Sample on the main page plays automatically

[AmandaGal]

Couldn't new people just click the play button?  I thought it was generally considered bad web design to have a video / music play automatically when you enter a site.  Hope this doesn't scare people off.

I don't think it's a big a faux pas as it used to be.  In the age of dial-up I would agree with you there.  The majority of people have broadband now. 

Some people will tell you that you should 100% never do it.  Some people will say it depends on the site and situation.  It all depends on which expert you ask. 

I was reading an article the other day that said video and audio are a way to capture the underserviced portion of consumers.  It said that people who are readers and more "cognitive" types are in the minority.  When you add audio and video, you get to please those people who are visual and kinetic.  You get customers who would have otherwise shut the window and never looked back.

I've also read things that say some people aren't savy enough to click a video unless it's blantly obvious what to do, which I've seen on my own sites.  They'll be on a page for videos and email and ask me for a video.   Uh, it's on the freakin' page you're on you n00b

I've also read experts that say automatically loading content is never a good idea, even in the age of broadband.  I tend to agree with them but I admit to being more of the "cognitive" reader type than the visual type so it makes it hard for me to understand why ANYONE would want to but those people do exist.  I think perhaps the experts that shun that type of content are also cognitive reader types.

You really have to match your audience.  I don't think there are hard and fast rules in this brave new digital world.

[dragavan]

I'm actually way more likely to watch ads that play automatically ... there is a catch however, the video is supposed to be silent, with a "turn sound on" button. 

I completely agree with this one. I HATE audio that automatically plays on any site and will usually just close the window instantly (The main reason I refuse to open any link to a MySpace page any more). Having the animation play automatically is fine, but you have really should have to choose to turn he sound on.

And I joined the forums just to comment on this point, if that tells you how strongly I feel about this.

[Bairman]

It's much less annoying now that the samples are randomized.

[dragavan]

It's much less annoying now that the samples are randomized.

Which is like saying a poke in the eye is much less horrible when done with a finger than a stick... Either way I don't want a poke in the eye.

[torgosPizza]

It could be worse. We could be offering you a free iPod Nano. At least our video is, well ... RiffTrax-related.

[Brak]

It could be worse. We could be offering you a free iPod Nano. At least our video is, well ... RiffTrax-related.

That's the way that i look at it. I usually just to straight to the forums anyway and don't even look at the homepage.

[thecrazyd]

Yes, it could be worse, but it could also be better, which is why I gave this feedback.

[Chaos]

I get where you guys are going with the auto-playing video, and understand the intent...

But I just want to throw in along with the others to say that I absolutely loathe and despise any site that auto-plays anything with sound (or, frankly, auto-playing flash even if it's silent). I don't LIKE my screen being cluttered, or my browseingexperience being controlled by the whims of the site I am currently visiting. When I visit a site for the first time and it throws a flash ad in my face or plays a video or sound clip, I'm more likely to close the site and never come back than stick around and see what the site has to offer.

[AmandaGal]

Don't knock the free iPod ads.  I've actually really received two free iPods that way (an old one and then an iPod video later).  My friends and I all got them.

Well, it wasn't actually an ad, it was a website but I assume the occasionally post ads somewhere. It's not the same ones that make you fill out 20 CC applications.

[bettertomorrowamy]

It's not the same ones that make you fill out 20 CC applications.

These are the ads they are talking about though. 

Yeah, the audio is very annoying when it plays without my permission.

[Kzinistzerg]

I get where you guys are going with the auto-playing video, and understand the intent...

But I just want to throw in along with the others to say that I absolutely loathe and despise any site that auto-plays anything with sound (or, frankly, auto-playing flash even if it's silent). I don't LIKE my screen being cluttered, or my browseingexperience being controlled by the whims of the site I am currently visiting. When I visit a site for the first time and it throws a flash ad in my face or plays a video or sound clip, I'm more likely to close the site and never come back than stick around and see what the site has to offer.

I ahev to agree here. Those clips are starting to get really annoying.

[gammer]

I'm sure its already been mentioned, but it slows everything down as its downloading the clip.
Before I could hit the main page and click a link and I'm off and running.
Now, the main page loads slowly and when I click a link I 'actually' have to wait several seconds for the next page to appear.

[bryak]

Glad to see I'm not alone.  I was just coming to complain about this.

Unsolicited sound is my problem.  It's that mad dash for the mute button at the office that I hate.

Auto-load, fine.  Auto-play, perhaps.  Auto-sound, never!

The eye is naturally attracted to moving things, so I think that having auto-play with a quick click to turn on the sound is a pretty good option; especially because nothing else on the frontpage moves.

Auto-sound is enough of an annoyance to stop me from clicking links to certain news sites.

I'd hate it if I had to start buying my Rifftrax from some other legitimate Rifftrax source. 

[bettertomorrowamy]

I'd hate it if I had to start buying my Rifftrax from some other legitimate Rifftrax source. 

That's just stupid.  Just bookmark the catalog page and go right there.   

[torgosPizza]

I'm sure its already been mentioned, but it slows everything down as its downloading the clip.
Before I could hit the main page and click a link and I'm off and running.
Now, the main page loads slowly and when I click a link I 'actually' have to wait several seconds for the next page to appear.

I am considering loading the previews onto our Legend Films media server, and setting the sound to mute (but still auto play). That should appease those of you who don't like sound on their webpage, and should also help with load time.