Karaoke Forums

I saw Jim Harrington posted somewhere else questions concerning the possibility of SC getting into the download business finally? I would hope he would post his questions on this forum as well. I have long written and believed that allowing the downloading of SC material off the computer would mean, this long karaoke legal battle is drawing to an end and that SC would be moving on and getting with modern times. That this would be a sign that SC would be trying to once again get back to their core business, and forsake a suits drives sales business model that is failing. The other sign I was looking for was
SC letting CAVS make a series of super CDG's for them like CB did. I'm sure if they do CAVS would want to make sure the licensing was up to date, unlike CB's product they put on their SCDG's. At least one of the signs looks like it might come to pass, and that Jim sent out this inquiry of his to test the waters.

If SC were to allow for downloads, I would encourage them to continue to pursue protecting their content and intellectual property in any way they deem necessary - including lawsuits in exactly the same fashion they do now if that is what they choose to do.

Allowing downloads will not eliminate piracy, nor does it prevent the abuse of intellectual property.

Kurt is obviously very passionate about protecting what he created and that likely will not change just because of a format change.

_________________
-Chris

SC content is already out there for the pirates to use. The damage is done. It would only be an issue with new stuff.

High quality downloads are already available at any torrent or IRC. You thought SC made a mess of enforcing disc compliance, wait until they get a crack at the digital product. Then again, how would they sue for "media shifting"?

If downloads are in the future product mix for SC, how would that effect the pricing of their GEM series and it's current value? It would be possible to buy what is needed and it would not be necessary to buy the whole GEM series. Wouldn't that depress the already rather soft price levels of the current product? Jim said the downloads would only be sold to working KJ's how would SC verify that over the internet?

Gem is already a value to a KJ that needs all those songs. I'll never say that GEM would not have it's place. But there is a huge hunk of the market that doesn't need it and they are meeting their needs elsewhere. Honestly, the download site really kind a miss out by not having a GEM type product maybe on a smaller scale and with room to choose 20% custom.

I think it is more obvious Chris that Jim and Kurt finally realize this suits drives sales business model of theirs is a huge failure. That the cost of recovery is too high and has damaged their image too much, to be worth it in the long run. Jim himself posted that all he is earning from these suits is the operating overhead of his law office. How long can Jim afford to have a client which he is working basically at cost for? Once downloads are allowed it will be harder to tell the legal from the illegal since their will no longer be discs to check. According to Jim only KJ's will be able to purchase downloads, how is he going to be able to verify that? None of the other downloads sites require KJ's only buy their product.

Earning enough to cover overhead and working at cost are not anything at all alike or related. Having one client that a lawyer could rely on to cover operating costs would be a good thing not a bad one. Then any other clients would be at a complete profit.

They changed the graphics for GEM so they could see the difference. They could potentially do the same again. And an audit for those would look at receipts, not discs.

Unless there has been some sort of buy-back, I'm fairly certain that SC only has rights to produce discs, and only for KJs. It is my understanding that Kurt sold all download and streaming rights regarding the SC library to Sting-Ray. Not a particularly brilliant business move, in my ever humble opinion.

That being the case, no downloads from SC.

Then again, Kurt's brother Derek is at Sting-Ray, so any sort of corporate shuffling is possible.

As a matter of fact it has always been my opinion that Kurt sold (moved) the library to SR in Canada - at least in part -to remove it from U.S. jurisdiction.

_________________
"No Contests, No Divas, Just A Good Time!"

" Disc based and loving it..."

I don't see much difference Mr. Boo, your overhead is your cost of doing business. If you are just recovering your office overhead that means the 400.00 an hour salary Jim is making isn't there. For a lawyer with many clients he seems to be spending a great deal of time on these forums pushing just one clients agenda. While they might audit receipts not discs, you still haven't explained how they are going to make sure only KJ's are buying the downloads.