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Apple Touch Icon

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Posted by: Shiv Kumar

Views: 1231Favorited: 0 Comments: 23

November 07, 2009 04:13 PM

Filed Under: New Feature

Tags: ExposureRoom, Member Profile, Member Website

ExposureRoom now has an Apple Touch Icon. So when you book mark an ExposureRoom page on your iPhone, you'll see your book-marked page identified with the ExposureRoom apple touch icon (as shown in the image).

We're also looking at allowing member's to upload their own Apple Touch Icon to their profile on ExposureRoom. That way when you bookmark any of your website pages (such as your videos page or a specific video page), we'll let your iPhone know to use your Apple Touch Icon instead of the ExposureRoom icon.

Comments

Charles Frisby

November 08, 2009 02:51 AM

Awesome!

Shiv Kumar

November 08, 2009 03:02 AM

I should mention that it was Charles Frisby who asked for this feature. So thank you Charles!

Charles Frisby

November 08, 2009 03:16 AM

No prob. Are you planing on doing an icon for the users profile only or each of their indivdual video pages as well?

Shiv Kumar

November 08, 2009 03:21 AM

Charles,

Aa a member you can upload a single Apple touch icon to your profile on XR. But all your pages will display your apple touch icon.

Charles Frisby

November 08, 2009 03:28 AM

Ok.. thats what I figured. I look forward to the changes!

Thanks,
Frisby

Kenneth Stillman

November 08, 2009 07:45 PM

The Point?

Maybe I am missing something. What is the point of this since the videos will not play on the iPhone and therefore I have no need to ever come to exposure room via my iPhone? Eeven the download the original button doesn't allow the video to be played and my files are Quicktime files that play on my iPhone from my website.

Maybe if we could watch video on Exposure Room from the Iphone this would all be helpful.

Shiv Kumar

November 09, 2009 04:41 AM

Kenneth,

Go easy man!:) And give us the benefit of the doubt will you?

Just so I'm clear, are you saying you're uploading iPhone compatible videos to ExposureRoom? If so, then that's not a good idea. The best video quality an iPhone can handle is comparable to our Low quality version and the largest dimensions it can handle is our medium.

Just checked a few of your originals and they are not iPhone compatible so I guess I didn't understand what you said. The download link should work if your original video is iPhone compatible.

Of course the reason you can't watch ExposureRoom videos and most other website videos on an iPhone (while all other cell phones that support video can) is not because the videos won't play on the iPhone, but rather, that the iPhone does not support Flash Player (while every other cell phone and platform does) and that's because the folks at Apple won't allow it (stand to lose a lot of money if they did).

To answer the question (this news post begs and that is, "Does that mean ExposureRoom is planning to produce iPhone compatible video"? The answer to that would be a Yes! And that'll be most likely two versions of iPhone compatible video. One supporting 3G network bandwidths and another that supports wireless/LAN bandwidths. So we'll be encoding (and storing) 5 versions of your video.

On another note, what percent of your clients ask for an iPhone version? If you'd rather answer that in a private email to me, please do so. I'd be interested to knowing.

Charles Frisby

November 09, 2009 09:47 AM

I think if he had looked at the icon just to the right side of the XR icon on the iPhone... he would have picked up on the foreshadowing. ;)

Kenneth Stillman

November 09, 2009 10:22 AM

Corrections

I just watched one of my videos from another video site (not Youtube) on my iPhone. This site gives people the option of watching a Flash version or the original file that was uploaded. When selecting the original file it played fine. Perhaps your "download original file" button won't play it because it considers the file a download for storage instead of a file it should be trying to play. And obviously the iPhone does not allow downloading of files except pictures. So the videos I upload can be played on an iPhone.

I am happy to hear that you will be making he videos playable thru iPhone. I was just questioning why a video site would make an iPhone icon when there's really no reason anybody would ever come to the site via the iPhone. Doesn't seem logical to me.

A large number of my clientele have iPhones, which is why I provide an iPhone compatible version of the video as part of my services. I have never polled them to find out what percentage use or would use the iPhone to view videos online with it, but I do have clients tell me they watch their video, on their iPhone, all the time. My point being this - since you keep the original file in storage for download why not make it so it can be selected for playing?

I love your site. Thank you for your time.
Ken

Shiv Kumar

November 09, 2009 11:54 AM

Kenneth,

Thanks for the info about your clients. I appreciate it.

The iPhone can handle a maximum video bit rate of 1500kbps, an audio bit rate of 192kbps and dimensions of 640x360 (for 16:9 aspect videos). However, when you resize a 640x360 video down to 480x270 (480 width (landscape) being the native width of the iPhone) you get a lot of stuttering. You may not see this unless the video has some fast moving action or quick pans etc. So you invariably have to encode the video at 480x270 and a much lower bit rate. The stutter is caused because of the iPhone not able to handle the processing.

But for argument's sake let’s assume that there are no issues with the iPhone and that it can easily handle a 640x360 video encoded at 1500kbps with audio encoded at 192kbps. Well, as I said, that's kind of like the specs for our Low version. Our medium version is encoded at 24000kbps (which is way higher than any other website out there, including those claiming HD) and our HD version is encoded at 3500kbps. The audio bit rate for the transcoded videos matches that of your original (up to a maximum of 320kbps since that is an MP3 spec. limit. A new feature we haven’t written about yet).

So if you upload an iPhone compatible video as your "original" to ExposureRoom we can't really do much with it. Today, we'll encode the Low and Md version because today we simply look at the dimensions of the original and determine which versions we should encode. But in the near future, we'll abort at the Low in your case. Today, you'll notice that our Md version's file size is larger than the original. That is because we're trying to match the bit rates or your original (when we find the original is encoded as a lower bit rate that we need for a specific version) but our bit rate determining process wasn't dead accurate. Today it is. In fact today, you'll get an email from us saying you need to bump up the video bit rate quite a bit.

That's one issue. The other issue is that an iPhone compatible video is a bit larger in file size than a non compatible version. Now this may not make a huge difference to an individual but to a lot of websites dealing with 100s of millions of videos it adds up. We can look into the download original issue you're citing (in your specific case it should work, however, the specs on your latest video don't seem iPhone compatible) but it's kind of moot for the reasons cited above.

Keep in mind that every other video website has grown into supporting HD while ExposureRoom started with HD support and because we cater primarily to professionals; our take on things is a bit different. Because we support HD the original files members upload must be really good quality and are therefore huge (sometimes 2GB and larger).

But we'll do all the heavy lifting for you. You upload one file and we'll encoded that file 5 times over and support your needs, your viewer's needs and your client's needs. How’s that?

Philip Johnston

November 15, 2009 05:58 PM

What about present footage ?

Shiv, will our footage stored on your site at present get the 5 pass treatment or will it only be new uploads.
PS. When should we expect to see this happen.

Shiv Kumar

November 15, 2009 06:01 PM

5 Pass treament? I'm sorry Philip, you lost me there. We live on the bleeding edge of all things encoding but I haven't heard of the 5 pass treatment.

Philip Johnston

November 15, 2009 07:21 PM

As quoted by yourself

Quote your reply "You upload one file and we'll encoded that file 5 times over and support your needs"

Charles Frisby

November 15, 2009 07:35 PM

I thought that's what Philip was talking about when he said it... but I was unsure.

I was wondering the same thing as well. Will my stuff I have on convert over automaticly, or will I have to re-upload.

I'm considering re-rendering some of my better stuff already to get the higher audio rates.

Shiv Kumar

November 15, 2009 11:23 PM

Philip,

Sorry, I didn't grasp the lingo :). Ok, so you're asking if we would encode your older videos? Gosh...that'd be a lot of work don't you think? I mean you're talking a couple of million of videos at least (It's been a while since I heard the numbers..).

Ok, well I guess we'll get right on it!

Shiv Kumar

November 15, 2009 11:49 PM

Whew, man that was brutal. I’m glad our transcoding farm was designed the way it is. Ok, we’re done.

Check you videos, Philip. Oh and Charles you too. Wait a minute…. Kenneth, you do the same.

Philip Johnston

November 16, 2009 02:54 AM

WoW...but

Well done Shiv you managed to convert some of my videos to QT and they play out on my iPhone...YeeHaa...but strangely all my major camcorder reviews don't yet play is that because they are not done yet or is there a problem with them ?

Shiv Kumar

November 16, 2009 03:14 AM

Philip,

For older videos we had filter criteria that excluded some videos. Videos needed to be under 5 minutes, had to have a title, had to have a 640 medium version (and a few other things). So I suspect that the videos you're talking about didn't meet the criteria.

We'll be making an announcement today (in an hour or so) so I'm going to ask that you hold off you questions till then. I can assure you, you'll be pleased with what you hear.

Philip Johnston

November 16, 2009 05:28 AM

Free ADD for XR

http://www.hdwarrior.co.uk/2009/11/16/xr-exposure-room-now-iphone-friendly/

Charles Frisby

November 16, 2009 05:46 AM

Shiv... Your just awesome. They look great on my phone.... Now go do Philip Bloom's and do a big press relese like vimeo!

Shiv Kumar

November 16, 2009 05:58 AM

Philip,

Thanks for the Ad! Much appreciated. don't forget to let folks on verious news groups and other forums know too! Love the graphics by the way.

Charles, I'm just the public face of XR. There is a fantastic team that backs me and our members without that solid backing..... They are the awesome bunch really.

Philip Bloom's video should be done as well and so a lot of other members too. Primarily professionals. Of course, we have'nt got everyone...

The "press", we'll leave it to our loyal member's to spread the word. So please do, as soon as you see our press release on XR.