Surprising discovery

[jetpack_monkey]

When I post vids, I usually only offer streaming. I have occasionally posted a file link because someone requested it of me, but the streaming has always been the important part. This year after Vividcon, anoel hounded me after my vid posts went up about when a file download link would be available, so I put one up for all three new vids.

I'm pretty invested in my viewing statistics and I was disappointed to find that the streaming Vimeo embeds weren't getting that many views. However, on a whim, I checked my Apache logs and found that the download numbers for all three vids were far above and beyond what the streaming view statistics were (sometimes by a factor of 10).

So, I ask you, Internet -- do you prefer downloading your vids? Why? Should I go back and provide downloads for all of my vids?

Comments

[giandujakiss]

I definitely think you should always provide vid download links but I have been doubting the accuracy of Vimeo streaming stats for the past couple of weeks. I think something's wrong with them. I've been getting comments on vids when I know for a fact there have been no downloads and no recorded views, that sort of thing.

But totally put up download links. I like to download and save my faves forever and ever.

[kass]

I used to have the habit of downloading all the vids I was interested in, back before streaming was omnipresent. These days I am likeliest to stream a vid -- but if I love it, I'm liable to look for a download link so I can save it to my hard drive and watch it again and again.

I am pondering whether it's worth putting all of my vids on YouTube. Right now they're on blip, and that's what I'm using for embeds on dw/lj and the AO3. I think I used to have the notion that YouTube wasn't as "safe" a place for fanvidders -- that we were likely to get our vids TOS'd or silenced. But now it seems as though more and more people are opting for YouTube channels for their vids. What made you opt for Vimeo?

[jetpack_monkey]

My reasons are largely personal. A lot of my vids on Youtube have my real name on them, because I made them originally for my horror film website, where I also use my real name. When my horror site came to a close, I started making a larger effort to separate my real name from my fannish identity. However, I can't replace my vids on Youtube with new versions with my fannish name without losing several years of comments, likes, and view statistics. So I basically just abandoned that pasture for one where my vids are just my vids.

On a more service-related note, while Youtube is much cooler about copyrighted materials now that they have deals with all sorts of providers, it still means that ads show up on my vids, which makes me uncomfortable. For instance, if an ad shows up on my Evil Dead vid because the music is the B-52s, the B-52s' record company gets that revenue. However, since Youtube hasn't recognized the video (yet), Sam Raimi doesn't see any of the money. Frankly, I'd rather nobody was making any money off of it.

Also, you can't view 75% of my Youtube stuff in Germany or on a device like an iPad or even my PS3, because of the copyright issues.

[thefourthvine]

I occasionally watch streaming vids, but - mostly when I'm reading LJ/DW/Tumblr/Twitter, that's not when I have the ability to watch a vid, and the odds of me remember to go back are pretty much nil. When I download vids, I can watch them in a batch, when I have the time, when my kid is not around, etc. (Plus, watching in a small batch makes my viewing comprehension higher; if I switch back and forth between reading and watching, it drops. This is important because my visual comprehension skills are already so low that I can't afford to lose any.) So mostly vids that are not available for download are vids I won't ever watch. I have just accepted it.

[mlyn]

I agree with wanting to watch vids at my convenience, and add that if my internet is slow (and/or because my computer is way out of date), I want to avoid streaming service issues like lagging, dropped frames or out-of-synch audio.

[settiai]

I definitely prefer downloading my vids, and - honestly - I rarely watch them streaming. Even with ones that are only available streaming, I tend to download them to my computer using one of the Firefox add-ons I have installed and watch them with VLC player.

[littleheaven]

As a viewer, I normally like to preview a streaming vid first, then download it if I like it, so I can watch it over and over (and usually the downloads are better quality). As a vidder, I offer both at my website - a small streaming version and then three different download options. I never check my stats. I just assume nobody watches them, but that's okay.

Should I get a YouTube channel? I've always been terrified of getting TOS'd.

[jetpack_monkey]

Good to hear about the streaming stats. Well, not *good*, but at least I know that it might be inaccurate.

I'll be putting together download files for all of my vids now, based on the pretty overwhelming response here.

[jetpack_monkey]

Ah, you know, I didn't even think of it that way? I know I often skip watching vids because I'm in the middle of reading stuff, but I don't come back then. Downloading would probably help with that.

[jetpack_monkey]

Ouch, yeah. I've not really had those problems in general, but it's definitely kind of an issue for me when watching vids on the PS3. I do prefer to download vids if I'm sharing them for the TV (which I am greatly annoyed when vidders only provide a WMV option).

[jetpack_monkey]

Got it! I will be providing download links for all vids going forward (and I'll be working to get downloadable versions for my older vids as well).

[mlyn]

Yeah, I avoid WMVs like the plague. Won't consider watching the vid if that's the only option.

[jetpack_monkey]

YouTube's great if you want a lot of instant feedback from total strangers and like obsessing over your stats. So, for you, probably not.

I like Vimeo as an option. You have to password protect your vids with copyrighted material, but otherwise, it's awesome.

[littleheaven]

LOL I'm not saying I wouldn't like a lot of instant feedback :o) But since I can't really work out how to track downloads at my site, I tend not to worry about it.

I do have a Vimeo account. I keep forgetting to add the new vids. *facepalm*

[morgandawn]

I like both .streaming does jot always work on my various devices. Plus if I like what I see streaming I want to watch it larger without bandwidth stuttering and pauses.

[rhivolution]

I DL most vids now, because I usually don't have time/access to watch them when I spot the link. Also my Firefox likes to make streaming video jerky, so this makes a better experience.

It's up to you, though!

[thirdblindmouse]

I used to only download, for a series of different reasons: slow internet, fast internet that mysteriously failed at streaming video, and of course Flash ↔ Linux interaction funtime. Nowadays those issues no longer trouble me, and I like to be able to watch vids streaming, but I still like to download a copy to keep.

[jetpack_monkey]

Working on Linux as a vidfan and a vidder must be interesting.

[jetpack_monkey]

Good points all. Thank you!

[jetpack_monkey]

True, but the overwhelming voices raised for having downloads available have made me definitely want to go ahead and offer them for all of my vids.

[fizzyblogic]

Unless it's Festivids or I'm in one of my rare times when I've saved up a bunch of tabs and can switch to audio-visual processing mode (my brain really doesn't cope well with switching from text processing to video processing, and I have to be able to concentrate in a particular way to watch vids since I have to process things so fast), I don't watch vids that don't provide download links. I almost exclusively watch vids that I've downloaded, and then decide whether or not to keep. And then add the ones I'm keeping to my enormous folders of vids I re-watch a lot.

[thirdblindmouse]

As a vidfan, it's actually great -- sure there were Flash issues in the past, but I have mplayer. Which loves Linux more than it does any other puny operating system!

As a vidder, it's ...hmm, yes, I'll stick with the term interesting. ...I hear Cinelerra isn't bad? Sadly, it came around too late to save me from the dastardly clutches of Blender.

[jetpack_monkey]

I'll have my new vidding site up soon and that will have downloads for all of my vids.

[killabeez.livejournal.com]

If I have a choice between DL or streaming, I will always download.

[kuwdora.livejournal.com]

I absolutely prefer download. While I use Vimeo and love their service, I only stream stuff from there for first viewing maybe 25% of the time and use it more as an initial resource to link people. I like downloads so I can play in VLC player that way I can ensure that there's no surprise framerate wonkiness in my viewing experience Additionally, I like to keep vids anyway for easy for rewatching purposes and have a filing system set up where all my vids are sorted by fandom/source and then label things by vidder's name and the vid's name. Also keep in mind, more and more people have ipods and and various tablets that they watch things on. I can personally say I keep a pretty hefty playlist of about 50-75 vids on my ipod at any time for watching while on the go.

while it's a giant pain in the butt to make the vid, export the vid. upload the vid. stream the vid. write the vid post, having more options, IMO is good, because everyone has their own preferences/system limitations, etc, that would force them to download or stream.

[feochadn.livejournal.com]

Absolutely download.
Frankly, if there is only a streaming version and no dl. I won't even bother to watch the vid unless I am really motivated (and if I am I'll probably try to find a way to capture it).
Why? I don't like to wait for buffering (occasionally in the middle of the vid), I prefer to control the aspect ratio and frame rate and screen size (if there are problems) in VLC, and I much prefer my own organization system for later viewing, rather than bookmarks.

[lizbetann]

Count me in the download pool. I like having copies I can watch on my computer without having to search online, and I have been known to port them to my iPad/Apple TV/etc.

I do streaming because it seems to be expected and standard, but I like downloads better.

[airawyn.livejournal.com]

I like downloads. Streaming's gotten better, but it still stutters sometimes, especially if I have a lot of other things running (which I usually do).

[jetpack-monkey.livejournal.com]

It's certainly not *that* much further out of my way to upload a separate copy to my server. I just never thought that it was that important, since I do almost all of my vid-watching on streaming services and only download vids I really love.

So, apparently, I will be making downloads available for all of my vids when I properly launch my new vidding site (which will happen after I re-export some of my horror vids to remove my real name from them).

[jetpack-monkey.livejournal.com]

Good points all. I hadn't thought of any of that.

[jetpack-monkey.livejournal.com]

Huh. Okeydokey. I will definitely start providing downloads on a regular basis.

[jetpack-monkey.livejournal.com]

Fair enough! I'll start prepping some download versions of my vids. Of my... 28 vids. Oy vey.

[milly.livejournal.com]

Honestly, if a streaming is available now I might watch the streaming version, and if I love the video, I absolutely download it. I don't like bookmarking vids for future viewing (because I already have SO MANY BOOKMARKS) AND I like having different folders for each vidders or fandom, etc.

Often times, I find that the streaming version tends to lag on my computer too, which sucks... So I absolutely prefer download.

[jetpack-monkey.livejournal.com]

Oooh, organizing vids by fandom/vidder. That sounds cool.

[milly.livejournal.com]

The only thing that fucks with my system is when vidders collab!... I may or may not just copy the file in both folders.

[elipie.livejournal.com]

I usually watch the stream and then download it if I really like it. If the stream is being glitchy or is taking a while to load, I'll just download it. It's interesting to see how many people just download right away!

[obsessive24.livejournal.com]

I like having both options. I have limited HD space so will preview via streaming first, and if I love it, I'll download for keeps. I never think in terms of "bookmarking a streaming page for keeps" though, it's always download if I plan to rewatch.

[jetpack-monkey.livejournal.com]

The overwhelming support for downloading has me considering changing how I view vids as well.

[jetpack-monkey.livejournal.com]

Yeah, this was really unexpected!

[jetpack-monkey.livejournal.com]

*nodnod* I'm going to start downloading my vids as well. I do occasionally think, "Man, what was that awesome vid?" and spend hours searching for it. So this will stop that, maybe.

[wiliqueen.livejournal.com]

I generally prefer streaming, as I want to keep only a fraction of the vids I see, and then that's what DownloadHelper is for. *shrug* But I'm a statistical outlier, at best, as far as the vidding community goes.

[jetpack-monkey.livejournal.com]

That's definitely why I plan on offering both streaming and downloads going forward -- there seems to be a demand for both.