Karaoke Forums

I did a check and just as I thought Sound Choice is a registered Trademark in Canada and chances are they are registered in most other countries but you guys can check that on your own.

_________________
You can be strange but not a stranger

This is still not a trademark or copyright thread.

-Chris

_________________
-Chris

I just answered a question. The mods have the right to split it off. I'd rather answer a question than to leave it hanging.

_________________
You can be strange but not a stranger

It's no big deal if Sound Choice is a registered Trademark in Canada. SC still has to abide by the trademark laws of Canada not the U.S. which are different I would think. Just like SC could be a registered Trademark in other countries who are trading partners of ours. The other countries follow PR licensing which the U.S. and Canada have opted out of. That is why foreign imports of karaoke material are not licensed in the U.S. and Canada for commercial use. It is very interesting how all other countries can come to agreement on trademark licensing except Canada and the U.S. That PR is good enough for everyone else but not here. That is why it is so difficult to get an international consensus on anything since the U.S. always wants to be an exception to the rule. That is why we have no international agreement on global warming, the U.S. opted out of the treaty and the restrictions that came with it.

No, I meant it as it was written... I am certain that if you own Sound Choice original discs, you do not have to pay for any fees or audits. If they choose to want to audit you, or take action on you, that's going to be on their dime.

With the Gem series, yes, there are recurring fees, as that is stated in the contract and understood up front. But KJ's (like the OP I am gathering) who have been doing this for years probably have no need for the GEM if they have been 100 percent legit and own hundreds of SC discs.

I have been hosting for 3 years. I have a GEM, a Stellar CAP, and obtained a CB cert before they folded. I have also done the SC audit. I have over 1000 SC discs.

....and this still isn't an audit/trademark/copyright thread.

and speaking of OP's....

_________________
-Chris

Lone Ranger, are you really that dense or do you play one on TV? Why would a country have a Trademark or any other act and not have remedies in it for violators? Sometimes you really amaze me.

The nice thing about Canada is that Criminal, Drug, Copyright, Trademark, and various other acts are all under federal jurisdiction. None of this 50 different definitions of murders or other crimes and different punishments for them, depending on which state you are in.

_________________
You can be strange but not a stranger

Some people just don't get it do they Chris!

_________________
I like everyone when I first meet them. If you don't like me that's not my problem it's YOURS!
A stranger is a friend you haven't met yet

That is not what I was driving at tim, just because SC is a registered trademark in Canada, it doesn't mean that U.S. trademark law will attach, it would fall under Canadian trademark law right. Just like if other countries had registered SC trademark it would fall under the countries respective trademark law and in the case the country has signed on to PR it would fall under it's guidelines, not U.S. trademark law. That is all I was saying. Oh by the way I thought we were supposed to stay on topic?

Mods - Can we move the copyright/trademark fork to another thread please?

-Chris

_________________
-Chris

No Lone Ranger, you made it sound like SC couldn't sue in Canada or get money out of violators, and that hosts here were safe. Why they haven't started in Canada, I don't know. Ask Kurt. See that's the problem with half-truths, conjecture, making statements without backing it up, etc.

_________________
You can be strange but not a stranger

The reason they haven't attempted to use their legal process in Canada makes little difference as far as you are concerned. The fact remains the only country they are using the legal process is the U.S.A. That doesn't effect you one bit since you are in Canada. You are on the outside looking in like I will be doing in a couple of months, nothing that SC does is going to effect either one of us. Yet you seem to think is so important to comply with SC. See that's the problem with having positions on matters that really don't effect you. I have set up things on purpose where SC could not have an effect on me and my business. In your case you have to do nothing and there will be no problem to you at all, if they maintain their hands off policy to other countries, where the trademark might be registered. In all fairness after I retire I guess the right thing to do would not be to comment on any of SC's actions since they no longer will be any concern of mine personally or professionally.

You are complying with SC policy as well. Sound Choice asks us to us it as intended, or get a waiver to media shift, or don't use it at all. You ARE complying with that policy (unless you are secretly pirating).

-Chris

_________________
-Chris

Okay folks. Bookmark this post.

-Chris

_________________
-Chris

you have ALVA, that gives them right to copy to a hard drive. a government agency gives the permission so SC can't go after you for it.

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

lmfaoapmp!!!!!

I don't believe that that is completely accurate. Several Canadians (on this site) have mentioned something about (I think they said) ALVA not covering the Sync Rights (which would be the graphics/word-swipes that appear on your screens/monitors along with the music).

"you have ALVA, that gives them right to copy to a hard drive. a government agency gives the permission so SC can't go after you for it."

Only if you use an audio disc. AVLA does not cover CDGs due to the sync rights. CDs are fine as long as you pay a YEARLY fee. As a matter of fact any host here media shifting their CDGs without permission (paid or otherwise) are in violation of both Copyright and Trademark. As a matter of fact the manufacturers would probably have an easier time here.

_________________
You can be strange but not a stranger

ok, what part of the "audio video licensing agency" does not cover the video?
by it's name it would seem to cover it, but it doesn't cover video?

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

Why would I be pirating something I'm not using? That would be like stealing a car and not using it, what would be the purpose? Maybe complying with SC policy, not in a way that they will reach their goal however. The ultimate goal of SC in all of this legal process is to drive sales. If they have not increased their sales then the whole legal process is a failure. Sales need to be increased to a level where the increased revenue exceeds the cost of the legal process, if this doesn't happen it is a money loser not maker. That is why the legal process drives sales model is a failure, there are today more illegal hosts and venues that hire them than when the legal process started. PR has compounded the failure because they are now trying to imitate a failed business model. The legal process was born out of desperation on the part of SC and it is quite evident they are becoming more desperate every day this drags on and it is losing money not making it. If boycotting the SC product is complying it is doing it in such a way that it will not benefit SC financially, so they have failed in selling, the primary reason for the legal process in the first place. It has never been about crushing the pirates but rather making them their new customer base since the old base has product. The old base will not be buying product since SC has failed obtain licensing to make any new product. They are currently doomed to rehashing their old product. Makes you wonder how long they can do that, before the label falls into the freeware zone like CB is drifting into? I guess tim is complying to but really he is not required to since he is currently not facing the legal process in Canada.