Karaoke Forums

How much would you pay for Cloud access to every major manufactures full catalog and ALL future releases?
A local cache would be available for venues without internet access and songs will also be offered for download/purchase in MP3+G format.

every manufacture? or just those that are alive and that can legally rent in the USA? also is this per system? my choice does depend on those answers.

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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

For the purposes of this experiment, lets assume Soundchoice, Chartbuster/Digitrax, Sunfly, SBI, Abraxa.

This poll isn't about the legalities, etc. It is about seeing what people would pay for such access, if at all.

I chose "Never," but I am one of the few exceptions to the rule.

As I stated before, I am an ODB KJ, and I only do this part time (maybe 10 shows in an entire year... and that may have dwindled down because some other KJ was recently hired at the current place where I was hosting). I have already stated that I do not have the time or energy or even the patience to start converting 14,000 songs/tracks from my CDGs to a HD; therefore, it the Cloud Service/s would be of no practical use for me.

Edit: If the Cloud Service is also offering the option of downloading and owning song tracks of new releases, I would be interested in that. By new, I mean newly released music that has not been available through any manufacturers before... new music not meaning just new 2012 chart-topping songs of today, but also songs that we (as a whole) have been asking for for years. Now the question I would ask is, would there be a monthly service charge you would have to pay to have this privilege (on top of a charge per track that you would purchase)? If there were, then I definitely would go elsewhere to continue purchasing my song tracks.

I cast my vote based upon the info you provided. I am assuming the cost would be per system and a reasonable amount of new releases per month 49.00 per month

Athena

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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

My stock of four CD+G disks is all I need..

Bazza, no matter what your argument, the average person is NOT going to spend money on something without having an actual, physical, tangible item that can own, keep, or throw at the wall. The reasoning is: I give you money, you give me the goods. With the Cloud, you give them money and get no physical items that you own for that money. Rent? Rent you say? Most will not do it or want it.

I will NOT pay for a subscription to the cloud at any price. Most won't either. But I WILL pay to download songs that are mine to keep.

Car dealers would rather get you to lease than buy...and they really push leasing, too! Why do you think that is?? Do you think it's because they like you? Guess again, my friend.

Do you remember Chartbusters/CompuHost's KJ Media Pro? The little hard drive that contained CB's complete catalog of songs. All you did was buy credits, and unlock songs whenever you needed them. No internet required. And it worked! I'm sure a similar device could be made that contains many manufacturers librarys. Just buy the unit, pay for credits, and then unlock and own songs. That is the technology that should be developed. It's tried and true and proven that it works. And works well.

So, why do we need the cloud? After all, there's no need for it. The KJ media pro is the way to go, right?

Try and think for a minute and tell me, yes please let me comprehend why anyone in their right mind would pay any amount to subscribe to the Cloud over the KJ media pro system. Please explain.

I think it has to do with someone making a whole bunch of money off of KJ's without a clue. Wake up people and put this into perspective. NO One should have to pay for a subscription at any price. There is a better alternative, right? But then again, it's not about you it's about them. So, you go right ahead and pay those nice people.

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Electro-Voice Evolve 50... Taking Sound To The Next Level.

Again, I see this as mainly a means for CB/Digitrax/Piracy Recovery/???? to supply a GEM-like means of satisfying settlements...perhaps this is why the higher prices are being bantered around.

I and my husband understand exactly what the cloud is. No we would not get it any price.
The oldest son, who is extremely knowldgable on tech and IT things, would not do it either. How do I know he is as knowledgable he is? I know where he has worked and at what and where he is now and who he works for now.

First off, your first sentence is an inaccurate statement with regard to the Karaoke market. The "Average Person" might buy regular CDs (physical or downloaded), but they would not do the same with Karaoke tracks. Karaoke is a NICHE Market, so you do NOT have the "Average Person" buying. You only have a small percentage of that group who is interested.

OK... This has nothing to do with the Cloud Service, but I can give you a comparison to the Rent vs Buy in a business that would be a closer comparison. You mention a Car Dealership trying to sell you on a leased car vs buying a new or used car. Well, here's something a little more closely related to the Karaoke business.

What is the Karaoke business? To be simplistic here, it is a form of entertainment. You (the KJ) run a show in front of a live audience. You (the KJ) either purchase or lease your equipment to run the show. Now here is the main part... Let's just say that You (the KJ) have music which you rent from another KJ or business (and yes, there are KJs who do exactly this), or which you use via the Cloud Service to play for that live audience. In this instance, using the Cloud Service would be the equivalent of renting your library from another KJ or business.

Here's the comparison.... You own a Movie Theater. What is the Movie Theater business? To be simplistic here, it is a form of entertainment. People go out to see a movie in your theater. You do NOT own the Movie Theater building.... You RENT the space for the use of it. You do NOT OWN the movie that you are showing to a live audience... You PAY A FEE to USE it at your movie theater, but you do NOT OWN it.

Both businesses (Movie Theater vs KJ) are catering to a live audience. Do you hear the Movie Theater owners stating that they will ONLY BUY and OWN the movies, or that they will not PAY A FEE to show a movie at their theater?
Using your own logic, the Movie Theater owner is giving them (whoever that may be) money and not getting any physical item to own for that money.

Your analogy may sound right to you but I don't agree with it regarding karaoke. Has anyone read what I wrote above about using the KJ Media Pro as a better alternative than the Cloud?

Anyway, I've said everything I had to say about this matter and will no longer participate in this Cloud thread. Good luck to all those who support it and enjoy throwing your money away.

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Electro-Voice Evolve 50... Taking Sound To The Next Level.

you are right, but..........
what would happen if the movie theater said you can watch this movie, you go to do so and they say, "sorry, you can't watch that one"
the KJ says "yes, i have that song" and when you show up they say "sorry, you can't sing that one"
that is the big difference.

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

Great analogy, I could not have put that better.

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

Not really. If you go to the theatre and the movie you wanted to see is no longer playing, do you refuse to return to the theatre and boycott Pixar entertainment? No. You simply pick another movie to see.



You certainly do speak for everyone don't you.



Since you put so much stock in polls, lets just see how it turns out?



I wish I had your psychic powers of mind reading.

I find it VERY interesting that you and a few others chose "NEVER!" instead of $1.00. Really? You wouldn't even pay a single dollar a month to have EVERY new release? Why on earth WOULDN'T you pay $1.00 a month? What have you got to lose? You don't think you would get your dollars worth?

This choice alone tells me that many are basing their decision purely on emotion, confusion & fear instead of business sense.



Which WILL be offered according to Latshaw. Shocker!



Yes, and businesses overwhelmingly lease vehicles instead of buying...and we ARE businesses, remember? Why do you think that is? Do you think it's because those business owners are idiots that were scammed by car dealers? Guess again my friend.



Yup! I have one and love it. I hope it returns to be updated.



You are hung up on the delivery method and the never ending lease/buy argument. I simply want the most music for my customers for the lowest price. I am not a collector. I am running a business and intent to maximize profit.



I have explained it to you over nine times. You put your fingers in your ears and yell so you cant hear.

A business person SHOULD be trying to maximize profit and lower expense. If I can get MORE music to use for a LOWER price, than I am all for it. I have a GEM base set. I have a KJ-Pro drive. I am looking for a CHEAPER way to get ALL the releases without having to pay $600 a year for three Pop Hits Monthly subscriptions or constantly having search and to ala-carte download requsted songs. If I can pay $19.99 (my price limit) and have ACCESS to every new release, and the entire back catalog as a bonus, I come out ahead. I will save hundreds of dollars a year...hundreds that go in my pocket instead of a shelf.

You have said you are a collector. You have hundreds of Blu-Ray movies on your shelf to gaze at. I prefer Netflix. I pay a small monthly fee and watch whatever I want, whenever i want. We have different mindsets. You feel like you must have "something to show for it". I see it as a waste as I know that those Blu-ray discs will be worthless in well under 10 years and in a basement box.



C'mon Alan. There is no grand conspiracy here. Is Netflix or HBO out to rip off the clueless masses? No...they provide an alternative service that works for some people. A LOT of people.

As I have said over and over...it's not about the service, it's about the price. Hence this poll.

I am choosing to not give an answer at all.

There are far too many variables. I also believe that just paying a flat fee for access to everything as a Pro Karaoke host is not that model that should be used.

Anyone that has been running shows for more than a few years likely has all of the popular "classics" and if they are a good host, they have tried to accomodate requests of their singers. So they already have the tracks that are popular and requested for their geography. Makes no sense to pay for them again and then hope they will get access to new stuff. Thus they have no use for the service at all.

For brand new hosts coming on, unless the price is ridiculously low, they could purchase all the music they need for significantly less than the cost of 1-2 years of subscribing. If the price is set so low that it does become worth it for new KJ's, it would then have a very negative impact on the Pro KJ Industry.

-Chris

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-Chris

If there were no new releases, you are correct. You and I would have no use for such a service.

This poll however is based on the scenario that you WOULD get ALL new future releases. It's about the price...legalities, impact and the future of karaoke aside.

Still too much of a variable IMO.

Based on the current state of music (a lot of which is just plain not singable as karaoke music) and the state of licensing, they would not be able to deliver enough singable music fast enough to justify the higher price that I believe is required to prevent damage to the industry.

-Chris

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-Chris

Then what WOULD you pay if you got ALL new releases. This is not about the future of the industry or guessing what Digitrax eventual price might be.

This is simply "what would you be willing to pay" if you got the previously mentioned content in return?

Still too vague.

"All new releases" could mean 1 new release or 100. It could mean unsingable dance music or it could mean perfectly singable singer/songwriter music.

I have decided I prefer a la carte pricing for purchasing individual tracks for karaoke vs an inflated price for access to everything including the tracks that will never get played.

-Chris

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-Chris

OK, I'll play. 20 new tracks a month. Some country, Some Pop, Some Rhythmic. Since there are multiple manu's, you would have multiple choices for each cut. There would always be at least 20 a month, sometimes more.

NOW how much would you pay? Still too vague?