I really want to get something super duper straight here -
Yes. We would like you to upload videos to the site. We would REALLY like this. However, we have promised you we would never force it.
The issue of separating the two out is something that you have to understand better.
The key is that we built an extremely complex media management system around newschoolers. This is based around the ability for you to move your various media files into all kinds of different places. In order to do this, we had to get very strict within the code about the way to handle media.
Embedded videos (from a code perspective) are NOT videos. They are code. Not a video. Yes, it occupies the same space as a video when the code is read into your browser... but it is not a video.
I like to use the following analogy to help explain this:
Just because 5 washing machines can be arranged into the shape of a Lamborghini doesn't make the 5 dishwashers able to win a car race.
Embed code is not video. Its just embed code. We have no control over its shape, size, security, properties (remember autoplay music?), etc.
We wanted to build a video system that worked seamlessly on newschoolers, and the only way to do that was to put all of our focus into the actual videos hosted here. I mean look at how shitty the embed page looks with all fucking mis-matched thumbnails and different sized videos. Garbage. SHit. I hate it.
SUre to you it seems like an easy task to just add in thumbnails and make it work, but trust us it isn't. Again - the technological needs of a site the size of newschoolers are immense.
Back to our old analogy, even if you were able to make those washing machines spin real wheels, you put a real lamborghini body on it, and spent a ton of time making a functional vehicle out of those 5 washing machines... the performance is going to suck compared to the Lamborghini.
We actually put a huge amount of effort into hacking the embedded videos back into the system, because we didn't want to screw with the old way you guys used to be able to get it.
Now, in terms of quality.... again - you need to look at the bigger picture. When an old video which has been compressed beyond belief runs through our encoders does it look better than Vimeo? No.
When you have an upload limit of 800mb and you compress your video to fit in that, yet on Vimeo you upload a 2gb file and then you compare... will the quality be better? No.
If you upload a fucking 1080p high bitrate movie to Vimeo that is short, and under 800mb and put the same file on newschoolers, will the quailty be the same? We're pretty sure. If it isn't we'll just keep cranking it up until it is.
Newschoolers right now TODAY supports 1080p streaming. Most files just aren't high enough quality going in.
The issue is the uploading. As we've said, our next big step is our upload app. This has taken a ton of development to get right, but a few producers have tested it out, and this willl allow you to get (2gb to start) big files on the site. These big files in high quality will encode to a super high quality.
Is our streamer just as fast? Should be. What you don't realize is that some of the 1080p videos on vimeo are way bigger than others, just like on our site, and take quite a bit of time to buffer. I've seen it all over the place, but they do a much better job at glassing over this fact. We'll have the same thing here. Again - if it isn't perfect we'll change it so it is.
This quality issue is extremely important to us. We have dumped every resource that this company has into this system, and will continue to do so until we get it right. Are we there yet? No. Are we getting a ton closer? Yes.
People always ask "Why would I upload to newschoolers when I can put it on vimeo?" and well.... when our quality isn't on par I say that you don't have a reason to give it to us. Just tell us what you want and give us the chance to change and win you back.
However, the reason that we want this video on Newschoolers is that we're trying to build a video experience here where you can just jump into one place, and watch all the awesome ski video you want. Ski, ski, ski and more ski. We want this to be what you put on after a day of skiing when you need something to watch... we want to be the place where you dont' sift through all of Vimeo to find a good edit. We want to be the future of video in skiing.
I believe that the next generation of film makers exists here on Newschoolers. I believe that we are at the cusp of a content revolution like the world of skiing has never seen before. I believe that all of you are the crux of that revolution, and are the content producers of the future.
We want to grow with you, give you a place to shine, build you a new ecosystem to build businesses, and not charge you for video technology.
Do we run ads? Yes. So does Vimeo. Sure they run less because they are burning through their venture capitol, and like any new website using the Valley mentality, when you have tricked the users into using your services hammer them with ads. It will happen. Just wait. We're just being honest from the start.
Also, we're willing to work on things with you. Are there too many ads right now? Yes. Vitamin water was a huge part of funding the development of this system, and we screwed up with calculating how many ads would show. I'm really sorry. Just do note that they have helped bring us into the future, and are a big reason that we're going to be able to help out am video producers build themselves into companies that have revenue.
Hit us with your complaints, assault us with your suggestions... but as always, make sure to give us a chance. We're here to build this alongside you, and to grow into the future of our sport's media together.
You guys are the future. We want to help.
