Karaoke Forums

If I were a karaoke pirate I wouldn't bother with SC or CB content, I'd start grabbing torrents of content from the UK, the abandoned brands and feel pretty confident that none of them would be coming after me legally, if they passed on teaming up with SC or Digitrax for enforcement in the past. So if you're thinking that either company is making a dent in piracy, just look around you, the crooks are getting smarter and braver with no cops in sight.

The one thing I can add to that is I have 38 SC discs. I have ONE customer that uses them. He uses my Sinatra disc, and my Red Hot Chili Peppers disc. I have started to replace the songs that he does with Zoom versions, which actually sound better. My goal is to replace as many SC songs with Zoom and SBI songs, or any other good versions, and just use my SC at home. This way I can be fully computerized, legal, and will NEVER need certification.

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I am the ONLY SANE 1 HERE

1) Chris in all of my experience it has NEVER been the community that influences the reaction to a company, it is the actions of the company. The perceptions of the actions taken by SC are the responsibility of SC alone, not the community at large.


2) You have used the expression "pro-legal" again. Whether intentional or not, this phrase in incorrect and designed to mis-lead. Legality has nothing to do with it. The people that you mention are merely pro-compliance to SC's wishes. This sort of misleading phraseology ( like subbing pirate- a thief for media-shifter)) is just a part of the negative perceptions in question. A venue paying all licensing fees for entertainment, licenses and permits for alcohol and food, is certainly concerned about being legal, and still want no association with a private company company demanding that they bend knee to them ( be compliant to their wishes).

Hence, their attitude ( in many regions, is to blow them off, as well as KJS who use SC "certifications" as some sort of reference).

Also, one reason that the results are regional may be because the courts in some regions ( like Florida) will allow SC's questionable actions to affect the business atmosphere, while others ( like NJ) would not.

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"No Contests, No Divas, Just A Good Time!"

" Disc based and loving it..."

Joe - Believe what you wish, but if the influential people in a community say Sound Choice is awesome, then others will say they are awesome too. Likewise, if influential people in the community say Sound Choice sucks, then others will agree that Sound Choice sucks too.

It is very much how so many people hated the new Windows 8 interface when they had never even seen it much less touched a Windows 8 machine. Many just read an article or heard through word of mouth something bad about Windows 8, usually from someone they trust, and simply chose to agree with that assessment.

I used pro-legal exactly as I intended it to be used. I am referring to pro-legal as anti-pirate and anti-theft. It has nothing to do with certification and compliance.

-Chris

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-Chris

I think it is possible to be anti-pirate and anti-theft Chris and still be anti-SC, at least their methods as far as trying to affect change in the industry thru their legal recovery process. To me boycotting their product has been the answer to the problem, that way I'm not giving aid or comfort to either side, and staying focused on my business interests.

Exactly!! As I replace my SC collection the only statement I am making is that I am replacing old tired discs for new music of equal or better quality. I am buying my music, (which is what I am supposed to do) and I am thwarting SC's litigation business by phasing out their material. I keep my customers happy by buying good music, and I keep myself and my venue happy by not getting involved in any legal process be it by accident or otherwise. AND I can be fully computerized without having to pay SC for their permission to shift. It's a win win.

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I am the ONLY SANE 1 HERE

I know it is possible to be anti-SC and also be anti-pirate. But many of the people that say they are both of those things are actually only one of those.

-Chris

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-Chris

I am Pro- doing my show and being left alone. Simple as that. I don't want trouble with any mfr, and I refuse to pay ANYONE more money than I already have for products I bought. I am getting all the music I need form the online stores, and nobody is bothering me. And as I have said before, my area is NOT full of pirates. I now have two of the five places in my area that do Karaoke. My second place hired me because they know of my other show, and like me, and they know I do things right.

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I am the ONLY SANE 1 HERE

Many people Chris but not all the people. Just like all the hosts that use the PC aren't pirates, yet it is easier to try and sue all PC hosts and sort things out later. That is why the whole legal process is flawed and needs to be dropped. Too many people are being lumped together.

But many of those people whom you make reference of, are not posting on this Forum, so therefore, a generalized statement like that is taken as if you were saying we (here in this Forum) all (or most of us) fall into that category. And that is where people take insult to your comment.

I disagree. There are plenty of people on these forums that are anti-SC but pro-piracy. They post, but they are here.

-Chris

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-Chris

Point them out!! If you are going throw around vague accusations at least have the balls to name names.

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I am the ONLY SANE 1 HERE

Congrats Lonnie! I want to hear what goodies are going to be in your second system!

That is not what you said the first time...

I said "This Forum." You said "These Forums," which implies other Forums. I don't give a hoot about what is said on the other Forums (since I don't go there). Now, if you meant to refer to just K-Scene's Forum, then obviously, if they post, they are here (there are no buts about that). If that is what you meant (just people in the K-Scene Forum), then I have not seen this to be so. I've seen a few who have posted extreme points of views, and some were just posted to push other people's buttons.

While your experience may differ from mine, I have yet to see it on this forum. I send out anti-piracy literature with each and every one of my mailing packages, yet never mention any producers' name. I do not want my business in any way associated with the SC name, for instance ( again, this would make me a pariah in my area) yet am anti-pirate.

I have yet to see anyone here take anything what even remotely resembles a pro-piracy stance. What I HAVE seen are some SC supporters pretty much stating that anyone who does not agree with SC's methodology must be a pirate, which is not the same thing, and also completely false, of course.

Chris, the one thing to keep in mind- again- is that there are no nationwide absolutes- they simply are in applicable.

That being said, in MY region:

SC has made their own label non-grata- unwelcome and dis-allowed by venues.

SC has caused venues to either stop or never start karaoke (market damage) to avoid any waves.

KJ's who are original manufactures' disc based are often replacing their product for not only personal comfort, but personal disgust.

SC's actions have caused a tremendous negative feedback on their own label, to the point where even brand recognition is fading from lack of use.

Chris, I am certainly glad that SC's "certification" seems to do you some good, and I believe you if you say it does, but that cert can cause as much damage as good depending on the region.

I would add the following: While SC's ORIGINAL goals were fine ( Recoup losses and hopefully nail some pirates (track theives) along the way), from your recent posts I believe that even you would notice that their execution of this plan has been incredibly mismanaged.

They may have caught an ACTUAL pirate or two, but they never targeted pirates (theives- the people from whom they SHOULD have been recouping losses). The errors only branched out from there.

Had the executed their ORIGINAL plan properly, there would not have been any of these debates, no pro- or anti-, and they would have maintained the integrity of their label, instead of tarnishing it to the point of being untrusted and unused.

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"No Contests, No Divas, Just A Good Time!"

" Disc based and loving it..."

Chris being anti-SC does not equate to being pro-pirate. I'm not concerned with either side since I have run a successful business all these years not worrying about any of this. I did not even know there was any issues until I started going on these forums a little over two years ago. Most hosts don't know or care about any of this, most venues also I would guess. It has only become an issue since SC decided to go down this legal process recovery road, now they are joined by PR/WWD/DTE/CB. The one glaring unanswered question to me Chris is if this is such a superior policy option, why haven't other manus jumped on the bandwagon?

Going after people who just took what they bought and put it on their computers is not doing ANYTHING to stop track thieves. It just angers people and makes the brand unwanted to all but you select few who stand up for Kurt. The rest of us want the nonsense to stop.

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I am the ONLY SANE 1 HERE

Smooth and Cue - I stand corrected. By definition, a pirate is pro-pirate and, if they pirate SC material, they are anti-SC because they are stealing from them instead of paying them. So it is impossible to be a pirate and pro-SC. However, people could still be anti-SC and anti-pirate. I just don't believe that of the 15,000+ people registered to these forums that there are a majority that are both anti-SC and anti-pirate. Maybe the relative handful of vocal posters fit that mold, but given the level of piracy that exists, it is silly to think that and majority of anti-SC folks are also anti-piracy. That is living in a fantasy world.
-Chris

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-Chris

To be blunt, the KJ's and Venue's that take that stance are not properly educating themselves about things. If a KJ disagrees with SC policies (which are hardly draconian and pretty easy to comply with) then they could operate normally, using SC product, with no waves at all.

The venues that drop karaoke or never start it fall in the same category. All they have to do is perform some due diligence when hiring a karaoke host. It isn't that hard.

Personal disgust? Disgusted about what? That SC is asking KJ's to prove they possess what they use in their shows? I am pretty disgusted by the folks that refuse to prove they own what they say they do. So it goes both ways. It just isn't that hard to prove you own what you are using in your show whether that be going through an audit/certification or even bringing discs to a venue or taking pictures of your discs. The ones the refuse to do even that should absolutely be suspect.




Brand recognition is fading for everyone. It is truly only the old timer singers and the KJ's that care about brands any longer. The new generation of singers could care less.

Chris, I am certainly glad that SC's "certification" seems to do you some good, and I believe you if you say it does, but that cert can cause as much damage as good depending on the region.



I agree 100%. They have some damage control to do. But I also believe the community is to blame for the herd mentality of just believing everything they hear instead of asking questions of the right people and making up their own minds with evidence instead of hearsay.

-Chris

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-Chris

Just been asked to do another corporate gig.. (Next month)

Money is right, why not..

I'll probably bring all 4 CD+G discs..

(From what I hear, that's all a KJ needs)