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What's New In Video Hoster?

Just about everything you've asked for that we couldn't do before! The list below gives some of the highlights!

Version History: Read on for more details

IMPORTANT: Please review the recommended changes to run Professional shows with Windows:
XP: Recommended Changes
Vista: Recommended Changes

V4.10 - Released September 23, 2009

• NEW Remove Silence From Karaoke & Audio Songs - The Tools menu Remove Silence... command automatically scans and marks leading and trailing silence in your KMA (karaoke and audio) files and in your Songs Database. Once processed, you can select to play with or without the silence. The Edit Songs dialog allows adjusting or clearing the Start or End pointers on any song.
• NEW Automated Background Audio Player - The Bkgnd Audio button displays the new BA Player where you can open a folder containing MP3 and WMA files audio files to play. Hoster automatically controls this Player, providing background audio whenever silence would happen. You no longer need to use other audio players like WinAmp, DJ programs, etc.
• NEW Talkover Button - When Background Audio is playing, clicking this button drops the amplitude down so you can talk while the background continues playing.
• NEW Intermission View Visualization Shows Background Audio - While Background Audio is playing, the Intermission View appears. If you have Visualization selected, the gyrating images respond to the Background Audio.
• NEW Audio Fade In and Out - You can now set adjustable separate fade durations for Hoster and the Background Audio Player so the music comes up and fades away.
• NEW Windows 7 Compliant - Version 4.10 can install and run on Windows 7. Those who tested on Windows 7 report faster performance. So far it appears to be function the same as with Vista, but more stable.
• NEW Video Button Supports .MP4 Files - You can now open and add .MP4 file types using the Video button.
• NEW Fixed Title Page On SAV Tracks - Title page graphics now draw correctly for SAV and similar "artistic" drawing mode discs.
• UPGRADED Import Database - There are now 278,000 DiscID-Track# definitions, all cleaned through Google manual searches.
• UPGRADED Rewritten And Reformatted Manual - The manual has been totally reorganized to make it easier to find what you are looking for. More images now have "image maps" that make each control in the image a hyperlink to the details about it; just click what you want to know about and read it.
• UPGRADED Printer Friendly Version Links - The Printer Friendly Version link at the top of the Installation Manual, User Manual, and Import Songs Manual to print that manual section correctly without chopping off the right edge.
• CHANGED Show Button is Now SND Button - This now is titled SND button. When clicked, it blanks the Singers Names Display when clicked (red) and un-blanks it when clicked again (green). This allows you to edit the SND order or names and they are not visible until you are finished.
• CHANGED InstaButtons Stop Button - This now is gray when no InstaButtons are Playing, and red when one is playing. Clicking it stops the playing button.
• CHANGED Import Hard Drive Files Screen - The Type buttons were changed.
• NEW HDWMAG Type - When importing WMA+CDG paired files or the same within a .ZIP file on the hard drive now import as HDWMAG instead of HDBIN Type files.
• RENAMED "***+G" Renamed to MP3G - Some users didn't know what "***+G" meant. After splitting the WMAG Type to a new button, we renamed "***+G" to MP3G to make it clearer which button to click for the two file types.
• REMOVED CDG Button In Import HD Files Screen - This supported the older MTU .CDG audio+lyrics format that was discontinued years ago due to conflicts with the MP3+CDG format that became popular. If you have any .CDG MTU style files remaining, rename them to .BIN and they will import.
• MOVED BIN Type - The BIN button was moved to where the CDG button was.
• UPGRADED Tools Menu Audio Controls... Command - We added new Fade in: and Fade out: fields so you can select how fast Hoster songs fade up when they start, and back down when they are finished.
• UPGRADED Speed Up Performance - We modified our drive detection code that significantly speeds up Hoster starting up. Some users would see tens of seconds for Hoster to start, while others would have Hoster running in under 10 seconds. Now everyone should see faster performance.
• UPGRADED Visualization Images - Selecting Visualization images to appear in the Intermission or Audio DJ views adds a major load on the computer processor and RAM. A warning message appears whenever you click the Visualization radio button to remind you of this.
• MOVED Man-Auto Buttons - These were moved to directly above where they were.
• FIXED Audio InstaButtons Stopped Playing - Audio InstaButtons now keep playing when a new Playlist song starts.
• FIXED Import CD Tracks Could Lock Hoster - We found and fixed the bug so Hoster should no longer lock up.
• FIXED Search Dialog Would Not Play Some Songs - Older KMA files created with Hoster 1.x series would not play in the Search dialog. This is fixed.
• FIXED Crash When InstaButton Dialog Launched - The problem was found in Version 4.09D and fixed in 4.10. The crash only happened if there were no songs in the open Playlist.
• REMOVED X-Fade Button - The new Fade controls give more flexibility.

V4.09d - Released June 23, 2009

• NEW Instabutton Settings Clear Button - If you have an Instabuttons Settings dialog row that you want to delete the filename, title and color, click that row and click Clear button at the bottom.
• NEW Intermission View SND Time AM/PM Setting - The Time fields for upcoming Singers were blank in prior versions. Now they appear and update every 60 seconds while the Intermission View is showing and the Singers Names Display is visible.
• UPGRADED CD/DVD Drive Defaults - If no optical drives are found when Hoster runs, this command dialog doesn't appear and these cannot be clicked: 1) Tools menu CD/DVD Drives Default command, 2) Playlist DISC button, and 3) Import CD Tracks command. If drives exist but their STATUS is set to BAD, the DISC and Import CD Tracks screen are disabled.
• FIXED Intermission View AM/PM Setting Now Persistent - If you changed it in prior versions, it did not remain, but return to the factory default.
• FIXED Video Now Plays Out The Selected Playlist Audio Card - You can select which audio port the Playlist uses for Karaoke, Audio and Video files playing. However, Instabuttons .WAV and Video files ONLY play out the Windows default audio card, while .MP3 or .WMA audio files play out the selected port.

V4.09c - Released June 9, 2009

• FIXED - Importing Chartbuster And Some Older Discs Show Black Lyrics - When we did the multisession repair in 4.09b, we removed a line of code that did not appear to be needed. We restored the prior line and all is well again. If you imported any CDG Discs in Version 4.09b, be sure to play them in the Playllist or Edit Songs dialog to see if the lyrics are present or not.
• FIXED - Import Hard Drive Files Stopped After First 99 In Batch Mode - When the files on the hard drive you are importing don't have a DiscID in their filenames, and you have more than 99 in the folder or Use Sub-Folders clicked, after the first 99 imported, Hoster would appear to lock up. It wasn't but it took so long it might as well have. We fixed it so there is now a 1-2 second delay and then the next 99 files load into the Track Window and continue importing.
• FIXED - Instabuttons Filename Field - In prior versions this field could be edited. However, if you entered a bad path/filename that could not be found, things wouldn't work as expected. In V4.09c you can't edit this field, forcing you to use the Select File button to get the file for the button to play.
• REMOVED Hoster 3.40 Is No Longer Provided - Hoster 4.09c no longer includes 3.40 (identical to 3.321a but installed with a Version 4 Registration Code). Because of theft of our Import Database (Bucket.mdb) that was happening, we were forced to change the security, which prevents 3.40 Import or Edit Songs from working at all. We are confident that Hoster 4.09c is as stable as any software can be today.

V4.09b - Released June 3, 2009

• FIXED Importing Multisession CD Last Tracks - In some cases, the last track of a multisession disc would not import correctly. A problem was found and fixed. Now all tracks on a multisession disc will import. NOTE: MediaCloq and MSC protected discs from Sound Choice will not import at all. Windows Media Player won't even recognize a TOC exists on the disc.
• FIXED Show Display Audio DJ View - When a few rare KMA HDAUD (audio only) files were in the Playlist to play next, if the Audio DJ View "Graphic section" was set to Visualization, they would play correctly. It was set to Image, HTML Page or Solid Color the HDAUD file would show ERROR and was skipped.

V4.09a - Released May 28, 2009

• FIXED Edit Songs Crashing - In this dialog, if a Search found two or more matches, Hoster crashed. This was fixed.

V4.09 - Released May 26, 2009

• NEW Preview Play In Search Dialog - When a second sound card is available and selected in the Tools menu Audio Controls dialog Search audio card: field, a Preview Play button and volume slider appear in the Search dialog. The slider range does not go to full silence for the most useable range.
• NEW Visualization Images When Audio Files Play - You can now select to have the current Windows Media Player Visualization image appear in the Show Display Audio view while Audio HDAUD, MP3 or WMA files (not WAV) play.
• Instabutton Changes
• NEW Instabuttons Now Play MP3 amd WMA Audio - You can now use MP3 and WMA audio files in addition to WAV and Video for your Instabuttons.
• NEW Instabuttons Dialog Volume Slider - This new slider allows adjusting the volume separately for Instabutton MP3 or WMA audio files, (not WAV audio or Video files).
• NEW Instabuttons Dialog Play/Stop Button - Click this to play the song for the selected Instabutton row below. You can only play when a show is not in progress as it uses the Playlist audio card: assignment. Only MP3 and WMA audio will play with this button.
• UPGRADED Allow InstaButton Setup During a Show - In prior versions the InstaButtons dialog could not be viewed or changed during a show. Now, you can enable/disable buttons, and change the files, titles and colors.
• UPGRADED CD/DVD Drive Defaults Dialog - If a drive is listed as Bad, the button to the right now renames to Good to allow you to try and use the drive anyway. The selection is persistent and will appear until it is changed.
• UPGRADED Playlist Volume Slider - The Volume slider is back. It does NOT use the Microsoft controllers, but is able to reduce the amplitude DOWN from the maximum Microsoft control setting for all but Video files. You can also set this to max and use your external mixer to balance amplitudes.
• UPGRADED Playlist Singers Field - We changed editing the Playlist Singers field from right-click to double-click or click to select, then click again to edit.
• UPGRADED Show Display Graphics - The Graphics section radio buttons now auto-select when any of the buttons to the right are clicked.
• REMOVED No Longer Play WAV Files In Playlist - Some recent WAV files have MP3 or WMA compressed data instead of PCM sample data. These violate the 20+ year old WAV file standard, and would crash Hoster. Now all .WAV files found in a Playlist when it opens are converted to No Play Status, which are skipped over when playing. Review WAV files in your Playlists and import them to KMA HDAUD files indexed in the Songs Database. You can then add them to your Playlist to replace the original standard WAV files.
• FIXED Converting KMA HDZIP to HDMP3G - When Hoster runs, if it finds any HDZIP files in your Songs Database, it suggests you convert them to KMA HDMP3G type. In Version 4.08 an error message appeared with some HDZIP files and they didn't convert. All valid HDZIP's should now convert. In Hoster 4.10 with crossfade, HDZIP files will no longer play so convert them now so your show system will be ready. There is no loss of quality, just improved performance.
• FIXED Marquee Hide Checkbox - In the Show Display your selection was not persistent. Now your setting remains until you change it again.
• FIXED Skip Button Flashed When Karaoke File Playing - This was fixed.
• FIXED Search Dialog Column Sort Failed After Extended Use - When using both Search and Singer windows together, clicking on any column in the Search window would not sort correctly. This is fixed.
• FIXED 1706 Error During Install - This error indicated files were missing and Hoster could not be installed, but when you clicked OK, it would finish and Hoster was installed. This is now fixed.

Stand Alone Software

Video Hoster does not require any other programs to import your karaoke discs, show your lyrics, run your shows, or change key. It does NOT use a USB security "hardware dongle". It has a true Database to automatically index and find your imported songs. All features are fully integrated; fully supported by MTU who has the highest rating in the industry for customer support. Unlike other software on the market, Video Hoster is completely self contained. No need for other converters, players, or vendors. All you need is Video Hoster! Video Hoster 4.xx recognizes most CD/DVD drives available today. However, to be certain your drive will work with Hoster, click here to download the Demo version.

Built-In CDG Disc Importing

Import your Karaoke CD+G disc tracks to your computer hard drive using most any CD/DVD drive. These files will appear better than files from any other importer. Amazingly, even scratched discs will clean up better than new. Impress your singers with the flat-out best quality lyrics available. Even those pesky last tracks on multi-session discs quickly import as compressed KMA files, storing twice as many as MP3+G at the same quality. A 120GB drive can hold 27,000+ songs, and a 250GB over 55,000. You can identify Artist, Title, Language, Genre, Duet and Multiplex parameters to instantly find the exact song you need, indexed in the provided Access database... able to store over a million songs.

Import Karaoke BIN, CDG, MP3G, WMAG, WAVG, ZIP, and Audio MP3, WMA, WAV Files

You can convert these Karaoke and Audio file types on your hard drive to KMA files indexed in your Database and Songbooks. Import only a Brand-DiscID at a time, batch import up to 99 files at a time, or enable using sub-folders to batch convert tens of thousands at a time. Bad files are detected, logged into an errors file, and not imported to insure your shows remain professional.

Integrated Local Database & FreeDB Link

When importing your Karaoke CD+G discs, Hoster's local database automatically fills in the tracks Title and Artist. For discs not in the database, the FreeDB website is checked to fill in the track fields if the DiscID is in their database. If not found, you can quickly enter the names with the new auto-complete feature for Artist and Title. Typing a few characters scrolls the lists to the name you are looking for, or helps you enter a new name that appears from then on. The Local database is now being updated weekly, and will soon be available on-line for monthly download, or by ordering an update CDROM. NOTE: The DiscID's users enter are sent for MTU review and inclusion in the on-line database. This is provided in each new version (4.01, 4.02, etc.). Music and lyrics are not included.

Rotation Playlists

Your open playlist shows the song rotation order of upcoming singers and their songs. You can add songs while a singer is performing, skip a missed song, play any selected song instantly, and move songs to change their place in the rotation. Create pre-loaded Playlists that you perform often, or add requests anytime singers submit them, which automatically delete after they finish. You can instantly load songs your regulars sing (for this show location) that skip over until they arrive. Unlike other complex software, Hoster has one playlist that can hold Karaoke, Audio and Video songs to play in any order. It doesn't get any easier.

Play Karaoke Files

You can add KMA, MP3+G, WMA+G and WAV+G karaoke file types directly from the hard drive into a Playlist, including KMA files imported from a Flash Drive. Key change them as needed. You can also import these and BIN, CDG and ZIP files as KMA compressed files that appear in your Song Book, and search and instantly add to the Playlist.

Play Audio Files

You can add MP3 and WMA audio file types to the Playlist in any order. Move and delete them while a Singer is performing to change your rotation, and key change them. You can also import these and WAV files as KMA compressed files that appear in your Song Book (or hide them), and search and instantly add to the Playlist.

Play Video Files

These Video file types can play from the hard drive: .dat (VCD), .wmv, .avi, .dvx, .qt, .mov, .mpg, .mpeg, .m1v and .m2v, using the normal play controls; Start, Pause/Resume, Stop, Restart, Skip. Live Key Change and Multiplex work in version 4.06.

Play Singers Discs And USB Flash Drives

You can add and play tracks from CDG discs or USB Flash Drives your singers bring to your show. Video Hoster imports these songs to the hard drive so you can immediately give their disc or Flash Drive back. You can move the songs in the Playlist while a Singer is performing to change your rotation if needed, and change their key (and tempo in 4.20). These files automatically delete when played, or when you close Video Hoster, but if the computer crashes, they are safe and ready to play when Video Hoster comes back up.

Live Key Change

You can key change songs in half-steps for the Singer's voice. When a song rotates to play, it automatically sets the key you entered from their request, from their saved Song in the Singers Database, or you can click the Key column in the Playlist and change it. More often, singers don't know the key until the song starts. Then, clicking the live key change buttons instantly changes the key anywhere in the song. Key changes does not change the tempo speed.

Play Multiplex Songs

When CDG songs have the music on the left and music+vocals on the right channels, when you import the songs you can set the vocals to not play, or edit them at any time. When they play, the vocals are removed. While playing, if the singer is panicking and out of sync, you can enable the vocals, then silence them again when the singer is in sync again. Without this, they may bolt from the stage and never sing again. Instead, you will protect their dignity and they will return to your shows for more.

Play Your Own InstaButtons™

You can create instant playing buttons with audio or video files defined to play when the button is clicked. You can define the background color, the button title, the order from left to right as well as the file to play. This is a great way to excite your audience and Singers, bringing them back to your show.

Fast Song Search

Instantly find the songs your singers request... when they "won't" use your Song Books. Search for any database field or combination of fields. For example, if you select to search on Title and Artist, entering "Chapel" could show "Crying in the Chapel" "Chapel of Love" and "The Chapel Singers". New Karaoke and Audio buttons narrow your search to only one type, or both. This dialog can remain up or minimized while running a show.

Singers Database

You only need to type a Singer's name once. All names are automatically saved so typing a few characters will scroll the list to any name. When you add a song under a Singer, you can save it to the Singers Database, including any Key change they want. Then, using the Singers dialog you can find a singer, see their songs and add one or more to the Playlist with a few mouse clicks. You can sort Singers and their Songs by date to see who is active, or to remove songs they no longer sing.

Beautiful Show Display

Hoster 4 defines a new standard for what your Singers and Audience see. It gives you tremendous flexibility to snazz up your shows. The new Show Display has four views; Intermission (shown), Lyrics, Audio DJ, and Video VJ. Views automatically change based on what is playing, or Intermission when silence would happen to provide a visual and aural environment. You can show/hide a scrolling Marquee with selected preset messages or type in new ones, and show/hide the list of Singer's Names to perform, showing fewer in the Lyrics and Video views, and more during Intermission or Audio Views. Show/hide the elapsed time or clock time so your Singers are ready when it is their turn.

Dual Displays

If your computer supports dual display, you see the Playlist with its Preview Display on the computer monitor, and the Karaoke lyrics for your singers on the TV. While singers perform, you can add new requests, skip over singers who are absent, or move them in the rotation. If you don't have two displays, Video Hoster shows your Playlist when not playing, and the Show Display Lyrics View while a song plays.

Show Next Singers Up

The Singer Names Display shows the Singer and their song title, and the next 1 to 15 Singers in your show rotation and their songs. Make it appear below or above the Lyrics Display during a performance, or appear between songs. Set it up and it runs automatically each show. When you add a singer to the Playlist, they automatically appear and rotate as Singers finish. You are truly free to interact with your audience and singers because your next singers automatically come to the stage.

Create Your Song Books

Video Hoster (not Lite models) includes one of the most advanced Karaoke Song Book programs available! Prepare your Song Book by; Artist or Title or identify your Inventory for new purchases; by Lastname or Firstname first; showing A/The at the start or end; show or hide these fields: Title, Artist, unique BookID, Brand, DiscID, Track, Language, Genre, Duet, and Mux. Create and add new release pages as you import new discs to keep your books current without reprinting. Create "special pages" by any group of Language, Genre, Duets, Multiplexed Vocals, or Karaoke or Audio file types. Pages export as Rich Text Format (RTF) files for Open Office, Word, Wordpad or other programs to format and print.

Crash Recovery

Just like your CDG Player, computers will eventually crash. The question is what happens to your show when it does? First, all Video Hoster playlist changes immediately save to the hard drive, ready when it restarts. Second, the Playlist that was playing automatically re-opens when Video Hoster is back running. Third, tracks from singers discs you imported are ready to play from the hard drive. Your show rotation continues! The most you lose is 3-5 seconds to restart Video Hoster, or the computer restart time. No other karaoke show software has auto-recovery; you loose everything when they crash. It just doesn't get any safer!

Computer Requirements

1. Video Hoster runs on Windows XP Home, Pro or Mediacenter with SP3, and Vista (32 and 64-bits) with SR1, all require .NET free download. Because Video Hoster 4 uses the newest technologies available, your computer needs all updates to run Hoster reliably
2. CD/DVD Recorder to import CDG Karaoke discs to the hard drive.
3. Graphics Video card with at least 128MB of RAM (or on-board graphics chip using at least 128MB system RAM) that supports Direct-X 9.0b or higher (cards with less than 32MB RAM usually don't support 9.0b). Dual-display requires an ATI Radeon 9000 or higher, or NVidia equivalent (not recommended). S3 video cards or chips in laptop computers do NOT support Direct-X 9.0.
4. Processor running at least 1.5 GHz. Windows XP runs correctly with 1GB system RAM, while Vista requires at least 2GB RAM to run smoothly.
   IMPORTANT NOTE: Windows Vista requires more processor power. Inexpensive laptops with Vista and slower Celeron or AMD processors have been reported to not play video files correctly, and in some cases the lyrics are not in sync to the music.
5. The computer must be connected to the Internet to install Video Hoster, but not to run it.