Category: Web Video

Widescreen becomes Default to YouTube – The Change Begins Now

[UPDATE 12/4/08: YouTube has now enabled Widescreen embeds.]

YouTube has officially switched from the default 4:3 ratio to a 16:9 ratio for videos playing on their website. This is definitely great for future web video content. Now there’s a reason to upload videos in 16:9 ratio. Obviously there’s a difference between 16:9 and true high definition, but YouTube is taking it one step at a time.

In the past, YouTube’s user generated videos and professionally produced videos looked practically identical. We’re finally getting to the point where we may see a rift occur between these user generated content and professional content. When YouTube began, it didn’t matter what quality you uploaded the video at because it looked like crap. Earlier in the year, YouTube enabled high quality video streams and now that it has defaulted to a widescreen display, there is a reason for content producers to actually care about the visual quality of their footage!

This will only help the internet web video industry as a whole. If there has been one reason why advertisers have been hesitant to step into the web video market, it has been because a lot of web video shows don’t look and feel like a traditional TV show. By having YouTube, the king website for web videos, shift their focus from low resolution videos to high resolution videos, the web video industry will grow and evolve.

This is a big day for not only web video content producers, but consumers as well. We’re finally getting to the point where quality matters.

StuffWeLike TV Player fixed

We were having some issues with shows on the StuffWeLike TV video player. Some shows weren’t display their videos.

If you haven’t noticed our widget before, it’s on the sidebar of the blog. It’s also on the website’s front page at www.StuffWeLike.com.

If you have any suggestions for shows that you want to see on the player, let us know by writing a comment!

You can also add our player onto your Facebook, Myspace account. Simply click on the Get Code button.

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VIDEO REVIEWS: Weekly Mashup Episode 2

On this episode of the StuffWeLike.com Weekly Mashup we review:
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull – DVD, Speed Racer – DVD, The Happening – DVD, DreamKeeper 400, and Viking Battle for Asgard – soundtrack.

Please let us know what you think!

Weekly Mashup #1

We’re testing out a new series that is more talk-show centric. Yes, it’s not just me on camera anymore! Wow what a concept.

Ian Dawson co-hosts. Now you’ll finally be able to meet the man behind many of the recent reviews on the blog.

Since this is a ‘mashup’ show we’re mixing in multiple products and reviewing them on the fly.

Let us know if this format entertains you more than the previous, single product video review. We probably won’t totally eliminate the single product video review. It’ll be something that goes hand in hand with each other.

On our first episode we review:
You’re Not Elected Charlie Brown – DVD
Sleeping Beauty Platinum Edition – DVD
Lego Batman – Xbox 360
Gamer Grub – Food

Get your $35 movie ticket, step right up

Every now and then a brand new movie theater will open up in town. Now that’s an experience. Everything is clean, there’s a smaller crowd, and overall the atmosphere is pleasant. Over a theater’s lifetime, all of that washes away.

Babies start appearing, cell phones glow in the dark, and people crunch popcorn right into your ear.

Is there a reason why I enjoy watching movies on my cable’s On Demand system more than I do at the theater? No, not at all… cough cough.

For me, I’m a college student who hates spending over $10 on a movie ticket. When I saw X-Files 2 opening weekend, with my friend’s Best Buy movie discount coupon, we only paid $2.50! And you know what, I really enjoyed X-Files 2!

Pricing is a huge factor on our opinion of something. If we pay a lot, we want the experience to be great. Well that’s what a new theater is hoping to capitalize on. $35 movie tickets for an experience similar to a studio back lot screening.