Good HD video sharing site?

[senseless]

For private HD videos intended for family and friends, what would be best and easiest for people to access? U-Tube has an unlisted option and the HD looks great, but Vimeo seems to load quicker. I don't mind paying a little for the Vimeo plus option.

 

[cgbier]

Ford or Chevy?

For me (slow internet), Youtube gets the speed advantage. Quality-wise, Vimeo wins.
Another Vimeo disadvantage: Size limit.
Disadvantage Youtube: The #$%&* advertisement lower thirds.

You can argue between the two sites until the cows come home. In the end it is a question of taste - neither is bad.

 

[floh]

Can't it be both? A few more comments on my experience with both video hosters:

1. I don't think it's that easy to make a video private on vimeo. You can set up that it can only be viewed by your vimeo friends or with a password etc. But youtube offers the ability to just send around a link and no one has to sign up on youtube or put in any password to watch it.

2. The lower third ads on youtube can be shut off if you own all the rights to your video. Of course, if you use other people's music or similar, they can't...

3. I tried to upload a video privately and only send to friends on youtube that included some music I don't own. It got deleted instantly. On vimeo, the checks aren't as strict and you can upload almost anything. Be aware though that this doesn't make it legal!

4. The playback on vimeo does go harder on my CPU for some reason... On youtube (even in 1080p), the CPU barely blinks, but on vimeo my laptop starts to turn up the fans after a while. Interesting to know if you have friends with weaker CPUs...

5. What I don't like about youtube is that once you uploaded a video, you can not replace it with a corrected version. On vimeo, you can still fine tune some things and re-upload your work, with the link staying the same.

So, in general: I think youtube offers a little more flexibility and doesn't cost for 1080p. Vimeo offers better quality (yes, noticeably). I would probably recommend you to try out both (the free version of vimeo first) and see what you like better. You don't lose anything...

 

[cgbier]

2. The lower third ads on youtube can be shut off if you own all the rights to your video. Of course, if you use other people's music or similar, they can't...

Hmm, thanks for pointing that out. How do you manage to turn it off?

It is not so much that I'm bothered by ads in my own stuff, but that when I watch the work of others.

 

[floh]

Hmm, thanks for pointing that out. How do you manage to turn it off?

It is not so much that I'm bothered by ads in my own stuff, but that when I watch the work of others.

Well, then I'm sorry but I have bad news for you... You can not turn the banners off for other videos, and that's probably very much on purpose, otherwise youtube wouldn't get their ads in.

But for your own videos, just:
- click on your account name at the top right and choose "Settings"
- on the "Overview" tab (you will land there by default), just mark "Do not allow advertisements to be displayed alongside my videos" at the very bottom

This will turn off the ads for all your video for which you have all licenses. I think. I haven't checked it when logging out...