Jim asks:

First of all, I am by no means a computer whiz, but I do manage to function alright most of the time, usually by my own trial and error style. But sometimes my DIY methods will not work, and I just have to get some guidance from an expert, so here goes--

I would like to know which video hosting/sharing website(s) has/have the largest size limit, both per video upload and total size allowed? Are there any, for instance, which may allow for as much as 500-1000MB per upload?

Also, you know how YouTube imposes a time limit on the length of a user's videos (except for certain early members, members of something called "Director's Club), etc. — are there any video hosting/sharing websites that either don't do that or have longer running times allowed per video?

Basically, what I want to do is keep online my collection of vintage TV videos, not have to worry about renewing the URLs by a certain time deadline or that the videos' URLs will expire based on how many visitors to the site; also keep them on a site that has liberal size and running times allowed per video,  and allow visitors to download the videos if the uploader so chooses to set the account that way. User comments capability would be nice too, but not necessary in comparison to the other parameters I mentioned. Most, if not all, of my collection would be considered "public domain" for all intents & purposes. But, just in case, I'd prefer a site that isn't as heavily trafficked as YouTube, where the site's owners/webmasters aren't as likely to freak out over "unauthorized usage/copyrights," etc. I think you know what I mean.

I'd appreciate whatver advice you may be able to provide.

Thank you,

Jim
Arlington, Massachusetts

Lucky for you, Jim, We've done some research and checked out some of the best services. Obviously, things are very different than they were a few years ago before YouTube stomped its $1.65 billion foot on the online video scene. That being said, we've found one service that seems to fit the bill.

 

Google Video seems to be the perfect service for you. The video we've embedded above is 50 minutes in length, and if you visit the Google Video page, you'll notice users can download the iPod and PSP version from the browser. The service is a bit antiquated, especially seeing how Google-owned YouTube basically owns the online video scene. That being said, there doesn't seem to be the stringent upload limits of YouTube and the like. They've also got a desktop uploader which allows you to upload multiple files.

While they're not as optimal for Jim's situation, let's go through some of our other favorite video hosting sites.

DJVT//Hollereer "HD"//2008 from Steven van Hemmen on Vimeo

One of our favorite sites for video producers is Vimeo. Unlike YouTube, or some of the biggies, Vimeo actively polices for potential ripoff infringment. I'm not sure what they'll do if they hear copyrighted audio tracks, but the site won't allow users to upload Simpson's videos, game videos or other "non creative" videos. Vimeo has become a centralized place for people looking to upload HD quality videos and embed them with higher quality than YouTube. The company has a 500MB upload limit per week, though that can be bumped to 2GB with a subscription.

 

 

DailyMotion is a YouTube style clone and has restrictions similar to YouTube. While DailyMotion hasn't seen the adoption rates that YouTube has in the US, overseas, and especially in France, DailyMotion has a much wider audience. As for pure sharing, Daily Motion caps uploads at 150MB and about 20 minutes long.

And then there's YouTube. The little sharing site that could is still the best possible way for people to get their videos seen by a relatively mass audience. With the highest traffic of any video sharing service — Alexa ranks it as the third most trafficked site on the web — putting a video on YouTube means you want to have it seen by mass audiences. Although the site now supports widescreen and HD, YouTube upload limits are still only 1GB and 10 minutes. Despite these restrictions, YouTube is definitely a central place for people looking to get their videos seen.

Hopefully this breakdown helps you out. If you've got any suggestions for sites we didn't mention, sound off in the comments.