Flash video on my homepage

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Flash video on my homepage

JPcinemamaster

8:23 pm on Feb 9, 2007 (gmt 0)

Hello. I have a movie website and I'd like to add few rotating movie trailers on the homepage (FLV files).
Because the site is new (just few months) I have a limited amount of visitors, my question is: Should I be concern about bandwidth at this time? Are there other alternatives?

*thanks

Quadrille

9:16 pm on Feb 9, 2007 (gmt 0)

If the site is new, bandwidth probably is not an issue; as the site's readership grows, it may become one.

At that time, you'll need to decide if the value of the flash justifies the expense it leads to with its bandwidth requirement.

The current issue is not bandwidth - but if the flash is going to help you reach the point where it becomes a problem!

Also, if you use movie clips, you also need to consider copyright issues - and if front page links to other sites are helping you - or the sites you are linking the flash to.

rocknbil

10:02 pm on Feb 9, 2007 (gmt 0)

Well, one factor is the first time someone is visiting your page you are asking a "requirement" of your new visitor just to begin exploring your site (Flash.) This is a bad idea, whether it's Flash, Javascript, or anything other than "a browser." :-)

The second reason it's an issue for the first-time visitor is none of your images are cached yet, so you've added a heavyweight item for your main page. First impressions are lasting ones . . .

I would put your flash in an accessible Javascript new window link and make it an option. The big dogs like Yahoo and others get away with this because they can, visitors are motivated by the content they know is there that they need to access. With a new site it's an unknown and they may not give you that chance. Until you start getting 10 or 20K visits a month, you want to keep it lightweight.