Fan Network 2015

[PeterGibbons]

I've tried a few times today (from work at from home) and the 'free' content is buffering for me in a major way if I try to view it in a browser. But ... when I grab the flv file directly from the rtmp stream, it downloads quickly - faster than even when I tested this with the old fan network. And the resulting file quality is very high - 7157 bitrate which isn't bad for Internet video.

So why does it play for bad in the browser and download fast directly?

[flammaster]

I can't find the free content. where is this?

I am starting to think this will be the last year of DCI online. I do not like what I am learning today!

[Cappybara]

I can't find the free content. where is this?

I am starting to think this will be the last year of DCI online. I do not like what I am learning today!

http://www.dci.org/mediaPortal/player.dbml?db_oem_id=33500

There's a free video tab.

[SFZFAN]

Yeah - video is buffering all over the place - and I have extremely fast internet service. I guess I won't be purchasing FN this year.

[DrumManTx]

"Choosing," in the sense that to choose to use it would bring down the hellfire of lawyers, or would cost so much in licensing fees as to be prohibitive. Again, I can't see DCI withholding on-demand video simply to be capricious or greedy.

Agreed. I seriously doubt that they're just choosing not to give us on demand. They have their reasons I'm sure. Could at least do with an update however.

Well, DCI indicated last week that the Fan Network archives would return, and a few pages earlier in this thread, someone reported hearing from DCI that would happen after the season was over.

Yup, remember reading this as well. Before I jump ship and freak out, I want to hear from DCI what the plan is. Yes their delivery of information is pretty flawed, but they're not just these evil people hell bent on pissing us off. I seriously just think that they're still dealing with the copyright stuff so we can have it at a later date rather than never have it again, and are focusing on the upcoming season and providing us SOMETHING, which is a helluva lot better than nothing. If they can't have the archives on demand, I bet the same reason applies to current shows that might have some of the same copyright restraints. I'd rather them take their time so we can have it at a later date than break laws and screw us all over in the long run.

They need some work in the updating us with information department, but I'm going to at least wait before I flip ####. I can watch the shows this summer, and hopefully they'll have it sorted out this fall like it seems like was indicated. My current interest is entirely on the 2015 season right now.

Quality on the new video is absolutely fantastic for me on my high performance desktop and phone. HOWEVER, on my 250$ laptop with cheap hardware I had the buffering issue, it was unwatchable. Might have something to do with your computer rather than the internet.

Edited June 11, 2015 by DrumManTx

[wonker]

Agreed. I seriously doubt that they're just choosing not to give us on demand. They have their reasons I'm sure. Could at least do with an update however.

Yup, remember reading this as well. Before I jump ship and freak out, I want to hear from DCI what the plan is. Yes their delivery of information is pretty flawed, but they're not just these evil people hell bent on pissing us off. I seriously just think that they're still dealing with the copyright stuff so we can have it at a later date rather than never have it again, and are focusing on the upcoming season and providing us SOMETHING, which is a helluva lot better than nothing. If they can't have the archives on demand, I bet the same reason applies to current shows that might have some of the same copyright restraints. I'd rather them take their time so we can have it at a later date than break laws and screw us all over in the long run.

They need some work in the updating us with information department, but I'm going to at least wait before I flip ####. I can watch the shows this summer, and hopefully they'll have it sorted out this fall like it seems like was indicated. My current interest is entirely on the 2015 season right now.

Quality on the new video is absolutely fantastic for me on my high performance desktop and phone. HOWEVER, on my 250$ laptop with cheap hardware I had the buffering issue, it was unwatchable. Might have something to do with your computer rather than the internet.

I accept that my equipment might be the issue, but even so, I don't have the resources available to replace computers, upgrade internet connection and redesign my home entertainment system for the sole endgame purpose of making it drum corps friendly.......spending a lot of money I don't have....just for the right to then spend more money to be able to once again view DCI?!?!?

[flammaster]

All I got was Liar speak and legal gobbledy gook.

Thanks for writing to us about the platform upgrade and DCI Live! service offering we're preparing to launch next week on our new Neulion digital content delivery platform. There will be plenty of additional information flowing about the features and benefits of our new platform over the next several weeks and months, as additional work is completed and those features are initiated and additional content is added. Over the long-haul, we are confident that passionate fans of drum corps like yourself will be quite pleased with the improved capabilities and enhanced user experience provided by our decision to partner with a company which is truly a global leader in the digital content delivery space.

As you're probably aware, we've encountered quite a few challenges over the last several months, as we've tried to navigate the seemingly ever-changing landscape relating to music licensing, rights management and the numerous permissions required for the corps to perform their repertoires and ultimately to broadcast and record them.

Many of these challenges exist because of our unique situation: the drum corps activity as we know it is obviously much bigger than a typical garage band and much smaller than a major touring rock, pop or country artist. Often, the rules seem to adequately serve those extremes fairly well, but don't really apply to our needs, the needs of the fans wishing to consume corps-generated content and the needs and strategic objectives of the corps which comprise the DCI collective. We have been working diligently to fully understand and comply with the law while making prudent business decisions which have far-reaching consequences. Although the process is perhaps far slower than any of us would like, there's really no other way for us to proceed given our resources and our fundamental mission to provide a world class stage for the ensembles taking part in sanctioned events while the rest of this is taking place simultaneously.

Adding to the challenge is that any sort of "negotiation" in this space isn't necessarily with one entity, but with an infinite number of publishers and rights-holders, none of which are obligated to agree to the same terms as their colleagues and counterparts.

Earlier today we were planning to release information intended to answer some of the questions of many of our most loyal supporters, but had to "stop the presses" once again because of yet another unforeseen challenge.

There are a few things I can share with you, however.

• The "DCI Fan Network" as we've known it is, in fact, being refreshed for reintroduction later this year. A number of factors, including the assurance of copyright compliance as I mentioned earlier, has caused the temporary suspension of the service. I'm not yet sure of the timeline for relaunch, but we absolutely want to get it all squared-away and back up and running as soon as possible.
• We're also working on a plan for the release of 2015 APDs and VPDs, which will hopefully be available shortly after the end of the season. We cannot yet commit to a specific date nor to any potential challenges with individual corps and/or individual performance segments.
• As to the archives, we have no way of knowing at this point what percentage of the entire performance library will be granted licenses and which will not. We have a team of folks working on our behalf on a daily basis to help us work out the details, but we are talking about hundreds of corps performing tens of thousands of tunes licensed by thousands of publishers and rights holders over many years. A daunting task for sure. Unlike "the good old days," every single title we wish to provide online requires separate consideration, tracking, reporting and compensation. If a corps performs 7 or 8 "segments" of music in one of their arrangements, it requires a license for each segment in most cases.
• Quite a few folks today have written to us to ask why we simply can't follow the lead of other organizations who were able to provide archival performances at no charge on other public-facing video platforms. One short answer is that the type of licensing required for custom arrangements and subsequent performance of a piece of music is entirely different than those granted for the use of a tune which fundamentally exists in its original recorded state. There is no simple, one-size-fits-all solution due to the very nature of the drum corps operational model.
• Implementation of what we've all come to know as "The DVR Feature," which is an obvious area of concern for just about everyone wishing to subscribe to DCI Live!, is the next challenge we're working practically around the clock to address. Like so many of the factors we've encountered of late, the intersection of technology and the law is perhaps more than a bit hazy. We hope to have this sorted out very soon as we know it will be a huge factor in determining whether or not to subscribe, based on geographic considerations and the viewing habits of drum corps fans.

It's important to know that everyone at Drum Corps International and the organizations which comprise the collective are working to achieve the same goal: the creation of a platform from which we can celebrate the remarkable performances the best of the best in the marching music world. We're grateful to thousands of passionate fans like you who continue to support the performers every year and we pledge to continue to work harder than ever to "raise the bar" on and off the field of competition. We're working to do everything possible to increase opportunities and not limit them.

Thanks again for your patience and for taking the time to write. Best wishes for an enjoyable and safe summer for you and your family. I hope to have the good fortune of meeting you at a show somewhere along the tour this summer. If you have any additional questions, comments or concerns, please feel free to write to me personally.

Warmest regards,
Bob

So I responded back: DVR or no DVR? is all I asked you. Not for some Lawyer generated form letter. You did not even address my question but just gave me a bunch of double speak.

[N.E. Brigand]

Actually,

All I got was Liar speak and legal gobbledy gook.

Thanks for writing to us about the platform upgrade and DCI Live! service offering we're preparing to launch next week on our new Neulion digital content delivery platform. There will be plenty of additional information flowing about the features and benefits of our new platform over the next several weeks and months, as additional work is completed and those features are initiated and additional content is added. Over the long-haul, we are confident that passionate fans of drum corps like yourself will be quite pleased with the improved capabilities and enhanced user experience provided by our decision to partner with a company which is truly a global leader in the digital content delivery space.

As you're probably aware, we've encountered quite a few challenges over the last several months, as we've tried to navigate the seemingly ever-changing landscape relating to music licensing, rights management and the numerous permissions required for the corps to perform their repertoires and ultimately to broadcast and record them.

Many of these challenges exist because of our unique situation: the drum corps activity as we know it is obviously much bigger than a typical garage band and much smaller than a major touring rock, pop or country artist. Often, the rules seem to adequately serve those extremes fairly well, but don't really apply to our needs, the needs of the fans wishing to consume corps-generated content and the needs and strategic objectives of the corps which comprise the DCI collective. We have been working diligently to fully understand and comply with the law while making prudent business decisions which have far-reaching consequences. Although the process is perhaps far slower than any of us would like, there's really no other way for us to proceed given our resources and our fundamental mission to provide a world class stage for the ensembles taking part in sanctioned events while the rest of this is taking place simultaneously.

Adding to the challenge is that any sort of "negotiation" in this space isn't necessarily with one entity, but with an infinite number of publishers and rights-holders, none of which are obligated to agree to the same terms as their colleagues and counterparts.

Earlier today we were planning to release information intended to answer some of the questions of many of our most loyal supporters, but had to "stop the presses" once again because of yet another unforeseen challenge.

There are a few things I can share with you, however.

• The "DCI Fan Network" as we've known it is, in fact, being refreshed for reintroduction later this year. A number of factors, including the assurance of copyright compliance as I mentioned earlier, has caused the temporary suspension of the service. I'm not yet sure of the timeline for relaunch, but we absolutely want to get it all squared-away and back up and running as soon as possible.
• We're also working on a plan for the release of 2015 APDs and VPDs, which will hopefully be available shortly after the end of the season. We cannot yet commit to a specific date nor to any potential challenges with individual corps and/or individual performance segments.
• As to the archives, we have no way of knowing at this point what percentage of the entire performance library will be granted licenses and which will not. We have a team of folks working on our behalf on a daily basis to help us work out the details, but we are talking about hundreds of corps performing tens of thousands of tunes licensed by thousands of publishers and rights holders over many years. A daunting task for sure. Unlike "the good old days," every single title we wish to provide online requires separate consideration, tracking, reporting and compensation. If a corps performs 7 or 8 "segments" of music in one of their arrangements, it requires a license for each segment in most cases.
• Quite a few folks today have written to us to ask why we simply can't follow the lead of other organizations who were able to provide archival performances at no charge on other public-facing video platforms. One short answer is that the type of licensing required for custom arrangements and subsequent performance of a piece of music is entirely different than those granted for the use of a tune which fundamentally exists in its original recorded state. There is no simple, one-size-fits-all solution due to the very nature of the drum corps operational model.
• Implementation of what we've all come to know as "The DVR Feature," which is an obvious area of concern for just about everyone wishing to subscribe to DCI Live!, is the next challenge we're working practically around the clock to address. Like so many of the factors we've encountered of late, the intersection of technology and the law is perhaps more than a bit hazy. We hope to have this sorted out very soon as we know it will be a huge factor in determining whether or not to subscribe, based on geographic considerations and the viewing habits of drum corps fans.

It's important to know that everyone at Drum Corps International and the organizations which comprise the collective are working to achieve the same goal: the creation of a platform from which we can celebrate the remarkable performances the best of the best in the marching music world. We're grateful to thousands of passionate fans like you who continue to support the performers every year and we pledge to continue to work harder than ever to "raise the bar" on and off the field of competition. We're working to do everything possible to increase opportunities and not limit them.

Thanks again for your patience and for taking the time to write. Best wishes for an enjoyable and safe summer for you and your family. I hope to have the good fortune of meeting you at a show somewhere along the tour this summer. If you have any additional questions, comments or concerns, please feel free to write to me personally.

Warmest regards,
Bob

So I responded back: DVR or no DVR? is all I asked you. Not for some Lawyer generated form letter. You did not even address my question but just gave me a bunch of double speak.

Actually, you got a lot more than anything else I've seen posted about this issue! I'm feeling a bit sorry for Bob at DCI right now.

Edited June 12, 2015 by N.E. Brigand

[flammaster]

all I wanted was a simple answer. DVR or not. The whole world can't change their schedule to be able to watch all the shows. I watched every single show last year and loved it. I sent them quite a few thank you letters for doing a good job.

You know darn well he didn't write that just for me. it's a form letter.

I music industry is beating them on the head real hard now. I get that. Rundgren suggested streaming service almost 30 years ago but they were too dumb to listen. Now they are scrambling to figure out how they can still skim of the cream like they always did.

[Herk]

I've tried a few times today (from work at from home) and the 'free' content is buffering for me in a major way if I try to view it in a browser. But ... when I grab the flv file directly from the rtmp stream, it downloads quickly - faster than even when I tested this with the old fan network. And the resulting file quality is very high - 7157 bitrate which isn't bad for Internet video.

So why does it play for bad in the browser and download fast directly?

I don't have any answers to your questions, but I can relate my experience. I just watched four different free videos...no buffering, stuttering, etc. Smooth streaming on all of them.

I don't have an especially great internet connection either.

edit: I should mention that I have a wired connection to my router. That might make a difference.

Edited June 12, 2015 by Herk