True, but Normal is the default and most people I've observed thus far don't notice or don't bother with High Quality or HD option. Normal is so bad, appending the extra tag, either in a link or embedded, insures they watch the version I prefer.

I know you can set local playback preferences for High Quality/HD, but afaik, no way to push it as the default on the YT site (or am I missing something?).

Certainly making me rethink my hosting options as well as for my clients.

Youtube Now Supports HD!
 

actually amazing quality! check it out and be sure to click the link on the bottom of the video screen that says "watch in HD"

YouTube - HD Test *The Dark Knight* 1080p Source

Some of my videos have been automatically converted and they look absolutely amazing.

ie. YouTube - Canon XHA1 Skateboarding in SLOW MOTION 60fps *HIGH DEFINITION*

YouTube Terms of Service
 

Just remember...

6C. For clarity, you retain all of your ownership rights in your User Submissions. However, by submitting User Submissions to YouTube, you hereby grant YouTube a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, sublicenseable and transferable license to use, reproduce, distribute, prepare derivative works of, display, and perform the User Submissions in connection with the YouTube Website and YouTube's (and its successors' and affiliates') business, including without limitation for promoting and redistributing part or all of the YouTube Website (and derivative works thereof) in any media formats and through any media channels. You also hereby grant each user of the YouTube Website a non-exclusive license to access your User Submissions through the Website, and to use, reproduce, distribute, display and perform such User Submissions as permitted through the functionality of the Website and under these Terms of Service. The above licenses granted by you in User Videos terminate within a commercially reasonable time after you remove or delete your User Videos from the YouTube Service. You understand and agree, however, that YouTube may retain, but not display, distribute, or perform, server copies of User Submissions that have been removed or deleted. The above licenses granted by you in User Comments are perpetual and irrevocable.

YouTube Terms of Service
 

Just Remember...

6C. For clarity, you retain all of your ownership rights in your User Submissions. However, by submitting User Submissions to YouTube, you hereby grant YouTube a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, sublicenseable and transferable license to use, reproduce, distribute, prepare derivative works of, display, and perform the User Submissions in connection with the YouTube Website and YouTube's (and its successors' and affiliates') business, including without limitation for promoting and redistributing part or all of the YouTube Website (and derivative works thereof) in any media formats and through any media channels. You also hereby grant each user of the YouTube Website a non-exclusive license to access your User Submissions through the Website, and to use, reproduce, distribute, display and perform such User Submissions as permitted through the functionality of the Website and under these Terms of Service. The above licenses granted by you in User Videos terminate within a commercially reasonable time after you remove or delete your User Videos from the YouTube Service. You understand and agree, however, that YouTube may retain, but not display, distribute, or perform, server copies of User Submissions that have been removed or deleted. The above licenses granted by you in User Comments are perpetual and irrevocable.

And for Vimeo:

By submitting your Submission to VIMEO, you hereby grant VIMEO and its affiliates, successors and assigns a worldwide, perpetual, non-exclusive, irrevocable, royalty-free, sub-licensable (through multiple tiers) and transferable license (with a right to create derivative works) to use, copy, transmit or otherwise distribute, perform, modify, incorporate into other works, publicly perform and display your Submission or any portion thereof, in or through any medium, whether now known or hereafter created. VIMEO shall be entitled to unrestricted use of any Submission for any purpose whatsoever, commercial or otherwise, without compensation to the submitter.

Bill you're right about that. As a viewer mine defaults to HD.

A nice YouTube feature would be to have one's video default to the highest quality rather than the lowest.

As someone presenting stuff to clients I'd always include the HD link and some may want that as part of "discovery" (viral) too.

You can embed the YouTube HD quality. Generally I recommend uploading to their own website directly (I am a compressionist after all) though but not everyone has the time or the ability to do that.

YouTube might be able to make some money (or cut their losses) if you could pay to not have their logo on your site.

In some cases the above is not a bad thing. It depends what you're uploading and why.

If you're doing viral (marketing something) then one might actually WANT them to spread your stuff far and wide.

Keep in mind that one can ALWAYS compress and post stuff to your own site which is what I recommend to my clients. What YouTube offers is viral opportunity in addition to the server space, bandwidth, no need to do your own compression. Vimeo doesn't have the "eyes" to get the viral opportunity nor does it allow commercial posting. B&H, for example, wouldn't have the option of using Vimeo at all.

If you're an "artist" YouTube can certainly increase your work's chance of "accidental" discovery. Vimeo used to have a big quality edge and that's gone (except that it defaults to HD).

YouTube does not have a 500MB or 1 HD upload weekly limit that Vimeo has for free accounts.
YouTube does not have a 2GB weekly limit that Vimeo has for $60/yr accounts and YouTube is free.
YouTube presents as 720p30 (NTSC) or 720p25 (PAL). Vimeo drops frames (badly I might add) and plays at 720p24.
Vimeo does not have the 10 minute duration limit that YouTube has though.
Vimeo allows password protection if something needs to be screened privately.
Vimeo allows the viewer to download the source file if the uploader permits it.

Guys I have been uploading 1080i 25p files on our IPTV site for months now and there is so much bullshit around about HD at the moment so you tubes 720p is not true HD in any means.

It is all down to IP bandwidth and if you want most people to view your content you need to be maxing at around 1mbs any more and it will judder and stutter on payback.

Our IPTV test site is using 1080i 25p masters in pro res 422 res downscaled to flash at 1mbs 25fps with keyframes 50 per sec. This is the best compromise at the moment and will play on broadband at around 1mbs average.

Check out our quality at:

iNorthEast.tv

Gary, YouTube HD is 1280x720p30 (or 25 PAL). I haven't tested the bandwidth but others have and report about 2mb/s.

My own download rate is 30mbs (yes you read that right) so I don't get any stuttering at all.
In my area the base (lowest) level service plans (DSL) are 1mb/s

Typical DSL in my area
1mbs
3mbs
7mbs

Cable Modem
5mbs
15mbps
30mbps

FIOS is at the upper end of Cable Modems speeds and faster but not widely installed yet.

Basically all but the slowest broadband connections can handle 2mbs without issue.
Anyone can use the "normal" quality on YouTube if they can't watch HD.

720p25 at 2mbs is going to look better than 1080p25 at 1mbs. Maybe you don't consider 720 HD?

same video, same file, all three major sites.. CBR 15kbps WMV 314mb filesize.

http://www.exposureroom.com/members/...72e53d7b22b1d/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93tX8ezdBis&fmt=22

http://www.vimeo.com/2459943

I had some issues with playback of my first HD YouTube video. I think my data rate (12000kbps) is way too high. Any recommendations?

I'm going to test some 1280x720/30p native shooting soon. I loved the "A Day at Big Spring Park, Huntsville, AL" video but man does it take a long time to download HD stuff off YouTube. It's almost like watching TV now though!

Generally I find 1280x720 5000kbps using H.264 Multipass in Apple Compressor works perfectly for upload. If using another compression app make sure its a 2 Pass VBR encode.
Even using other codecs like WMV shouldn't need that much more data rate. H264 is best for quality and file size efficiency.

The data rates people are mentioning here see way too high but then again as long as you're under the 1GB file size limit you should be OK. Maybe there's something about YouTube's compression software that doesn't like high data rates.

just trying to keep the video as clean as I can... I tried using other formats but the sound keeps messing up once youtube has it's way with it.

the world is changing =D. can u imagine streaming HD to your front projector?

now all they need to work on is streaming lossy or lossless 7.1 surround sound, then we'll have true VOD across the internet =P

no more blurays ;)

Facebook now has HD. It looks a little better than Vimeo.