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?

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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).

[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.

[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.

[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.