New feature: Streaming Video

[Corran]

If you came across this thread because of the link on the profile edit page, click here to skip down to the information you came here for, otherwise please keep reading.

Streaming video is finally here! This is primarily a feature for members maintaining "donator" status, however non-donators have some benefits as well. This is still beta so please let us know if you encounter any issues!

Here are some of the features:

Donators:

• Preview any video on the site that is encoded for streaming
• Allow non-donators to stream your videos
• Stream videos you haven't seen, by category in order of highest star rating. (Link can be found on "Top Star Scale" page if you are a donator)

Non-Donators:

• Preview videos that donators allow non-donators to stream
• Preview your own videos

All Users:

• Stream videos that have achieved VCA semi-finalist status for the current year
• Rate, quickcomment, and leave opinions on videos without interrupting video playback
• Stream a random video that you have yet to see. (Link can be found on the bottom of the "All Search Options" page

We have currently encoded nearly 1500 videos so far. There are currently over 70000 videos that need to be encoded so as you might imagine it will take a while before they will all be encoded. We don't know how long it will take but Nago will be working around the clock to churn out encodes. In the meantime, we've created an “encoding queue” to specify the order videos will be encoded. This queue is mostly sorted by star rating with collaborations getting a little more precedence than single editor videos. This is a one time calculation that has already been accomplished. New videos and videos that did not previously have a star rating take precedence in this queue.

Previewing videos is very straight forward. If a stream is available to you, then a link called “Preview” will appear right above the video's Local link. Simply click the link to start watching the video.

Users are allowed to opt out of this system if for some reason they don't want watch preview or let users stream their videos. The option to do this can be found on the Edit Profile page.

Note: Please decide carefully when disabling streaming features if you are an editor. Disabling streaming will delete any streaming related encodes that you may have. If you later go back and re-enable streaming features, your videos will have to be re-encoded. To prevent people from tying up the queue of videos being encoded, your videos will be given a much lower priority than they did initially. In other words, with the 70000+ videos we need to encode, you might end up making your videos #69999 in the queue by disabling and re-enabling streaming.

We hope you enjoy this new feature. Please let us know what you think or if come across any bugs in the new system.

[Corran]

Now live.

[jasper-isis]

Congrats for finally getting this out the door! And huge thanks to you and dero for making it a reality.

[AaronAMV]

Awshum! :O

[LittleAtari]

Alright!

Also, I tried streaming on Top Rated Comedy and AMV Hell 3: The Motion Picture came up but said that I must be a moderator to stream it. Also, are you guys still in the process of encoding the videos for streaming? None of mine seem to be available.

[Corran]

Alright!

Also, I tried streaming on Top Rated Comedy and AMV Hell 3: The Motion Picture came up but said that I must be a moderator to stream it. Also, are you guys still in the process of encoding the videos for streaming? None of mine seem to be available.

Oops, should work now. We have 70000+ videos to still encode. I'm not sure where your videos are in the queue but it might be a while.

[BasharOfTheAges]

Thanks for allowing the option to opt-out.

[BasharOfTheAges]

Alright!

Also, I tried streaming on Top Rated Comedy and AMV Hell 3: The Motion Picture came up but said that I must be a moderator to stream it. Also, are you guys still in the process of encoding the videos for streaming? None of mine seem to be available.

Oops, should work now. We have 70000+ videos to still encode. I'm not sure where your videos are in the queue but it might be a while.

Before I opted out it looked like the 98th percentile on the star scale had been reached, but it hadn't made it down to the 93rd yet if that lets you know where it is...

[Tsunami Jones]

Congrats for finally getting this out the door! And huge thanks to you and dero for making it a reality.

Absolutely x2.

[LittleAtari]

O ok. Glad to see this finally get through

*waits*