There is at least one company that has decided to totally eliminate all Sound Choice tracks from their library. Totally wiping them off of their hard drives. Won't even play them off of a customer's disc. Do you think they'll last long?
All this to avoid being sued by Sound Choice. What are they gonna do next, get rid of all Steller Records products (Pop Hits Monthly) and Chartbuster when they decide to do the same thing?
No Sound Choice??
I have recently contemplated going to an all oldie show format if the Sound Choice thing continues.
There are other companies that are no longer in business. I have many different sets of discs I can use. IE Pioneer, DK, Back Stage.....
An all oldie show at every venue would limit the crowd size, maybe....
All oldie karaoke shows or nothing.....
Would that kill karaoke???
There are other companies that are no longer in business. I have many different sets of discs I can use. IE Pioneer, DK, Back Stage.....
An all oldie show at every venue would limit the crowd size, maybe....
All oldie karaoke shows or nothing.....
Would that kill karaoke???
Exactly how I feel about it. Had a hardware failure while updating my karaoke so I am now in the process of re-ripping my library. Am seriously considering instead of using my main setup to use my rental library and replace the songs missing from that library with the new forthcoming GEM series that Sound Choice is supposed to debut mid July. This series is totally different than what they have now and would be great for new computer karaoke hosts to have because of instead of being CD+G discs they are going to be MP3+G discs. No more having to format shift our discs and easier to prove you have a legal library as you are provided a license with your order. Someone comes in asking stupid questions, whom you might consider a SC spy. all you do is produce the license and poof they are no longer interested in you.wiseguy wrote:Why would anyone who legally purchased all of their music worry about Sound Choice?
The problem is that ripping the discs to MP3 is, in strictest terms, illegal.wiseguy wrote:Why would anyone who legally purchased all of their music worry about Sound Choice?
According to disc manufacturers, you have to buy their product in the format you intend to use. You buy a disc, you USE a disc. You download an MP3+G, you USE a PC.
However, I believe some of the companies in the US of A have already said they will NOT prosecute anyone ripping discs as long as continued ownership of the originals can be proved.
Sandy
I still believe that this is a fabrication by some karaoke disc manufacturers. I'll continue to believe this until I can find one case where anyone was successfully prosecuted for format shifting their legally purchased karaoke music.mnementh wrote:The problem is that ripping the discs to MP3 is, in strictest terms, illegal.
That's the beauty of the GEM series. They are already in PC format. They finally get it, although they aren't providing downloads. They like Steller are going to provide MP3+G discs. Sound Choice's are going to be in sets.mnementh wrote:The problem is that ripping the discs to MP3 is, in strictest terms, illegal.wiseguy wrote:Why would anyone who legally purchased all of their music worry about Sound Choice?
According to disc manufacturers, you have to buy their product in the format you intend to use. You buy a disc, you USE a disc. You download an MP3+G, you USE a PC.
However, I believe some of the companies in the US of A have already said they will NOT prosecute anyone ripping discs as long as continued ownership of the originals can be proved.
Sandy
Sound Choice has been too wishy washy on the subject of prosecution for format shifting.wiseguy wrote:Why would anyone who legally purchased all of their music worry about Sound Choice?
I trust them as much as anything coming from Obamas lips.
First it was OK then it wasn't and who knows where they stand now.
I bought my Sound Choice songs and every song and any future discs will be bought and immedieatly put on a hard drive to protect my investment....legal or not.
I know of one case where after going through an audit that the person set up was given the permission to continue using their hard drive by sound choice as long as they maintained the 1:1 ratio of physical discs and that which was loaded on the hard drive. Believe it or not Chartbuster has the strictest stance on format shifting. Their stance is you either use the format that it came on or you're a pirate. They may have to abide by the covenant that they entered into when they joined the KIAA though which is one to one ratio allowance of computer based karaoke. Sound Choice's stance basically is that you need to prove you have a 1:1 ration of discs and songs for every system or they can and will sue you for illegally displaying their trademark (logo) on the screen.
Again if you are 1:1 then why worry about it. Until you go through an audit, you haven't proved to them you are 1:1 compliant. My suggestion is to pull the trigger before they do and contact them about doing an audit or better yet joining the KIAA.
Again if you are 1:1 then why worry about it. Until you go through an audit, you haven't proved to them you are 1:1 compliant. My suggestion is to pull the trigger before they do and contact them about doing an audit or better yet joining the KIAA.
I had quick Google on this and it appears you are correct.wiseguy wrote:I still believe that this is a fabrication by some karaoke disc manufacturers. I'll continue to believe this until I can find one case where anyone was successfully prosecuted for format shifting their legally purchased karaoke music.mnementh wrote:The problem is that ripping the discs to MP3 is, in strictest terms, illegal.
To a degree!
Most sites I found quoted a "Fair Use" policy that allows copies to be made for personal use.
However, "PERSONAL" use is the problem as ALL the sites state that "Commercial" use is prohibited without exception and what is our use for Karaoke tracks if not for commercial use.
I have to say, however, that if I buy something for commercial use that I don't see how that could realistically stop me backing up the product (if capable of so doing) in order to prevent damage to the original.
Certainly over this side of the pond, software delivered on floppy disc actually instructed the buyer to back up the discs and use the copies, while storing the originals.
Sandy
I was only interested in getting input on whether I am taking the right direction by only ripping a select few Sound Choice discs that I believe will be left out of the new GEM series. By all means if it gets too far off the track lock the thread. I have heard zero input over whether the KIAA is known over here. Just cause I peruse various boards, doesn't mean others do. I doubt Bigdog visits a certain forum anymore since they banned him.
