Your workflow is unique 👨💻 - tell us how you use Dropbox here.
Forum Discussion
Improving Dropbox video preview quality - thinking outside the box
The poor quality of the Dropbox transcoded preview has been discussed over the years, particularly between 2015-2017.
Over the last six years, internet speeds have changed remarkably and online streaming is now commonplace.
So our clients are unforgiving in their distaste for the Dropbox preview product.
Dropbox has made it plain, that as far as they are concerned the solution is just download. However many many clients want to be sure the product is right for them before they download.
Thinking outside the box, if we load two versions of each video, one optimised for preview, of smaller file size etc.(so clients can be sure its the product they want- but we can be certain that for instance, the preview won't be out of audio/vision sync) and the full res version for them to download.
Surely the Dropbox engineers who work on the auto transcoding know the optimum specs for the preview file?
Can that please be shared with your clients? ( after all we are supposedly on the same team)
87 Replies
Replies have been turned off for this discussion
- Megan
Dropbox Community Moderator
Hey Robert K JSS Tech, happy Wednesday!
Your feedback regarding our previews and files has been very valuable, and I will endeavor to make sure your voice is heard.
We listen to your needs because it allows us to fully appreciate how Dropbox fits into and influences your daily routine.
By the way, do you refer to a specific platform or all of them?
I'll forward your feedback to the appropriate areas so we can continue to improve.
If you need anything, I'll be one post away. Across all platforms, the quality of preview videos is woeful.
On desktops, you can improve Dropbox compressed video preview watchability with VLC.
But sadly it does not work on Apple devices because the Dropbox/VLC enforced default is download. Duuhhh.
What I am asking for is not for Dropbox to embark on a project, I am just asking for information.
Why is that so difficult?????
Hi @Rob Kothe, Video previews take up an extra space on the Dropbox servers and this space is not paid by you directly (indirectly, of course, you still pay for it). The worse the quality of the video preview, the less space it takes up. The less space the video previews take up, the less costs the Dropbox has.
- Megan
Hey everyone!
As of September 2022 we have an update on this.
Dropbox users deserve high-resolution playback when previewing their video content.
Now you can watch in HD or 4K quality without leaving Dropbox. Basic users get HD (1080p) resolution and paid users get 4K (2160p) resolution.
Find more about this here & here.
I hope this helps!
We finally left Dropbox. Having seen time after time they don't care about customers.
Quality and customer service from Vimeo is outstanding.
- Why my videos on preview on iPhone Dropbox app are still in low resolution? Everything is in pixels. My internet connection is fast and stable and I’m a Dropbox plus user. Any ideas?
About View, Download, and Export
Get support with viewing, downloading, and exporting files and folders from your Dropbox account.
