I've been experimenting with the youtube setting for people who want to share lute videos. Basically, the upload limit is now way larger, so you can upload a higher resolution file--bigger file-- and get somewhat better results. Also, if you go to your account settings for youtube, and go to the right side of the screen at the bottom, there is a setting that says Video Playback Quality Here you can check a box to raise the level of quality that you view your videos.
Lastly, there is a hidden command &fmt=18 Which works very simply. Click on a video you would like to see, then pause the video, go to the top of your browser and carefully append &fmt=18 to the algebra in the title bar Then hit enter You will in most cases see exactly the same video, but with better audio and video. It is maybe ten to twenty percent better, certainly sharper. You will also see a message saying, you are watching this at a higher resolution at the bottom of the screen. If you copy the little tag, you can just paste it over and over as you watch videos. It works better for more recent videos, for some reason, but even some of the older stuff looks better And here is Nigel North without the extra code-- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qIigZZb4ME And with the code, in full screen mode you can if the Rose looks nicer. And the sound is a bit clearer--subtle, but a difference. Even for a slightly older video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qIigZZb4ME Another example if you like cats http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAlxmuODSvw and here it is with the tag at the end, the video is sharper, although the sound is louder--stereo now, so much more sound. turn down the sound to compare! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAlxmuODSvw&fmt=18 But still the resolution is higher at vimeo, and the sound is better as well Note that Youtube pumps up the bass, which is not so good for lute so here the sound is not so bassy as well:: http://www.vimeo.com/835824 Vimeo also has high definition--even better audio and video http://www.vimeo.com/748084 WARNING--not lute music but you can hear easily that it is stereo, not mono, and see the quality of the HD. Anyone can make this quality of video now! Here is a video on making a vihuela on Vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/806101 Recommend Best to post at Vimeo, but if at youtube use the &fmt=18 to view, and upload using larger files, with the new H264 codec. Best of all, export your video as "720p" format and upload to vimeo. Also, save your files, as youtube gets better, you can re-upload them and they will sound better. I think ultimately, and perhaps this is controversial, you can of course share your work with anyone in the world, but also there is an important use which is you can upload the video PRIVATELY and ask for a real opinion, critique, or lesson, without having the information everywhere. I hope this will be a new, constructive, and positive use of the internet, for the lute and early music. dt To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
