Video FAQ

Frequently asked questions about video.

What formats can I upload?

If a file ends in any of the following extenders, we support it.
.mpg, .mpeg, .avi, .wmv, .asf, .flv, .mov, .mp4

MPEG, AVI, Windows Media, Flash Video, Quicktime, MP4

Why doesn't my video display?

First, be patient. We upload the video in batches so it is less of a burden on our servers. So you may have to wait up to 5 minutes for it to even make it to the server we store it on. This is AFTER you have uploaded it.

Video just times out before I have a chance to finish uploading it. Is there a size limit on uploads?

There is a limit, but it's 50 Mb, so that's probably not the issue. Most videos are nowhere near that size.

Generally, we have found that you have a certain amount of time to upload a file before the connection between your computer and ours is severed. We don't sever it, but it gets cut nonetheless. We have seen this time range from 80 seconds to 120 seconds.

How to deal with this:

1. Test the files. Start small and work your way up. 2 minutes, 4 minutes, 6 minutes, etc. You will soon learn your local limits.
   
2. Use an efficient format. AVI is an inefficient format. It creates large files. Convert to something other than AVI.
3. Size it right. WE ARE GOING TO CONVERT IT no matter what. We convert it to FLV video about 320 pixels wide. For every pixel over 320 pixels wide (depth doesn't matter as long as it's standard video), the size of the file goes up exponentially, not 1-to-1. So if you convert it or shoot it close to 320, you'll be better off (always shoot ABOVE 320, not below).