Karaoke Forums

I thought some of you may appreciate this.

My phone rings and I answer , A stranger we shall call "Cathy" introduces herself and proceeds to explain that she wants my help to find and sue the person that sold her a illegally loaded HD off craigslist.....this HD seller sent a certificate stating the HD was legal with a gold seal ribbon and everything( one of the usual suspects that sells nationwide). She was named in a lawsuit and her IP attorney advised her to settle because well...she was a pirate.

I spent over an hour trying to explain she was on a fools mission.....I failed horribly and she still feels victimized and thinks she will get money from the HD seller for her losses and lost business

Moral to this story......some people ARE completely clueless and incapable of understanding

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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

It doesn't seem that foolish to me.
If she has a money trail that can be traced back to the hard drive seller she can have that seller joined in the suit as a third party defendant.
Perhaps that way those most responsible can be held responsible.
I would hope that Slep-Tone would be very happy to have an opportunity to go after the bigger pirate with the help and evidence the small pirate could provide.

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KNOW THYSELF

As a general principle, I can tell you that we would. As to this specific case, I couldn't say.

I did advise her to provide the documentation to SC.....this is one of the "BIG" CL hd sellers.....so I am sure they are on the radar

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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

On the radar...............right. But they will continue to harass KJs instead of going after this HD seller. What a scam. You know why?? The longer this guy is in business, the more idiots will buy HIS products, and the more KJs SC can go after. But they want to end piracy. RIIIIGHT!

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I am the ONLY SANE 1 HERE

If she has information and documentation, she is the one who would benefit from adding them as a third party defendant to defray her own costs. Passing information on to Sound Choice will make no difference. Slep-Tone is neither interested nor motivated to go after the hard drive seller, but if she added them as a third party defendant, at least the hard drive seller would be forced to defend themselves.

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KNOW THYSELF

If Slep-Tone was THAT interested in going after the CL sellers, they would have already.

One only has to go on their local CL, type in "karaoke" in the For Sale section and one of those hard drive sellers are sure to pop up.

The cookie cutter lawsuits are for trademark infringement. That's a separate deal. Maybe the big sellers aren't able to be adequately shaken down. I mean - these companies (like Karaoke Kandy Store, Panorama, etc) are operated illegally and I'm willing to bet that the money disappeared from the coffers before the Plaintiff's had a chance to get their mitts on it.

I pay attention to these ads. No checks, credit cards, PayPal, etc. There is no money trail. Only a criminal investigation would probably uncover these guys because only law enforcement would be able to arrest and identify them.

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I'm not a cheerleader, but I paid for my pom poms with my own money!

Anyone who buys a hard drive with 100,000 + songs for about $3-500 knows it is illegal. To say they were ignorant when they bought is unbelievable excuse. They know what they bought isn't kosher.

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You can be strange but not a stranger

I have come to the realization that the hard drive sellers sell most of their drives to home consumers, not to karaoke hosts. I think hosts, even new ones, generally know what the situation is. The consumers are the ones lining the pockets of the hard drive sellers, not the KJ's.

-Chris

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-Chris

Oh hell, even I agree with this. Unfortunately there are very few cases brought against these HD sellers- not as much profit a gaining a "settlement" I guess......

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

" Disc based and loving it..."

this is something i have been saying for a while.
most of us have many singers with significantly larger libraries than our own (the ones that used to buy discs to bring with them to shows) and hold their own karaoke parties at home when they are not out.

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

Well I don't.. As much as people KNOW a deal that seems to good to be true isn't, they still go for it time and time and time again. This goes across all areas of life. Roofs done for $300 and the crew never shows up, designer watches "direct" for $150, Slicer dicers that means you'll never cry when you cut an onion again. I'd be as bold enough to say anyone and everyone reading this has been dooped in one form or fashion and I would say anyone who says they haven't been is not being honest with us or themselves. To say someone should "know better" than to buy a drive when the seller is assuring the buyer it is legit and providing documentation is a wonderful theory. Reality says otherwise. I am not saying EVERY buyer is being dooped. I am saying there is probably a low percentage.

And I am also in full agreement that if SC REALLY wanted to clean it up, they would be taking this proof the lady is offering and joining the seller. I also contend the idea SC doesn't want to clean it up is one I find a hard to disagree with. Then who would be buying their goods? Not me, I stopped long before I even knew about all this. I didn't stop because I am stealing, I stopped because there are better ways to make gain what I need. I would bet almost everyone here is pretty close to that boat.

"Cathy" was truly oblivious....she had never bought a single CDG or even a download legally. She "got into" karaoke because she was a singer at a show where the host used a illegal HD....he had mentioned buying his drive for $600 so she thought $250 was a good deal (sellers hook was he was retiring). Some really do not know....sad as it sounds...but true.
I advised her to get copies of documentation to SC, the local police, the FBI and the postal inspectors....I hope that this guy ends up spending some time behind bars.

When she does realize that what she did was wrong...I feel for her too. She is not a bad person she just refuses to believe that she WAS a pirate for using that drive in shows (she paid for that music and even had a certificate). When I explained what a disc cost(and even a single download) ....her answer was NOBODY would every pay that much to be able to run a decent show....even 5000 songs would cost WAY too much.

I need a hockey helmet

_________________
"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

If the hard drive sellers really wanted to make some money they could always sell their lists of buyers to SC for a price, it would take all the guess work out of the investigations since they would have proof of the illegal purchase. Only problem is would it be ethical?

If I remember correctly the buyers lists were collected as evidence on the couple of HD sellers the Feds caught....but that was criminal charges

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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

I wasn't talking about criminal charges Athena we are after all for the most part with this legal process on the civil side of the law. Since there is no honor among thieves it would stand to reason hard drive sellers might be willing to sell their information, as long as there is some kind of agreement not to charge them with any wrong doing. Sort of a plea agreement type of arrangement. I'm just wondering if that could be called entrapment?

And they have!

Remember Bill Bene, aka "Dan Stearn's Place" on CL? Slep-Tone was very involved with the FBI in getting this guy.

http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_216201 ... s-6-months

Criminal investigation seems to take a bit longer and HD sellers ARE on the FBI's radar with help from Slep-Tone and others.



Kind of blows your theory out of the water, doesn't it Smooth?

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-- Mark

http://kjbill.com

Kind of lends credibility to Smooth's theory, doesn't it?

If you haven't been there lately, he has revamped his site, added a free trial option, an instructional video, and more.

I wonder if he needs a partner......

-Chris

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-Chris

However, Stellar Records has taken the approach of going after HD sellers directly and recently settled "without prejudice" in a Florida Court.

http://www.rfcexpress.com/lawsuits/copy ... cket-text/

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-- Mark

Bill will get his soon enough!

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-- Mark