VDJ 6.1 released today

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

From Virtual DJ..


The main difference with v6.0.8 is the new NetSearch engine.
As it's been discussed in the NetSearch topic, we are rolling out the old free NetSearch whose content would soon be very restricted due to licensing reasons, and instead we teamed up with Grooveshark to bring you a much better offer:
For only $9.99/month, you get unlimited access to more than 8 million songs from VirtualDJ.

We chose to work with Grooveshark because their catalog is composed of both clean versions of all the major titles straight from the labels, but also those odd songs and exclusive remixes that would help you satisfy all requests.
And all this of course with the labels and artists being compensated for every song you play (hence the small fee).

more informations about this new membership:
http://www.virtualdj.com/products/membership.html

[leelive]

I was concerned about Netsearch and wrote to the Produb team back in June last year about this. In summary it looks like CD companies don't have to worry for a few more years about Netsearch as there is currently no licence to allow a DJ to use it in a professional capacity.

I wrote:

Dear Sirs
I think the ProDub licence might soon become obsolete!
I spend over £2,500 per year on CDs + upto £300 on your Licences... but all that could change soon.
I have just upgraded to the latest version of Virtual DJ..... It includes for free a product called "Netsearch" .
If I was to use this I would never have to buy another CD or pay for a ProDub licence ever again!
If I don't have a song in my collection the "Netsearch" streams it from the internet! (albeit in a reduce quality format viz. MP3)
There doesn't seem to be any limit to the type of song. I have found all my usual chart stuff as well as obscure tracks.
Please advice me of any licences I may require to use it.
Many thanks
All the best

Here is their reply:

Hello Lee,

In answer to your question, if you using commercial music in a professional working capacity as a DJ you will still need a ProDub licence providing you are playing from copies, as per the ProDub terms and conditions.

Assuming the service you mention streams from other sites on the internet, the site that the stream comes from would need to be fully licensed with us. Even when this is the case the licences that these sites have with us only cover the private, personal consumption of commercial music. They cannot be used by a DJ in a working capacity for financial gain as this is not covered in any of the agreements we have with online service providers.

I hope this answers your questions, please get back to me if you require any further clarification.

Many thanks

[WWDJ]

Assuming the service you mention streams from other sites on the internet, the site that the stream comes from would need to be fully licensed with us. Even when this is the case the licences that these sites have with us only cover the private, personal consumption of commercial music. They cannot be used by a DJ in a working capacity for financial gain as this is not covered in any of the agreements we have with online service providers.

confused. :confused: So why put the ability in a DJ product then? Surely most Virtual DJ users are using it for financial gain.

[leelive]

I have just sent another email to the Produb team....
Here is a copy....
I will let you know how they reply in due course.

My email to them:

It has been nearly a year since I wrote to you about a product called "Netsearch" that was made available to owners of a piece of DJing software made by Atomix Production called Virtual DJ. (Original emails below)

Virtual DJ has now teamed up with a "legal" music streaming service and are offering unlimited tracks for $9.99 per month via a company called Grooveshark.

At the moment these music files are still MP3s so the quality will be unsuitable for DJs but sooner or later - with advances in technology they are likely to team up with a company offering wav files. At that point I would seriously be interested in using this product. Can you advise if a licence will be made available to match the changes in how music is being made available for DJs?

Currently I still spend over £2500 on CDs, legal wav download files and a produb licence per year so this product will save me a lot of money.

Many thanks

[DJMaxG]

Can you download the files, or just play them live?
Are you restricted to certain filetypes or bit rates?

If this is what it says it is, then this would work out a hell lot cheaper than buying CDs, but there has got to be a catch somewhere, surely.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

I asked a question on the VDJ forum about copyright - I'll post what they say when I find out.

[WWDJ]

Can you download the files, or just play them live?
Are you restricted to certain filetypes or bit rates?

If this is what it says it is, then this would work out a hell lot cheaper than buying CDs, but there has got to be a catch somewhere, surely.

i've just been playing with Grooveshark and it's very interesting.

What I didn't realise is ALL CONTENT IS SUBMITTED BY USERS!

There is an UPLOAD button!

Then basically it seems anyone can stream the tracks you have uploaded.

IF this is legal, this kind of changes the model even more than Spotify did a couple of years ago.

[leelive]

Here is the reply from the Produb team....

Hi Lee,

Providing you are not making any copies from this service then you would be able to use these original copies in your capacity as a working DJ without the need for a ProDub licence. The Licence covers making copies, or format shifting, not DJing using original copies.

We licensee websites directly and as such we review the rates that we charge individual websites to ensure that our members are fairly remunerated. Thank you for your feedback, and I hope this information was useful.

Thanks

Andy

I want clarfication regarding Groovesharks involvement so I have sent the following reply.

Hi Andrew

Wow. That could change everything.

In this instance I am unsure if Grooveshark (the company that is streaming the music your requirements. Users can upload their songs to the site for others to play. Does that mean this site is illegal as it is supplying a central database for copies?

Lee

[DJMaxG]

File Sharing Site?
Legal?
$9.99 pm

It just seems a bit too good to be true, really, doesn't it?

Technically, you would want to create a backup of your files (rather than re-download everything again from the service), effectively requiring a produb in any case, plus if you already play music ripped from CDs (I believe every member of this forum has ripped CDs, even if not many), then you would still require one; The price would be cheaper though, admittedly.

[Charlie Brown]

Do we get tot keep the music once it's downloaded?

[Excalibur]

I'm going back to CD's tomorrow. ;) I could be dead before they decide what licence I need to use MP3's legally. :( :( :( :( :( :( :(

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Do we get tot keep the music once it's downloaded?

You don't download it, you stream it.

[djsteve10]

How many venues do we work in that have free wi-fi though?

[Charlie Brown]

Exactly.

It's spotify basically.

[Excalibur]

How many venues do we work in that have free wi-fi though?

In my area, more than a handful.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

How many venues do we work in that have free wi-fi though?

I should imagine there are quite a few clubs that let the DJ use it free.

[djsteve10]

I should imagine there are quite a few clubs that let the DJ use it free.

A lot of the big chain hotels around here charge you to use the internet, They make you pay for a soft drink at the bar let alone the internet.

[DJMaxG]

I wouldn't personally bother with it then. You would have to pay so much per a month for 3G (Mobile Broadband) in any case. Also, I gather you would have to use the computer mouse, therefore it isn't really proper DJing is it; The whole concept of the service isn't.


Exactly.
It's spotify basically.

:agree:

[Cj_The_Dj]

you can by a dongle and get Internet at for £2 a day or £7a week or £15.00 a mouth

[DJMaxG]

I posted earlier about dongles (pending moderation approval)

Pro's : Music on demand

Cons :
- No physical control of the 'decks'
- Monthly fees for the service
- No guarantted wifi = the need for a 3G connection
- No guarantee of a wifi or phone signal or a weak signal (Yes, this can happen)

another pro is not having to rip and tag files etc

[Excalibur]

I wouldn't personally bother with it then. You would have to pay so much per a month for 3G (Mobile Broadband) in any case. Also, I gather you would have to use the computer mouse, therefore it isn't really proper DJing is it; The whole concept of the service isn't.



:agree:

Out of the mouths of babes............................................. :thumbs_up: :thumbs_up: :thumbs_up: