YouTube is an online video streaming service where anyone with access to the internet can view or provide videos. It was first created in February 2005 and is now hugely popular with over 100 million video views a day and ranking as on of the most visited websites after Google. It was initially ... Read review
Advantages: fast, accessible, great search facility, wide range of videos, its all free! Disadvantages: limited to 10 mins long, copyright issues, privacy issues
YouTube is an online video streaming service where anyone with access to the internet can view or provide videos. It was first created in February 2005 and is now hugely popular with over 100 million video views a day and ranking as on of the most visited websites after Google. It was initially created by three paypal employees who then made a tidy fortune when they sold the site to Google in November 2006.
==Watching Videos== ...this is generally pretty good. YouTube also now offers some of its videos in HD format. Audio quality is also generally good although this depends on the initial file type and quality.
The options when viewing a video are fairly intuitive - the bar along the bottom allows you to drag the bar forwards and backwards to go to different points in the video clip. The volume control also works in a similar way. There is a play button which ... more
YouTube is an online video streaming service where anyone with access to the internet can view or provide videos. It was first created in February 2005 and is now hugely popular with over 100 million video views a day and ranking as on of the most visited websites after Google. It was initially created by three paypal employees who then made a tidy fortune when they sold the site to Google in November 2006.
Watching Videos
The most used feature of YouTube is the watching of videos. The search feature is easy to use and enables the user to search for any topic, artist, etc. The intuitive search lists suggestions as you begin to type into the search box. This is particularly helpful if you aren't sure on how to phrase your search or are unclear on the spelling of something. Searching gives a list of results very similar to the Google search results page (well after all - it is Google owned!!!) As you select a video from your search results it begins to play automatically. The window showing the video is fairly large on your screen but there is also an option to make the video full screen - the quality on this is generally pretty good. YouTube also now offers some of its videos in HD format. Audio quality is also generally good although this depends on the initial file type and quality.
The options when viewing a video are fairly intuitive - the bar along the bottom allows you to drag the bar forwards and backwards to go to different points in the video clip. The volume control also works in a similar way. There is a play button which doubles up as a pause button yet no specific fast forward or rewind buttons. This isn't really a problem as it keeps the user interface simple and uncluttered. Some videos include the option to watch them in high quality although this doesn't seem to make much difference - even in full screen mode other than possibly slowing down the video.
When you open a video - if you have a good broadband connection the video will generally be able to play straight through without having to wait for buffering. Although if your internet is having a slow day then the video can take quite a while to load which is very irritating, although compared to all other video playback sites that I have used, YouTube is by far the fastest.
The range of videos available is vast and I have never had an occasion where I haven't been able to find what I am looking for. The only slight disadvantage is that video clips are limited to 10 minutes therefore you are not going to find a whole comedy sketch or programme on there.
Layout & Navigation
The layout of the site closely resembles google, with plenty of white space and limited colour. This seems to keep it clean and simple and uses boxes to keep everything separated. The homepage does have a great deal on it but the layout is good enough that it does not seem to cluttered and therefore it is generally easy to find what you are looking for. Navigation is easy as the user interface is very intuitive with buttons and links clear and where you would expect them to be. There is no advertising on the site pages other than Googles own which makes it stress free and pleasing on the eye! This lack of flashing adverts and animations means that you can happily watch a video clip without things irritating you in the corner of your eye! Although simplistic in terms of colour and style, the layout is successful and the navigation is clear making it suitable for internet newbies!
YouTube for Teaching
The majority of my personal experience regarding YouTube is within my teaching. YouTube videos are fantastic to use as a stimulus material or to show a certain clip as they are easy to access and display very well on the large interactive whiteboards that are in most classrooms these days. One particularly useful thing in this context is that you only have to show the clip you want. I have previously tried to show a small clip from a DVD such as Shrek, only to be met with whinging and moaning from the class saying "please miss, just let us watch another 5 minutes". With the YouTube clips, the maximum length is only ever going to be 10 minutes making them perfect to use in lessons!
Generally YouTube is pretty good for removing inappropriate content so an innocent search is not going to result in any dodgy results being displayed for all the class to see on the whiteboard! However, saying that - a few weeks ago I observed a lesson where the teacher had quickly looked for video clips at the start of the lesson relating to the topic the children were doing. They found one on Pandas which the first minute or so showed it to be a lovely little video. With no time to view it completely, the video was then only played the whole way through as the class watched. Unfortunately the video then went into VERY graphic details of how Pandas mate!! The class loved it, the poor teacher didn't know what to do and at the end of the lesson there were 30 leaflets created by the class on how Pandas mate!!
But on the whole it is a brilliant teaching resource - I have used clips on pollutions and animal rights as well as clips showing how things work and scientific processes. The accessibility of the site means that you can use them in lessons so easily with just the computer and interactive board or projector.
Although it is not possible to save the video without specialist software, you can embed a YouTube video into Microsoft Powerpoint which can be really useful if you are doing a presentation where you want to include a YouTube clip but don't want to have to flick between the presentation and the YouTube site. This can be done by going to "view" then "toolbars" and "control" in Powerpoint. Then select the hammer icon and scroll down to "shockwave flash object". Click and drag on your powerpoint slide to make the screen where you will want the video to be displayed and then right click in that box. Go to properties, then "movie" and paste the address of the YouTube clip you want to use. In the clip address where it says "watch?" remove the question mark and replace it with a forward slash. Then remove the equals sign after "v" and replace that with a forward slash too. This process will allow you to play your YouTube video through the screen you have created in Powerpoint and can be an exceptionally useful tool.
User Account.
Like with most sites you can set up an account on YouTube. This is essential if you want to upload videos and use some of the more advanced features of the site. The process of setting up an account is very simple and easy to do. Once you have your account you have access to your inbox where you can send and receive mails and you also have the ability to comment on videos. From your account mainpage you can add friends, add favourite videos, create playlists and even create a video log!The concept of user accounts is also used by YouTube to provide some security regarding adult content. If a video contains content regarded as "over 18" then only members with accounts stating that they are over that age can view those videos. This is a good effort although there is noting to stop a 12 year old setting up an account with a fake date of birth.
YouTube for Research
YouTube also serves as a pretty good research tool. You can search for almost any topic imaginable and you are bound to find various results. Obviously this can mean you might have to sift through a few videos to find what you are looking for but you are likely to get there in the end. I have found it useful for when I am due to teach a topic that I am not totally clear on. I can research the topic using YouTube as video is a nice easy media to learn from and educate myself before I have to go and educate the little blighters on something I previously knew nothing about!
YouTube for Music
YouTube is brilliant for watching music videos and it tends to lend itself to this seeing as the maximum video length can only be 10 minutes. It is a lovely way to play a music track and then to have the option of watching the music video too. I use YouTube for this now and again although it doesn't have the capability to set up a playlist unless you are logged into your user account and have set up one which means that once you have listened to a track you would then need to manually find another one. Another problem is that the moment you try searching for a new music video it will cancel the one that you are currently listening to. So in this sense it is great for watching the odd music video but as it stands at the moment isn't a suitable replacement for software such as Itunes or Media Player. However, the range of music videos available is vast and I have never failed to find what I am looking for, even when looking for slightly more obscure music.
Sharing Videos
The whole idea behind YouTube is that people share their own videos which will possibly be of interest to others. As with watching them - uploading videos is free, however to upload videos you need to have created a YouTube account. You can upload videos that are up to 1GB in size or up to 10 minutes long. These can be in almost any file format including; .WMV, .AVI, .MOV, MPEG, .MP4, DivX, .FLV, .OGG. and 3GP. This means that there is no need to convert your files first and you can even upload them straight from your phone if you want.
If your file is particularly large then the more it will be compressed to fit into YouTubes 1GB or 10 Minute restriction and it is important to remember that this can have an effect on the quality. Also, YouTube does not have a feature to do this for you so you will need to compress them yourself. YouTube does give you the option to upload multiple files at once which can be particulary useful, however it means that you will need to download their software to your computer.
One of the features that I think is particularly good is that when you upload your video you can choose whether that video is for all the public to see or whether you want it to remain private. If you choose to set your video as private then you can specify the contacts who you wish to be able to see that particular video. From my experience, uploading a video to YouTube is fairly quick and only takes a couple of minutes, but they do say that it can take up to an hour.
Channels
Once you have a user account you can set up your own channel where the general public can see your profile alongside your uploaded videos, your favourite videos etc. This seems to be a feature similar to that of social networking sites such as Facebook and Myspace where the user can share things with other members. You can decorate your channel and personalise it in any number of ways although personally I find this feature of the site uninteresting and not something I can be bothered to get involved in! Navigation and design in this section is easy enough but it usefulness is fairly limited as I cannot see how sharing your personal information with the whole of the world is particularly beneficial to you! (saying that, I still am a Facebook addict so maybe one day I will be converted).
Community
The community aspect is again similar to that of Facebook and Myspace. You can communicate with others on the site, form or join groups as well as enter contests and sign up for events. The groups have their own discussion forums and this can be fun to take a look at if you are keen on a particular band or musician and want to discuss them with fellow fans. Then there is the general community help forum where you can pitch questions regarding the site, report problems, give feedback and view announcements. This is all clearly laid out and easy to use although I wouldn't say it has been particularly useful to me as the main reason for using this website it to view and upload videos.
Publicity.
YouTube can be a good way of getting publicity, particularly if you have some musical talent. My Uncle is in a band and uses YouTube to broadcast his music. He has found it particularly useful when trying to recruit new band members as he can give any potential candidates a link to his videos without having to send them via hardcopy or email. He has also used it to show potential venues their style of music and act which has also been quite successful. In my own experience I have in the past come across artists on YouTube who are not particularly well known yet I have enjoyed their music and ended up buying their albums. Therefore, in this sense the site can be a great publicity tool if you choose to make the most of it.
The Good Points
Quick access to videos which are quick to load.
Vast range of content ranging from music videos to news bulletins.
Great to use for research.
A brilliant teaching tool as the videos play well on interactive whiteboards and are short clips.
Generally good quality sound and video.
Built in community functions
Good help resources
intuitive search facility
Nice layout with minimal advertising.
Easy to navigate
Good video display options
Can give you some good publicity if you use it in the right way.
Easy enough to upload videos with capability to upload multiple videos at the same time.
Its all free!
The Issues
Copyright is an issue as although you have to agree that your video does not breach copyright when uploading it, the majority of content on the site, particularly tv clips and music videos do breach copyright.
Privacy - unless you specifically lock down your details and content then it is there for the whole world and its wife to see and do what they please with.
Inappropriate content - you will occasionally stumble across things which are not what they claim to be!
Videos cant be downloaded to your own computer.
Maximum video length is 1GB or 10 mins in length.
Overall
Ok, so there are still a few issues with the site but given the scale of it and the rate that it has developed, it really isn't bad! It is such a useful site which can be used for entertainment purposes as well as more practical ones. As I said above, one of the main uses I have found for YouTube is as part of my teaching and I cant imagine not having it as a resource to fall back on! There is everything you could possibly imagine on there and it is all highly accessible. I get a great deal of entertainment out of YouTube as some of the funnier video clips are brilliant and I love being able to go and watch a clip of something that has happened either on television or in the news etc. So definitely a thumbs up from me with a hearty 5 stars as it is a brilliant site.
Advantages: Something for everyone, contains some real true gems Disadvantages: Some users can be abusive, media player keeps sticking when site is busy
...I'm not certain how long YouTube has been in existence, I'm really sorry that I didn't discover it before somebody recommended it to me a couple of years ago.
For the as yet uninitiated, YouTube ( www.youtube.com ) is a website that contains a whole wealth of video clips uploaded by the users for sharing with the world, on every subject you can think of, plus some you can't think of as they are too bizarre. Anybody can join YouTube. All you do is ... ...to be adult content on YouTube is fairly mild compared to what you may see elsewhere), then you will be required to register, and log in with your user name. You will also, just before being allowed to access the adult clip (once logged in), be asked to confirm your birth date by clicking a "yes" or a "no" button. (I find that a bit daft really, as anybody can register and lie about being over 18, plus just click "yes" when wanting to view adult ...
CelticSoulSister 07.11.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of YouTube
Advantages: Easy to use, videos on everything. Disadvantages: Open to abuse.
...If you haven't heard of YouTube I'll be greatly surprised, it was created in 2005 and is now one of the most popular websites on the Internet. What YouTube allows you to do, is upload and watch music videos on anything in the world, this is it's upside and downside, read below for more. In 2006, this site which was gaining in popularity each day, was bought from the founders by Google Inc for a great sum. The site which has been going for 4 years ... ...in, has either watched a YouTube video, uploaded a YouTube video or even got an account on YouTube. ==What does it allow you to do? ==
First and foremost, the site wouldn't run without the ability to upload the videos, this is what people throughout the world do daily, upload anything and everything onto the website for the joy of everyone else in the world, there are some brilliant clips out there which have made it onto the television and then ...
DixieChick10 03.02.2008 (05.02.2009)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of YouTube
Advantages: Once-great video sharing site. Disadvantages: Going downhill.
...then you probably will but...), YouTube is an online video sharing site upon which anyone can upload videos and those with an account, which is free to set up, can upload as many videos as they like and also create personal pages . There is also a lot of homemade content on the site, such as comedy songs and shows as well as music videos. In fact, quite a few people have become famous from YouTube, leading to the creation of the, highly original, ... ...The good ==
YouTube has a lot of content and practically every video you could ever want to watch (as well as many you'd never want to watch) is on there, it also has a lot of music videos, and, as long as you know a song's name, you will probably be able to find it on there, with the added bonus of those with accounts being able to create 'playlists', which allow you to play as many videos as you like in a row, or in a random order, without having ...
anakha6 02.02.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of YouTube
Advantages: Most Diverse, Dynamic collection of media on the web Disadvantages: Addictive :D
...but compared to the hits Youtube was receiving it had not gone to plan. So what better to do when you cant beat them, Join them or to be precise buy them out. That's exactly what Google did, in a billion dollar deal they bought Youtube from the founders, making them very rich over night, not to say that a steady income was not already emerging from Youtube already.
--Popularity--
This is of course the main driving force to why it has become so ... ...The main page of the Youtube site is very inviting, it has not been designed not to be a complicated front end rather the simplistic approach has been taken which works exceptionally well. The front page can be sectioned into 4 main areas:
Main Navigation
This is made up of the Youtube account options which allow you a quick way to register with the site or log in if you are already a member.
Four main buttons boast the Video section, Categories, ...
manwithoutfear 11.08.2007
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of YouTube
Advantages: Good if you've missed something Disadvantages: Only so much on there you'll care for
...have. When it comes to YouTube though this is a completely different situation, because ever since being founded in February 2005 the site has exploded into one of the few websites on the net with a cult status. If you use the net just for Ciao then it could be understandable that you've never came across this video networking site, although those who use the internet as a staple of their lives and a means to communicate between friends will surely ... ...pretty sure they've heard of YouTube because of the coverage its had - they may have even laughed at jokes about it they've seen on TV, even if they're not sure what it is aside from a website. Look at me going on about the media coverage already when I haven't even explained what it is yet for the benefit of the review in layman terms. You can type into YouTube's URL in your browser and from there you have millions of videos just a click away at ...
Nathan_Innit 12.03.2007
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of YouTube