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Re: Video quality during playback only low res why ?

Improving Dropbox video preview quality - thinking outside the box

Robert K JSS Tech
Explorer | Level 3

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 87

leon a.3
New member | Level 1

I have the same problem. I was thinking about upgrading but the poor quality playback of video files that are 1080p playing poorly through Dropbox makes me reconsider.

 

Will Dropbox be thinking of ways to allow high resolution streaming?

 

If your going to do something, might as well make sure its done well. Not much point having the ability to play videos if the quality is going to be poor.

Robert S.
Super User alumni

Will Dropbox be thinking of ways to allow high resolution streaming?

Dropbox don't reveal their product roadmap, but if I were to hazard a guess I'd think not.

Dropbox have never given any indication they wish to be a content streaming platform, which is what that would steer them towards. Add the fact of bandwidth being a major cost factor to the company, a cost burden which would increase significantly if they chose to adopt higher quality streaming. All in all, I just don't see it.

 

Haakon G.1
New member | Level 1

I work as an animator and what I and everyone working with film uses dropbox for is quick sharing of video previews. highres video streaming would be very helpful for us. If a competitor got highres previews we'd probably leave dropbox.

RADA P.1
New member | Level 2

Please Please. The video quality is so bad that I am ashamed to send the link to clients. 

It would be great if the qualitiy would be improved - even just a little bit. Also audio is very crappy. 
On google Drive you can play videos in full resolution!
I'm shure dropbox can find a way. 

Robert S.
Super User alumni

While not being totally unsympathetic, I'd note that Google own YouTube and their own data centres, so the infrastructure and income streams to offset bandwidth costs are there. With bandwidth being a major cost component for Dropbox (who have no comparable means to directly offset that cost), the question then becomes, 'how much am I willing to pay for higher quality streaming?'

tbanas
Explorer | Level 4

Is there an update on this? We really struggle with low quality streaming videos. 

 

Robert S.
Super User alumni

Is there an update on this?

I'm afraid Dropbox don't publish their product roadmap.

Generally speaking, the first any of us know about new features is when they're released.

David B.80
New member | Level 1

Video files don't appear "compressed" in size, i.e. they're the same size on my desktop as they are in drop box, but the video playback online "appears" very compressed that's for sure, compared to when I upload to amazon S3. 

Mark
Super User II

Robert isnt lying at all. What you see on the website is a preview of it. These are encoded at a set rate and play for a maximum of 15 mins. To see the full version, or longer files, you need to download it. 


 


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David B.80
New member | Level 1

That's exactly what I said. Files aren't compressed, but the playback online definitely appears that way. If you download or share the video to be downloaded (i.e not played online) it'll be the full, original version. If you share the link to be watched in a browser, you'll notice a significant quality loss, which could be interpreted as the actual file being "compressed" - which it actually isn't. 

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