Karaoke Forums

OK, I'll try this tread again, cause after the last one I browsed thru, 75% was useless snipe!

From the Survey I saw most people who responded to the survey used MTU for hosting.  

So this is what I would like to know:
1. If you are using hosting software as a PROFESSIONAL, what is it, what FEATURES (beside the obvious - all disks on PC) do you like about it, what FEATURES you don't like about it/wish it had, and the quality of support you get from the vendor.

2. If you are moving to PC, please share your thoughts on what software you will select, reasons behind selection, and any other research you have done.

Thanks....

I have heard good and bad about support from all the major program developers and have had nothing but good support from all the ones I have chosen to pay for.
I have also seen that issues have arised from the same programs that I never ran into in my experience with those programs.
Feature wise I finally chose RoxBox for the simple fact that in my opinion they came with the most features built in or available in an additional program that I did not have to download separately from each other other than their ripper.  Packaged in the main download was winamp and all the necessary plugins to run a show with, the front end to control winamp and pacemaker, a Songlist program to print books with using the database that you use to access your songs and a converter for SuperCDG's so that If I wanted to I could buy a SuperCDG at anytime and be able to convert it for use with Roxbox and winamp. The biggest reason I like the MP3+G Zipped format is that most of the program out there work with that format and should there come a day that a better program than RoxBox comes out, I don't have to worry about whether or not my files will work with the new program.

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The Line Array Experiment is over. Nothing to see here. Move along.

I prefer MTU Hoster myself, it utilizes the wma platform for it's conversion method which in my opinion sounds cleaner & fuller than a standard mp3 based format ripped at the same rate.  It is also self contained where it will rip within it's own program to 1 file as oppsed to the other programs needing a separate ripping program that also rips to 2 separate files that either need to be zipped or contained in the same folder.
As for compatability with other programs, that is not an issue for me, I have no need nor plans to use the ripped file anywhere other than my show computer only, so needing it to play on other programs is moot for me - if i'm happy with the program i'm using currently.  But it will also play the mp3 & zipped files as well if you already have them.
Other than that, I think most of the programs out there are fairly similar feature wise - you just need to determine what YOU need for your show.

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

The basic function of Karaoke hosting software is to associate the singer's name with the music file and play that file on quickly on demand in order.  Everything else is basically fluff.  Automatic rotation sorting, singer recording, multiple music formats, book printing, rotation displays, singer history, kiosks, graphics, avatars, really aren't absolutely necessary but they are nice to have.  Go shopping!  Start with the freeware.  Find the feature lists and compare.  If you need to contact the vendors, you probably have the wrong software because this stuff is not supposed to be hard to use.

The biggest reason I don't care for Hoster is the way you have to do rotation. MTU's admin has locked any post requesting an easier way of doing rotation, including the method of being able to move singers by drag and drop which most other hosting program except for tricerasoft products have in their programs within the que.  While I don't use the program, I happen to like the Autorotation feature built into AutoKDJ. PaceMaker is the reason I don't use AUtoKDJ for my program and the fact  that I have to change the format my songs are named in for it to work in their database. Otherwise I could add my songstation with autokdj and all I have to do at a show is call the people up and allow the autorotation deal with setting up who sings when. The biggest thing is that this program is freeware. So it is also a matter of pride  that keeps me from sing this program as I would have to admit that I wasted buying Sax & dotty's, RoxBox, Hoster, MImic Audition, Swift Ultralite and Breeze when I could have gotten almost everything I wanted or needed for free save the cost of songs and the equipment to play from. Kinda makes me look as if i don't know how to think business like when it come to fiscally choosing the method for the best profit.  Oh well never was good at making good decisions whe it come to the business end which is why I now have someone dealing with the business end of the business so I can deal with the actual day to day show end of it.

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The Line Array Experiment is over. Nothing to see here. Move along.

Could it be because of developers such as your self trying to promote their own product  in a forum that MTU foots the bill for?

I use MTU's hoster, Because it fills all my needs, If bugs are found, they release them promptly, and free. They have also been real good at adding features that users ask for in the forum.

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I'm Not Dead yet...... But every day Im getting Closer !

Guess I don't understand you here, you can move the songs up or down once they are in the playlist?

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

from what I remember Hoster used to have the ability to move the songs if a singer couldn't sing when originally called (Bathroom, out smoking). Not anymore as they got an idea that it wasn't needed.
their present way of doing it forces a sing one bring one and once the que is set you can't give priority for new singers except by clicking skip on all the other singers in front of their songs. Tricerrisoft's software while it offers a way to fix it using a diffcult method in doing it (highlight the song and click an up button until the song is where you want it).
 All others offer this. RoxBox even offers choice in where the song being added will drop in the enter song box. As far as I know no other software does that and it helps me with my new singer placement rule. But if The singer is there but is in the restroom, I can move their song down in the que just by clicking on it and dragging it down a singer.

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The Line Array Experiment is over. Nothing to see here. Move along.

Ok - Let me pick ya brains some more  

Been looking at the following software packages.  Can someone tell me if my list is complete so I can create some sort of features cross-reference?

Karaoke-Go-Round
MTU's Hoster
Sax & Dotty
Compuhost
PCDJ
Swift Elite
RoxBox

I have the latest version & you can drag the song up or down if needed.  No clicking on skip anything.  If it needs to be moved, you grab it & move it.

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

Agree. I just tested mine and it works just fine.

Autokdj is also a good program. it is freeware and unlike Sax & dotty & RoxBox, it marries itself into winamp while the other two are frontends that open their own interface separate from winamp itself.
all your work is done from the media library.  It also allows you if networked to another computer to go beyond what Karaoke Song Finder does. It pretty much works a lot like Karaoke go-round in that your singers go to the other computer to first enter their name, look through the songlist and click on the song. Once that is clicked the song automatically gets dropped into the que saving the KJ time for interacting with singers, showing them how to use the system, setting up the dj songs if they do filler music etc.  If they do the kiosk thing then they can just put the media library on playlist mode.  The only limit I have seen is that there is no place in the kiosk for indicating key change. although the more i talk and think about it the more I want to change over to autokdj as it has the easiest way of adding more than one song for each singer without effecting the rotation as it has autorotation built in. gives you info such as how long before the singer can expect to sing. stuff like that.

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The Line Array Experiment is over. Nothing to see here. Move along.

Danny -

What you are saying about Hoster is not current. You can drag and drop as you please. In fact you have been able to do that for the past couple of years. Maybe you are confusing it with another program.

As for Admin locking thread...normally this is done when the conversation is going nowhere and he has clearly stated that they have no intention for going in that direction....many times due to the cost vs benefit does not make sense. You can argue with them until you are blue in the face but they have a business to run and if the benefit does not outweigh the cost involved to make the change...it will never happen.  They have a mission statement that they adhere to and if it does not filter through it, it will never fly. I respect them for this.

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FlipSide Karaoke
Scott

must be the latest release as my copy of hoster LIte will not allow moving the songs in the que.

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The Line Array Experiment is over. Nothing to see here. Move along.

Cant attest to hoster lite as I do not have that version. It is my understanding that they work alike except not as many features.

Try downloading the latest version...should be a free upgrade.

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FlipSide Karaoke
Scott

You forgot good 'ol Sacks-O-Nuts ShowHoster which is now free to try for as long as you care to try it www.freewebs.com/sacksonuts

I just upgraded my main computer's drive but to get the full sizing I had to start over from scratch. Due to it's rotation features, I think I'm going to use Autokdj instead of Roxbox. May not even bother getting KJamp when it comes out as I was a little disenchanted with Frank giving advice after a poster admitted to buying one of those hard drives with 100,000 songs already on them. The same poster was trying to get a free templete for their song requests. Wonder if the guy actually paid for his copy of roxbox as well since I have seen on craigs list pirated copies of roxbox with a hard drive full of songs.

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The Line Array Experiment is over. Nothing to see here. Move along.

Sack O Nuts is another hosting program.  I have never used it in a professional environemnt, but it doies work for what it is ment to do, without all "fluff" as WEED called it.

Actually, Sacks-O-Nuts has a lot of that fluff, that's how I know it's fluff.

while not a "hoster" type program, the ability to play zipped and non zipped karaoke files, and many other kinds, along with preview windows, and a terrific video sequencing option is http://www.clubdjpro.com

They have a dj program, a lite dj/kj mobile program, and the full blown package.