Video on bbc.co.uk/topgear/

[Viper007Bond]

Hmm, it's a tossup. Short clips are easier to watch, but you don't get the full effect and it's like only reading every other page of a book.

 

[RoamingGnome]

Top Gear isn't Top Gear unless you're watching the whole thing. The US version, for instance, was incredibly boring. Part of this was because I'd seen all of the video before, but part of it was the loss of all the in between banter that makes the show as entertaining as it is informative.

[...]

However, I am not at all interested in just watching portions of an episode.

Right on. Also, streaming video even with h/s internet is not all that great unless pic and sound qual is way down and that could do the show disservice. It'd be hard to appreciate the TG films as wonderfully as they are shot on say a 200x110 window with 20:1 compression. The 350MB rips are good enough to throw on a mid-size TV screen and appreciate the show.

 

[Reboot]

Having just checked the (uncut) Real clips on the website right now (PS, get the Real Alternative codec and Media Player Classic to watch it without Real's own spyware) and the cut versions that came on the Top Gear mag free DVD last month... definately uncut. There's no point elsewise.

 

[SL65]

I voted short clips...its not like you'll open your browser, and stream a 1-hour long program. They should just extract all the clips from an episode into a segment; eg - "Audi RS4 vs Rockclimbers"

 

[wooflepoof]

Top Gear isn't Top Gear unless you're watching the whole thing. The US version, for instance, was incredibly boring. Part of this was because I'd seen all of the video before, but part of it was the loss of all the in between banter that makes the show as entertaining as it is informative.

If the BBC made it possible to watch full new episodes online in a streaming format, then I would watch them, possibly even in place of downloading them elsewhere. I rarely watch these episodes a second or third time, so as long as the streaming format isn't too heavily compressed I might watch it in lieu of my current method.

However, I am not at all interested in just watching portions of an episode.

only full episodes will work for most of us.

I second that motion

 

[jeffy777]

Also, streaming video even with h/s internet is not all that great unless pic and sound qual is way down and that could do the show disservice.

That isn't true. Haven't you ever watched like 700kbs streaming video before?

 

[Webmonkey]

I voted short clips...its not like you'll open your browser, and stream a 1-hour long program. They should just extract all the clips from an episode into a segment; eg - "Audi RS4 vs Rockclimbers"

I think that its still not clear. The choice isn't between the whole programme, and a selection of clips. The choice is, clips from the programme, and either the full length versions, or cut clips.

For example, the Audi A8 to Scotland on a tank of fuel item is 12:32 in length. The choice I'm offering in this poll is either:

See all 12:32
See a cut version of that film, reduced to say 6 minutes.

Sorry if I've failed to explain this properly!

 

[fbc]

^ In that case - definitely the full version of the clip

 

[SL65]

I voted short clips...its not like you'll open your browser, and stream a 1-hour long program. They should just extract all the clips from an episode into a segment; eg - "Audi RS4 vs Rockclimbers"

The choice is, clips from the programme, and either the full length versions, or cut clips.

For example, the Audi A8 to Scotland on a tank of fuel item is 12:32 in length. The choice I'm offering in this poll is either:

See all 12:32
See a cut version of that film, reduced to say 6 minutes.

Sorry if I've failed to explain this properly!

Judging by the thread so far, I think most people are under the impression that the option was between either full (60 min) episodes or clips (Audi A8 Scotland).

In that case, my vote (and possibly others) changes to "see all".

 

[mgkdk]

I voted short clips...its not like you'll open your browser, and stream a 1-hour long program. They should just extract all the clips from an episode into a segment; eg - "Audi RS4 vs Rockclimbers"

I think that its still not clear. The choice isn't between the whole programme, and a selection of clips. The choice is, clips from the programme, and either the full length versions, or cut clips.

For example, the Audi A8 to Scotland on a tank of fuel item is 12:32 in length. The choice I'm offering in this poll is either:

See all 12:32
See a cut version of that film, reduced to say 6 minutes.

Sorry if I've failed to explain this properly!

Ohh, then I vote for the whole clip

 

[Hazardous]

I'm thinking of complete clips as well.

 

[jensked]

Are there plans to let people pay for it? Or does it remain free?

 

[Webmonkey]

Are there plans to let people pay for it? Or does it remain free?

Its free, the problem is, they make us use this stupid GeoIP thing that restricts use outside the UK to the narrowband stream. Its highly annoying.

The clips live at the moment, do not have this restriction.

 

[GraemeH]

That answers my reply then, if it's targeting UK residents, cut down clips may be better... But then if it's targeting people that haven't seen TG yet, full clips. It depends on the percentage split of people that will use the feature between current Top Gear fans and potential new viewers. You have data on that? If not a poll on the website would serve well enough. There's no point showing full unedited clips to people that already watch, and similarly full segments are more likely to bring new viewers.

 

[Catbunny]

Perhaps I should clear this up

We would put up a whole segment, say the Audi A8 drive to Scotland. Yes, it would be real player, and it would be about 12-15 minutes uncut, or we could trim it down to 5 minutes.

Which of those would you prefer.

Also, realvideo shouldn't buffer for long, no matter what length the clip is. I say shouldn't, but I think we all know Real is a law unto itself.

If this is the case then I would rather se the whole clip.

 

[bartboy9891]

well as mentioned, most people download the ep's anyway. People i know that watch the show will only be interested in small clips for a quick fix.

 

[TechZ]

Full clips still