Is OpenSong still the best free software?

[Grayson73]

Hi,

When I researched free software years ago, OpenSong was the best and we are still using it. Checking in to see if it is still the best free one.

It can't handle video or pictures, so we always have to close OpenSong and use another software for that, or switch computers.

If there is one, I hope it has the ability to import OpenSong files. I'd hate to have to re-do all of our songs

Thanks in advance for your responses!

Grayson

[waynehoskins]

When I was looking at the freebies a few years ago, Opensong on Windows and Lyricue on Linux were the best I could find. Lyricue behaves much more like the commercial worship software from what I recall.

However, all that said, do give a look at the commercial software. They're not all that expensive, and they have many more features.

I'm fundamentally a free open-source Linux guy, but I ended up migrating my church from Lyricue (free, open-source, Linux) over to Song Show Plus (commercial, closed-source, Windows) a couple of years ago because it fit our needs better. We're now contemplating a move to ProPresenter under MacOS.

If you need video playback support, you really should look at the commercial software. Define the objectives, select the software that best accomplishes those (whether free or paid), pick the operating system that runs that software best, and buy the hardware that it runs on best.

[Grayson73]

Sounds like we both did our research a few years ago. Hopefully someone who has researched recently will respond.

[Esoteric]

Yeah I never found a satisfactory free software. Pro Presenter is so cheap, full featured, and easy to use I don't really bother with anything else.

Mike

[Grayson73]

The thing is, we use OpenSong on 4-5 laptops. Do you know if we'd have to pay for the software 4-5 times?

[waynehoskins]

Most, if not all, of them have site licenses.

Why do you need it on 4-5 computers? Are those simultaneous projection machines? One projection machine and several setup machines? Tell more about that.

[[Admin] osborn4]

Right. I depends on what the machines are used for. With SongShow Plus you pay full price for the original license, $100 for any other projection machines and no cost for "workstations" that are used to build slide shows but not project.

[Grayson73]

We have a portable church so we use OpenSong for different meetings in different locations (Youth fellowship, Adult service, kids service). We also use it during the week in our various youth and adult fellowships.

[waynehoskins]

If I remember right, ProPresenter's single-user licensing is for a single concurrent production use -- that is, you could install and run it on two computers, but only one can be active for projection at a given time. I think their site license is about the cost of two single-user licenses.

So portachurch, what kind of computer hardware? I presume buying new hardware may not be an option. What kind of projection goals? Do you need multi-screen support? Prompt? Live video?

[Cliff]

Best free one I found was easislides. Did motion and video backgrounds. Now using easyworship and it is better

[Esoteric]

You are correct Wayne. And any number can be used for projection, just not at the same time (for example you can have it on two different laptops one of which is used for Sunday morning and one of which is used for Wednesday night Youth services).

Mike

[Grayson73]

Do you need internet connection to use it? I assume that's how it checks to see if you're using it on two laptops at the same time.