We're preparing a world-class media portal for ATS members.

As promised in a couple of previous threads and posts, we're building upon our video test (the premium videos site that included "End Game" and others) to deliver a world-class ad-supported media portal for all active ATS Members. We'll we're getting close to launch, and wanted to alert our members.

We've spent some considerable time researching the leading vendors of server-side video software, as well as a great deal of time tweaking our infrastructure to support the new protocols and services. The goal is to make sure it's not just a video-sharing site, but the best possible media site worthy of the "ATS" name.


Some of the features include:

Automatic Flash Video Conversion: All your uploaded video files (.avi, .mov, .wmv, .mpg, etc.) will be automatically converted by our servers into a high-performance, high-quality streaming Flash format. The user-friendliness will be no different than YouTube.

Integrated ATS Log-In: Your existing ATS username and password will function when logging in to the new media site.

Customized Member Profiles: Create a custom media profile containing information about you, links to your uploaded media, links to your favorite media uploaded by other members, and links to off-site media such as YouTube or others.

Customized Playlists: If you see a new video, but don't have time to view it, you'll be able to add media files to your own playlist so that you can return to view them at any time. You can even share your playlists with other members.

Easy ATS Embedding: A customized "shorthand" tag accompanies all videos so that you can easily embed them into posts without any hassle.

Full-Featued Member Media Blog: If you're going to be uploading lots of your own videos, you'll be able to create your own customized media blog. You'll be able to embed your videos into your blog, and add extended contents and HTML beyond what is typical of the media's "comments" field. You'll also be able to customize the look and feel of your blog (to some extent), as well as run your own Google AdSense ads to earn revenue off traffic to your blog's pages.

Video Pro Revenue Sharing: For members who are advanced videographers with several original titles, we'll have an opportunity for you to share in the advertising revenue generated by your videos. Contact us for more info.

High Performance Network: Last, and certainly not least, is the high-performance network we're building to support any amount of traffic. If you create a video that rockets to the top of DIGG, and gets millions of views, we're ready for that. Our media storage server can store more than 25,000 high-quality videos, and we're hooked into a new global content delivery network, optimized for streaming video to ensure all videos load fast no matter how many people are watching.


Supported File Types:

We've built-in support for the following file extensions:
gif,jpg,bmp,png,swf,wmv,mpg,avi,flv,mpeg,rm,mov,3gp,mp4,asf,mp3,wav,midi,mid,pdf



Member file uploads will be limited to a 50 megabyte files size, but there will be no limitations on quantity of files per member. (However, if you get banned from ATS, your files may be subject to removal.)


All uploads are subject to our standard terms and conditions, with the additional provision similar to our Chat service -- this is a live, immediate-on video streaming service, inappropriate videos may result in the immediate banning of the member who uploaded.


Stay tuned for the next announcement. Our staff is busy testing the system, and I'm still tweaking the myriad of server and network settings. We hope to be ready for a live launch of the new site next week.

Rock on!! This is fantastic, and much appreciated!! SALUTES!!

Lets make the best of it ATS/BTS members!! And thanks to the staff for putting this all together for us!!


Cheers!!!!

reply to post by SkepticOverlord


All I can say is Thank You!

Good news, cant wait to see it happen.

As per your post in another related thread, I have some questions.

Originally posted by SkepticOverlord

So we're now considering the addition of a more robust media hosting environment that would completely replace both our premium video channel and our member upload space. The services would include:

1) Premium video channels with revenue-share for expert contributors
2) Basic video channels for user-generated/uploaded videos
3) Unrestricted (for members) upload space for images
4) Semi-restricted (for members) upload space for audio files
5) Unrestricted (for members) upload space for other media (such as PDF files)
6) Integrated tools to embed your uploaded media into ATS threads
7) Ability to create your own video/photo channels like Flickr and share with friends

Will items 3 through 7 no longer be available?

What if I or some other member wanted to start an opening post in a selected ATS forum, with pdf, jpeg, and avi media files, along with written narration and additional information, all in a single opening post?

Would that at some point be possible?

As if it was needed, we have more proof that ATS is the best community driven site in the world.

Amazing!

Originally posted by Walkswithfish
Will items 3 through 7 no longer be available?

Yes... I just didn't include them in the list in the opening post. We have a great many features in the new media portal... I'm sure it'll take some time for our members to explore all the possibilities.

reply to post by SkepticOverlord


it also makes toast.

don't forget to tell them about the toast.

This is really great.
I can't wait till this is operational.
Thanks ATS!!!
F Youtube

Wow, Skeptic....you are truely a Benevolent Overlord.

Not only am I excited about these new features, I'm humbled beyond words.

You sir, rock. Oh yes. Yes you do.

Bless you.

*bows in honor of our wonderful ATS Council*

WOOT! I guess now I have to go buy a video camera. If I dye my hair white can I be the Official bubble headed bleach blond for ATS?

The one thing that keeps me coming back every day, it never gets boring around here.

This sounds amazing, and something that will be highly beneficial to everyone!
Thanks for all your work, and thanks to everyone else who helped put this idea into motion.
Can't wait to use it!

Originally posted by Crakeur
don't forget to tell them about the toast.

It's not the toast that has me jazzed... it's the automatic-grinding self-heating timed-plunger insulated French Press coffee module that has me jazzed.

Originally posted by Crakeur
don't forget to tell them about the toast.

I'm thrilled for the toast. Will it work with USB? I'm on a laptop you know...

SO - Love the ideas, can't wait to test it out when it coms available.


- Carrot

Originally posted by SkepticOverlord
Yes... I just didn't include them in the list in the opening post. We have a great many features in the new media portal... I'm sure it'll take some time for our members to explore all the possibilities.

Great, as if i don't spend enough time on here already

Kidding, very much appreciated, its like christmas all over again


Well we got snow ...........



[edit on 4-2-2009 by MCoG1980]

Wow fella's! Nice! And here I was thinking that I didn't spend enough time on ATS already....now I have no excuse to leave Who needs sleep? (Or toast?)

a great idea, i can't wait for this, I'll be spending even more time on here

soon ATS will rule the internet!!!

I'm so happy, I just soiled my trousers! Excuse me for a moment!

I just have a simple question, sorry if this has been answered elsewhere before: Will all different types of media be allowed for upload? I'm a 'YouTube Guitarist' and I have a few videos over there of me playing some original songs and covers, would I be able to transfer them over here? The idea of high quality format intrigues me.

Originally posted by Tgautier13
Will all different types of media be allowed for upload?

Yes. Review the file extensions in the opening post for a complete list.

We even accept converted .FLV files so that our more video-savvy members can compress/convert their own videos to the quality level they want.

But from what I've seen, the best quality conversions come from Apple QuickTime files.