Filed under: iPod Family, iTS, Video, iTunes, Podcasting, Apple TV
Video bloggers receive email from Apple
LC Angell at iLounge posted that Apple has sent out an e-mail to its roster of iTunes video bloggers recommending that they increase the resolution of their video blogs. We're not talking Washington Post-level High Def videos here. Instead, Apple recommends that those podcasters still using 320x240 videos upgrade up to 640x480 or 640x360. Welcome to the age of Apple TV. It would seem that It is no longer cool to format your video blogs for iPod-only viewing.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Andreas Tellefsen said 6:17PM on 4-12-2007
Well that's nice and all, but I would really like more people to add HD versions (720p would do). After all, if a file is in the iTunes podcasts section, isn't it being hosted by Apple? So bandwidth wouldn't really be a concern? (for the podcasters anyway)
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Kichigai Mentat said 10:05PM on 4-12-2007
Andreas: bandwidth wouldn't be a concern for Apple, but whoever is hosting the podcast would care. 720p is a decent chunk of storage. I've got a 720p copy of the Aqua Teen Hunger Force trailer, and it's 105 MB. I'd hate to imagine how large a 5, 15, 20, or 60 minute long show would be. However, I agree that Apple ought to be encouraging that. Then again, if Apple did that, then they'd look a little hypocritical encouraging people to upgrade their videos, on their own dime, but not be willing to spend the cash to provide high-def stuff on their own store.
BTW: The iPod can play 640x480 videos, even in H.264. In a way, it really is kind of... out of date to provide a low-res video if you're concerned about iPod-compatibility.
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VanillaSpice said 7:37PM on 4-12-2007
I don't think Apple hosts the podcasts and vidcasts. They just serve up links. It is up to the producers to host and serve the actual files (and pay the bandwidth costs).
Which is why it would be great if iTunes could have a mini BitTorrent client (or something like it) built-in, so that smaller producers could distribute episodes without paying a lot of money for bandwidth.
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Erica Sadun said 7:40PM on 4-12-2007
If I recall correctly, Amazon S3 supports bittorent to allow you to distribute data with the help of shared bandwidth. Google for S3 and BitTorrent
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AeronPrometheus said 2:14AM on 4-13-2007
Kichigai said it,
ALL iPods with video have been able to play video up to 640x480 since last September.
Also considering that people went out and complained when the initial video settings maxed out at 320x240, you'd think people would jump at the chance to improve the video quality and clarity. One of my favorite video podcasts; HomeStarRunner.com, still posts new episodes in 320x240 and you can really see it when you go from vector-based flash episodes on their website to stretched, pixaled, and blurred MPEG videos offered on iTunes running at fullscreen.
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