Karaoke Forums

... Don't get on here as often as I used too but was just curious. Are these legal now?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Huge-Karaoke-Co ... Sw5cNYgssz

Nope! Why would that have ever changed?

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...Well, #1) I used to get on here, up until a little over a year ago, at least once a week or more. #2) I've always enjoyed participating in and reading posts throughout these past several years. #3) Although I've never met any members from here, in person, I've always liked the interactions. #4) Years ago, I used to spend hours, searching the internet and calling certain agencies, about what was and or not legal (according to U.S. Laws) when it pertains to digital files (ripped cd/cdgs or downloads from licensed sellers) for commercial use. #5) I've done my best to "CYA" by talking with Karaoke Producers and taking any audits that were offered. #6) The laws change, from time to time, and to be honest, I just haven't kept up these last several months. Plus, SC/PEP, has allowed HD owners to get covered (vs. CDG to HD audits and GEM Series Lessee) #7) This past year I only ran around 10 shows (private parties and weddings), had to turn down 20 plus due to personal issues. Just have a problem with putting on a Fake Smile & Personality with all that's happened in the last year. #8) I've been around the KJ and DJ business since 1985, 20 plus years active. In 2008 I began building a system and aggressively adding to my music library. I did not build a music library, as an investment, but figured it would have some value if I ever sold out in the future. Which I might do in the near future.

... Sorry for the long response. Definitely could have been shorter! Just trying to decide if I want to stay or go. If I go, I'm gonna try to sell all as a turn key operation at a very good price.

Definitely not legal. I will get it taken down when I get to the office tomorrow.

I was bored... I decided to ask the seller a question:

Now if you were smart, you would make a lower offer (since he has a MAKE AN OFFER option in this auction) to the Seller and buy the HD from him. Then you could take him to court for the sale of an illegally loaded HD. You could also sue him further for any other illegally loaded HDs that he may have sold. That would be the way to start nipping this in the bud. Don't cut the branches off of the tree (all those KJs who are buying illegally loaded HDs). Cut the tree down from its trunk so it can't grow anymore.

My immediate response was going to be, well no of course not. But that should, I guess, be a qualified "no". Unless the HELP license from PEP changed quite recently, a HELP licensee would actually be entitled to use the Sound Choice portions of that drive (but no other portions).

Still entirely illegal for the seller to sell it, but a buyer who'd obtained a copy wouldn't be illegally using the Sound Choice tracks if they bought the HELP license first. Notice how the seller emphasized all tracks were at a minimum bit rate of 192? That's a selling point for a buyer who wants to comply with the HELP requirements. And this is a strange turn no legal host could find comforting.

My guess would also be the seller is lying through his teeth about having all the KV, Zoom, and Sunfly tracks right up through January 2017! That's a little too much to be believed!

! Great job Cue! I was tempted but figured there'd be no answer. You really baited him in with the disc question, and oh what a hilarious response!

Only trouble is a lot of people are confused about what the PRO licenses are for, so that line of BS the seller stated might just score a sale with an honest but naive buyer

That's a con game! Let that be added to the charges for bootlegging!

Feeling evil I just asked the seller my own question:

"Does it have "My Shot" from Hamilton?"

KV just released that yesterday.

He immediately answered:

"Yes sure does -scottieboi937"

Maybe we should deluge him with song requests, carefully picking songs we know no one ever made

I baited him a bit further....


Me:



Him:

I can't wait for Mr. Harrington to step in and put an end to this.

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Electro-Voice Evolve 50... Taking Sound To The Next Level.

Hmmm

We do that periodically. In fact, we've done it many times. I'm actually preparing a suit right now against a guy who did this.

We can take a pirate like this to court--if we can find him--and get an injunction. We might even get a nice fat judgment against him. The problem is that collecting on that judgment is usually next to impossible, because the reality is that almost nobody who does this has any assets to speak of. So we have to pay thousands of dollars to investigate, bring a lawsuit, serve the defendant, prosecute the suit, perhaps try the case (although probably not, since liability is clear), supply a bond for the injunction, and THEN we might have an injunction and a judgment against a guy who rents an apartment, leases his car, and makes money by selling the occasional $60 hard drive for $200-$500--oh, and by the way, we've just cut off his ability to make that money in the first place.

So...we pick our battles. I don't have a million-dollar budget to go after these guys, so we do the best we can to throw up roadblocks.

Well a quick search of ebay turns up many more sellers of these hard drives. Some even brag
and have pictures of Chartbuster and Sound Choice on the monitor. I have reported some of these
in the past to ebay and they would take them down. But none of the eight or nine I reported last month was removed. Who needs craigslist when you can sell your illegal hard drives on ebay with a wider audience. It is not just Karaoke either music tracks, music videos and normally includes software programs as well.

So if this type of pirate has no assets to speak of Jim, what kind of assets do you think a lone karaoke host is going to have? By your own admission you pay thousands of dollars to investigate (which by the way I doubt), bring a lawsuit etc.etc.etc. with no way to collect? This is a winning plan? No wonder you have been losing ground the last seven years! You are on a quest for deep pockets where none exist. You pick your battles really, I'm just glad you aren't running a real company.

I think it's time to wake up and smell the coffee, you don't have to worry about the pirates on ebay selling out in the open. What about the underground home user abusers that you know you can't to a thing about? They are selling to each other loaded hard drives, no to mention they give them to friends and relations, as gifts for birthdays and at Christmas time, hell they might start using them for door jams soon. I have had patrons that have offered me free loaded hard drives with 100's of thousands of audio and karaoke tracks. You are trying to scoop up the beach with a tiny shovel and pail.

P.S. Personally I have only met one KJ host that SC tried to sue in the Inland Empire, "Out Law Karaoke", when you found out he didn't have a dime you dropped the suit, your statement above shows me you haven't changed your methods. Oh by the way he tried to get a gig from me while I was still in the business, he didn't, he is still playing today up in Banning, probably with the same old illegal hard drive.

I'm sure that, like many of us, Mr. Harrington would like to put an end to piracy. It not only hurts our industry but has caused SC, as well as other karaoke producers, to go out of business. On the other hand, I can understand that it makes no sense to invest time and money on lawsuits where there will be no financial gain. Meaning: Why would you put yourself at risk of losing thousands of dollars when you will end up with nothing in return. Maybe at the very least the pirate will get a judgement, but judgements don't pay the bills.

I really don't know what the answer is and how to stop piracy. I just wish there was a way.

My only suggestion to Mr. Harrington would be to target venues who hire pirates. Get those letters of warning out, make those phone calls and let us help.

You don't have to personally visit every establishment. Most of us know who and where the pirates are in are areas. We can tell you which venues to send letters to. And we can tell you if the venue complied or not.

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Electro-Voice Evolve 50... Taking Sound To The Next Level.

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Paradigm Karaoke, The New Standard.......Shift Happens

Do like Madonna: "I Have Thought An Awful Lot About Blowing Up The White House". Take out White House and insert your local pirate bar.

BTW This is a JOKE. I do not condone her actions or thoughts

Eloquently said.

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Electro-Voice Evolve 50... Taking Sound To The Next Level.

I couldn't have said it better