Starting up a laptop karaoke setup?

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

I wholeheartedly apologize for my earlier post. It was a bit harsh. As a businessman I do realize that you need to cover the costs of running the site with advertising. I just get a bit annoyed at times with the way legislation is slowing down progress in our industry. Whilst the law-abiding ones among us are waiting for things to get sorted, those not-so-law-abiding ones are coming in with laptop-based systems (probably no PLI, PAT and using illegal music) and taking the gigs. I accept that I shouldn't be directing my annoyances at the site.

However, my biggest concern is the length of time that the whole Digital DJ licence process is taking. I'm sure it gets to you too, Darren, as a member of the LWP. I've read that there have been heated debates between the groups involved. I'm also sure you wish it was all sorted by now. I just want to be able to buy a licence that covers me legally for the job I do (disco & karaoke) and lets me get on with entertaining people.

As for running the site, I think you guys do a great job. I have probably learned more in the last 13 months that I have used the site than I have from experience over the last nine years from other sources. Because of that, I would pay to subscribe to such an excellent resource of info. I'm sure, though, that a paid-for forum would put a lot of people off and we'd lose some vital sources of help and info.

As for the comment about having no control over the ads that Google AdSense displays, this was the reason I rejected that particular method of advertising on my own site. Obviously, these adverts must work for you cos I usually read them and have been known to click a few!

Anyway, sorry for causing any offence - i'll make sure I make my opinions more reader-friendly in the future.

Thank you for the post and you didn't cause offence.

The people we are dealing with at the MCPS at the current time are a lot more switched on than the others we dealt with before. The reason things are taking so long is because there have been a number of changes in the staffing situation, so therefore no real continuity in the process.

However, a solution for both DJs and KJs will hopefully be sorted soon. Unfortunately, until everything is finalised, any discussion with the MCPS is private and confidential, but you will be the first to know when we get the go ahead to publish any details.

By the way, we do have a subscription scheme going if you'd like to join.

[Corabar Steve]

those not-so-law-abiding ones are coming in with laptop-based systems (probably no PLI, PAT and using illegal music) and taking the gigs.

Hold on there Buckeroo!

A fair amount of the members of this site (Darren & myself included) use a digital playout system (be that laptop of HD / SD controller). Are you saying we are less than law abiding?

May I remind you that there is an amnesty at the moment with regard to MP3s / WAVs ripped from CDs for until the licence is issued. I know that I for one will be buying the licence once it is available.

FYI all the music our DJs use is legally obtained & we do hold both PAT & PLI.

Strikes me that you really do need to think before you post.


Ye ha!

[DazzyD]

Darren

I can understand the problems with delays in sorting out the licence. As I said, it just gets to me at times when someone on the site asks advice about computer-based systems and then someone else jumps in with the old "oh, you can't do that - it's naughty!" comments. We have the technology to advance in our industry but the legalities are holding us back.

Also, let me know more about the subscription scheme you mentioned. Is it for the forum or for advertising on the mobilediscodirectory.com website? I would certainly suscribe to help with running costs of the forum (providing it's within my pocket range) but the advertising area is something different. We have set budgets for advertising and that pot is empty until September.

Steve

I wasn't saying that you (or anyone else on this site) were less than law-abiding. From what I read on the site, both you and Darren are highly respected in the industry. But I do know some who are "a bit dodgy" and I'm sure you do too. The ones that are charging about £50 for a gig and the ones that make potential customers say "Oh, I can get a disco far cheaper than that!" when I quote them a discounted price of £140.

I too use a laptop for DJing work with legally obtained music. I'm using it in addition to a large cd & record collection - all legally bought over the years. I also have a karaoke laptop system using PCDJ with the karaoke add-on. All legally bought and registered. I have the necessary software for converting CD+Gs to a computer-based format. But I'm holding back on taking it out on the road until the licence is sorted and I know I'm not going be prosecuted for doing my job entertaining people.

I have both PAT & PLI certificates because I want to do things right and keep on the level. That is why it frustrates me with the Digital DJ Licence taking so long. When it is finalised, and meets my requirements, I'm sure I'll be one of the first in the queue.

[Tom]

When it is finalised, and meets my requirements, I'm sure I'll be one of the first in the queue.

I may be joining you in that queue but it all depepnds on the price. If the price is too much then it looks like im going to have to sell some gear and invest in some good cd players.

Having this new licence is a good idea but i think if its to expensive you will get more dj's who will either go back to cd's ect or may even use a laptop without telling the relevent people.

Im more intrested in what a fine would be if someone got caught using a laptop without paying for a licence. Now that dont mean im going to go out and still use my laptop or HD player without paying for a licence, i want to be as legal as the next pro dj out there, but just intrested what the fine would be for such a thing.

[DazzyD]

Hi Tom

I remember reading about the first phase of negotiations on the licence and the figure that was being quoted for the licence was £200+vat (so around £235 then).

As for the fine, I also remember reading about figures of up to £1000 per track on your harddrive. So it could be quite a scary sum of money. Recently, I've seen DVD pirates in my local area being caught and fined sums running in to tens of thousands of pounds and that's to do with copyright laws also. So I would assume that copying a CD+G (or, indeed, any cd) to your harddrive would be dealt with in the same way. If you think about it, DVD pirates make money from selling copied DVDs and we are looking to make money out of playing music copied on to computers. So, in the eyes of the law, what's the difference? This is why we need this licence so as we are not open to prosecution.

Now before anyone has a go at me for getting these figures wrong, I must point out that they are not gospel (apart from the DVD piracy fines) but are figures that were being quoted well over a year ago - the most respected source of info being an article in one the more up-market newspapers (I think it was The Times but can't be certain of that).

Anyway, hope this gives some idea and reinforces the need for the licence (as well as the need for getting it right).

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

DVD piracy and copying a song to a hard drive is hardly in the same league is it?

There are always plenty of rumours about these sort of things and most are not true.

[DazzyD]

From a moral point of view then maybe not. But from a legal point of view, as defined in the Copyright, Designs & Patents Act 1988, then they both amount to the same thing - i.e. breach of copyright. See the UK Copyright Services' website at www.copyrightservice.co.uk for the basics. (This is a general comment made to a wide range of readers - I'm sure you, Darren, as a member of the LWP, will be up on copyright law).

The problem is, Darren, whilst I agree that there are a lot of rumours flying around all over the place, the only time I'll feel 100% confident is when I've got that licence in my name so I know I'm not going to risk prosecution just for doing my job.

The figures for the licence fee are there for all to see on PPL UKs website (PPLUK.COM and click Digital DJ from the home page) so that's not a rumour. It's just a shame that the original Digital DJ Licence allows you to copy (to hard-drive) karaoke audio but not graphics. If it did, I would been one of the first to have one at the end of 2005.

But, like you said earlier in the posts, I'll keep watching this space as I'm sure it will get sorted eventually.

[sleah]

DVD piracy and copying a song to a hard drive is hardly in the same league is it?

From a moral point of view then maybe not. But from a legal point of view, as defined in the Copyright, Designs & Patents Act 1988, then they both amount to the same thing - i.e. breach of copyright.

You are both of course right.
The difference being in the fine and/or sentence that is handed out.

Copying a track to HD that you own and don't intend to give/sell to a.n.other will probably get you a stern talking too and maybe a small fine.
However, copy a dvd and sell it, expect to be on the receiving end of a large heavy book!