.org - Now with streaming video channel!

SQ · Post by SQ » Wed Apr 16, 2008 8:44 pm

Hey guys, I'm late in the game and so if this has already been brought up, I apologize. I also didn't know if talking about the site itself rather than AMVs would go here... But I hope it counts. Anyway.
[Also note that when I say streaming video I mean web video, not actual live streaming video...]

The .org has come a long way over the years. First we were a mailing list. Then a message board. Then we had links to offsite places! And finally, The Golden Donut.
It's no surprise that the site has special donator privileges... They get extra search options, no pesky wait 10 seconds before you download crap [locally], can see star averages, and their own special forum. [I'd hope] nobody's against that. The site needs money to keep running.

But how about streaming content?

The popularity of streaming video sites is hard to hide. We have a million and one ways to get out content on demand. There's several sites. In fact, it could even be argued that because of web video, the "real" media businesses have suffered (Why watch live TV when you have TiVo? Why wait for a news cast when you get google news it?).
And it's only fair to say that the .org has become a thing of the old because we don't have streaming video.

The .org was originally created -- and as far as I know, is still reputed to be -- a video cataloging site. It's only here for us to record every AMV ever made. Because we are supposed to be recording history, or something. But as a cataloging site, the .org has drifted away. We don't have the proxy account anymore (AFAIK), and we have local downloads, and star ratings, etc. The .org we used to think as a catalog site is... What is this? Focusing more on viewing videos.

And there's nothing wrong with that. I like viewing videos. I like sharing videos. I'm sure every one on this site(or at least I'd hope) also likes viewing and sharing videos. But compared to other video sites, we lack instant gratification.

Imagine a person -- an average viewer -- wants to see an AMV. S/he must search for the AMV, find the entry, then... Download it.
Oh dear.
They have to wait for a file to take up space on their computer, and then they get to view it. But only if they have the appropriate codecs! God forbid they don't have the latest and greatest in viewing technology! Oh no! They'll have to download more things to get this video to work now.

More often than not, that viewer would just wander off to another site and try to find their video there... Instantly... Easier... Without downloading anything! Imagine that!

So here's my proposition, AMVers.

How would you feel if the .org provided streaming video? Wouldn't it be awesome to have our own channel? Or even workable, just a place to put in an embed link. Why are we so against web video anyway? "OH NO! IT HAS PIXELLATION!!" Is that really our only defense?
Streaming video would be a very good "try before you buy" mechanic, I think. Many videos used to be 30mb. Now they're going up into 50mb or higher. I don't want to download some big video that I haven't even seen, rape my internet connection, and then, once I've finally downloaded the video... Figure out I don't like it. Don't you think that's a waste? Of the .org's and our bandwidth.

I'm not saying the .org should just go out and get a streaming package right away, or code in some field for an embed tag. I'm asking you: What's your opinion on the matter? What are your pros and cons?
Would you like it or dislike it?
Would you be willing to pay for it, if it were a donator feature? To stream a "web friendly" version of your AMV?

[[I guess this could be moved to site suggestions forum. But I wanted more to discuss the theory of this happening rather than actually suggest it.]]

BasharOfTheAges · Post by **BasharOfTheAges** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 8:54 pm

I'd pay for it not to be implemented.

SQ · Post by SQ » Wed Apr 16, 2008 8:55 pm

BasharOfTheAges · Post by **BasharOfTheAges** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 9:02 pm

To prevent a "you have to throw lawyers at this right now" level of popularity boost and bandwidth issues. It would take off way more than we'd ever want it to, and as a donator I put myself at risk of financial run if Phade ever faces jail time if he doesn't cough up site finance records.

SQ · Post by SQ » Wed Apr 16, 2008 9:07 pm

All right. I'll admit that bit slipped my mind when I made this thread.
So to prevent this from its descent into thread deadspace:

Assuming there were no legal implications involved with streaming web video of AMVs, what would your opinions be then?

NS · Post by NS » Wed Apr 16, 2008 9:14 pm

And... this thrad is now invalid. But to humour you:

Sure, I suppose I'd like that..it'd be a streaming site for just AMVs.. sure, why not?. Although I'm not gonna bitch about having to download 30 MBs or (*GASP!!!*) 50 whole MBs of video.. because frankly, it's gonna take a minute and a half tops on this slower computer and about 10 seconds or so on my faster one. as for bandwidth...correct me if i'm wrong, but thousands of streamed videos would also take up bandwidth, would it not?

SQ · Post by SQ » Wed Apr 16, 2008 9:23 pm

NerdStrudel wrote: Sure, I suppose I'd like that..it'd be a streaming site for just AMVs.. sure, why not?. Although I'm not gonna bitch about having to download 30 MBs or (*GASP!!!*) 50 whole MBs of video.. because frankly, it's gonna take a minute and a half tops on this slower computer and about 10 seconds or so on my faster one. as for bandwidth...correct me if i'm wrong, but thousands of streamed videos would also take up bandwidth, would it not?

It wouldn't be a streaming site just for AMVs, that's not what I'm saying (besides, sites like that already exist). The site as it is now, with an extra streaming option.
You'd still have to go to the video info page to see the video, but you'd have the option to stream it instead of download it.

Not all videos would 'have' to be streamed. Just like all videos don't have to be hosted locally. By your method of thinking with raising the bandwidth flag, why not cut out the Donut alltogether, then? That's using up tons of bandwidth. We still have time to nip that one in the butt before we go bankrupt, right?

And I wasn't saying stream the videos that are already available, either. I was trying to get across that with a streaming option, editors would (hopefully) make a web version of their video. You know, specifically for streaming. Then if the visitor/viewer liked it, they'd grab the high quality video.

The current system doesn't allow us to have more than one local link (understandably) and there are still many people out there who can't find/afford web hosting for their own vids. So I think the streaming option would benefit them.
Because, just like the people who can't find/afford hosting, their are also people who are still on *GASP* slow internet connections. Or are running on very small amounts of free harddrive space. Or simply have better things to do than archive videos and would just rather watch them one time and rate them.

BasharOfTheAges · Post by **BasharOfTheAges** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 9:32 pm

SQ wrote:their are also people who are still on *GASP* slow internet connections.

It's best to run any enterprise (whether free or paid) towards the majority of users. The majority of all internet connections in the world were broadband as of 2002 I believe. I'd wager it's a good 3/4 majority if not more by now. There is nothing to gain by focusing on a ever-decreasing minority of users.

NS · Post by NS » Wed Apr 16, 2008 9:36 pm

But still. a couple 50 MB amvs downloaded is NOT gonna make you run out of HD space...I don't even know how you can have that little space, to be honest with you. it's not the fuckin' 80's/90's. HDs come in larger sizes then 256 MB. I highly, HIGHLY doubt that a couple downloaded AMVs is gonna ruin your plans for storage.

Once again, I would like to say what I said before. I'm not saying it's a bad idea, it's not..but really, I don't think it's worth the effort.

Sukunai · Post by **Sukunai** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 10:11 pm

Streaming holds no attraction for me. If I like an amv I want a copy. If I didn't like it, it gets deleted.

But while I realize there are those suffering on dial up (poor souls) I'm not one of them. And to be honest, not one single person I know online is stuck with dial up, not one.

I can download 50 gigs without even thinking of it. 50 megs is frankly not even worth the time to ponder it.