DivX to shut down Stage6

Faun · 26-02-2008, 06:52 AM

Sad, where will i find HQ content

, youtube sucks in quality

This is the email I got

Quote:

I'm Tom (aka Spinner), a Stage6 user and an employee of DivX, Inc., the company behind the service. I'm writing this message today to inform you that we plan to shut down Stage6 on February 28, 2008. Upload functionality has already been turned off, and you'll be able to view and download videos until Thursday.

I know this news will come as a shock and disappointment to many Stage6 users, and I'd like to take a few moments to explain the reasons behind our decision.

We created Stage6 with the mission of empowering content creators and viewers to discover a new kind of video experience. Stage6 began as an experiment, and we always knew there was a chance that it might not succeed.

In many ways, though, the service did succeed, beyond even our own initial expectations. Stage6 became very popular very quickly. We helped gain exposure for some talented filmmakers who brought great videos to the attention of an engaged community. We helped prove that it's possible to distribute true high definition video on the Internet. And we helped broaden the Internet video experience by offering content that is compatible with DVD players, mobile devices and other products beyond the PC.

So why are we shutting the service down? Well, the short answer is that the continued operation of Stage6 is a very expensive enterprise that requires an enormous amount of attention and resources that we are not in a position to continue to provide. There are a lot of other details involved, but at the end of the day it's really as simple as that.

Now, why didn't we think of that before we decided to create Stage6 in the first place, you may ask? That's a good question. When we first created Stage6, there was a clear need for a service that would offer a true high-quality video experience online because other video destinations on the Internet simply weren't providing that to users. A gap existed, and Stage6 arrived to fill it.

As Stage6 grew quickly and dramatically (accompanied by an explosion of other sites delivering high-quality video), it became clear that operating the service as a part of the larger DivX business no longer made sense. We couldn't continue to run Stage6 and focus on our broader strategy to make it possible for anyone to enjoy high-quality video on any device. So, in July of last year we announced that we were kicking off an effort to explore strategic alternatives for Stage6, which is a fancy way of saying we decided we would either have to sell it, spin it out into a private company or shut it down.

I won't (and can't, really) go into too much detail on those first two options other than to say that we tried really hard to find a way to keep Stage6 alive, either as its own private entity or by selling it to another company. Ultimately neither of those two scenarios was possible, and we made the hard decision to turn the lights off and cease operation of the service.

So that's where we are today. After February 28, Stage6 will cease to exist as an online destination. But the larger DivX universe will continue to thrive. Every day new DivX Certified devices arrive on the market making it easy to move video beyond the PC. Products powered by DivX Connected, our new initiative that lets users stream video, photos, music and Internet services from the PC to the TV, are hitting retail outlets. We remain committed to empowering content creators to deliver high-quality video to a wide audience, and we'll continue to offer services that will make it easy to find videos online in the DivX format.

It's been a wild ride, and none of it would have been possible without the support of our users. Thank you for making Stage6 everything that it was.

--Tom

Gigacore · 26-02-2008, 06:57 AM

oh no

aryayush · 26-02-2008, 07:53 AM

DivX to shut down Stage6
Posted Feb. 25, ’08, 10:14 AM PT by Brian Chen

In a blog today, “Tom” of DivX announced that his company plans to close the curtain on Stage6, a popular video-streaming Web site. To make a long story short, Tom explained, the service was simply too expensive and difficult to maintain. This is a tragedy for the online video community, but it comes as no surprise. Instantly viewable, high-quality video seemed too good to be true — and, well, I guess it was.

Farewell, Stage6. You gave directors a platform to present their work without compressing it to look like crap (think YouTube). And you provided viewers like myself with hours of free, high-quality entertainment. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts. If we clap loudly enough, perhaps we’ll get an encore.

[Via MacUser]

blueshift · 26-02-2008, 08:09 AM

Stage6 shutting down

aryayush · 26-02-2008, 09:03 AM

It is technology news, not random. I didn't see any mention of Stage6 in this section so I posted it. Didn't know that the other thread existed.

Moderators, please feel free to merge/close this thread.

Gigacore · 26-02-2008, 09:09 AM

delete it

alsiladka · 26-02-2008, 09:38 AM

Man, Stage6 had the best collection of Documentaries, Old Vintage Movies and TV Shows! All the archifed content (Public Domain) was available at high speed!

Zeeshan Quireshi · 26-02-2008, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alsiladka

Man, Stage6 had the best collection of Documentaries, Old Vintage Movies and TV Shows! All the archifed content (Public Domain) was available at high speed!

We'll have to do with Azureus's Legal Video Service .

Vuze was it ?

**MetalheadGautham** · 26-02-2008, 10:54 AM

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooo!
I Better Start Downloading All That I Can Now

hullap · 26-02-2008, 11:32 AM

Nooooooooooo I Just Got Addicted To It

BBThumbHealer · 26-02-2008, 12:27 PM

Stage6 is better than you tube ... it shudn't b shut down !

phreak0ut · 27-02-2008, 09:13 AM

This really, really, really sad news

I'm really depressed. I was thinking of downloading a lot of videos when I had enough bandwidth, but no. Sad, Sad

naveen_reloaded · 27-02-2008, 09:41 AM

sorry but isnt azureus`s vuze a better alternative?? sorry if i am wrong

aryayush · 27-02-2008, 09:51 AM

Does this Vuze thing have high quality music videos? We're talking widescreen here.

If yes, I'll give it a try.

drgrudge · 27-02-2008, 10:02 AM

Any idea as how to d/l from Stage6? Lots of good content there...

**MetalheadGautham** · 27-02-2008, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drgrudge

Any idea as how to d/l from Stage6? Lots of good content there...

thats the craziest question I have been asked.
just press the download button

PS: it has videos MEANT to be downloaded. so there is a button for the same.

drgrudge · 27-02-2008, 10:22 AM

^^
I was searching for that button but I couldn't find it. Post a screenie please.

aryayush · 27-02-2008, 10:34 AM

What the heck are you even talking about! Every video has a huge Download button right in the centre. I'll grab a screenshot.

Quote:

Originally Posted by naveen_reloaded

sorry but isnt azureus`s vuze a better alternative?? sorry if i am wrong

I just checked it out and it sucks. There's no content at all.

Well, it's open source, free and written in JAVA.

That's a recipe for disaster right there. I should've known.

----------------

Here's the elusive download button:

It's right there, see?

drgrudge · 27-02-2008, 10:36 AM

Ok. I didn't have the DiVx installed in my PC. Thanks for the screenie. QT/VLC would play it naa?

aryayush · 27-02-2008, 10:40 AM

Once you have Perian installed, QuickTime Player will play it just fine.

Hitboxx · 27-02-2008, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aryayush

What the heck are you even talking about! Every video has a huge Download button right in the centre. I'll grab a screenshot.

I just checked it out and it sucks. There's no content at all.

Well, it's open source, free and written in JAVA.

That's a recipe for disaster right there. I should've known.

Well, after reading about Vuze just now, I double checked with Azureus and the content rocks, maybe not thousands of videos yet, but it still rocks in the things it has. Apparently, you're way too much into you head, downloaded many high quality videos just now.

Voldy · 27-02-2008, 11:01 AM

Noooooooooooo...
youtube sucks

aryayush · 27-02-2008, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hitboxx

Well, after reading about Vuze just now, I double checked with Azureus and the content rocks, maybe not thousands of videos yet, but it still rocks in the things it has. Apparently, you're way too much into you head, downloaded many high quality videos just now.

You know, the Digit forum wouldn't have been very useful if the topics on the main page were all it had. People visit this forum because when they search for "compaq notebook", they find various threads on discussion about it.

On Vuze, I searched for several music videos of well known artists and not one of them turned up. This Kaash Ke video you downloaded (you could have chosen a more civil screenshot) was there on the front page.

YouTube has an enormous collection at a crappy quality, Stage6 has a decent one at a high quality and Vuze has an extremely small collection but at a good quality. Winner: Stage6.

And, by the way, there's no need to get so uptight and blame me for being "too much into my head" (whatever that is supposed to mean). It's not like I insulted your brother. WTF is wrong with you guys! Are you impolite just for the sake of being so? Did someone tell you it was a cool thing to do?

naveen_reloaded · 27-02-2008, 11:41 AM

actually vuze is great but if u are looking for some copyrighted stuff.. it wont be there...

thats the problem..

but here are many really high defintion videos...

may be when stage6 is closed.. vuze may take its position

Hitboxx · 27-02-2008, 11:51 AM

Quote:

On Vuze, I searched for several music videos of well known artists and not one of them turned up. This Kaash Ke video you downloaded (you could have chosen a more civil screenshot) was there on the front page.

Fine, changed to a more civil screenshot.

Quote:

And, by the way, there's no need to get so uptight and blame me for being "too much into my head" (whatever that is supposed to mean). It's not like I insulted your brother. WTF is wrong with you guys! Are you impolite just for the sake of being so? Did someone tell you it was a cool thing to do?

My comment was the reciprocal of your comment. Well, it's open source, free and written in JAVA. That's a recipe for disaster right there. I should've known.

Basically what you did was bash OSS because of the lack of content on Vuze which, on what basis you did compare, I can't comprehend. We belong to our separate groups, we have our own interests, so everytime you attack my beliefs, you'll find me countering it in my own way.

Quote:

You know, the Digit forum wouldn't have been very useful if the topics on the main page were all it had. People visit this forum because when they search for "compaq notebook", they find various threads on discussion about it.

Are you preaching me here? Is this polite? You suddenly became the all knowing some sort of father figure now? Yes people take offence in all ways possible whether you intend it or not.