tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78640134368497665272024-02-07T00:05:33.899-05:00The YouTurbia BlogJust Another YouTube Blog...KOHPelordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07705396506587747032noreply@blogger.comBlogger92125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864013436849766527.post-76413208739581293402018-02-09T18:49:00.002-05:002018-02-09T18:49:26.225-05:00YouTube and Twitch announce new community guidelinesWithin the same week, two major sources of uploaded content make some game changes.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>Both YouTube and Twitch have announced changes to various rules and guidelines to help make their communities safer.<br />
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The new <a href="https://www.twitch.tv/p/legal/community-guidelines" target="_blank">Twitch Community Guidelines</a>, which take effect February 19th, mostly focus on harassment and sexual content. <a href="https://blog.twitch.tv/twitch-community-guidelines-updates-f2e82d87ae58" target="_blank">You can read the official blog entry here.</a><br />
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YouTube is responding to the recent questionable actions and content of specific content providers by announcing they will take action against said content. They aren't exactly saying they are changing the community guidelines, but <a href="https://youtube-creators.googleblog.com/2018/02/preventing-harm-to-broader-youtube.html" target="_blank">they are saying there will be changes to how they respond and react to certain violations</a>. Such actions include (but are not limited to) removing monetization rights.<br />
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There has been some confusion (especially on the Twitch side), but the response to YouTube relating to recent events seems to be mostly positive and being seen as a step in the right direction.<br />
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<br />KOHPelordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07705396506587747032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864013436849766527.post-89188925712320794652018-01-17T02:20:00.000-05:002018-01-17T02:33:49.669-05:00YouTube warns many Partners of Termination, new threshold standard requirementsHello, spammers, impersonators, and/or other bad actors!<br />
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<a name='more'></a> YouTube <a href="https://youtube-creators.googleblog.com/2018/01/additional-changes-to-youtube-partner.html" target="_blank">recently announced it's newest requirements for YouTube Partnership</a>, officially taking effect on February 20th, 2018 (EDIT: <a href="https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/youtube/A3DoDo-OGyU" target="_blank">with new Partnership applications apparently taking effect immediately</a>?).<br />
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According to the official blog post, the new requirements will be put in place so <i><b>"spammers, impersonators, and other bad actors can’t hurt our ecosystem or take advantage of you"</b></i>. By this, they mean that the new requirement for monetization is 4,000 hours of watchtime within the past 12 months and at least 1,000 subscribers.<br />
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Maybe I'm not looking in the right places, but the most recent news regarding content creators on YouTube who have 'taken advantage' of anyone or anything are ones that surely surpass said new requirements by hundreds, if not thousands?<br />
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<i><b>"We’ve arrived at these new thresholds after thorough analysis and conversations with creators like you."</b></i> Who were those analyzed, and who had these conversations? I can guarantee I am not one of those people, and I probably would not have been one of those people even if I had still been a YouTube Top Contributor.<br />
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To stop with the negative for a bit, it should be noted that, <i><b>"99% of those affected were making less than $100 per year in the last year, with 90% earning less than $2.50 in the last month"</b></i>. So most of the affected accounts aren't really losing much revenue from this. (I've personally never made a cent from YouTube yet I've had a Partnered account since the end of 2011, you know, back when you had to go through the original application process? Why are legacy Partner accounts affected? What happens with accounts in a Content Network? Did YouTube think of these questions?)<br />
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Many serious content creators can most likely reach the new thresholds, but not all accounts grow at the same rate, especially if YouTube is not a primary source of income or content. Many gaming content creators who will not qualify for YouTube Partner after the changes take effect have already earned payments from the Twitch Affiliate Program. Some creators may easily meet one or the requirements, but not the other.<br />
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Backlash is already starting, but it's already quite awkward. Many have ran to the official blog post requesting 'Sub 4 Sub' hoping to get over 1,000 subscribers (and somehow magically getting the 4,000 hours of watchtime from that?). Those who will remain within the requirement thresholds are simply giving the response of, "Just focus on growing your channels!", and at least in this case, they are right... yet at the same time, channel growth works differently for everyone especially in a highly competitive environment.<br />
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While I am someone who will not be losing any revenue from the changes (yet losing the ability to do so), there are content creators who do not meet the new requirement thresholds, yet still produce content that does not fall under the categories of <b>spammers, impersonators, and other bad actors </b>who actually do have something to lose from the changes.<b></b><br />
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...but hey, <a href="https://blog.patreon.com/not-rolling-out-fees-change/" target="_blank">when enough people spoke out against changes announced by Patreon recently, it convinced them to change their mind</a>. So if you don't like the upcoming changes to the YouTube Partner Program, you have a few choices: A. Constructively tell YouTube through their blog/forums/other feedback methods how you will be affected by the change personally, or B. Just focus on continuing to create your content as normal, and eventually meet the requirements (if they in fact do make the new changes).<b> </b>DO NOT: Demand people to subscribe to you.<br />
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Regardless of the amount of revenue involved, these changes are discouraging to smaller, up-and-coming content creators. No matter your choice, either speaking out against them, or trying to push yourself to your limits, it's up to you how to fight. Just don't prove that YouTube is correct in calling you <b>spammers, impersonators, and other bad actors</b>.<br />
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<b></b>KOHPelordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07705396506587747032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864013436849766527.post-62920765987620343252016-02-26T20:40:00.001-05:002016-02-26T20:40:48.749-05:00More on, "Where's the Fair Use?"Where's the Fair Use? In a courtroom in front of a judge? Is that even necessary?<br />
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I recently linked to a video by Channel Awesome/Nostalgia Critic regarding YouTube's Content ID system.<i> </i>The video pointed out many problems and issues with the system and the fact that it is in need of a complete overhaul. It also specifically references what is known as 'Fair Use'.<i></i><br />
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It's no question that I personally support the objective and the goal of the #WTFU movement.<i> </i>The Content ID system has been used to remove completely legal video content from YouTube since day one, both intentionally and by accident. I do not blame YouTube for this, as they are only the ones supplying the tools to the content owners. It is the content owners who are the ones making the decisions as to what happens to the detected content. It is not only Hollywood content owners doing so, as the music and video game industry are doing the same thing. YouTube itself isn't the problem. You probably wouldn't blame your car
manufacturer for a traffic ticket just because it was allowed to drive
faster than the speed limit, right?<br />
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So, about that Fair Use. Fair Use is actually not an excuse that allows anyone to do whatever they want with content owned by someone else. It is in fact a defense which can be used in a court of law. And most likely, if disputes against these Content ID claims went far enough, the judge would rule in favor of Fair Use. It shouldn't have to go that far, though. Unfortunately, the way the Content ID system is being used, and the way the law is currently set to protect said content, the current situation is difficult to fix. The Content ID system doesn't seem to care what purpose the content was used for, and in the cases where an actual person reviews the content, there isn't much to stop those people from being overprotective.<br />
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While I could say that I took a course in college regarding broadcast law and Fair Use, saying that claiming Fair Use means nothing until a judge is involved, instead I will link to <a href="http://ryanmorrisonlaw.com/a-laymans-guide-to-copyright-fair-use-and-the-dmca-takedown-system/" target="_blank">this article by the Law Offices of Ryan P. Morrison, P.C. saying the same thing (note I am personally not advertising this law firm, only linking to the information provided).</a><br />
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Thing is, a lot of the laws which define what Fair Use is currently were put into place years ago, before YouTube and Content ID. It exists in the first place because specific rules and circumstances were not clearly defined (if at all) regarding what was allowed and what actions could be taken in the case of sampling or parody. Fair Use exists because someone spoke out. Rules and laws can change. The Content ID system was designed to save time and money, but has resulted in only costing it for many.<br />
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While the future is unclear at this point what will eventually happen to the Content ID system, there is a bit of hope. <a href="https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/youtube/x3aGmn_MsqI" target="_blank">YouTube themselves have responded</a>, and even <a href="https://twitter.com/SusanWojcicki/status/703349469677391872" target="_blank">YouTube's CEO claims to be listening</a> to what the community is saying. <br />
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The Content ID system had good intentions, but it's clearly been abused. The solution is not to remove the system, but to prevent it from being misused.<br />
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<br />KOHPelordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07705396506587747032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864013436849766527.post-63808292004866962452016-02-19T19:00:00.000-05:002016-02-19T19:01:40.561-05:00"Where's the Fair Use?"<i>Video by Channel Awesome/Nostalgia Critic</i><br />
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<a name='more'></a>I will be posting more about this later, currently sharing this for reference.KOHPelordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07705396506587747032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864013436849766527.post-558449191257796932015-10-21T15:36:00.000-04:002015-10-21T15:36:42.343-04:00YouTube announces 'YouTube Red'Someone will be seeing red, alright.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>YouTube has announced a new paid membership service, going by the name of YouTube Red:<br />
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<i>YouTube Red lets you enjoy videos across all of YouTube without ads,
while also letting you save videos to watch offline on your phone or
tablet and play videos in the background, all for $9.99 a month. Your
membership extends across devices and anywhere you sign into YouTube,
including our recently launched Gaming app and a brand new YouTube Music
app we’re announcing today that will be available soon.</i><br />
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Various other video content sites have already launched paid membership services that remove ads, such as Twitch.TV with it's Turbo membership (which for comparison purposes, is $8.99/mo USD).<br />
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There is a bit more to Red, though:<br />
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<i>And starting early next year, YouTube Red will get even better with
member-only access to new, original shows and movies from some of
YouTube’s biggest creators. You can read all about Originals coming to
YouTube Red <a href="http://youtube-global.blogspot.com/2015/10/red-originals.html">here</a>.</i><br />
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This is not YouTube's first time working with paid video content. They opened up a 'video rental' program back in January 2010, but rentals were video specific and the price varied based off what the creator set it to be. <br />
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Currently, Twitch.TV does not have exclusive video content for Turbo members.<br />
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YouTube Red launches October 28th for those in the United States, with other countries set for a later undisclosed date. YouTube is offering a 1-month free trial for those interested (although keep in mind not all of it's features are available yet).<br />
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Outside of Red, YouTube will still be a free service, and the membership fee is only for those interested in the additional features and content provided by the Red service. Many will probably not see the point in paying the membership fee for removing ads since AdBlock plugins are extremely popular. Also, many people will probably not be interested in the additional paid video content and simply stick with the free content they can already get. <br />
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The official blog post on YouTube Red can be found <a href="http://youtube-global.blogspot.com/2015/10/red.html" target="_blank">here</a>, or you can jump right to the official site <a href="http://www.youtube.com/red" target="_blank">here</a>. KOHPelordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07705396506587747032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864013436849766527.post-81560294547709241042015-08-26T14:07:00.001-04:002015-08-26T16:35:23.840-04:00YouTube Gaming (and new streaming interface) launchWith or without a hitch, this isn't quite Twitch.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><a href="http://gaming.youtube.com/" target="_blank">YouTube Gaming</a> has officially launched today, adding yet another live streaming service to the list of those targeting video game broadcasters (mainly Twitch and hitbox). <a href="http://youtube-global.blogspot.com/2015/08/lets-play.html" target="_blank">Official launch information can be found here</a>. Currently the most helpful feature available so far is the option to import channels you are following (subscribed to) on regular YouTube into your YouTube Gaming channels list. The interface may take some time to appreciate, though. (It it just me, or does the 'Channels' sidebar completely block the browser scrollbar?)<br />
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The launch of YouTube Gaming also introduces a new live stream interface, replacing the one it was using for the past few years. Scheduling events will soon be a thing of the past with live streams on YouTube. This move is most likely because event scheduling isn't something that other live streaming sites have really used much, if at all. The place to start isn't too hard to find, as it is located at <a href="http://youtube.com/stream">http://youtube.com/stream</a><br />
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A point of interest with the launch involves the live broadcast dashboard and Content ID. YouTube is working with a way to integrate Content ID into live broadcasting and it seems this is a huge decision maker for those questioning a switch. If copyrighted content is detected, the ID system will notify the broadcaster, and will eventually block the stream content until the content is removed. This is different from the detection system used by Twitch, which only mutes audio in previously recorded VOD's when an ID match occurs.<br />
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Personal opinion so far? I don't see Twitch missing out anytime soon, but YouTube Gaming is definitely an option worth looking into farther.<br />
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<b>EDIT:</b> While it could probably be determined from the official blog post, YouTube Gaming is essentially just an official site/app for finding video game related content on the already existing YouTube site. At least in it's current form, YouTube Gaming is not a new broadcasting service, and the new live streaming interface is a global YouTube launch and not exclusive to the gaming community.KOHPelordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07705396506587747032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864013436849766527.post-74105243457523803582015-08-05T13:06:00.000-04:002015-08-05T13:06:03.881-04:00The end of 301+ viewcountsAre 'frozen' viewcounts a thing of the past (insert 'Let it Go' joke here)?<br />
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<a name='more'></a>As <a href="https://twitter.com/YTCreators/status/628958720953819136" target="_blank">announced on the YouTube Creators Twitter</a>, viewcounts on YouTube videos will no longer be 'frozen' at 301+ views while awaiting verification, and will be more up-to-date.<br />
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According to the image from said Twitter, the old system of counting views would stop after going past 300 views (creating the 301+ viewcount) and would then later update once legitimate views were counted. Of course, many felt that this process took longer than it needed to, going as far as to believing YouTube was simply freezing or locking out views from being counted at all. Under the newer system, views which are confident to be from real people will automatically be counted, while other questionable views will still be under review.<br />
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While viewcounts may still be a bit behind under the newer system, they will still be increasing without having to see the viewcount of 301+ for an extended period of time.<br />
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<br />KOHPelordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07705396506587747032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864013436849766527.post-80629204240188852092015-08-04T01:23:00.000-04:002015-08-04T01:23:10.667-04:00New Look for YouTube Video Player in Web BrowsersYes, something did in fact change.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>Not much else to say, but you can read a bit of additional information <a href="https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/youtube/taswo8KkN1E" target="_blank">here</a> (you can also report a bug at said link if you have experienced any problems with it).<br />
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Some have reported that viewing these new players in certain browsers (like the WiiU web browser) seem to run into problems due to ads failing to load. These changes should not make any difference on various app versions of YouTube. KOHPelordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07705396506587747032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864013436849766527.post-59890624440315005662015-08-02T18:16:00.000-04:002015-08-02T18:16:40.779-04:00Hitbox.TV: Revenue Sharing for AllEurope-based video game streaming site, Hitbox.TV has made the move to allow all broadcasters to take part in revenue sharing.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><a href="http://blog.hitbox.tv/expanding-revenue-shares-to-all-broadcasters/" target="_blank">Read the official Hitbox.TV blog entry here.</a> The only requirements for revenue sharing on Hitbox are to follow the Terms of Service, and have a verified PayPal account.<br />
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Will this affect revenue sharing requirements and guidelines on sites like Twitch (and eventually YouTube Gaming)? Will this move by Hitbox convince dedicated Twitch and YouTube broadcasters to make the switch?KOHPelordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07705396506587747032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864013436849766527.post-16761405567066615892015-07-27T17:20:00.000-04:002015-07-27T17:20:23.657-04:00YouTube to eventually not require Google+ for featuresLove YouTube but hate Google+? Probably the most important news regarding G+ in a long time...<br />
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<a name='more'></a>YouTube and Google have recently announced that they finally understand how many Google users aren't very fond of Google+ with respective blog entries (<a href="http://youtube-global.blogspot.com/2015/07/youtube-comments.html" target="_blank">YouTube blog</a>, <a href="http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2015/07/everything-in-its-right-place.html" target="_blank">Google blog</a>).<br />
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While not fully completed, certain pieces of the process are going live today. <i>With today’s announcement from Google+, you’ll see more changes. The
comments you make on YouTube will now appear only on YouTube, not also
on Google+. And vice-versa. This starts rolling out today.</i><br />
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While a Google+ account will no longer be required to access various YouTube features, it should be noted that those wanting to remove G+ from their life should wait just a bit longer.<i> </i><i>If you want to remove your Google+ profile, you’ll be able to do this in the coming months, but <i><b>do not do it now</b></i> or you’ll delete your YouTube channel (no bueno).</i><br />
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No actual word on how long the conversion will take, but it is made clear that YouTube is the first Google product site to go through with changes, with more over the next few months.<i> </i>KOHPelordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07705396506587747032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864013436849766527.post-86612221662740314912015-06-12T14:43:00.001-04:002015-06-14T13:48:35.896-04:00YouTube Announces YouTube Gaming (and sort of blog update)Well, my last post was more recent than I first thought... anyway, looks like YouTube has caught on to the popularity of Twitch.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>YouTube has recently launched <a href="https://gaming.youtube.com/" target="_blank">https://gaming.youtube.com</a> (which currently directs to a Coming Soon page, and features a <a href="http://youtube-global.blogspot.com/2015/06/a-youtube-built-for-gamers.html" target="_blank">blog post link</a>), which according to the official Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/YouTubeGaming" target="_blank">@YouTubeGaming</a> appears to be a site similar to Twitch.TV and Hitbox. Obviously various gaming network partners have been invited to test the service out, but the official reveal just happened today, only a few days before this year's E3 in Los Angeles.<br />
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Speaking of Twitter, I now have my own personal Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/KOHPelord" target="_blank">@KOHPelord</a>. I also still tweet Nintendo related news on <a href="https://twitter.com/nsider2" target="_blank">@NSider2</a> as well as manage <a href="https://twitter.com/VarietyTTV" target="_blank">@VarietyTTV</a>. Most likely will update on Twitter more than here, but I haven't completely left the art form of the blog just yet!<br />
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(UPDATE: edited in the official blog post link) KOHPelordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07705396506587747032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864013436849766527.post-73249441026582341682014-09-19T01:35:00.002-04:002014-09-19T01:35:51.031-04:00Twitch.TV: Following Games is now a thingWant to keep track of your favorite games being played on Twitch? That's now possible with a new update.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>You could already follow your favorite channels on Twitch, but now you can follow specific games as well.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUH7U7L95Mx0zRoWUHH4ENWIMsn73hin6sxeCYRlKwkdlw5gXDXHt3E9ZqBVfzr82eeNHXRmc-1iNG_92po0Q-FIYorXdZV1o3GEAYJEfNFzNWBElzspztWTnAcgrWZLHoWi5kqSd38xI/s1600/followgames_twitch.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUH7U7L95Mx0zRoWUHH4ENWIMsn73hin6sxeCYRlKwkdlw5gXDXHt3E9ZqBVfzr82eeNHXRmc-1iNG_92po0Q-FIYorXdZV1o3GEAYJEfNFzNWBElzspztWTnAcgrWZLHoWi5kqSd38xI/s1600/followgames_twitch.png" height="284" width="320" /></a></div>
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Just search for a game you like using the already existing Games search, then click on the Follow button at the top of the results for your game(s) of choice (in the above screenshot you can see I am already following Mario Kart 8).<br />
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<a href="http://blog.twitch.tv/2014/09/follow-games-you-love/" target="_blank">The official Twitch Blog entry about this feature is here.</a><br />
KOHPelordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07705396506587747032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864013436849766527.post-80785771239170866402014-08-25T17:32:00.000-04:002014-08-25T17:35:52.352-04:00Twitch.TV: Twitch aquired by Amazon, not GoogleTo those who said people were wrongfully pointing fingers at Google for the recent updates to Twitch, you're laughing.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>Today, <a href="http://blog.twitch.tv/2014/08/a-letter-from-the-ceo-august-25-2014/" target="_blank">Twitch announced they have been officially acquired by Amazon</a>. This announcement probably comes as a surprise to many, considering the sources who reported for months that Google had purchased Twitch for $1 Billion.<br />
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Sources have reported that Amazon's acquisition was not too far off, at $970 Million. KOHPelordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07705396506587747032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864013436849766527.post-8864099108034766942014-08-08T20:17:00.001-04:002014-08-08T20:17:42.923-04:00Twitch.TV: Audible Magic speaks about audio mutingAnother source has decided to speak up about what's going on with Twitch muting it's audio. Protip: It isn't Google.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>Audible Magic, the creator of the tech used by Twitch.TV to mute copyrighted audio, <a href="https://www.audiblemagic.com/2014/08/08/whats-going-on-with-twitch-and-audible-magic/" target="_blank">has decided to post a blog entry</a> describing what it's service is and what it does.<br />
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<i>Twitch contracted Audible Magic to provide a content matching service.
Twitch provides Audible Magic a sample of audio content and Audible
Magic reports if a match is found in a database of submitted works.
Matches, plus the content owner’s specified business rules, are reported
to Twitch, and Twitch handles all actions from there. Audible Magic
performs no blocking of content. Audible Magic is simply an information
provider.</i> <br />
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Not really any new information on what's actually happening, but it is good to know that the company responsible is openly willing to provide information about it's service in regards to the feedback.KOHPelordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07705396506587747032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864013436849766527.post-15885065983333026482014-08-08T00:22:00.000-04:002014-08-08T00:22:39.348-04:00Twitch.TV: Updates to Recent ChangesTwitch is listening, sort of.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>After the recent backlash of Twitch changing it's VOD system, as well as partnering with <a href="http://www.audiblemagic.com/" target="_blank">Audible Magic</a>, there have been a few changes made, which can be viewed <a href="http://blog.twitch.tv/2014/08/two-important-updates-more-to-come/" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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First change, the 2 hour cutoff limit has been removed for VODs. Second, there is now an official appeal process if your audio gets muted.KOHPelordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07705396506587747032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864013436849766527.post-31363410330345090682014-08-07T07:48:00.000-04:002014-08-07T07:48:00.994-04:00Twitch.TV: Audio Content in VODsTwitch seems to be on a roll with features and announcements lately, though some consider that roll to be a slice of moldy bread.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>The latest 'feature' to be announced by Twitch is <a href="http://blog.twitch.tv/2014/08/3136/" target="_blank">Audio Recognition</a>, basically similar to YouTube's Content ID system muting videos with copyrighted audio.<br />
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The blog entry makes it clear that Audio Recognition is only in VODs, and <b>not in live broadcasts</b>. It doesn't clearly specify this in highlights, but a bit of further reading seems to imply that they are affected as well. Fortunately, only parts of the video will be muted (the parts with the copyrighted audio content and surrounding 30 minute blocks scanned by the technology used).<br />
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Already, the technology has already muted various video content in error (at least according to various sources). While the blog entry specifies that content owners should notify them of unauthorized content, it does not give mention of how someone can appeal falsely identified content, and instead suggests using Creative Commons audio or similar resources. <br />
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This 'feature' is part of a new partnership Twitch has with <a href="https://www.audiblemagic.com/" target="_blank">Audible Magic</a>.<br />
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KOHPelordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07705396506587747032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864013436849766527.post-70341517353446687172014-08-06T16:59:00.000-04:002014-08-06T16:59:45.006-04:00Twitch.TV: Changes to Past Broadcast ArchivingMore changes to Twitch, this time relating to how it handles Past Broadcasts (aka VODs).<br />
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<a name='more'></a>A lot of important things have been happening at Twitch. <a href="http://blog.twitch.tv/2014/08/update-changes-to-vods-on-twitch/" target="_blank">This update is important to those who enjoy saving their live broadcasts as archived video (also known as Past Broadcasts or Video on Demand/VOD).</a><br />
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The short(er) version: you will no longer be able to save past broadcasts permanently. The archived broadcast will stay on Twitch for about 14 days before being completely removed from the servers (the exception to this are Twitch Partners and Twitch Turbo members, who will have this time extended to 60 days). <br />
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Past Broadcasts can still be highlighted and/or uploaded to YouTube. Highlights will not be deleted after a certain amount of time unlike past broadcasts, but will be limited to 2 hour segments. If there are any Past Broadcasts/VODs you are personally interested in holding on to, make sure to highlight them and/or upload them to YouTube.<br />
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Additional information, including a video describing changes made to the new Twitch Video Manager, can be found at the above link.KOHPelordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07705396506587747032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864013436849766527.post-81904603070099368962014-08-05T15:40:00.002-04:002014-08-05T15:40:27.838-04:00Twitch.TV: New features and goodbye'sNew features have been added to Twitch, but an important part of it's history has been closed.<br />
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<a name='more'></a> Twitch.TV was originally a secondary site to live video streaming site Justin.TV. It seems that no one involved was aware of exactly how huge Twitch would become, as <a href="http://www.justin.tv/" target="_blank">JTV has recently announced it is closing down</a> so Twitch Interactive, Inc. can focus all it's resources to Twitch.TV. The official announcement makes sure to note that sites like YouTube and Ustream are alternatives to live streaming for those JTV users who are not interested in video game related content. All of this is in the light of <a href="http://venturebeat.com/2014/07/24/googles-1b-purchase-of-twitch-confirmed-joins-youtube-for-new-video-empire/" target="_blank">the recent news of Twitch being purchased by Google</a>.<br /><br />
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According to the site, JTV accounts can be transferred over to Twitch before September 5th, 2014. Those JTV users with Pro accounts will also be refunded.<br />
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As for new Twitch features, the first is <a href="http://blog.twitch.tv/2014/08/chat-mentions-have-arrived/" target="_blank">Chat Mentions</a>. Similar to making a mention on Twitter, you can mention a user in a chat room by placing the '@' before the username, which will then highlight your chat message to the mentioned user.<br />
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And while not so much a feature, <a href="http://blog.twitch.tv/2014/08/new-payment-options/" target="_blank">Twitch Turbo now has more payment options</a>. Quite useful for those Twitch members outside of the US, or for those of you who don't know where to spend those hard earned Bitcoins...KOHPelordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07705396506587747032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864013436849766527.post-80408372619185667682014-06-21T05:25:00.000-04:002014-06-21T05:25:43.406-04:00YouTube now has Twitch Live AnnotationsAnother way to let people know you are live on Twitch.TV, now in your YouTube videos.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>The <a href="http://blog.twitch.tv/2014/06/twitch-live-annotations-for-youtube/" target="_blank">Official Twitch Blog</a> post probably says everything you need to know about this new feature. When you go live on Twitch, you can now have an annotation appear in your YouTube videos alerting the viewers that you are broadcasting live.<br />KOHPelordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07705396506587747032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864013436849766527.post-11960656403069209212014-05-20T05:48:00.001-04:002014-05-20T05:48:30.902-04:00Mario Kart 8 MKTV videos now on YouTubeA lot of Mario Kart 8 videos are going to hit YouTube. Actually, they already have.<br />
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For the past few weeks, various members of the gaming media who have received Nintendo's latest Mario Kart racer for the Wii U have been posting their thoughts and highlights on it's Miiverse community.<br />
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Since Nintendo lifted the embargo and gave the OK for reviews and such to be made public, YouTube videos of Mario Kart 8 races through the in-game 'MKTV' feature are now available.<br />
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Here is a sample of what a video can look like:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="https://ytimg.googleusercontent.com/vi/pp_1ToFf768/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="https://youtube.googleapis.com/v/pp_1ToFf768&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="https://youtube.googleapis.com/v/pp_1ToFf768&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div>
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Of course, YouTube ContentID's these videos as it's official Nintendo content, but otherwise there is no other limitation beyond what the game allows you to create. The uploads are even encoded in 720p.<br />
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Expect YouTube to be filled with Mario Kart 8 uploads once May 30th hits.<br />
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KOHPelordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07705396506587747032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864013436849766527.post-52397756141301722552014-05-19T04:29:00.000-04:002014-05-19T04:29:02.014-04:00YouTube buying Twitch?Finally something I feel like writing about. Coincidence I've been using this blog to discuss both Twitch and YouTube over the past few months?<br />
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<a name='more'></a><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/youtube-to-buy-twitch-for-1-billion-report/1100-6419720/" target="_blank">Sources</a> are already reporting that Twitch.TV has made a deal with YouTube/Google, where Twitch will be acquired for one million... I mean... billion dollars.<br />
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On the positive side of things, the popularity of Twitch could definitely use Google's help and resources. It could also mean very good things for it's userbase.<br />
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On the other hand, many are already concerned about the YouTube Content ID system getting in the way, as well as forced Google+ integration.<br />
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It is also uncertain, if the acquisition is official, how much of Twitch policy will be modified to fit into the Google family. If Google's earlier acquisition of YouTube years ago is any indication, it will most likely be transparent early on, but become more noticeable in time.<br />
KOHPelordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07705396506587747032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864013436849766527.post-77364307331330203092014-02-19T20:37:00.000-05:002014-02-19T20:37:58.089-05:00Twitch.TV: When things get too popular...Find it hard to chat in a Twitch.TV chat room these days? It's never been perfect, but a recent phenomenon has been making it even harder...<br />
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<a href="http://blog.twitch.tv/2014/02/recent-chat-issues-and-twitchplayspokemon/">http://blog.twitch.tv/2014/02/recent-chat-issues-and-twitchplayspokemon/</a><br />
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For anyone who is unaware of exactly what "Twitch Plays Pokemon" is, it is a channel on Twitch.TV where users in the chat room input commands which control a game of Pokemon Red. How this became so popular <a href="http://youturbiablog.blogspot.com/2013/12/twitchtv-new-video-system-handles-more.html">considering the huge delay between chat and the video</a> is beyond me.KOHPelordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07705396506587747032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864013436849766527.post-66768381123888626382014-01-09T05:19:00.001-05:002014-01-09T05:19:43.650-05:00Twitch.TV: PlayStation 4 Streaming SuccessTwitch.TV is happy with the success of broadcasting directly from the PS4.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><a href="http://blog.twitch.tv/2014/01/playstation-4-broadcasting-continues-to-grow-on-twitch/">http://blog.twitch.tv/2014/01/playstation-4-broadcasting-continues-to-grow-on-twitch/</a><br />
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Even with some less-than acceptable content early on, the PlayStation 4's ability to stream gaming content live to Twitch.TV has been successful so far, even reaching the point of 20% of Twitch broadcasters using the platform to stream live.<br />
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The platform has also caught on to other live broadcasting sites, including UStream. <br />
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<br />KOHPelordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07705396506587747032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864013436849766527.post-75660666104155903742013-12-22T06:21:00.003-05:002013-12-22T06:21:18.922-05:00Twitch.TV: New video system handles more traffic, but at a cost of latencyTwitch.TV admits their new system has more latency than what a lot of users are happy with.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><a href="http://blog.twitch.tv/2013/12/new-video-system-update-after-one-week-in-service/">http://blog.twitch.tv/2013/12/new-video-system-update-after-one-week-in-service/</a><br />
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About a week ago, viewers of Twitch.TV streams noticed something a bit different. Live videos were buffering constantly, and the delay time between when users posted a message in a chat room about what they saw and when something actually happened was much longer. A day later, <a href="http://blog.twitch.tv/2013/12/service-update-major-video-system-update-and-prague-is-online/" target="_blank">Twitch announced that they had a new video system</a>, which was designed to handle up to 15% more traffic than the older system could handle. This of course was tested on broadcasts with a large amount of traffic (DreamHack Winter 2013). While effective on high traffic, high quality streams, the way the new system delivers and buffers data has resulted in a very noticeable delay in the smaller, lower quality streams (according to the official blog, "ranging from 12-40 seconds"). For casters and viewers who are used to delay of less than 10 seconds and often interact directly with each other, the user experience has definitely taken a hit. Originally some streams were almost unwatchable for some users due to constant buffering, but at least that issue was seemingly resolved within a few days.<br />
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Should Twitch have waited a bit longer to release the new system to all broadcasts? Twitch does note that they are working on lowering the latency, but currently no details on how long this will take has been given.<br />
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It is questionable how these changes will affect other streaming services, including but not limited to, YouTube's current live streaming platform.KOHPelordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07705396506587747032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864013436849766527.post-18481904454648565642013-12-16T12:28:00.000-05:002013-12-16T12:28:45.897-05:00Reviving the YouTurbia Blog, and YouTube Live StreamingHas it really been since February?<br />
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<a name='more'></a>Anyway, with that said, I'm hoping to revive this blog, for real this time. There's been so much going on with YouTube (Content ID gone mad, and YouTube Live FINALLY being available to most users), but also with other popular video sites such as Twitch.TV.<br />
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With that said, <a href="http://youtubecreator.blogspot.com/2013/12/now-you-can-live-stream-on-youtube.html" target="_blank">here is an official YouTube Creators Blog Entry about the recent YouTube Live developments</a>. For those more interested in things you can do with the YouTube API related to the Live feature, <a href="http://apiblog.youtube.com/2013/12/3-2-1-and-you-are-live.html" target="_blank">read this post</a>.<br />
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Until I get around to posting regularly here again, here are some links to see what I've been doing:<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/KOHPelord" target="_blank">My YouTube Channel</a><br />
<a href="http://nsider2.com/">NSider2.com</a><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/nsider2" target="_blank">NSider2 Twitter</a><br />
<a href="http://www.twitch.tv/kohpelord/profile" target="_blank">My Twitch.TV Channel</a>KOHPelordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07705396506587747032noreply@blogger.com0