DailyTech - Amid Profitability Concerns YouTube Bumps Its Offerings up to 1080p

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Internet Amid Profitability Concerns YouTube Bumps Its Offerings up to 1080p
Jason Mick (Blog) - November 16, 2009 10:10 AM

35 comment(s) - last by piroroadkill.. on Nov 17 at 6:00 AM

Service continues to aggressively pursue offering a wealth of content with Google's typical deliver first, profit later model

Concerns about YouTube's profitability still remain. As the Google-owned online video juggernaut explores ways of justifying its massive bandwidth expenses, it isn't being hesitant when it comes to adding to those expenses.

YouTube just announced that it will be bumping the maximum quality of its high definition videos to 1080p, up from the previous 720p. Writes YouTube software engineer Billy Biggs on the company's blog, "As resolution of consumer cameras increases, we want to make sure YouTube is the best home on the Web to showcase your content."

In March YouTube began offering HD video for the first time. Much of its video is captured from mobile devices, such as camera phones, but even camera phones have now started becoming HD-capable. One example is Samsung's Instinct HD, available since September. Packing a 5 megapixel camera, the phone is capable of shooting and posting HD video.

With the bump to 1080p, YouTube says it will upgrade videos previously originally sent in 1080p that were automatically downconverted to 720p. For those who want it, 720p will remain an option, though.

For those with fast computers and large monitors, the bump to 1080p should provide a nice noticeable difference in picture quality. Now if YouTube can only find ways to become profitable, it would be truly on a roll.

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RE: speed

By The0ne on 11/16/2009 2:59:45 PM , Rating: 2

There is no finger pointing, at least by me. I'm just also commenting that I have videos from youtube and other websites stall even when cache is full. I've done my testing I am weary of pointing a finger because even I cannot test all possible conditions, hence my statement.

Why are you and reclaimer trying to pick a fight when there's none to begin with. Do you know all there is to know about youtube and it's services, the cable companies rules and policies on bandwidth and what not, and what impact the load at various times in the day have on watching video? Trust me, you don't.

Get a clue, people can have a conversation without always resorting to pointless arguments or flame wars. People can share their views of their experience without putting blame on anyone. Not because they are afraid to but because they know they don't have all the answers to do so.

Again, chill...you have issues, I have issues, everyone has issues. It would be hell if everyone starts blaming others instead of talking about it and resolving them.

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RE: speed

By Reclaimer77 on 11/16/2009 3:52:33 PM , Rating: 2

quote:
Why are you and reclaimer trying to pick a fight when there's none to begin with.

???

Excuse me ??

I stated opinions, offered a possible cause to some peoples problems that isn't YouTubes fault, and did it all without name calling, flaming, or even the slightest hint of hostility. Also god forbid I point out we're discussing something free of charge.

But picking a fight ? I would really like an apology from you, because that just isn't true.

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RE: speed

By The0ne on 11/16/2009 4:16:35 PM , Rating: 2

"So who are you bashing then? As even in this post, your finger seems squarely pointed at Youtube."

I'm not bashing anyone. I did however stated that it's youtube without clarification until my response to reclaimer. My bandwidth can run full throttle with no interruptions but yet with nothing going, except for youtube, videos it chokes from time to time. That is an indication that it's youtube that might be having issues. This happens with Hulu as well but DailyMotion seems to like me :)

If my Q6600@3.2GHz and 4870 can't decode these videos then I'm shocked. My 8400GS on the laptop however chokes at fullscreen though :D

"bashing" seems like a fighting word to me that's all. If not, then lets be done with this. You are correct though...

"Now I am not saying this is the case for all situations, but when the video is completely cached, you can hardly blame youtube itself for your problems."

I now download the most video locally to watch rather than watching/caching at the same time. There are stranges things that occur even when video is fully cache. Most annoying for me is the forwarding. Often times it chokes the video and I have to reload the whole page again. Either that or it refuses to start from the point and always skips back to the point where you've stopped it at. Why, I've no idea nor care to investigate.

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RE: speed

By omnicronx on 11/16/2009 4:18:27 PM , Rating: 2

quote:
I'm just also commenting that I have videos from youtube and other websites stall even when cache is full.

And we both tried to give you an explanation as to why this could be happening.

quote:
Do you know all there is to know about youtube and it's services, the cable companies rules and policies on bandwidth and what not, and what impact the load at various times in the day have on watching video? Trust me, you don't.

I don't need to know these things, you already gave me all the variables I needed to know. If its on your PC already, you can pretty much discount everything but the Youtube player (its only cached on your PC, so you cannot blame the service, your ISP, throttling, strange gravitation forces etc), or flash .

I'm sorry that we used our brains to try and explain what you are seeing.

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