CROWDSOURCING RECOMMENDATIONS: Alternate Video Platforms

#1

Here members can suggest video platforms JPF can 1) create an account on and 2) then use to host videos for use in the members area.

A. The REQUIREMENT needs to be the videos have an ‘embed’ option like youtube, so they can be embedded in a blog post.
B. DESIRABLE, would be the ability to record DIRECTLY to the platform (like youtube) without an external app-though fewer platforms have that youtube-like feature and there is an app JPF has that can record videos for upload to any platform.
C. UNLIKELY: Youtube lets us do something we don’t expect other platforms to. It would be great. Youtube creates a downloadable / exportable MP4 file for the video author when recording directly to the platform. That lets us (for short videos) convert it to MP3 and push it out over the podcast syndication network and make the MP3 available for download on Giza.

Feel free to drop in platform names. Please provide the URL to the platform (e.g. vimeo.com, brightcove.com, wistia.com etc).

If there are particulars to the account creation process that aren’t standard (click join, create username & pw, confirm your email, optional: upload a headshot) – e.g. must fill out an application and compete in a long distance run to be accepted, please indicate those notes.

Things that won’t work: Zoom is great but doesn’t provide a way to embed ‘webinars’ into blog posts. Streamyard is great, but it broadcasts to either Youtube or Facebook, and Youtube isn’t an option. Facebook makes the videos public, so we don’t have the option to embed them behind the member wall.

#2
#4

FYI, zoom is actually a platform to be avoided if you are concerned about security. A member of our frequent conference calls is (a higher up) in the military and when it was suggested we do zoom, he explained they are not allowed.

1 Like
#5

After all the trouble ukcolmn has had with youtube they diverted to rumble.
Personally, I am tired of all varia platforms in use and find them unfriendly to use.
So, if Azchuska’s suggestion is viable I would prefer that.

#6

Jeez that’s a good idea. We’ll implement that immediately. Cheers!

The zoom thing is just for zoombombing which isn’t a security issue w. the platform but with the users. NY Public Schools banned it for the same reason, because their teachers/students were posting private meeting links to public forums like Facebook. That’s one reason we can’t use it for this. It’s secure, but we need to embed the broadcasts, not hand out links to them, and we can’t do that with zoom b/c it’s a platform limitation.

But the vidchat thing just got solved by Azchuska. Glad we crowdsourced it.

That still leaves the News & Views to solve for of course, so the original question now applies to that.

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#9

Well News & Views is a key venue for bringing new people TO giza. So if we make it private, it loses that value and immediately = we’ve deplatformed ourselves on all those distribution network platforms. We disappear from itunes, spotify, .fm etc.

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#10

My disclaimer is I know virtually nothing about any of this. With that said, does it make any sense at all to bypass the video platform for News and Views and offer it straight to the audio podcast platform, or is it even possible?

#11

I would LOVE that and it WOULD solve the problem. It would mean JPF learning a different method of recording, which I don’t how practical it is at this moment in time, but it would be ideal. There’s really no reason for News & Views to BE video. It is most transmissable as an mp3 audio file. So thanks for that. I’ll run that by JPF and see if we can make that shift. If we can, that solves this issue, at least for the time being, and potentially longer term.

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#13

That’s a reasonable option too. However we’ve been using the public facing video to help people understand what the site is about and convert better to members. I think it plays a key role. If we privatize it, we could potentially still use youtube w/o the benefits of drawing youtube audience, but we’d also lose this aspect of home page helper. I like it but I’ve been thinking about the aforementioned audio-only solution for a couple years, wishing it would be so but reluctant to change the process. Since the process has to change either way, now’s probably the time to pull that trigger. It keeps all distribution networks except youtube, since we won’t be able to use youtube as a community draw thru News & Views anyway, and it leaves us the ability to keep it public facing. I don’t know that just seeing JPF’s head for 14min each time really adds that much to the audio content, and a lot of people just download the mp3 or catch it on a pure audio network anyway. I can add a more polished static photo via the website, and then we’re off to the races. This also would mean JPF doesn’t have to always be ‘presentable’ nearly so often.

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#14

Thanks for those contributing to this crowdsourced collaborative problem-solving. This is a best practice when things like this occur, rather than a rapid, poorly considered, unilateral decision. Also we’re simply not working with unlimited information in any one brain, so your collaboration is quite helpful.

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#17

Numerous YT’er have a number of channels in case their main one gets stepped on, as Giza did. Different name & keep the format you have now.

As one poster said, I’m surprised Doc lasted this long without getting water-boarded.

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#18

Yes, but unfortunately, the shell game thing means there’s a whole lot to maintain to keep all the integrations working and it’s not feasible for our model. But the 2 solutions (and a half) we have going here so far I think have pretty much solved it. If I found out JPF is using a mac, it’s a lock. A no-brainer. Problem solved. I’m waiting to hear back if it’s a mac.

1 Like
#20

OK here’s a new but related question. You have a PC (not a mac). You want to record an audio file of your voice for 20min. You could use Audacity, but it’s complicated and one wrong setting produces a crappy file. If you had a mac, you’d just click make audio file in quicktime and be done with it. Easiest thing in the world. What’s super easy on a pc? What app? Just audio, good quality, no bells and whistles?
Let’s say same order, but not audio, video, so you can rip the mp3 with another tool or upload the video to a platform like youtube, vimeo, etc. What would you use?

#22

Azchuska, do I read that one right that it doesn’t make you HOST your podcast with them; it just lets you record good audio and gives you an mp3. And also, is it your impression it’s downloable installable or cloud only? I ask because cloud only may not work with JPF because historically even the best internet available to him has been somewhat high latency.

#24

On another note, AZ, I’ve been hunting for the correct term. it’s widely used. I KNOW I’ve seen it, which is a term for forum people that help newbs who have a simple technical problem and just need pointed in the right direciton but aren’t signing up to be moderators. It’s some word like docent, maven, or something that’s common to forums. Hey if you are having a problem with x, reach out to one of the guys with the yellow lanyards on their nametag kind of thing at the conference. Any idea what those are called - the word I’m trying to recall? You’re sort of being that today (thank you).

#25

Hmm. I might try it. I’m worried if it uses browser cache for storage, it’s a glorified toolbar/browser plugin. Those have not been kind to me on reliable audio-video, but I guess I can also google for reviews in reddit etc. Thanks for the suggestion. I really wish Windows would do something as simple as Quicktime for Mac, built in, no wmv file etc.

#27

Interesting, so the files upload to their servers automatically. That almost broke the deal for me, but actually I now like that better, reflecting on our publishing process which requires much the same thing in the form of youtube videos. OK Azchuska, I’m going to give it a try out. I’ve got 3 other alternatives, so this should get us the rest of the way. It’s a lock. We know what we’re doing. A solution will be served by end of week (Sat night) and JPF free to go again next week. Cheers.

#29

You have “Rofkin.com” …there you can put up vids and decide if you wanna give it free or demand premium which is subscription.
The upside to rofkin is if you go premium its 9$, BUT , you get ALL the channels.
So you will get say Joseph along Whitney Webbs "unlimited hangout and a bunch of other decent shows.
Check it out

https://rokfin.com/discover

and here is Whitney Webb’s great channel, where some vids are free,some premium
https://rokfin.com/unlimitedhangout

#30