Video Thumbnail Issue - Old Embed Code versus iFrame

[SweetPotato]

Hi all

I have a longstanding issue which Ning have acknowledged but won't assign resources to sorting out (not their exact words but that is the gist).

When I embed videos from YouTube using the iFrame option then the thumbnail on the video page is the default Youtube logo thumbnail and in the activity feed it is the ugly Ning video thumbnail.

However, if I use the old embed code (flash) then the thumbnails are fine.

Here's what i mean

The videos in activity feed

The videos on the video page

Like I say, Ning know it is an issue but have said there are not enough people bothered by it for them to resolve it. So I guess my question is:

Is anyone else experiencing this and are they bothered by it?

Cheers

SP

[Scott Fox]

Hey SP,

Bumping this conversation up again.

Ning - please get the YouTube iframe embeds and thumbnails working properly?

I can't even find a clear answer on the original iframe issue from January 2011 (almsot 2 years ago??).

It's not cool that to embed YT videos we need to use a code strategy that YouTube is clearly deprecating...

Thanks.

[Rev. O.M. Bastet]

Adding my voice to those wishing to get this fixed. The generic icon is ugly and people don't click on them nearly as much. They look non-functional, rather than inviting.

[SweetPotato]

Thanks Scott. Hope all is well with you.

You would think that this post had generated enough for them to review it but my ticket remains unanswered. I'll badger them once more.

SP

[Ambroise]

Two years ago did you say?!
Do you have a reference? Is there been a discussion here on creators.ning.com?

I can't even find a clear answer on the original iframe issue from January 2011 (almsot 2 years ago??).

[James Simmons]

Do a search on videos and iPad and you will find this goes back to 2010.

[Atheist Universe]

Not quite.
We've started using iframe embeds as soon as YT started to offer them. The thumbnail problems are more recent. When they began, some iframes were OK, others were not. Since then the proportion has slowly shifted to all thumbnails broken.

[Lumix]

I have the same problem...it makes the video section so ugly...I´m desperate

[SweetPotato]

Fresh from Ning support:

Thanks for checking back with us.  We prioritize bug fixes alongside new feature development and other development work. Bugs and feature requests are all assigned a priority level, with those that are the most urgent receiving immediate attention. This bug as well as the feature improvement I mentioned, while inconvenient, are listed as medium priority. We look into bugs and requests as resources become available, as such, I do not have a timeline to give you for this feature request or bug.

SP

[Ambroise]

This response is rather in the right direction.
For my part, I made a list of the biggest problems I have on Ning.

The issues I have :

(by number of requests from my members)

1. The videos are not displayed for some users
2. Facebook like button don't always work
3. Chat give the site too slow - I disabled it.
4. Email delivrability (Gmail)
5. email unreadable in some French webmail (Orange Pro)
6. Type of events issue - exemple
7. Video Thumbnail Issue
8. Sommes errors in the condensed email summary
9. Advanced search for members not always work
10. Language translation tools not working for some words

I maintients update this list on my profile page. Why would not you do the same thing? it would be interesting to know what is important to you. Each with its priorities but there must have common priorities ...

[Dignified]

+1! This s a really big issue for all NCs utilizing ning video feature.

[Vladimir Sebastian Bach™]

I agree we gotta do something about this.

[marco a gutierrez]

Thanks for the link SweetPotato.

I haven't really made a big issue about it, since the old embedded code was an option in the videos on youtube.  However, since now only iframe code is available it is a PROBLEM for my network.  Soon all my thumbnails will be the ugly YouTube thumbnail.  And, it's not only aesthetic, no one will want to click the link, especially with a short attention span, where the photo is the enticing part. :( This is how my feed looks now.

I don't even want to post a video now. LAME