DivX's Stage6 Set to Go Dark Today
Eleven months ago, DivX launched the beta of Stage6 as a showcase for DivX-encoded content. And a showcase it was--my colleague Danny Allen found much to like about Stage6 when he reviewed it last year; it came in second in our Top 10 Video Sharing sites list.
With Stage6, DivX developed community around that content--ostensibly user-generated original content, but you could often find excerpts from broadcast television, including Doctor Who episodes. And the company says it tried to keep the site afloat, but in the end, the costs and resources didn't match DivX's own direction.
In a post on Stage6's blog, a company employee notes, "We created Stage6 with the mission of empowering content creators and viewers to discover a new kind of video experience. Stage6 began as an experiment, and we always knew there was a chance that it might not succeed...We couldn't continue to run Stage6 and focus on our broader strategy to make it possible for anyone to enjoy high-quality video on any device."
Last summer DivX announced it was trying to market and sell a set-top box that would connect to your TV and tie into Stage6 content...and that effort apparently didn't take off. Presumbably, the concept of yet another extra box in the living room had limited appeal when shopped around to potential hardware manufacturers. (Color me shocked.)
But the failure of DivX to make a viable go of Stage6 underscores the
ephemeral nature of the Web. Sure, we still have AtomFilms and iFilm, but both are under the corporate umbrella of MTV Networks Entertainment Group. And phenom YouTube is under Google.
Companies make decisions that are best for companies, not for their users. So while I'd like to think that content archived on the Web can truly be considered as archived, what happens five years from now? Ten years from now? Will this content still be accessible--just like that novel you'd find in the library--or will it be gone, digital dust in the wind?
Stage6 admittedly never reached the heights of say YouTube, and never billed itself as an archive. But whither the content? Will it scatter to other sites? And will anyone ever find it again? And if they can't, is there a point to posting to begin with if all you're going to enjoy is the immediate hit today? All points to consider in this increasingly Web-centric world.
What do you think?
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The worst part about the decision to close Stage6 with 4 days notice is the (assumed) decision to close their message boards so quickly as well.
Yes the videos are enjoyable, but I've met a lot of people with similar interests and a love of video (both commercial and self-produced). To cut off my communication with those people with such short notice may be within their rights, but it's cruel (I really feel sorry for someone who's been on vacation this week and may not log on until after Stage6 is closed).
I understand the costs in providing the bandwidth, the lawsuit risks for potential downloads of copyrighted material, but closing the forums is forcing thousands (tens of thousands?) of people to SCRAMBLE to figure how to keep in touch with online friends in less than 96 hours.
Maybe the powers-that-be will realize the importance this community and keep the boards going for awhile longer.
The cost to keep a message board running? Tiny. The goodwill? Priceless!
ES6
Actually, in regards to DivX's drive to market and sell a set-top box, I believe you are mistaken.
DivX has developed a technology platform called DivX Connected that is capable of being integrated into a variety of current home devices. D-Link was the first to release a DivX Connected product Europe in November 2007.
Since it is a platform and not an actual device the DivX is selling, technically that means that consumers won't have to buy yet another box....
Makes you wonder about the mantra - if there's a demand, there will be supply. Stage6 managed to convince a lot of people that "high" quality streaming video was possible with existing broadband infrastructure, and it managed to attract a significant number of active users. The outcome, I think, was that DivX really gained visibility as a brand and given the quality, a great degree of brand loyalty was cultivated. Shutting down with such short notice just points to how cheap loyalty has become. I would like to imagine that after this action committed users would just abandon DivX altogether. But that's not going to happen.
WAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.... I loved Stage6 a lot better than Veoh.... =(