Stage6 is going down :(

[ElricJC]

I don't know if anyone here ever paid any attention to Stage6, the YouTube-esque site, but it has been announced that operations will cease effective 28 February 2008 due primarily to a lack of funding for such an expensive project.

I loved the higher-res video, and the fact that it was the only place I could find and watch fan-subs of Dokuru-Chan and Higurashi without having to download them - I never really wanted to, I just wanted to watch them, and the high resolution made it all the better.

Damn, my online viewing options are shrinking...

[Lord Il]

I've been an avid user of Stage6 for quite a while now. Just couldn't beat the great picture and sound quality it had. Nothing like it that I've seen before. This is a great tragedy to 'net entertainment!

For streaming video, in the beginning, I had relied heavily on YouTube. Later, Veoh came to be a good alternative which provided slightly better video quality. But it was Stage6 that blew everything out of the water with the DVD-like quality. In a way, it easily replaced watching television in the evenings.

Although I'm somewhat doubtful if it'll work there's an online petition set up to save it if anyone wishes to sign it...
http://www.petitiononline.com/pros599/petition.html

What confuses me the most: If the lacking of sufficient funds to keep Stage6 running was such an issue... well.... you'd think they would've had a donation drive.

[ElricJC]

They also said there were "other issues that could not be discussed at the moment."

This invariably means some form of copyright infringement or something of the like, which is sad. 

Frankly, I'm not a downloader, haven't believed in it (as it applies to shows and the like) but I couldn't stand losing my two favorite finds, Dokuro-Chan and Higurashi.  Alas it looks like I won't be able to download the whole first season of Higurashi, but I got half the second (that was all they had on there in English anyway, and even then the translation and grammar of that version irked me), but I now have all of Dokuro-Chan. 

Veoh, after I found out about the distributing of credit card information became the devil to me.  I'd love to sign the petition, but I honestly don't think it'll do much, especially since the "other issues" are unclear at the moment.

So it goes, and yeah, Stage6 kinda replaced TV for me in many ways.  The quality of the video couldn't be beat, and it was a safe and stable format from all I had seen.  Big loss, YouTube is good for quick-and-dirty uploads, but the video quality is poor, and episodes are almost always chopped up.

[Lord Il]

I find it interesting how Stage6 is suggesting Veoh as an alternative. Ugh...! The sound and vid quality there can't compare. At all. >_< Unless they plan some sort of upgrading at Veoh, it'll still only be just slightly better than YouTube..... I stress the word "Slightly."

I will admit: I took a look around Veoh yesterday and it appears they're not being as anal about shortening vids down to one minute previews and pushing the download client down peoples' throats to view the whole thing. That's not to say they're still not doing it though.


If anyone can suggest a similar in quality site like Stage6 was (maybe a good clone?), I'm sure some of us would be greatful. Stage6 had filled a gap which might be difficult to fill again.

[ElricJC]

Yeah, I damn near choked on my Captain Crunch yesterday morning when I stopped over to see if anything was left, and there they were, advertising Veoh <.<

I don't mind watching at Veoh IF they don't force the client on you - after that farce a while back, I swore not to go near them, and there was something malicious in my computer when I did that.  I've noticed since I wiped it clean, that was the only questionable thing I ever downloaded.  Makes me mad, and I don't think anything like Stage6 is around.  That was the thing, they were doing something different.  Veoh was decent quality wise, but their business practices send a chill up my spine.

Damn stupidest thing they could have done to themselves, sharing credit card info and eating your computer resources to power the damn thing.

[Lord Il]

Yeah, I damn near choked on my Captain Crunch yesterday morning when I stopped over to see if anything was left, and there they were, advertising Veoh <.<

But Cap'n Crunch cuts the roof of your mouth.
Man, I'd hate to cough it back up again. Did you need to be hospitalized for any serious esophagus lacerations?


Did a lil Googling..
A Stage7 on the way to replace Stage6? O.o
Intriguing.
Guess we'll see what develops from this. I've read about other failed attempts to resurrect it, but these guys do appear to be doing something.

[ElricJC]

Naw, it was Peanut Butter Cap'n Crunch, little spheres of goodness, and reduced mouth cutting n.n

Now, Stage7 eh?  Well, we'll see, though I'm not holding my breath.  It would be faboo though.

[Lord Il]

Peanut butter Cap'n Crunch? Never tried it.
So... this must kill two birds with one stone by both sticking to the roof of your mouth as well as cutting it. =P Damn, the Cap'n is a multitasking little bastard these days.


Yeah, I'm not holding my breath for any more than 0.68 seconds on this Stage7 project. Time will tell what'll come from it.