- Main Blog http://blog.motionbox.com/ en Copyright 2008 Fri, 18 Jul 2008 07:06:38 -0500 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss How to Download your Videos to your iPod Watch your videos on your iPod! We've gotten several e-mails from users who have video iPods, but are asking, "What next?!" If you've got an iPod but just don't know how to start watching your videos on it, this post is for you!

With a few simple steps, you'll be watching your Motionbox videos on the train, at the park, in your kitchen, in your car, at work, in the bathroom.....ermm, well, you get the point.

Before you go through the following steps of getting your videos onto your iPod, please make sure you have iTunes on your computer. If you don't already have it, it's just a quick, easy, and free download away. Go here and click the "Download iTunes Free" button to begin downloading.

How to get your videos on your iPod:
  1. First, go to the video play page of the Motionbox video you'd like to watch on your iPod.
  2. Click on the "Download" tab underneath the video player.
  3. Click on the "download to iPod" button.
  4. A window will pop up asking you what program you'd like to open the file with. Select "iTunes" and click "OK." Your video will load into iTunes.
  5. Now, to get your video onto your iPod, connect your iPod to your computer.
  6. Click on the "Movies" tab in iTunes.
  7. Select all the videos you'd like to sync to your iPod.
  8. Click on the check box next to "Sync movies."
  9. Click on "Apply" and it'll start transferring your videos to your iPod immediately.
It's as simple as that!

Why be tied down to your computer? Within a few minutes, you'll be watching your Motionbox videos everywhere you go (literally...everywhere)!

If you'd like step-by-step instructions and tutorials on how to do anything else with your videos, leave us a comment to let us know! We'd be happy to help.

]]> http://blog.motionbox.com/2008/07/how_to_download_your_videos_to.html http://blog.motionbox.com/2008/07/how_to_download_your_videos_to.html Fri, 18 Jul 2008 07:06:38 -0500 Member Profiles: Yours, Mine, and Everyone-We-Know's It's been a long time coming, but we finally launched member profile pages yesterday!

Your own profile acts as your homepage and includes all the most recent video activity in your Motionbox world. Get easy access to your latest uploads, your recently added Favorites, and the latest videos from your Contacts and people who call you a Contact.

Your Contacts who are Motionbox members are now listed on this page at a quick glance, as well, so you can navigate easily to their profile pages to view their videos, favorites, and Contacts.

Rest assured, although it's now easier to navigate to videos by "friends of friends" on Motionbox, your Protected content is only available to people you've added to your own Contact list. Only the videos you've marked as Open Access may be viewed by folks who are not your Contacts.

We hope you like all the new changes! Leave us a comment to let us know what you think :).

]]> http://blog.motionbox.com/2008/07/member_profiles_yours_mine_and.html http://blog.motionbox.com/2008/07/member_profiles_yours_mine_and.html Wed, 16 Jul 2008 15:44:20 -0500 Set Your Default Player Great news!

You might've noticed last week, but you now have the ability to select which version of the player you want as your default player on Motionbox!

Basic members now have the option to make the Filmstrip Player or the high quality Standard-Definition Player as their default player. They can set their default on any of their video play pages right below the player.

basic_members.jpg

Premium members also have the option to choose between the Filmstrip and Standard-Definition Players, but they can now choose the High-Definition player as their default as well!

premium_members.jpg

You can set your default player on the Default Player Settings page, too. We know you've all been waiting patiently for this, so enjoy! :D ]]> http://blog.motionbox.com/2008/07/set_your_default_player.html http://blog.motionbox.com/2008/07/set_your_default_player.html Thu, 10 Jul 2008 15:47:38 -0500 Introducing Our First Guest Blogger: Jonathan, Senior Systems Developer Jonathan, Motionbox Web Developer Hey all out there.

Well, the community outreach folks asked me to write a blog post for Motionbox, and I was thrilled! "We have a blog?!" I asked excitedly...

I climbed out of the servers, dusted myself off, and tried to imagine what I could say. I believe I have a unique perspective on the whole "Motionbox" thing, as I was one of the first developers hired and I've seen the company go through a myriad of changes.

We've spent hours and hours over the past two years debating, planning, and arguing about how to make the user experience better from a technical standpoint. I think we're in a very good position now to really start ramping things up.

I think the biggest thing I'm looking forward to is that we're going to start really building out our encoder technology. In addition to adding a lot more servers, we're going to be working on the framework that we use to schedule jobs. Trying to fairly balance everybody's needs is a difficult task, and we've spent months working on a plan to meet that challenge.

This will mean that for you, dear user, there will be less waiting around.

My colleagues are some of the brightest people I've ever had the pleasure of meeting, and they are all very passionate about what they do. I hope that comes through in the site when you guys are using it!

I really want to say how much I respect and enjoy the team. It makes a huge difference to work with people that inspire you to do your best. *That's* the thing that Motionbox does for me.

]]> http://blog.motionbox.com/2008/07/introducing_our_first_guest_bl.html http://blog.motionbox.com/2008/07/introducing_our_first_guest_bl.html Wed, 09 Jul 2008 16:43:31 -0500 New Help Section
We've launched a brand new Help section for you! We hope you'll be able to easily find answers to all of your (video and Motionbox related!) questions and problems here.

We've also created a new status alert box on our Help page so that our Support team can notify you of any major problem going on with the site at anytime. If you feel like something's not quite working for you, check out our Help section first to see if there might be a site-wide problem that others are experiencing as well! If not, you're always welcome to shoot us an e-mail, of course.

While more robust HD help will be coming soon, if there's any other information you think would be helpful to you that isn't already in our Help section, let us know! Please check it out and let us know your thoughts by sending us an e-mail or leaving a comment below.
]]> http://blog.motionbox.com/2008/07/new_help_section.html http://blog.motionbox.com/2008/07/new_help_section.html Thu, 03 Jul 2008 13:57:16 -0500 Summer Shoot Guide Summer’s here! And what better way to celebrate than getting out that video camera and capturing all the summertime fun: picnics, BBQs, fireworks, beach trips, park trips, trips to the backyard...

Enter your Summer Shoot Guide. We wanted to share how we plan on collecting and keeping memories this summer. The most important rule? Have fun!!

Create Moments Worth Saving

“Every summer, the cousins get together in Cape Cod to celebrate our "Half Thanksgiving". As tradition goes, we record the best moments on video-- hamburger barbecue, playing football by the lighthouse, board game and movie night, sunset by Skaket Bay. And, of course, we watch highlights from previous years together while snacking on S'mores.”

– Motionbox staffer Michele

Babes of Summer

"There is nothing cuter than toddlers in their sun hats and summer onesies, splashing around in the kiddie pool, eating sand at the beach, and getting strawberry stains on their fat little cheeks. I have a couple of very special kiddos in my life, and I plan to shoot lots of video of them during picnic and barbecue season. I'm really looking forward to capturing those amazing moments that can only be relived in full sound and motion on video!"

– Motionbox Staffer Yael

Document the Evidence

"My family is nuts. Plain and simple. I like to film all our wacky summer get-togethers in case I ever need to prove how crazy they are in court."

- Motionbox Staffer Stephanie

Picnics, BBQs, and Cookouts Oh My!

“We don’t get to see our family that often, so when there’s a summer family outing that involves food and a backyard, I want to make sure I get that on video. I love to float around the party, having people tell a story for the camera. It’s a great way to feel connected when everyone has gone home.”

- Motionbox Staffer Kristy

]]> http://blog.motionbox.com/2008/06/summer_shoot_guide.html http://blog.motionbox.com/2008/06/summer_shoot_guide.html Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:30:15 -0500 Introducing Our New Partner: Home Movie Depot! Home Movie Depot Partnering with Home Movie Depot lets us offer yet another way to protect and preserve ALL your video memories. They transfer your old home movies to DVD and upload them online to your Motionbox account. They can also convert VHS tapes, camcorder tapes, 8mm film, super 8 film, and more.


Check out our CEO's own old home movie below!



During the checkout process, just select the box next to the Motionbox logo, and all that footage you are sending into Home Movie Depot will ALSO be uploaded to Motionbox! If you're a Premium Member, this additional service is free. If you're not, Home Movie Depot will add a Premium Membership onto your order and you'll be good to go.

Dust off your old home movies and enjoy them all over again!

Learn More

]]> http://blog.motionbox.com/2008/06/introducing_our_new_partner_ho_1.html http://blog.motionbox.com/2008/06/introducing_our_new_partner_ho_1.html Fri, 06 Jun 2008 13:10:40 -0500 And we're back!
We hope you didn't miss us too much and our sincere apologies for any inconvenience this might have caused you!

You can get back to uploading and sharing and viewing and downloading now :).

Any concerns? Just leave a comment or send us a message.
]]> http://blog.motionbox.com/2008/06/and_were_back.html http://blog.motionbox.com/2008/06/and_were_back.html Tue, 03 Jun 2008 14:34:43 -0500 So, what do our members have to say about Motionbox? Take a look at this neat article Motionbox member VideoStylist posted on his blog! He discusses his personal experiences with online video, who he thinks are some of the key players in the video-sharing world, and why.

Check it out: The Players who are Defining the Definition of High Streaming Quality, and enjoy!

And thanks for giving us such high marks, VideoStylist! We're glad you're enjoying your time with us :).]]> http://blog.motionbox.com/2008/05/so_what_are_others_saying_abou.html http://blog.motionbox.com/2008/05/so_what_are_others_saying_abou.html Thu, 29 May 2008 18:09:23 -0500 Lots of Changes! So, you might have noticed we rolled out quite a few changes this past week! We've been working long and hard to improve our site, and while this is only the beginning, we're pretty excited.

In case you haven't gotten the chance to explore all around yourself, here are some changes that might affect your Motionbox experience (hopefully only in a positive way!):

  • Updated logo!

    • We thought it was time for a little change. We're pretty happy with our revamped logo and we hope you'll like it too!

  • Re-designed video play page!

    • We've designed a cleaner user interface with more focus on your video. Also, check out our new "create" and "share" menus! Easier to use, right?

  • Updated Privacy/Permissions options!

    • We're thrilled to be introducing these new levels of privacy. We take your personal video-sharing needs very seriously! Here are the new settings you'll be seeing:


    Open Access: Videos that anyone can browse, view and share without signing in.

    Protected: Videos that only those on your contact lists can browse and view. If they share your protected video with others, the new recipient must verify he or she is on your Contact List before they can view the video. If they're not on your list, they can send you a request to be added.

    Private: Videos that no one can browse or view except for you. (You can still send a private video to friends and family, but do so only if you trust them not to share the secret URL with others.)

  • Video end-screen removed!

    • We know many of you weren't too happy with the end-screen that would appear at the end of your on-site and embedded videos, and we took your feedback seriously. You no longer have to worry about any flipbook ad at the end of your videos! Your video is all about *you.*

    We hope you'll take a moment to explore the site and check out the new changes! Feel free to share a few videos, update your privacy settings, and get a feel for what's different on Motionbox. We would love to hear your thoughts, your likes and dislikes, so leave a comment or drop us a line and let us know what you think! Let us know if you encounter any bugs as well, we're currently working out some kinks!

    ]]> http://blog.motionbox.com/2008/05/lots_of_changes.html http://blog.motionbox.com/2008/05/lots_of_changes.html Fri, 23 May 2008 16:24:26 -0500 Father's Day Sweepstakes: Win a Fancy Camcorder for Dad!

    No more neckties, please! Dads are notoriously hard to shop for, so we've decided to make it easy for you this year. Compile your favorite fatherly memories onto a DVD. Capture 15-seconds of Dadtastic video in a customized flipbook. Send him a video message. Or -- and this is new, folks -- have his old home movies digitized so the whole family can enjoy them online.

    However you decide to celebrate Dad, if you do it on Motionbox, you'll automatically be entered to WIN a brand spanking new HD camcorder. There are 4 ways to enter:

    1) Order a Father's Day flipbook. All orders with “World’s Greatest Dad” cover design are eligible.
    Make a Flipbook

    2) Get Dad a DVD of his favorite memorable moments. Any DVD purchase is eligible.
    Create Your DVD

    3) Send in your VHS tapes or Super-8 reels, have them transferred to DVD, and uploaded to Motionbox. All orders are eligible.
    Digitize Your Home Movies

    4) Share a video message. Add the tag "dadsweeps" to your video to enter the sweepstakes! All videos tagged "dadsweeps" are eligible.
    Upload Your Video

    Entries will be accepted until 11:59 ET on Father's Day - June 15th! Read the Sweeps Rules.

    Bonus! Get free standard shipping on all DVD and flipbook orders from May 22nd to May 30th. Order by May 30th for on-time Father’s Day delivery!
    ]]> http://blog.motionbox.com/2008/05/fathers_day_sweepstakes_win_a.html http://blog.motionbox.com/2008/05/fathers_day_sweepstakes_win_a.html Wed, 21 May 2008 15:24:23 -0500 Wanna Win an HD Camcorder? Take This Survey! Mashable Take this short survey from Motionbox and Mashable so we can better understand your video needs and habits! The survey is open to everybody, Motionbox member or not, so feel free to pass the link along to all of your family and friends.

    One person will be randomly selected to win a Sony HD camcorder! Pretty good deal, right?

    Just answering eight simple questions will make you eligible, so give it a shot! We'll be announcing the lucky winner next week.
    ]]>     http://blog.motionbox.com/2008/05/wanna_win_an_hd_camcorder_take_1.html http://blog.motionbox.com/2008/05/wanna_win_an_hd_camcorder_take_1.html Tue, 20 May 2008 16:33:13 -0500     Ask Eric Classics

    Episode 3: Connecting Your Camera to Your Computer

    In this episode, Eric explains how to figure out what connection to use on that crowded mess in the back of your computer. With great visual diagrams, this walk-through takes all the guesswork out of that crucial first step in uploading. Phew!




    Episode 4: Free your Videos!

    If you have tons of videos saved on your camera, but aren't sure how to get them onto your computer, this episode is for you. Eric reveals how to download those videos from your camera to your computer, and rather painlessly, too.




    Episode 6: How do I Download my Videos?

    Want to know the difference between uploading and downloading? Eric explains it all, and shows you how to upload as many videos as you like to Motionbox, and download the enhanced versions back to your own computer!




    Episode 9: The Mixer

    Ever wanted to combine a bunch of videos into one awesome movie? With the Motionbox Mixer, you can! It's pretty easy, too - but Eric helps you out with the details in this episode.




    Episode 10: Top 5 Uploading Tips Revealed

    Last but not least, in this epsiode, Eric walks you through 5 (okay, 6) ways to make uploading your videos a breeze. So if you're having trouble getting videos off your camera and onto Motionbox, if uploading is just taking way too long, this is the tutorial for you. It's definitely been one of our most popular episodes!



    We hope you've enjoyed skimming through some of our most popular and helpful Ask Eric episodes on Motionbox. If you have any questions that you'd love to have Eric answer for you on video, let us know! ]]>     http://blog.motionbox.com/2008/05/ask_eric_classics.html http://blog.motionbox.com/2008/05/ask_eric_classics.html Thu, 15 May 2008 16:52:57 -0500     Get Your Home Movies on a Personal DVD - We’ll Do The Work! Get your videos on DVD!

    The world of video has changed a lot in recent years. By emailing links, or embedding on your site, it’s now quick and easy to share videos with people all over the world.

    Now, we love online video as much as the next person (if not more). But it has taken us out of the living room and away from our televisions. We found we missed sitting on the couch with our families and watching those home movies together.

    And so…about two weeks ago we launched something pretty cool. It’s a hassle to burn your own DVDs, so we decided to do it for you! Once a video is uploaded to Motionbox, all it takes is a few clicks to get a personal DVD with your own videos, and your own title and description sent straight to your home.

    Give it a try! Since we’re in the early stages of this product, we’d love to get your feedback. As always, don’t hesitate to contact our Support Team with any questions or suggestions!
    ]]> http://blog.motionbox.com/2008/05/get_your_home_movies_on_a_pers_1.html http://blog.motionbox.com/2008/05/get_your_home_movies_on_a_pers_1.html Tue, 06 May 2008 16:30:25 -0500 Who We Are We know you have a lot of options out there in the world of video. It's hard enough to choose a camera! With so much information on the latest models, not to mention hundreds of ways to edit, store, and share your videos, we know it can be mind-boggling -- especially since you don't always want to share your private videos with the whole world.

    Our mission from the very beginning has been to cut through the clutter and provide you with a simple, comprehensive, no-manuals-required service that is fast, easy, and unlimited. We know you are real people with real lives - you want to be able to preserve and share your memories with the people who matter most. And you don't want it to take up all your time.

    We feel pretty good about what we're doing here, but it's always nice to hear it from you. We recently conducted a phone survey and online interviews with some of you, and we were thrilled that you gave us high marks on being a leader in fast, easy, and reliable video sharing. Your feedback was anonymous, but thanks – whoever you are – for your kind words:

    • "I really like the ease and simplicity. With some programs, it's so difficult and you're so frustrated by the time you get anything accomplished. I haven't run into any moments like that with Motionbox. It's fast, it's easy. I can sit down and enjoy it while I'm doing it. I love it."

    • "I was using YouTube but I was very constrained by the size of files I was able to upload. I would have to spend a lot more time at my computer trying to…get it down to the right size. I don't have to think about that with Motionbox."

    Our team has been working hard on a bunch of improvements to the service: a faster uploader to help you get all that footage up on the site a crystal clear HD player, a way to create a DVDs of all your videos, additional ways to keep your videos private and secure, and much more!

    We want you to let us know what's on your mind. We aim to provide you with the most personal customer service around, and we listen to what you have to say whether you're a member, or just someone who's interested in learning more. And if you're ever unhappy with the service you receive, let us know! We take all comments, good or otherwise. Though we must admit, we're partial to the good ones:

    • "When I e-mailed customer service, I expected never to hear back. I got an e-mail back the next day, which was very encouraging and made me want to explore the service."


    • "Good, friendly people. They really try to help. Every time I sent a question, I got a reply back right away."

    We want this conversation with you, our customers, to continue. As we grow this blog and this community, we want to hear from you! Hearing your experiences with Motionbox and your personal video will help bring this service to life.

    Whether you shoot 45 seconds of your 2-year old or 3.5 hour videos of your latest vacation, we try our utmost to provide solutions for all of your needs. We know you have lots of video sharing options, and we sincerely thank you for choosing Motionbox.
    ]]> http://blog.motionbox.com/2008/04/who_we_are.html http://blog.motionbox.com/2008/04/who_we_are.html Sun, 13 Apr 2008 15:48:19 -0500