://www.karaokestar.com/lapharkarsys.html

hmmmm is this a spammer?

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"Be who you are and say what you feel... Because those that matter... Don't mind...And those that mind... Don't matter."

It's kinda like fishin'... the worm is dangling....

What makes you think that I'm a spammer?  I'm just a guy who uses a laptop with CompuHost who doesn't want to go back to using CD's.  Is anyone else worried about this issue?  Are their threats something to worry about?  Maybe someone knows an attorney who focuses on these issues?

Actually I got the same kind of email from Karaokestardotcom today :

KaraokeStar.com  
 January 01, 2007  

 Dear KaraokeStar.com Customers who KJ Professionally in the USA

In the past few days there has been some information circulating in the Phoenix Arizona marketplace that will eventually impact karaoke KJ’s all over the United States (please see link to attachments near end of this letter).

We have contacted the manufacturers represented in the letters and have validated that the letters are authentic. It appears that 2007 will be a pivotal year in the karaoke market. We feel we owe it to our KJ customers to present this information so you can react quickly to the marketing opportunity this could present your business.

After reading the attached information it is our opinion that KJ’s who operate their shows using actual original CDG’s may have a competitive advantage in the marketplace. Over time, club owners will be educated as to the liabilities they could face contracting KJ’s using copies of discs, or CDG libraries that are loaded on hard drive/computer systems. As a result, we suspect that over time club owners may purposely seek out KJ’s who use original CDG’s in their shows as they will not want to face potential action from the music publishers and karaoke manufacturers.

As former karaoke hosts ourselves, we can appreciate why KJ’s find computer/hard drive systems so attractive. We cannot deny the convenience and practical application. However, we’ve NEVER felt that all issues were completely addressed in regards to the music publishers/authors and as a result we've never been comfortable recommending uploading CDG’s onto a hard drive. For the record, KaraokeStar.com has NEVER sold hard drive or computer karaoke systems and has tried our best to alert our customers to our concerns about the usage of these systems for years. In addition, there are still some issues in our opinion surrounding the usage of high capacity discs in a commercial environment. Until those questions can be answered, we only feel comfortable recommending original CDG’s.

KaraokeStar.com is here to help advise you on the quickest and most economical way to build a CDG library and corresponding songbook. We welcome your phone calls and will keep your information completely confidential. We are NOT the Karaoke Police

LINK TO ATTACHMENTS
Please help other KJ’s by forwarding this email to anyone else you know in the business who might find this information helpful. Please keep in mind we are not legal experts and can only restate what is already stated in the attached letters. If you have specific legal questions, we recommend you contact your lawyer.

Sincerely, KaraokeStar.com



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email: karokestr@aol.com
web: http://www.karaokestar.com

Dont know really whats going on but it is a real email

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Kelley
Star Sounds Karaoke & Mobile Recording Studio


[shadow=black][scroll]You have to respect your audience. Without them, you're essentially standing alone, singing to yourself....KD Lang[/scroll][/shadow]

well, I'm NOT threatened!

Sounds like scare tactics to me.

Okay they want me to buy their CDGS becuase I use a hard drive? I already have.

Just because you are pc based doesn't mean you don't buy CDGs.

They may do what Napster did. Pick out a few KJs to pick on to make an example, but I don't believe they can police the entire country.

Scare tactics.

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[shadow=pink][glow=deepskyblue]. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
[updown]~*~ MONKEY BUSINESS KARAOKE~*~ [/shadow][/updown][/glow]

I use my car for work.  I wish I could make a copy for next to nothing and use it and put the original in storage. Then when the copy is bad, make another copy for next to nothing and use it.  After all by using a copy of my perfectly legally bought car, I'm not causing any loss to the manufacturer since I bought the original.

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You can be strange but not a stranger

You could make a copy of your car, but it would cost you 20 times what you paid for it, not counting the man hours, and that's if you have the skills to and tools to do it.....better off to buy one just like it........

Hi Timber  :wave:

You make some sense there, but there is a hole in your statement. Sound Choice for instance will replace a disc if worn out, broken, scratched etc... for a fourth the price. I don't think you can get that kind of deal with a car.  LMAO

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[shadow=pink][glow=deepskyblue]. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
[updown]~*~ MONKEY BUSINESS KARAOKE~*~ [/shadow][/updown][/glow]

Yes you can.....it's called insurance.......

Silly Johnny - insurance companies don't replace cars just because they are worn out and Sond Choice doesn't have ins. premiums.  LMAO

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[shadow=pink][glow=deepskyblue]. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
[updown]~*~ MONKEY BUSINESS KARAOKE~*~ [/shadow][/updown][/glow]

If you wear them out against a street light pole........soundchoice has had to retire to many cds, so it's an idle promise.....to hard to argue this topic, people argue one way, and then 6 months later, they're doing exacltly what they said was wrong...hypocrisy is more prevalent than democracy in this country.........

You're are correct on the fact if the CDG is discontinued you can't get it replaced. They don't replace custom discs either.

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[shadow=pink][glow=deepskyblue]. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
[updown]~*~ MONKEY BUSINESS KARAOKE~*~ [/shadow][/updown][/glow]

But anything Sound Choice has discontinued cannot be replaced & there are quite a few discs that aren't available anymore so the replacement policy goes out the window.

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LIKE Lonman on Facebook - Lonman Productions Karaoke & my main site via my profile!

The question I guess is are you worried about being pc based?
I still think it is a scare tactic and as long as I have CDGs to back up what is on my hard drive I am not going to worry.

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[shadow=pink][glow=deepskyblue]. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
[updown]~*~ MONKEY BUSINESS KARAOKE~*~ [/shadow][/updown][/glow]

Well don't know if i'm worried about it.  If clubs start really getting nailed, I might reconsider, but I just ordered my computer last week.  Only difference is with me is the discs will still remain on the premises of the show for on the spot proof of what is in the computer, can be visually verified with the original on the spot.

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LIKE Lonman on Facebook - Lonman Productions Karaoke & my main site via my profile!

Well, when I said I wasn't threatened, I still mean that. BUT I have now officially retired.

This is my statement from my website:

Knightshow Entertainment Has CLOSED it's doors!

Due to recent events surrounding Karaoke Manufacturers and their actions in trying to stop the spread of Piracy, I am hereby retiring from karaoke entertainment, and selling off my investment! I do this with a heavy heart.

The enforcement of their trademarks and even going against those of us that have converted our purchased material to computer hard drive storage (what is known of as FORMAT SHIFTING by some), has made up my mind to exit this business.

Granted, what I did was NEVER allowed by law... this has been explained to me over the years that the FAIR USE ACT of 1982 was for home use... not commercial, such as my business is classified as.

Still, I felt using the common sense application of the very same beliefs allowed me to convert my purchased discs to computer format, thereby ensuring the long life of the material... many of the discs I had were rare and no longer in production. Many had their licensing rights denied or revoked, so the material couldn't be purchased anymore. In my mind, I was protecting my investment from eventual decay, and ensuring that my customers could enjoy my purchased material for a very long time.

I was wrong.

I always stated in many conversations that if I was ever ordered by the court to cease and deceist my operation of my company because I was in violation of the law, I would do so gladly. Well, the below information is exactly why I am doing this.

I would like to take the time to thank the karaoke industry and my wonderful friends and customers for all their support over the years. After 12 years, it's now time to retire since I am the enemy, and refuse to have my business dictated to me by those I buy my material from. My belief is that they NEVER had the right to tell me how to play my material. Their stance is it never was mine... I just bought the disc, not the rights to do with as I please. Since they are now enforcing this with threats of fines and jailtime, there really is no other decision for me to make, based on my principles!

Thank you everyone! And God Bless!

Matt

My sense is that they, (Soundchoice and others) may have waited to late.  Technology has surpassed them.  It will probably take a court case to resolve this issue.  And it will fall into the hands of a jury.  IF, you were on the jury, and a KJ was being prosecuted for using their discs, in digital format, yet had, and owned all of the original music, how would you find.  Not to mention, all the discs I have that Soundchoice couldn't replace them if they wanted to.

I also have trouble seeing how Soundchoice can gain anything by putting out of business, all the KJ's who are presently buying their product.  I personally have paid more than $15,000 in the last 6 years for my music.  And I'm just 1 KJ.  Yea, I'd want me to go out of business too. (sarcastically stated)

Kelly

I went to your website to see the rest of story, Matt. What you have on your page being from Soundchice, a company I'm more familiar with, does go a long way to say that the end of format shifting for business use is here.

It will be enlightening to see how this all unfolds but since those companies feal that they are in a pinch and have the money to make the bar owners and KJs hurt, it seems unlikely that anyone will stand against them.