visitors/members

[tenders]

is it just me,or has anyone else noticed that the forum seems kind of empty lately?

any idea why?

[next]

Great post. I used to post alot more back in the days when this stuff was a heck of alot more complicated. I wish some of my earlier posts from circa 2 years ago were still achived. But this wonderful site over the years was beset with contribution ($) and server problems so my posts have been lost. No big deal.

Back then I railed against certain moderators and their insistance that for example a "VCD" player was the best choice for this type of stuff. They said compliance was the only way to go - almost a religion. My argument was that time marches on and that a simple one click solution was going to be right around the corner - the big boys would enter due to the dollars at stake. I advised that investing in a low cost DVD player that could play multiple formats was the way to go (the compliant versus non compliant vcd wars of two years ago...and the Apex sucks stuff).

Well guess what. There are many one click DVD solutions and Apex has gained a dominant market share in north america. You can thank Apex for all of those low cost high quality Pioneers. Panasonics. Sonys etc, etc. And yes I think Apex is low quality but they led the charge.

The problem with the many bland forum guestions is that is become sooo easy to do what was an extreme challenge only 18 - 24 months ago.

[tenders]

Great post. I used to post alot more back in the days when this stuff was a heck of alot more complicated. I wish some of my earlier posts from circa 2 years ago were still achived. But this wonderful site over the years was beset with contribution ($) and server problems so my posts have been lost. No big deal.

Back then I railed against certain moderators and their insistance that for example a "VCD" player was the best choice for this type of stuff. They said compliance was the only way to go - almost a religion. My argument was that time marches on and that a simple one click solution was going to be right around the corner - the big boys would enter due to the dollars at stake. I advised that investing in a low cost DVD player that could play multiple formats was the way to go (the compliant versus non compliant vcd wars of two years ago...and the Apex sucks stuff).

Well guess what. There are many one click DVD solutions and Apex has gained a dominant market share in north america. You can thank Apex for all of those low cost high quality Pioneers. Panasonics. Sonys etc, etc. And yes I think Apex is low quality but they led the charge.

The problem with the many bland forum guestions is that is become sooo easy to do what was an extreme challenge only 18 - 24 months ago.

i must be tired,cause i have no idea how that relates to my question?

[Baldrick]

After I changed to 3 days wait it dropped a bit. Today there are around 700 posts a day and for some months ago around 1000 posts a day.

[tenders]

After I changed to 3 days wait it dropped a bit. Today there are around 700 posts a day and for some months ago around 1000 posts a day.

ok...i figure we both need about 12hrs sleep,cause i don't understand your post

[next]

Depends on what "empty" means. Volume or complexity? Still the greatest site on the planet though.

Not to rant but much of it has become read the manual of your commercial software. Maybe the manuals are being read - thus "empty".

[vhelp]

hi tenders..

I know what you are saying.. that vcdhelp is somehow not the same as it
was say, a year ago. It seems like the enthusiasm and sparks (and maybe
a few more things I can't quite think off the top of my head right now) have
simmered down a bit.. and yes, you are right. But do realise this, that some
people move on, or just leave for whatever reason. And as such, the
personality of vcdhelp will reflect (change) as well. So, yes, it does seem
to have gone astray or something.

But, I do understand what next said earlier too.. I remember him
from another forum, and if memory serves me, he answered some of my
posts on that forum (some 2+ years ago)

It could just be a phase, like peoples are learning faster than they did a
year ago, etc.

Don't forget, that some choose to not reply as often as they one did, because
of the same old questions being asked. It gets boring for some much more
easier than others.

Over the past two years I've ben here (not including browsing during a few
months prior to registering) a wealth of information and knowledge has
poored in to vcdhelp, and more continues. Anyways..

But, I always come here. Every day I'm here.. be it while I'm at work,
though I don't log in (so you don't know I'm on-line) or while I'm home,
sitting here typing away..

Well, that all for now.. enjoy the rest of the evening.
-vhelp

[vhelp]

tenders..

I think that what Baldrick was saying is that before, when a new
user registered, he/she was able to post right away.. but after he had
setup the new user account to wait 5 days (or is it 3 days) the users have
to wait, and as such, maybe some don't bother posting as quickly now.

I agree w/ next in that this IS the greatest FORUM around, and has
not changed in design much - which I like. A change of interface or page
design/format could alter the personality of vcdhelp, which I would not
want to see happen here. IMO, this FORUM is in it's classic stages. Yes,
keep it classic.

Later guys.
-vhelp

[next]

Tenders, not to confuse you even more but its almost become similiar to what Tolkien intimated in his work. The industrial machine moves on in so many ways.

[next]

......not that its still not fun. But it has simply turned into $19.99 software and a click or two. And a few "I don't have the patience" questions.

DOS....DOS....do I hear DOS anyone?!

[Conquest10]

yeah. i think its that waiting period. newbies don't want to read so they just register to post a question. but when they see they have to wait, they say 'screw this' and try another site. they're just impatient.

[Faustus]

Dunno about the over all board but if I go more then a day without reading the DVD to DVD-R group I have quite a bit of reading ahead of me. So some of the sections are jumping if ya ask me.

I do agree however that a 3 day waiting period might be a bit much... I'd use a 2 personally, however its not my board and and mods are allowed to run it however they see fit. I'm pleased with how they run it so far myself, one of my favorate forums.

[Baldrick]

After I changed to 3 days wait it dropped a bit. Today there are around 700 posts a day and for some months ago around 1000 posts a day.

ok...i figure we both need about 12hrs sleep,cause i don't understand your post

read vhelps explanation....

[Baldrick]

Dunno about the over all board but if I go more then a day without reading the DVD to DVD-R group I have quite a bit of reading ahead of me. So some of the sections are jumping if ya ask me.

I do agree however that a 3 day waiting period might be a bit much... I'd use a 2 personally, however its not my board and and mods are allowed to run it however they see fit. I'm pleased with how they run it so far myself, one of my favorate forums.

I can agree that 3 days is a bit too much. I will test with 1 day waiting period instead of 3 and see how it works.

[SatStorm]

There are some reasons I think for this situation.

For example, there are many guides now, for almost everything. Much many more guides than last year for example. So, when you want to ask for something, first you search the guides and most of the times the answer is there.

Also, today there are software solution for the mainstream tasks. Only a small percent of the users here, really interest for advance stuff and technics. Most users simply want to do there job done, the easiest possible way. There are programs for them now, really desent in all term (quality, flexibility, realibility, compatibility...)
Other reason, is the DVD Burners, as a side effect. Two years ago, we had only VCD and - for the advance ones only - SVCD. With those formats, you need to filter a lot your source and also use tricks and technics to make the results good. Nowdays, people burn to DVD discs. So, they rise the bitrate and that's it. No filtering, no advance technics, nothing. Who can blame them? Not me!
Once there was also a hardware issue to talk about. AMD vs Intel. Today, we all know that both platforms do perfect our job, with only minutes for difference. Not a bid deal to talk really.
Also in the past, software involved fast. TMPGenc from version to version was a totally different beast, and CCE was the dream nobody could offer (legally). Today, TMPGenc plus is almost the same for more than 6 months and CCE has the new basic edition. What is better? Both... The other encoders from the other hand, are like alternatives to those 2 ones. Not because they are not good, but because there are nothing exactly new...
Also, there is a gap between Europe and USA right now: In Europe DVD burners still are only for power users. In USA DVD burners turned mainstream. So, this matter currently interests only a big part of this forum but not all members, like the CD based formats (anyone here has a CD burner, only about 25% has a DVD one...).
Don't also forget that 3 years ago, there was only 2 - 3 forums worldwide for our hobby (international and in english forums). Those forums involved and they have their own personality right now. For example, doom9 forum, it is an amazing place to talk for DVD backups or Divx convertions. This forum here, is the best place to talk about the convertion of *any format* to DVD/VCD/SVCD/CVD. There are other forums out there only for piracy stuff. The bottom line is that people ain't move from forum to forum, they have found what they like and stay there.
One reason for the less posts is that certain people left the building. Those certain members messed up posts, mislead newbies and overall create mess. Advance users then had to clean all this mess. So, many posts was just for that.
Also our friend Kwag has his community now online, so the lovers of the extreme -X- VCD creation don't talk a lot with us latelly

There are many reasons to explain the why this is happening. But overall, we still go strong I think.
And the only reason some borrowed with this hobby, is because they turn advance and they know what to do. Just ask a newbie if is exited to tell you about our forum!

[ChrisX]

is it just me,or has anyone else noticed that the forum seems kind of empty lately?

any idea why?

This really depends on what time you visit DVDRHelp.com. At the moment, the forums is really quiet due the early hours of the US. It is 4.50 am New York time, so not many people would be here. In Europe should be late morning now and people are working at this time.

It is you and you have to find the busiest time.

[pacmania_2001]

I think the traffic comes in waves. Like some days I am on there seems to be hundreds of new posts, others it seems like nobody has posted anything new.

For me, I dont really stick around the video related forums as much as I used to. Mainly all my posts these days are in the Off Topic section and the Latest News forum. I guess it has something to do with my lack of actually creating VCD/SVCD/DVD's anymore due to my (a) shortage of time (b) shortage of funds and (c) lacking a fast computer.

[Gazorgan]

Video has come full circle, just like Audio did. How many of us can remember ripping a CD, then using DOS commands to encode to mp3? Or some of the GUI's that would do part of it for you? Or the first all GUI apps that would name the songs automatically?

Now look at Video. How many people actually used DeCSS to help rip? All the steps it takes to do a SVCD by hand (to do it well)? Now people only have to insert the DVD and a few clicks later they have SVCD or DVDR. No thinking, no skill, no nothing.

Most of the questions seem to be about Episode DVD's (Soprano's and Osbournes) or (cough cough BULL cough) downloaded AVI's. People have trouble re-encoding d/l's for a reason; the people that release them use VBR to MAKE it hard to re-encode their work.

Realistically their are only a few questions a day worth answering. The rest are repeated every day, over and over and over. Makes it hard not to Biatch slap a newb sometimes :P

[tenders]

regardless of the reason why;its slowly going down hill in my opinon.






anyone have any ideas on how to correct this?

oh btw,at the time of the screenshot there were roughly 54,000 registered users. i realize that people come and go,but they are doing more going.

[alucard2050]

i think alot of people have learned alot over the past year and with new and simple software people have less questions...basically its gotten to point and click then its done...when i began a year or so ago i had numerous questions about many programs and how to use, but now with newer software its piece of cake...basically skip the middle man.....i still check this site very often for somethimng new but questions have dropped.....