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PostPosted: Wed Sep 15, 2010 8:46 pm 
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Lone Wolf @ Wed Sep 15, 2010 8:23 am wrote:
Alan you said:
1. You can't use a numbering system for your song book. Only mfr ID numbers like CB2005-12

Why do you say this? you can put any number you want in the file name (which the program reads)

You can make the file name say anything you want by naming the file that way.

Example:
artist - song title - disc id (which is how i do mine)
or any of the above switched anyway you want.
If you wanted your own numbering system just replace the disc id with your number it's as simple as that.

I'm taking it that you don't own the full program to see just what you can really do with it.

You will notice I have not run down fast tracks or any other program as I do not own them and and am happy with what I have as it makes my books very professional looking.


I understand that you can replace the mfg ID number with your own numbers. Would be a lot of work for thousands of songs. What I'm saying is that Latshaw can not automatically generate song #'s for all your songs that you're making your book from. They don't have that option.


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PostPosted: Thu Sep 16, 2010 2:37 am 
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Alan B @ Wed Sep 15, 2010 11:46 pm wrote:

I understand that you can replace the mfg ID number with your own numbers. Would be a lot of work for thousands of songs. What I'm saying is that Latshaw can not automatically generate song #'s for all your songs that you're making your book from. They don't have that option.

Boy, and I do appreciate that, Latshaw. Nothing I hate more than a versionless number.

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PostPosted: Thu Sep 16, 2010 6:45 am 
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Never see the need to BASH somone elses product just to make yours seem better... :roll:

I have 2 hosting programs one both my laptops
Latshaws karma
PCDJ Karaoki

If I'm doing more than 50% karaoke I use the KARMA if I'm doing more DJ and mixing I use the KARAOKI with PCDJ RED MOBILE.

There is NO BEST program .....PERIOD


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PostPosted: Wed Sep 22, 2010 2:17 pm 
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jamkaraoke @ Thu Sep 16, 2010 6:45 am wrote:
There is NO BEST program .....PERIOD


Based on the responses here when people are looking for advice on equipment, there IS a best. For example, when someone asks what is a good microphone, the majority of people will say the Shure SM58 is the best.

And when asking about Behringer mixers, everyone says Yamaha is better and Allen and Heath is the best.

And the list goes on and on. Now, whether you choose to "buy" the best is another story.

What makes me laugh is that everyone spends thousands of dollars on the "best" mixers, amps, microphones, speakers, etc. And lets not forget how much $$$ your karaoke library cost. So why in hell are people whimping out when it comes to the software? Who cares that it cost more money then the rest. Did you care when you bought the rest of your equipment?

Now, this is not bashing, but Compuhost IS the best karaoke software you can get. There is NO comparison. Use what you want, but there usually IS a best...or at least a much better.

On a side note, to jamkaraoke: Can you stop at the Hot Grill for me and pick up 2 all the way?


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PostPosted: Wed Sep 22, 2010 10:27 pm 
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Alan B @ Wed Sep 22, 2010 5:17 pm wrote:
Now, this is not bashing, but Compuhost IS the best karaoke software you can get. There is NO comparison. Use what you want, but there usually IS a best...or at least a much better.


Coming from a guy that's eating Hot Grill over Johnny & Hanges. LOL.


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PostPosted: Wed Sep 22, 2010 10:32 pm 
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Books?

You mean you still use "printed paper?"

Wow..... Let's see here;

1. You buy the best equipment for your singers

2. You buy the best laptop for the job

3. You carefully select and purchase the best music for the singers in your area

4. You purchase the best (whatever that is) software to host with...

5. You still spend a gazillion dollars and another gazillion hours assembling printed paper books? With printed paper request slips and pencils?

That's why I use a kiosk.... "click, click" Book is updated. No paper, no assembly, no binders, no sleeves and best yet; no hours of assembly time.


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PostPosted: Thu Sep 23, 2010 1:07 am 
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c. staley @ Thu Sep 23, 2010 1:32 am wrote:
Books?

You mean you still use "printed paper?"

Wow..... Let's see here;

1. You buy the best equipment for your singers

2. You buy the best laptop for the job

3. You carefully select and purchase the best music for the singers in your area

4. You purchase the best (whatever that is) software to host with...

5. You still spend a gazillion dollars and another gazillion hours assembling printed paper books? With printed paper request slips and pencils?

That's why I use a kiosk.... "click, click" Book is updated. No paper, no assembly, no binders, no sleeves and best yet; no hours of assembly time.


And best yet, no paper book for the investigators to take on you.

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PostPosted: Thu Sep 23, 2010 6:33 am 
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c. staley @ Thu Sep 23, 2010 1:32 am wrote:
Books?

You mean you still use "printed paper?"

Wow..... Let's see here;

1. You buy the best equipment for your singers

2. You buy the best laptop for the job

3. You carefully select and purchase the best music for the singers in your area

4. You purchase the best (whatever that is) software to host with...

5. You still spend a gazillion dollars and another gazillion hours assembling printed paper books? With printed paper request slips and pencils?

That's why I use a kiosk.... "click, click" Book is updated. No paper, no assembly, no binders, no sleeves and best yet; no hours of assembly time.


I'd love to go paperless, hell I am in the middle of redoing my books as we speak. How do you keep beer and other liquids off the kiosk. My other concern is the level of intelligence some of my singers lack, they have a hard enough time with paper and pencel. I would like to learn more about your kiosk setup though.

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PostPosted: Thu Sep 23, 2010 8:21 am 
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I am also doing a re-do of books right now. Bless the two friends who have been insistent about helping me. I asked a sample group of singers (not all friends who sit together every show) whether they would prefer to peruse books or go to a kiosk to put in their songs. The concensus was that they prefer the books, so I am doing books. Spiral bound, no plastic, no dupes. Big chore but now I have had people ask me if I will sell copies of my book for their own use. Sounds like a deal to me - less books to actually print up and carry because they will have their own. Going to try this. If it doesn't work, well, I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. Binding by UPS or Kinkos (or whatever they're called now) is cheap, printing off a smaller book and having a few done at a time to replace worn out ones, etc., isn't that big a deal, really.

I use Hoster and can't compare it to any of the other programs, particularly Compuhost, but I will say that there is not one aspect of Hoster that causes me any consternation at all. It works well for me and I feel no need to change from it to anything else.


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PostPosted: Thu Sep 23, 2010 3:43 pm 
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rumbolt @ Thu Sep 23, 2010 6:33 am wrote:
c. staley @ Thu Sep 23, 2010 1:32 am wrote:
How do you keep beer and other liquids off the kiosk

That's a good question. I would think kiosks would hold out better than song books. Song books are put on tables where the customers food and drinks are. It's easier to spill your drink at the table and onto your book. And what about everyone's greasy fingers from eating those wings now flipping through your book. Your monitor/kiosk has a much better chance of survival then song books handled and used by customers at their tables.

Also, eliminating books eliminates more stuff to carry. And printing is not cheap either. So...while customers may feel more comfortable with an actual physical book to look at...a kiosk does have a lot of benefits.


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PostPosted: Thu Sep 23, 2010 6:22 pm 
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So far as I know kiosks were my idea. That is to say mine was the first hosting software that included kiosks. The only one that died in all the time I was using them (longer than anyone else I think) was at an outdoor gig. They don't work well in the sunlight. It died from a direct hit from a water balloon. DON'T USE A LAPTOP FOR A KIOSK! Please forgive me for posting while drinking... heavily.

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PostPosted: Fri Sep 24, 2010 2:30 am 
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jamkaraoke @ Thu Sep 16, 2010 7:45 am wrote:
Never see the need to BASH somone elses product just to make yours seem better... :roll:
I thin he means that listing a number that has no correlation to an manufacturing DiscID is basically no point in listing a number at all. I have the same complaint when I go to computerized shows that don't list any manu id or list several versions of a custom number.

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PostPosted: Fri Sep 24, 2010 2:32 am 
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Alan B @ Wed Sep 22, 2010 3:17 pm wrote:
What makes me laugh is that everyone spends thousands of dollars on the "best" mixers, amps, microphones, speakers, etc. And lets not forget how much $$$ your karaoke library cost. So why in hell are people whimping out when it comes to the software? Who cares that it cost more money then the rest. Did you care when you bought the rest of your equipment?
No laughing here, I buy the best I can in equipment AND library, if a song doesn't 'cut the mustard' I replace it with a better version - if available.

Quote:
Now, this is not bashing, but Compuhost IS the best karaoke software you can get. There is NO comparison. Use what you want, but there usually IS a best...or at least a much better.
I whole heartidly disagree with this, but to each their own!

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PostPosted: Fri Sep 24, 2010 2:35 am 
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c. staley @ Wed Sep 22, 2010 11:32 pm wrote:
Books?
5. You still spend a gazillion dollars and another gazillion hours assembling printed paper books? With printed paper request slips and pencils?

Only because this is what our singer want - even after a year of asking which they'd rather have, over 90% wants a book to browse through at their table. Not to say I don't want your program and already have the computer to run it, just waiting to afford the touch screen for that 10%. But I will never go bookless based on my own customer base!

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PostPosted: Sat Sep 25, 2010 5:28 am 
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Books or kiosk?
Give my husband a book everytime. He puruses the book and finds songs that he MIGHT know and will try for S & G's. I really can't tell you how many times he has just looked and said "close your eyes, open the book and just put your finger on one". Can't stand at a kiosk and look at it for most of the show nor can you do that with a kiosk.

Give us a book anytime. Perforably at least somewhat perfessionaly done. Somewhat able to look and go "ok thats the way it's ordered" just in case you want a certain artist or song. And just say "Don't bother with the book just ask I usually have it" very unprofessional IMO.


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PostPosted: Sat Sep 25, 2010 10:53 am 
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PyrateSilly @ Sat Sep 25, 2010 5:28 am wrote:
Books or kiosk?
Give my husband a book everytime. He puruses the book and finds songs that he MIGHT know and will try for S & G's. I really can't tell you how many times he has just looked and said "close your eyes, open the book and just put your finger on one". Can't stand at a kiosk and look at it for most of the show nor can you do that with a kiosk.

Give us a book anytime. Perforably at least somewhat perfessionaly done. Somewhat able to look and go "ok thats the way it's ordered" just in case you want a certain artist or song. And just say "Don't bother with the book just ask I usually have it" very unprofessional IMO.


Well, you can't please all of the people all of the time. If I have seventy people who might want to sing at any given show and they all want to monopolize a book all night I would need seventy books. Seventy "professional" (whatever that means) books. If I buy some new songs, every one of those seventy books should be updated. How do you request a song if using a book? You have to fill out a form. A short form certainly but a form none the less. I hate filling out forms. Then you have to walk through a bar full of folks to turn in your form(s).

Updating a kiosk is instant and free. No forms to fill out. No handling errors if the kiosk drops your request into the rotation as some do.

If given a choice people will prefer to use the kiosks in my experience. Way back when I introduced kiosks at one gig. The first show a few people played with it. The second show there was a little more interest.... by the fourth week the books sat unused. If you just present the idea of a kiosk to your customers it's as if your asking "Do you want to use something you already understand and are comfortable with or go with another option you have never seen?" Who in their right brain would choose the second option? But, show them the other option and let them choose and I'm sure your results will be the same as mine. No more slips!

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PostPosted: Sat Sep 25, 2010 11:04 am 
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Yes there are a couple who like to look through a book all night - I personally am one of them, sometimes song titles will jog my memory on something i've wanted to try, but 99% of the time if someone asks to look up a song the person with the book will give it up. I only use 16 books total and never have the hoarding problem. If someone can't find a book, I can usually point out one for them that isn't being used.
How do you request a song while using a book, well if a computer is being used, they can tell the host their song. If they aren't, then yes a form would need to be filled out - again my own preference, I always make people fill out a slip.

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PostPosted: Sun Sep 26, 2010 1:20 am 
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To me, it's about what you're comfortable with but also about advancement. Let's say he wasn't a pirate and his software/equipment/song selection was simply better than yours. The club owner will surely consider that you've worked there for 4 years, but he may also think that you aren't providing the best service on the market (especially if you haven't changed anything in that time period). All businesses have to change to grow and stay competitive. Say you've had standard definition cable for 10 years and a new company offers HD cable to you for less than what you're paying now. Wouldn't you at least consider it, especially if they had references and were an established company? I would. Basically what I'm trying to say is that you avoided it this time, but will you avoid losing the gig (pirate or not) next time? I think that's what you're trying to do by posting on the forum. My advice is check out ALL of your competition and see what they are doing/using and what you could do better and what you are doing better. I spent a week just checking out my competition and was surprised to find that DJ's working in places I wouldn't touch could actually be viable threats to me if I didn't stay on top of my game. Stop being cheap too! Obviously we all want to keep as much profit as we can from our shows, but maybe you've gotten too comfortable there. I would bet it could only make the venue owner happier with you if you spent money you didn't have to and upgraded a little bit. My post may sound harsh, but it's nothing I wouldn't tell myself and it's the truth. I wish you luck!


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PostPosted: Sun Sep 26, 2010 7:34 am 
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exweedfarmer @ Sat Sep 25, 2010 12:53 pm wrote:
PyrateSilly @ Sat Sep 25, 2010 5:28 am wrote:
Books or kiosk?
Give my husband a book everytime. He puruses the book and finds songs that he MIGHT know and will try for S & G's. I really can't tell you how many times he has just looked and said "close your eyes, open the book and just put your finger on one". Can't stand at a kiosk and look at it for most of the show nor can you do that with a kiosk.

Give us a book anytime. Perforably at least somewhat perfessionaly done. Somewhat able to look and go "ok thats the way it's ordered" just in case you want a certain artist or song. And just say "Don't bother with the book just ask I usually have it" very unprofessional IMO.


Well, you can't please all of the people all of the time. If I have seventy people who might want to sing at any given show and they all want to monopolize a book all night I would need seventy books. Seventy "professional" (whatever that means) books. If I buy some new songs, every one of those seventy books should be updated. How do you request a song if using a book? You have to fill out a form. A short form certainly but a form none the less. I hate filling out forms. Then you have to walk through a bar full of folks to turn in your form(s).

Updating a kiosk is instant and free. No forms to fill out. No handling errors if the kiosk drops your request into the rotation as some do.

If given a choice people will prefer to use the kiosks in my experience. Way back when I introduced kiosks at one gig. The first show a few people played with it. The second show there was a little more interest.... by the fourth week the books sat unused. If you just present the idea of a kiosk to your customers it's as if your asking "Do you want to use something you already understand and are comfortable with or go with another option you have never seen?" Who in their right brain would choose the second option? But, show them the other option and let them choose and I'm sure your results will be the same as mine. No more slips!


So what happens when a new person to karaoke comes in and doesn't know what you have would it be OK with you to let them sit in front your kiosk for 10 minutes or so going through your listing while others stand behind them waiting to use it?

Ever been to an drive through ATM where the guy in front of you wants to do everything the ATM has the capability of doing and then he decides he really doesn't need any money? Been there done that and felt like pushing his car out of the way.

I can see where kiosk's are easier, faster, cheaper for an experienced user but not everyone is computer savvy and it gets worse the more they drink (as shown on this board). What do you do if you kiosk decides to die in the middle of your show, pack up and leave? or do you have BOOKS to back you up?
I'll take books every time!

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PostPosted: Sun Sep 26, 2010 10:50 am 
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Lone Wolf @ Sun Sep 26, 2010 7:34 am wrote:
exweedfarmer @ Sat Sep 25, 2010 12:53 pm wrote:
PyrateSilly @ Sat Sep 25, 2010 5:28 am wrote:
Books or kiosk?
Give my husband a book everytime. He puruses the book and finds songs that he MIGHT know and will try for S & G's. I really can't tell you how many times he has just looked and said "close your eyes, open the book and just put your finger on one". Can't stand at a kiosk and look at it for most of the show nor can you do that with a kiosk.

Give us a book anytime. Perforably at least somewhat perfessionaly done. Somewhat able to look and go "ok thats the way it's ordered" just in case you want a certain artist or song. And just say "Don't bother with the book just ask I usually have it" very unprofessional IMO.


Well, you can't please all of the people all of the time. If I have seventy people who might want to sing at any given show and they all want to monopolize a book all night I would need seventy books. Seventy "professional" (whatever that means) books. If I buy some new songs, every one of those seventy books should be updated. How do you request a song if using a book? You have to fill out a form. A short form certainly but a form none the less. I hate filling out forms. Then you have to walk through a bar full of folks to turn in your form(s).

Updating a kiosk is instant and free. No forms to fill out. No handling errors if the kiosk drops your request into the rotation as some do.

If given a choice people will prefer to use the kiosks in my experience. Way back when I introduced kiosks at one gig. The first show a few people played with it. The second show there was a little more interest.... by the fourth week the books sat unused. If you just present the idea of a kiosk to your customers it's as if your asking "Do you want to use something you already understand and are comfortable with or go with another option you have never seen?" Who in their right brain would choose the second option? But, show them the other option and let them choose and I'm sure your results will be the same as mine. No more slips!


So what happens when a new person to karaoke comes in and doesn't know what you have would it be OK with you to let them sit in front your kiosk for 10 minutes or so going through your listing while others stand behind them waiting to use it?

Ever been to an drive through ATM where the guy in front of you wants to do everything the ATM has the capability of doing and then he decides he really doesn't need any money? Been there done that and felt like pushing his car out of the way.

I can see where kiosk's are easier, faster, cheaper for an experienced user but not everyone is computer savvy and it gets worse the more they drink (as shown on this board). What do you do if you kiosk decides to die in the middle of your show, pack up and leave? or do you have BOOKS to back you up?
I'll take books every time!


If a kiosk dies I would just replace it and you can have more than one running at the same time. It doesn't have to be much of a computer to work as a kiosk. Except for the water balloon incident, none have ever died on me. Like I said, set up a kiosk and put out your books as usual. After a month the books will sit and get dusty. You and your customers will never like kiosks if you never try kiosks.

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