Vimeo versus YouTube

You may have noticed that the videos I've been posting in this blog are hosted on vimeo and not the more common YouTube. YouTube no doubt has a larger audience, but I've found their video quality and streaming is not quite as good as vimeo.

NOTE: Click on the image below to see the difference. The image of the Harrier is sharper than YouTube. The video source file was exactly the same.

YouTube also limits the length of the video you can upload. Vimeo does not have a limitation on duration, but has a weekly limit on upload size (500 MB). It is nice not to have to contend with a length limit when pulling together a video story or home movie you want to share with family or friends. vimeo also supports high definition file uploads. You can upload a 16:9 format 1080i video (wide screen) and anyone can play it back in HD quality over the web. YouTube only supports 14:3 (standard definition) video.

I was initially concerned that 500 MB would be a limiting factor since video -- especially HD video -- creates huge files. However, I've found that I can compress video using QuickTime and achieve exceptional quality while significantly reducing the size of the file. This week I've uploaded several high-quality Oshkosh videos on vimeo and still have plenty of space available for more.

NOTE: The post just prior to this one, Harrier Jet Demonstration, has the exact same video uploaded to both sites. A good test is to run both videos at the same time and do your own comparison. Just turn down the volume on your computer -- Harrier Jet's are loud!