Karaoke Forums

If I be wrong, I be wrong.

I have had several conversations with Mr. Grimes and my conclusions were that their downloads were only intended for non-commercial use or home use.

I am going to do a follow-up with Chartbuster so I get their "offical" position and I will relate it back to this forum.

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No venue to big or too small. From your den to the local club or event, we have the music most requested. Great sounding system!

Good luck rumbolt, I did contact Chartbuster and got an email from Debi telling me that she would have Lori Casteel contact me with the info. Lori finally did contact me and what she told me was confusing and I can not post it here due to a confidentially agreement posted at the end of her email but said that if others had questions about it to contact Chartbuster so for those that want an answer email her at LCasteel@bigmama.tv and ask away.

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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

Why would they need to keep that info private and under NDA? Seems like something they should be posting publicly.

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Living my life as Robert Cortese, 162 E. Jackson St, San Jose CA.

It's like the difference between high and low budget toilet paper, it really doesn't matter in the end. -exweedfarmer

Which is smarter? Just sticking to making/selling karaoke, while people all over the world create software FOR FREE that helps you sell it, or trying to compete with them and keeping it a closed loop while you blow your money into an industry (software) that you(the karaoke manu) knows nothing about?
-me

As of about 5 munites ago, I spoke with David Grimes at Chartbusters and was informed that downloads available on their website are for "home use only". Period, Period, Period. They are in the process of getting that information up on their website to prevent any confusion.

At one time they did allow downloads for commercial, as shown on that email you reprinted but downloads for commercial were short lived.

Hope this information helps everyone and pass it on to anyone that is looking to download Chartbuster product.

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No venue to big or too small. From your den to the local club or event, we have the music most requested. Great sounding system!

wonder why the change. if they were good for commercial use before, then it CAN be done, what changed that it could NOT be done anymore? that was a post form this very forum by Mr. Grimes. i am not trying to point fingers at anyone, i really want to know what they had set up and who took it away from them.

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

It might be that they .........ummmmm.......... I really don't know why they stopped allowing them. Possible due to the lawsuits happining right now but might i suggest that you call David Grimes directly to get the answer specific to your question. Here is their local number 865-577-6000 and you can get their toll free # off their site

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No venue to big or too small. From your den to the local club or event, we have the music most requested. Great sounding system!

Yes. BUT. Do you think Chartbuster will go after and sue those KJ's who have legitimately purchased downloaded tracks from them and used them in a show?

Personally, I don't think they will and believe this is required legalese due to their licensing agreements. Let's face it. They want the pirates stealing their music, not those who are legitimately buying their products. Just my opinion, but it doesn't matter as I buy SD's from CB anyway.

Well I guess that clears that up, and I guess I won't be buying any of their downloads. To bad as there are some obscure songs there that I would like to have but don't need to buy the whole disk and a custom disc just costs to much to worry about. I hope they change their minds in the future or they will just be using up HD space for no good reason.

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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

I agree you won't be buying any more downloads from them because they are no longer offering any at this time!

Wrong again Sparky.


http://www.chartbusterkaraoke.com/other ... es-sd.html


At least you are consistent...

Cool so they have put the download links back on! They weren't there last week!

Chartbuster needs to separate the downloadable tracks into their own category so that you can browse only tracks available for download.

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Never the same show twice!

What good would that do? Why would I buy downloads from CB one week when they are "legal" for commercial use when the next week CB may change their mind again? I'd rather buy from Karaoke.cc or Tricerasoft. They don't seem to flippity-flop on the issue like CB.

DOWNLOADS ARE NOT LEGAL FOR ANYTHING BUT HOME USE PERIOD.......maybe if I yell it will get heard by the hard of hearing

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"Integrity is choosing your thoughts, words and actions based on your principles and values rather than for your personal gain."
Unknown
"if a man has integrity, nothing else matters, If a man has no integrity, nothing else matters."
Lee McGuffey

Athena,

This is part of the mess that needs cleaning up. You talk to the folks at Zoom? Sunfly? Ever talk to Gai Marcos of Tricerasoft?

You talk to any of the companies selling import karaoke downloads, and they would strongly disagree with your statement.

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Living my life as Robert Cortese, 162 E. Jackson St, San Jose CA.

It's like the difference between high and low budget toilet paper, it really doesn't matter in the end. -exweedfarmer

Which is smarter? Just sticking to making/selling karaoke, while people all over the world create software FOR FREE that helps you sell it, or trying to compete with them and keeping it a closed loop while you blow your money into an industry (software) that you(the karaoke manu) knows nothing about?
-me

problem is as of Jan 1 2011...all import karaoke is illegal for sale in USA......zoom Tricerasoft ect all illegal
regardless of what they say...they are trying to make $$$$ but the law is the law...no imports allowed in USA...on disc or import...read the law that was passed....not legal.
We may not like it but true is true

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"Integrity is choosing your thoughts, words and actions based on your principles and values rather than for your personal gain."
Unknown
"if a man has integrity, nothing else matters, If a man has no integrity, nothing else matters."
Lee McGuffey

While you are screaming... Please tell me who exactly (besides the person due the sync licensing) could possibly have standing to bring suit against me for playing a file i have paid for and downloaded from Karaoke.cc or tricerasoft in a commercial setting.

Please tell me how that downloaded file is any different than a sunfly, zoom, or sound choice gem series disc? or a sound choice custom disc from down under? They have all paid European mechanical licencing. NONE of them have paid the sync license.

I'm no more worried about Don Henley coming to sue me for playing my 8125 than i am him coming to sue me for playing a zoom download of the eagles. The sync license wasn't paid in either case.

In the meantime, scream all you like. I'm half deaf anyway.

"Use" permission comes from the creator of the master - in karaoke the owner IS the MANUFACTURER (YES, both the audio and lyrics - "SYNC" is not a KJs business). If the manufacturer gives you permission to use the content as a KJ AND Home then you are alright and it is factored in the price of the track (you either charge a one time fee or a royalty over years - very minor fee). Our manufacturers know and allow us to sell to KJs, and allow you to use the content AS KJs - No argument here. Not sure, CALL THEM (contact info publicly listed on their website)!!!! Ask "I am a KJ, can I use your songs as a KJ?", NOT COMMERCIAL!!!. This is for the MASTER track (audio AND lyrics), doesn't matter if it is Disc, Download, SD Card, etc., we ofcourse choose to sell Downloads. Our manufacturers will not make you thing about this idiotic "USE" question because they are not coming after you for using it for what it was sold for - A KJ!

This has NOTHING to do with licensing - we cover you for licensing (copyirght), the format type (permanent downloads), and pay the manufacturer to give you permission for use of ONE copy of the song. YES we pay ALL our licensing - with us that is **NEVER** your concern. You will never have our manufacturers go after you nor the publishers for not paying licensing (regardelss of your territory - SO EVERYONE STOP BS'ING ABOUT NO USA LICENSING - we cover most of the world). We work with way too many reps in the industry that know us and have vouched for us, we are members of these associations and in contact with publishers and pay them MONEY from our pockets to cover us and you for the content WE supply. Even big artists are aware of our name (an honour to say the least). YES, there are some really nasty download sites that have pissed on the industry and are VERY illegal - you ALL know who they are (don't second think this one). If you see an MP3+G for less than a dollar, 1. NOT LEGAL (minimum 15 cents per track copyright), 2. NO PERMISSION FROM MANUFACTURER (they LOVE!!! their royalty), and 3. TRANSACTION FEES (atleast 10 cents) would cause them to go into negative. Do not be veiled by BS terms and conditions, call the copyright association (what they claim to be part of) or manufacturer that "provides" them content (NOT the competitors!!) to confirm legitimacy.

KJs don't use karaoke for commercial use!!! You do not resell, modify, advertise, promote, use it in film, tranfer, or reproduce. I should note you are NOT ALLOWED TO SHARE (free OR for money - that IS ILLEGAL commercial and piracy). You are NOT ALLOWED to make 50 copies of the song, but you are allowed a backup as long as it remains in your possession and not used other than for recovery (I'm referring to download ONLY). If you record their backtracks you need permission, each manufacrturer sells a special FLAT FEE license per song for doing anything you want with the music backtrack or "MASTER" audio track (NO, this is NOT related to lyrics so please no smart bum reply about sync or something similar). "SHIFTING" as you call it (ripping as we call it), is AGAIN a permission, most allow it because you can't use the discs other than to sit on them otherwise - if they are not interested in becoming part of the digital era then you make your own decision here. From us you get it in DIGITAL for DIGITAL, no guess work.

NOTE: selling you the same song in MP3+G format AGAIN for twice the price doesn't change it's permission! You either say the tracks are for home use ONLY or includes KJs OR increase the price in the first place so you feel better about the permission. If a manufacturer "decides" that their content is for private use only then it is their word against yours (I'll leave it to you to guess who wins that argument) - doesn't matter if you are allowed to convert it or not, doesn't matter what type or media they are.

They are currently standing by their "private" policy because they want to sue the morons that resell copies of their content and use pirated versions - that part I actually agree with, this causes any industry harm. However in the interim they are bad mouthing everyone else and making everyone, including their own market of KJ customers ALL illegal holding their content so they can fear them into audits. Understand that in the USA you never own the "songs" on the discs you buy, you are actually licensing them perpetualy so if they want to recall them legally you are entitled to return them. And unfortunately in the USA anyone can sue anyone without rhyme or reason "just because", if they make a good argument they win either way the lawyers win.

To complete the licensing circle - *Remember* that when the VENUE OWNER makes money from patrons sitting and listening to you perform the music, they MUST pay their karaoke entertainment license (again nothing to do with you - in the USA ASCAP and BMI cover this). This is so the Artist makes the cut on the artistic creation or "performance" (you already paid the manufacturer for the USE as a KJ of the song in the price of the track). Support the industry, have your venue owner so the right thing.

And if you are not exactly sure that they are fear mongering you to believe only them, look at this quote from them on this thread "Apologies for taking so long to reply - and thanks to leopard lizard for starting the thread as requested.". No one is confuused, they want you to think people are confused.

Shirly you're joking right Athena? Karaoke has contributed very little to PAC, candidate campaigns, or lobbying groups. The likelyhood that any lawmaker has written any karaoke centric law that would nullify any and all trade agreements (nafta for one) is entirely perposterous.

Canada is a part of many trade agreements with the US. It would take a specific, act of congress to change this, which may in turn upset the political balance between our nations.

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Living my life as Robert Cortese, 162 E. Jackson St, San Jose CA.

It's like the difference between high and low budget toilet paper, it really doesn't matter in the end. -exweedfarmer

Which is smarter? Just sticking to making/selling karaoke, while people all over the world create software FOR FREE that helps you sell it, or trying to compete with them and keeping it a closed loop while you blow your money into an industry (software) that you(the karaoke manu) knows nothing about?
-me

Side note for DJs, NOT KJs, but will make you put things in perspective. When you buy a regular audio disc from Walmart (for example) the music MASTER is owned by the LABEL (these are NOT reproductions created by another manufacturer). The Labels give you only permission for the home because they are selling it in Walmart. DJs do not have permission to use them as 'DJs' from the Label! Believe it! In Canada we have an agency that solved this called AVLA - Labels are members of AVLA. They provide licenses called a "Disc License" and a "Hard-Drive License". A Disc license gives you permission to use the discs to DJs (NOT COMMECIAL!!). A Hard Drive license gives you permission to convert the discs to hard-drive and fill one hard-drive with as many songs as they fit (what you all call 1:1). PRICE is, wait for it.... approx. $100 per year per hard-drive. And you get these licenses from the DJ associations (i.e. CDJA). They pay the Labels to give you permission. The price per song is approx $0.0005 - around 1.25 cents for 25 years per song. IN KARAOKE, you pay the owner AHEAD and trust me the 1.25 is MUCH MORE than covered in the royalty.

There are services that also provide you for "promotional use", again this is not exactly for DJs but is used as a gray area to cover anything but "private" use (in other words for "DJS"!) - so understand that the karaoke is licensed better than regular audio discs and the price point more-than covers anyones USE concern.