Hello ... A little help here?

[Fanboy Sci-Fi Theater]

After finally being able to post one of my three iRiff files on the website, I thought I would have little trouble with the remaining two.  After all, these files were even smaller, and I now knew what I had been doing right and wrong, so it should be a piece of cake!  Well, after three days of trying everything I can think of, I have gotten absolutely NOWHERE!  I even finally heard from Cameron, who recommended that I switch to using Firefox as a web browser, which I was told it would make a "big difference".  But the only difference I've seen so far is that, instead of taking 24 hours to upload a file, the files are not getting uploaded at all.  And, of course, now that I'm having problems again, I am no longer receiving any response from Cameron and/or Erik.  A lot of other iRiffers have given me advice, but so far, nothing seems to work.  So, I don't know where to go from here.  If anyone out there has any suggestions, let me know.  If Erik or Cameron are out there, PLEASE respond to my messages!  I realize that these things can take awhile, but it's been almost a week that I've been at this and I have only gotten ONE file uploaded so far, with no sign that the other two are going through at all!  I don't think it should take over 24 hours to upload a file, especially since these files are SMALLER than the one that I managed to upload, and I cannot keep my computer tied up like this.  If there is ANY other way to submit material besides uploading from the internet, please let me know.

[fireyf]

If you take a couple of screen grabs of your "manage files" page and post them up in the forum maybe some people could see what you're seeing.  Might make it easier to help out.  I've never uploaded a VOD so I'm not much use to you other than that.

[Fanboy Sci-Fi Theater]

Sorry, I don't know how to do a "screen grab".  But here is a "cut-and-past" of what I see after submitting of one of the files for uploading (the other file has a different name and iRiff title) 


Upload Files (Could take up to 24 hours for your file to finish transcoding)
Use the form below to upload mp3, text, and video files to your product.
DO NOT LEAVE THIS PAGE WHILE UPLOADING!
Doing so will interrupt your files upload progress and your file will be lost!

NOTE: Currently files greater than 800MB will get rejected. Consider compressing your movie before uploading!

Upload Progress
DESTROY_ALL_PLANETS_DVD.mp4
Uploading...
   

Steps to Create Sellable Content

Upload Sellable content

Create a Zip File

Commit Content to be sold

How to Delete Files

Replace Committed Files

Product Title - Fanboy Sci-Fi Theater - Gamera in DESTROY ALL PLANETS

Zip File     Submitted     Status     Action     Delete

Comitted files in product:
This section is dedicated to displaying your committed files in your product. After you have committed an item to your product, it will be displayed here.

Files that are ready to commit:
This section is dedicated to displaying all of your items that waiting to be committed.

Waiting to be Transcoded:
This section is dedicated to displaying your uploaded videos that are waiting to be transcoded.

Mp3 Files:
This section is dedicated to displaying all of your uploaded MP3 files.

Text Files:
This section is dedicated to displaying all of your uploaded TXT files.

Zip filename (do not include ".zip" extension)


This is all it EVER says.  There is no progress bar and the page never re-loads to show that the file has been uploaded (or rejected or being transcoded).  Just no progress after 24 hours.

[Fanboy Sci-Fi Theater]

Now I KNOW something's wrong!  I went to my previous web browser, Internet Explorer, because at least I was able to get ONE file uploaded with it, whereas Firefox has proved to be useless.  However, instead of the Upload page just reading...

Upload Progress
DESTROY_ALL_PLANETS_DVD.mp4  (or FST_GvMX_DVD.mp4)
Uploading...

...the file now "uploads" after a few seconds, and instead of reading "Uploading..." it changes to "Complete".     Then the page reloads and reads "Submit A File" again.  Of course, if my files are now being uploaded in a matter of seconds rather than days, there is still nothing on the website to indicate this.  My iRiffs still have no files to commit.  So, I'm completely lost at this point!   

For the last time, Erik and Cameron, if you're out there ... PLEASE HELP!!  Otherwise, I guess I might as well pack it in and go home, because I have no clue how to proceed from here.   

[fireyf]

hmmm.... I've been thinking.  On one browser you say it just sits there and doesn't seem to be uploading while on another it says it's done in a few seconds (clearly too fast).  Could it perhaps be something with you firewall settings that is blocking an upload?  Maybe if you take down your firewall and try uploading it might go up.  I will say last time I uploaded an mp3 the progress bar proved meaningless; it was just done eventually.

Oh, and for a screen grab.  On a PC you hit the "print screen" button and then you can paste into any program that can load and edit a bitmap (like paint).  Then you can save it as a jpg.  If you're on a mac I don't know how you'd do it but if there's a print screen button that's a good place to start.

[Fanboy Sci-Fi Theater]

Yes, I'm on a MAC.  I'm not the most computer-literate person in the world, so I have no idea what a "firewall" is, let alone how to remove it.  I am now trying to once again upload the one file I managed to get through before.  So far, it is "Uploading..." instead of immediately switching to "complete".  This would seem to indicate a problem with the other two files, themselves, although they were formatted the same way as "mp4" files on Handbrake.  The only difference should be that they are slightly smaller than the first file I uploaded.  However, I noticed that the file which uploaded was switched from "mp4" to "avi" on the website, so I am now re-formatting the other two files in "avi" format to see if that will make a difference.  Of course, I shouldn't need to change anything, since the files are in the same format as the first file which uploaded.  But, at this point, I am trying everything I can.  As a last resort, I was told by the iRiff team to send the movies to them on DVD-R so they can find out what the problem is, although I'm hoping it doesn't come to that, since it would probably be a LONG time before the iRiffs are loaded onto the website, but it's already been a "LONG time" with little success so far.

[mr.b.natural]

And here I thought I had upload problems.  Are your browsers up-to-date?  Sounds like you should try to learn a little bit about firewalls, cookies, and advanced security settings.  I'm sure they're working on it with the site upgrade and everything but now they have the live show to set up for as well. 

As for the DVD-R thing: When I first started a helpful fellow from the site (I think he was from the site - xrampage16) helped me upload my first iRiff by having me upload it to a gspace account.  Once there he was able to retrieve it and upload to Rifftrax for me.  Which I thought was very good of them and one of the many reasons why I have been impressed with the site administrators.  Here is the forum thread that I posted in about it all those months ago: http://forum.rifftrax.com/index.php/topic,12720.0.html  Back then the upload button disappeared!  I wanted to get on to you just a little for getting so frustrated but after reading how I was I can't throw any stones.  And you did say you have been at this for weeks so I understand your frustration.  I just hope you can cut the guys from the site a little slack.  Maybe, if you ask them real nice, you can work out something where you upload your files somewhere else in cyberspace and they can retrieve it and upload it for you.  Hopefully the next time you want to upload they will have it fixed or will have figured out what (if anything) you are doing wrong with your files.  Good luck.

[Fanboy Sci-Fi Theater]

And here I thought I had upload problems.  Are your browsers up-to-date?  Sounds like you should try to learn a little bit about firewalls, cookies, and advanced security settings.  I'm sure they're working on it with the site upgrade and everything but now they have the live show to set up for as well. 

As for the DVD-R thing: When I first started a helpful fellow from the site (I think he was from the site - xrampage16) helped me upload my first iRiff by having me upload it to a gspace account.  Once there he was able to retrieve it and upload to Rifftrax for me.  Which I thought was very good of them and one of the many reasons why I have been impressed with the site administrators.  Here is the forum thread that I posted in about it all those months ago: http://forum.rifftrax.com/index.php/topic,12720.0.html  Back then the upload button disappeared!  I wanted to get on to you just a little for getting so frustrated but after reading how I was I can't throw any stones.  And you did say you have been at this for weeks so I understand your frustration.  I just hope you can cut the guys from the site a little slack.  Maybe, if you ask them real nice, you can work out something where you upload your files somewhere else in cyberspace and they can retrieve it and upload it for you.  Hopefully the next time you want to upload they will have it fixed or will have figured out what (if anything) you are doing wrong with your files.  Good luck.

What is the most frustrating thing is that I thought I had the problem licked after I successfully uploaded the first file.  By the time I finally heard from the iRiff guys, I thought that my troubles were already over.  Then, when the problems got even worse, I found that I was AGAIN receiving no response from the iRiff guys.  At least I finally heard from them again.  I'm no computer expert, but I don't think you should HAVE to be one just to upload a file onto a website.  I've spent six months producing these iRiffs, and everyone involved worked very hard on them.  So, naturally, everyone in my group is upset at these constant delays, and I'M the one they're complaining to!

 I did download the latest version of Firefox, which Cameron told me would make a "big difference" because it was supposedly more compatible with the RiffTrax website.  Unfortunately, the only "difference" was that Firefox didn't give me ANY results, while Internet Explorer at least got ONE of my files through.  Then, the firefox software crashed, so I discarded that and went back to Internet Explorer.  It may not be the current version, but it is the most current version that my computer can handle (some of the newer updates may not work on older computers, although mine is only around 4-5 years old).  Of course, I keep coming back to the same question:  Why did the first file go through and not the others, when they are all basically the same type of file?  If my internet browser is the wrong one or is too old, how did it manage to upload the first file but not the rest?

What is this about a "site upgrade"?  Are they fixing the website?  If so, couldn't THAT be the reason I'm having trouble?  No one has brought this up before.  As for the live show, I have no idea what is involved in "setting up" for it.  They already did one successfully, so I would assume they would just re-do everything they did the first time (of course, that certainly hasn't worked for me).  Does that affect the website somehow?  If all this is going on, perhaps I just picked a bad time to do this. 

Anyway, it looks like I will have to mail the files to RiffTrax and see if they can find out what the problem is.  I certainly hope they can at least find SOMETHING wrong that can be fixed, so I won't continue to have this problem in the future.  Otherwise, I probably won't do any more iRiffs if it's going to cause this much trouble.  After all, we are doing this for FUN, so when it stops being fun, there's not much point in continuing.

[mr.b.natural]

What is this about a "site upgrade"?  Are they fixing the website?  If so, couldn't THAT be the reason I'm having trouble?  No one has brought this up before.  As for the live show, I have no idea what is involved in "setting up" for it.  They already did one successfully, so I would assume they would just re-do everything they did the first time (of course, that certainly hasn't worked for me).  Does that affect the website somehow?  If all this is going on, perhaps I just picked a bad time to do this. 

Anyway, it looks like I will have to mail the files to RiffTrax and see if they can find out what the problem is.  I certainly hope they can at least find SOMETHING wrong that can be fixed, so I won't continue to have this problem in the future.  Otherwise, I probably won't do any more iRiffs if it's going to cause this much trouble.  After all, we are doing this for FUN, so when it stops being fun, there's not much point in continuing.

There's a big site upgrade coming and I suppose it is possible it could have something to do with your troubles.  I don't know if I would say they are "fixing it" as it is a matter of perspective whether or not it is broken but they are adding some more stuff and making changes.  You know, more things to go wrong.    Yeah, I don't really know why the website guys are so affected by live shows but it seems to be a big deal for them and I think it is because they are stretched so thin.  Too many responsibilities for so few people and when you get down it, the website IS the business.  So yeah, it would affect the website people.  I don’t know, I’m completely pulling this out of my ass.  The last live show took place in GA, the new one is going to take place in CA so just ‘Re-doing’ what they did last time isn’t that simple.

As far as your problems:  Sounds like your computer and its software is too old.  At least the browsers anyway.  You say the first one went through but before you said you don’t have any files to commit.  Maybe it never went through after all?  If you are referring to one you did a while back, well a lot’s changed since then.  I don’t know.  Sorry I can’t be more help.  Even I had lots of trouble the last time I uploaded something.  I still don’t know what made it work.  It just sort of worked one time.  And then when I tried to add more, it wouldn’t.  It was several weeks later until it finally let me put the rest of my files in.  So you are most certainly not the only one and even someone with the latest browsers and a slightly above average computer IQ has trouble just about every time.  As much as I’m looking forward to the new feedback system that is going to be included with the big site upgrade I imagine many of us iRiffers would settle for the uploading to be forever fixed for everybody everywhere.  Just hang in there.

[MrTorso]

Who is your internet provider and what do they say your upload speed is? Some ISPs are very, very cheap with their upload speeds and some even block certain types of packets because they think all their customers are pirates.

[Fanboy Sci-Fi Theater]

As far as your problems:  Sounds like your computer and its software is too old.  At least the browsers anyway.  You say the first one went through but before you said you don’t have any files to commit.  Maybe it never went through after all?

I just checked, and I do have the latest versions of Internet Explorer, Safari, Flock, and Firefox.  So, the software should not be "too old".  As for the file that went through, I'm referring to the one that went through over this past weekend, which is still sitting there on the website waiting to be committed (I wanted to wait until all three files were uploaded before putting it on sale).  I am not referring to the audio file for KING KONG that I uploaded a year ago, so when I question why the "first file" went through and the others won't, I am referring to a file that I uploaded last weekend.  I certainly would not expect the RiffTrax website to go a year without some updates being made, which is why I tried contacting the iRiff department over a week BEFORE I planned to upload the files.  Only after continually receiving no response did I decide to push through on my own and somehow managed to get the first file uploaded after several days of trial-and-error.  I figured that, once the first file went through, I would just have to do the same with the other two files, but no such luck!

Who is your internet provider and what do they say your upload speed is? Some ISPs are very, very cheap with their upload speeds and some even block certain types of packets because they think all their customers are pirates.

I get my internet service (which is high-speed DSL) from ATT.  I don't know what sort of speed they promise as it's been years since I first signed-up with them (back when it was still BellSouth), long before I even had my current computer.  I've never had any problems with their speed since I bought a new computer and upgraded all of my software a few years ago, so I really wouldn't be looking to switch anyway.  I receive software updates all the time, so I am continually upgrading software whenever anything new comes out.  As far as I can tell, everything is as up-to-date as possible.  And once again, it still raises the question as to why the first file--which was actually bigger than the others--went through and the others won't.  I've been using the same computer, same internet service, same web browser (except for the brief period I tried using Firefox), and same type of files, so I can't figure out what the problem could be ... unless it has something to do with whatever work is being done on the website.

[capaware]

It might be easier after the Live Riff and the Holidays are over.

[mr.b.natural]

Maybe the problem is you're trying to put three VODs for one product.  Have you tried them as separate products?  Even just as an experiment?

[Fanboy Sci-Fi Theater]

Maybe the problem is you're trying to put three VODs for one product.  Have you tried them as separate products?  Even just as an experiment?

Actually, I thought it would be best to upload the files individually, as separate iRiffs like you suggest, before trying to combine them into a 3-pack.  In fact, I wasn't even sure if I would need to upload the files a second time, or if I could link the individual files with the 3-pack (which is what I was trying to ask the iRiff guys before I even attempted to do this at all).  As an "experiment", I tried uploading my first file--the only one that went through--into one of the other iRiffs to see if that would go through again, but STILL no luck.  That would seem to indicate that the problem might be with the website and not with my files, because if the first one went through once, why shouldn't it go through again?   

However, I recall that I couldn't get my first file uploaded last weekend until AFTER I filled out a new W-9 form and FAXed it to RiffTrax.  The last time I logged onto the main website today, I got another request to fill out a W-9 form in order to sell anything.  I've also received such requests once or twice over the past few days while I've been trying to upload these two files.  Not every time, but once in awhile.  Could THIS be the reason why the files aren't uploading?  I assumed that one W-9 form would cover me for the next year, but I am now wondering if you need to submit a new W-9 form for every iRiff you try to upload?  Just for the heck of it, I think I'll give it a try by FAXing over two more W-9s tomorrow.  Who knows?  It might just work!   

[mr.b.natural]

That could also lead to a lot of confusion on their end.  I've been hearing about W-9 problems a lot lately.  I guess I did have a little trouble at first but it was worked out and I haven't gotten any requests for more W-9s.  Strange.  It must take them a while to process them and then reflect that on the site.  Other parts of the site haven't been updating very well either.  Like the iRiff front page.

You know, if they would post more stuff on the forums they could spare themselves a lot of private emails.  Rather than having a dozen people sending emails all the time about W-9s and uploading and whatnot they could just explain things on their end for everyone to see.  Part of what we find so frustrating is the mystery and pointless speculating about why the system isn't working smoothly. 

It also just occurred to me that we're kinda dealing with two entities here.  Legend Films and Rifftrax are linked and judging from the checks and email addresses Legend Films handles the more clerical side of things.  Maybe part of the problem lies in that.  I don't know, again I'm ass-pulling.  Either way I would say it’s a safe bet that your upload problems are technical in nature.  I don't suppose you have the computer program "System Mechanic?"  I have that and it is always causing trouble when it comes interacting with the outside world through the net.  For example, it wouldn't let me update IE7 to IE8 which eventually grew into a huge problem.  I had to manually rename a file before it would let me.  And now I notice that my computer won't let me save any of the files I try to download from the "My Files" section of my account and a security update from Microsoft won’t install.  My leading suspect?  System Mechanic.  I both love and hate that program...