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Community Forums / Feature Requests / Preflight upload, preflight encodes: if need be provide warnings
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With uploading, people are using older versions of Flash than you recommend. They are using browsers that don't seem to like your uploader. They are using their browser and internet link for other work during the upload.
You have two options, make your uploader more robust. As you probably don't have enough money to make that happen, it would be a good idea if your uploader did some environment tests before starting a long process. Then it could warn that the uploader doesn't work very well with this specific combination of plugin and browser. You could even fill the window with a warning if something causes the process to run slowly.
When it comes to the encoding phase, I imagine most people are leaving their audio as 48kHz as they don't know how to change it. They might be using IMA 4:1. Others will have non-square pixels.
If your encoder is very fussy, again you have a long-term and short term solution; long-term: make your system less fussy and serve your customers based on what they are able to supply to you, or short-term: add a pre-flight phase for your encoder.
If people have not followed your exact recipe, provide warnings:
"Checking your video"
"Your audio stream seems to be 48kHz. The suggested sample rate is 44.1kHz"
"Your video stream is encoded using Cinepak. The suggested encoder is H.264"
"We will attempt to upload and convert your video, you also have the option to cancel and re-submit with these suggested changes"
Imagine how useful it would be if the encoder could have a look at the header once it has uploaded instead of waiting until hundreds of megabytes have been uploaded (or eventually fail to upload). The encode preflight could happen minutes after the upload starts.
I imagine the only reason you won't want to provide warnings is that marketing and PR people would rather not alert the majority of your users that people are having problems using your service. On the other hand, you might be able to convince them that honesty is the best policy and that hiding problems through obscurity isn't a good idea in the long run (not that I'm complaining about this extensive help forum and the regular visits, out of office hours, of staff members).
as for the uploader itself... as you have pointed out, there are so many variables that most people don't account for when something fails. i'm sure you are aware that we're working on a desktop uploader app which we hope will help with overall upload experience. we will also keep in mind your suggestion about informing the users of certain plug ins, apps, and browsers, but, just like the encoding variables, creating a knowledge base of different components and specific combination of these components might be a daunting task for us with our current staffing.
again, thanks.