[On another note, there's also a HD 1280x720 resolution version for a while now. NO, it's not HQ, it's much better. And clicking on the HQ link won't get you this either. More info on this at the end.]
About time I'd say, black bars at the top, and too much wasted empty space at website's sides. But to tell the truth, most videos still aren't widescreen (esp home videos). But professionally produced videos like movie trailers, game trailers, n most animes are in widescreen now... so it's better to move on.
Announced here >> http://www.youtube.com/blog?entry=0i22UDAOfj8
But one more thing... the embed code still defaults to 4:3 aspect ratio.
So... what to do but manually adjust them... though it's not exactly 16:9, hehe.
And to commemorate this, i've digged out these 4 MVs that are available in HQ.
02 给我一首歌的时间 (Spare me a song's worth of time)
This one reeks of Usher... ugh. But his moves were smooth and the song itself is my favorite. Female lead is the same one from 阳光宅男 (Sunny Otaku).
03 蛇舞 (Snake dance)
The "Queen" is Lara from 南拳媽媽. Also duet-ed with Jay in 珊瑚海 (Coral sea). I expected this video to be "hotter"... oh well. Check out the "蛇" character when it appears at the beginning and the end... haha, very cute.
06 说好的幸福呢 (Where is our promised happiness?)
Poor female lead had to run around barefooted in the cold weather (a storm was approaching when the filming of MV took place). Gotta love the decos around the piano.
11 稻香 (Paddy fragrance)
And so far only 01 龙战骑士 (Dragon Warriors), 04 花海 (Flower ocean) and 08 流浪诗人 (Wandering poet) are left without MVs. The others are readily searchable at YouTube.
Check out...
- 05 魔术先生 (Mr. Magician) and 10 乔克叔叔 (Uncle Joker). They are "back to back" MVs, since these two follow the Magician vs Joker theme, and share the same stage in the MV, literally. Watch Jay flirt with chicks in 乔克叔叔 and also dressed up as a clown, swinging around.
- 07 兰亭序 (Preface to the Orchid Pavilion) is a disappointment from 青花瓷 (Blue and White Porcelain), 发如雪 (Hair like snow), and 东风破 (East wind breaks) due to its simplicity. White background!! Simple sets!!? nooo...
- 09 时光机 (Time machine) is another interesting one. Featuring the main characters from Doraemon (except the robotic cat himself) and the drawer time machine. VERY cute!!
YouTube HD
To link to a video that is HD 1280x720, just append "&fmt=22" to the end of a YouTube link. And for those who don't know yet, add "&fmt=18" to link to HQ.
For example...
- Original link >> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62io5Jj-QaI
- HQ link >> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62io5Jj-QaI&fmt=18
- HD link >> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62io5Jj-QaI&fmt=22
- Most videos aren't 1280x720 ofcoz, adding "&fmt=22" won't give u HD, and it will default to the low quality ver.
- Watch these videos fullscreen!!!
- Older processors might struggle with playing these videos.
Just look at the Japanese characters when fullscreened, they don't lose any details at all. It looks better than normal divx/xvid .avi version. THIS, is the result of using H.264 codec.
And how about... zombies...? Left4Dead's AWESOME intro movie from the game itself, in HD. Turn off the lights, plop in your headphones, watch it full screen!!!!
Oyeah.
