Manobeer said:
And why would any of the above differ with any of the other NON-Download formats? Gem Series?
Excellent question! The difference is that when you use mfrs.' original discs, you are using a product that
THEY are responsible for, because it's THEIRS. All licensing responsibility rests on THEIR shoulders. If you own a mfrs. disc, licensing is not YOUR problem.
An MP3 download is no longer the manufacturers' original product. It has been format shifted, uploaded from a computer to a server through whatever means of transmission, then - through whatever means of transmission- it is downloaded to a consumer's PC. Besides being only a copy of the original, there is absolutely no quality control of the product. It is no longer the mfrs.' original product. It is YOURS, and ONLY YOU are responsible for licensing.
Think of it as kind of a warranty. If you buy, say, a new amp, it comes with one. However, if you open it or alter the electronics, the warranty is voided, because the mfr. no longer has any guarantee that the product is in it's original form.
I'm not saying discs are more LEGAL, only that the responsibility stays with the mfr., not the Karaoke Host.
Of course, this is overly simplified. Your receipt shows that you paid in good faith, and downloading for non-public use shouldn't be a problem. However, until and unless a combination download licence is even written in the U.S., and can be included with each track from the mfr., it is illegal to use these tracks to run a show. The only "Permission" a mfr. can give is for the process of downloading.