Facebook is getting in on the remove old stored videos trains. I wouldn't think that Facebook would be hurting in the storage cost area as Twitch announced that they are going to be removing video highlights and uploaded videos. For Facebook doing this as their market share in the live streaming space is basically non-existent. Beginning February 19, 2025, live videos will be kept on your Facebook Page or profile for 30 days after they’re published, during which you can share replays or clips as reels, delete, or download the videos. After 30 days, you’ll no longer be able to access your video, and it’ll be automatically removed from your Page or profile and deleted from Meta servers. Upcoming changes to how Live videos are stored

Hey Hulk here!

With new and upcoming platforms, the one hurdle to get over is to release an API. This allows third parties access to your platform to extend the functionality of what each live streamer on your platform can offer to their viewers. From chatbots that provide timers for promoting your Discord or a promo code for a partner you're involved with. Adding a tab into your channel page to show off your merch products from places like Fourthwall. All of this is possible from the platforms opening up some of their systems to these outside sources. What I'm attempting to do is to gather these integrations for LiveSpace, Owncast, and Shareplay. Using our forums as the place for this dynamic thread for creators to find these products all within an easy-to-find place. Community members within the forums can add items that I've missed from the onset all within the same thread. Those missing items will then be added to the first post to increase the exposure for these services further. For LiveSpace LiveSpace Integrations Going to work on gathering a dynamic listing of the available integrations for use within LiveSpace. This can be chatbots, third-party integrations, and anything else that can help bring interactivity to a streamer’s channels. If you know of anything that is missing from this list, please replay in this thread and I’ll add It to the first post. Chatbots: Botrix - https://botrix.live/ Third-Party: Fourthwall - https://fourthwall.com/ Alerts: Streamlabs - https://streamlabs.com/ For Owncast Owncast Integrations Will be working on collecting the integrations that are available for streamers using Owncast. This is a dynamic thread and so if I am missing anything, please post in this thread and I’ll add it to the first post. Integrations: Owncast Tip Jar - Glitch :･ﾟ✧ Emoji Wall - Glitch :･ﾟ✧

LiveSpace continues to brings out new updates, seems like its every week or every other week. Let's take a look at the latest updates that came out so far for LiveSpace. OAuth Wanting to connect your LiveSpace account with your favorite external apps are now possible thanks to LiveSpace bringing OAuth into the mix. They're also asking if you're wanting to develope for LiveSpace to email them at contact@live.space for API information. Screenshot-2024-03-07-at-5.04.05-PM.png Offline Info Editing The great thing about live streaming platforms and services, are the ability to edit the stream title, category, and tags that are relavent to that particular stream. For the case of LiveSpace, you couldn't do that for a while until today. Now, you're able to set up the title, category, and tags before you go live. This is a great quality of life update that might appear to be small but, is huge for creators. Screenshot-2024-03-07-at-5.04.41-PM.png New Discovery When looking through the categories of LiveSpace, one would see a large amount of live streams going on at the moment. With the new discovery feature within categories, you can now see the trending tags displayed above, next to the category name. This dynamic feature gives you, at a quick glance, the latest trending tags within that category. Screenshot-2024-03-07-at-5.05.10-PM.png

Recently announced via their Discord server, Shareplay is now available to be selected as a destination within the service selector in OBS. Now, no more do you have to rely on the custom destination and input the stream URL. There's that easy selection, which also comes with server selections for you to choose that are closer to your location, from for Shareplay. It's a great thing to see that improvements are being pushed out for creators within the Shareplay service. Even for a much smaller team, they can provide a level of service to their live streamers that are being asked for and to help things be that much better for them.

There are many features that people have requested within the LiveSpace Discord server. Going to look through a few of these, and I might even agree with them all that these features are needed. End stream after OBS stops transmitting. From R0g3rw4bb17 - I've seen happen on Livespace a lot and it seems like more like a bug than a feature because of someone comes to livespace and sees it, I think it's a bad look overall. A lot of streamers forget to hit "End" when their stream is done and a stream will technically look like it has kept running. I just saw a stream that went on for 61 hours but clearly the person who was streaming had already left their channel. It would be nice and better for the site as a whole, in my opinion, if this was fixed. Maybe have something in place where, if the streamer hasn't been transmitting from OBS for the last 5 minutes, that the stream ends. If a toggle isn't on, then once OBS stops transmitting after maybe 15 seconds, the stream ends immediately They posted for LiveSpace to automatically end when there are no more encoding streams from OBS. Currently, the way to end a stream within LiveSpace is to go to your Now Live page and click on the magenta End button. I do have to agree that this is sorely needed. There have been many times when I forget to hit that button and realize the next day or so that the “stream” is still ongoing, many hours later. Better Analytics on Dashboard From Hadrael - I'm sure it's on the way, but just wanted to make a post about it. Right now the analytics on the dashboard are not good and don't really give us any useful information. Here are some of my suggestions, I'd like to be able to look at stats over a selected amount of time and see: Average Viewers, Follows, Subscriptions, Time Streamed, Minutes Watched, and Impressions. I'd also like to see individual stats for streams and also stats for posts on the feed. The one thing that I love from YouTube, is the massive amount of analytics that is available to you as a creator. I agree Hadreal in that I would love to see more analytics for our live streams, bounce rate, how long people watch a stream, clicks on links within our profiles, along with subs and follow rates. VOD Embeds on Websites From 2TonWaffle - As VOD storage is being setup for LS+, it would be ideal to also include the option for our VODs to be embeddable on other websites and communities. This would provide the ability for us to share out our VODs elsewhere and further enhance the outreach of Live Space. Yep, I agree Be able to schedule posts on your profile From OBG - As a creator I schedule some of my content to be posted on FB/Twitter and Insta. It'd be great to have this feature on our profiles so we can auto post content and schedule things in advance? This is great, nice to have a feature for the platform. It would be great to have several posts ready to go in the feed that is scheduled. This would be ideal as it would offer the creator another way that provide organization all within LiveSpace. Many of us already use Trello, Notion, or ClickUp to be organized. While this is true for most, it’s not that way for many others. To see LiveSpace offer some like scheduled posts would help out those that haven’t made that connection for organization. Embed videos from Platforms other than YouTube From Coreyartus - Is there a possibility of enabling the YouTube link for sharing videos on posts to allow for other video platforms? I'm using a PeerTube instance as my archival video site now and would love to be able to share my speedpaint videos of artwork I've done during my LiveSpace livestreams from that site rather than YouTube. This, so much this! There have been several times I wanted to share a great video into LiveSpace, only to find out I’m hitting that wall. I understand YouTube is the king of video hosting so, to have their links be a priority. Other places host videos like Vimeo and PeerTube and would love to have the ability to share content from them into LiveSpace. There are many more You can find many more ideas for potential features for LiveSpace, but I can’t cover them all in one post. The one thing you have to give LiveSpace is that can move and innovate faster than the incumbent. I would highly suggest you at least give LiveSpace a look into what it can offer for you as a viewer and even as a creator. Find more feature requests and join the community by visiting the LiveSpace Discord server by clicking [here].

For many independent content creators, YouTube has long been the dominant platform for growing an audience and generating income from videos. However, relying solely on YouTube ads and monetization comes with risks as algorithm changes and policy updates are always looming. In this article, we will explore a variety of alternative methods creators can use to generate revenue and diversify their income streams beyond just YouTube. Patreon and Ko-Fi for Direct Fan Support Two popular crowdfunding platforms that have emerged as effective ways for creators to get direct financial support from their most engaged super fans are Patreon and Ko-Fi. With Patreon, creators can offer exclusive "patron-only" content like behind-the-scenes extras, early access to videos before public release, or exclusive live-streamed events in exchange for monthly pledges from supporters. Payment tiers can be tailored to the types of rewards offered at each level of support. Ko-Fi takes a simpler approach as a free service where fans can send one-time "tips" to a creator through individualized payment buttons added to blogs, YouTube descriptions, and more. Both Patreon and Ko-Fi allow creators to build reliable monthly income while also publicly recognizing their most generous supporters. This helps foster a sense of community around the content and gives fans a way to directly contribute financially with each new piece of work they enjoy. Sponsored Content Partnerships Another monetization method that scales with audience size and engagement is bringing on sponsors for individual videos or a series of videos. Getting started, creators can apply to join multichannel networks (MCNs) like Freedom! that help place them in sponsored content deals, usually involving read-along promotions in exchange for payment. However, it's also possible to pitch brands directly once a sizable following is built. Sponsored videos require disclosing the sponsorship upfront per FTC guidelines but allow brands to authentically integrate their products within the style and genre of content. Rates can vary significantly based on follower count and types of deliverables involved like social media posts. Ensuring sponsor messaging aligns with the taste and interests of the fanbase is key to keeping viewer trust. Livestreams for Tips and Subscriptions Just like top YouTube entertainers, content creators with engaging video styles can leverage live streaming to build authentic connections and monetization. Platforms like YouTube and Twitch let streamers charge monthly channel subscriptions, which retain viewers through exclusive subscriber chat rooms and other perks. Live audiences also freely send one-time tips or donations via services like Streamlabs. While live streams require an ongoing time commitment, regular interactions help foster devoted fan communities. Scheduling streams on a repeating basis lets subscribers make them part of their routine and look forward to coming back each week. Over time, dedicated streamers can earn substantial recurring income this way from a regular live audience without relying on ads alone. Merchandising Products Content about specific topics, hobbies, or companies naturally lends itself to merchandise sales. Podcasters, YouTubers, and bloggers promote branded wearables, accessories, book deals, and other physical products related to their expertise in online stores. Sites like Redbubble, Teespring, and Fanjoy handle printing, fulfillment, and transaction processing for YouTubers focused on apparel, mugs, or accessories. Merch sales have a higher upfront cost than digital content but provide ongoing passive income as loyal supporters proudly represent their favorite creators. Unique product designs or collaborations are more memorable than standard apparel offerings as well. Selling CDs, books, or other peripherals related to their body of work gives creators complete ownership of intellectual property from that revenue stream. Paid Online Courses and Membership Sites For educational, self-help, or instructional content, creators can offer their expertise through paid online course platforms like Thinkific, Kajabi, or Teachable. Pre-recorded video lessons remain accessible to paying students at any time and provide evergreen value after initial development. Courses allow niche experts to charge for personalized certifications or tutorials outside of YouTube’s reach. Some creators take the next step up by building their own members-only websites offering exclusive course libraries, training programs, or coaching content beyond what’s available for free online. Annual subscriptions paid upfront for access may include downloadable workbooks, project templates, and private online communities for ongoing support between “lessons.” High-level memberships allow creators more control and larger profit margins. Freelance Writing and Consulting Monetizing online video platforms alone isn’t sustainable long-term for many. Leveraging subject matter knowledge and audience connections off-platform expands income potential through freelance writing, consulting, public speaking, and business coaching related to the niche. Creators offer expertise to brands, publications, or individual entrepreneurs seeking guidance in areas like content strategy, social media marketing, or business development. This additional revenue stream adds diversification while providing an outlet for written or verbal communication skills outside of video. It further establishes thought leadership and authority in the niche for attracting future sponsor partnerships or paid promotion opportunities online. Regular columns, white papers, and eBooks can extend the value of hard-earned knowledge and sell for years. Recurring Revenue is King Clearly, diversifying into multiple monetization models spreads risk and takes advantage of different revenue streams. However, the most empowering and lucrative methods like fan contributions, online courses, memberships, subscriptions, and high-end consulting opportunities share a common thread - they generate recurring monthly or annual revenue through direct, tribally-supported business models outside the volatility of ad markets or algorithm changes on YouTube alone. With the right multi-pronged approach, content creators can build sustainable creative careers funded directly by dedicated audiences without investor pressures or reliance on the whims of social media platforms. Whether using their skills to inform, entertain, or educate others, independent-minded creatives hold the power to take control of their monetization potential beyond any single website. This allows focusing energy on the joy of the craft over artificial metrics or overt commercialization alone.

I have made the decision in moving our forums over to a new software stack. Utilizing NodeBB as the new forums will have the great benefit of being integrated with ActivityPub. My belief is that this will help in bringing new eyes on to the content, threads, and posts as they will be viewable within Mastodon, Lemmy, and other Fediverse places. I still love Invision Community and will be looking for a project that would be fitting within the system here. For the 2TonWaffle community I believe in that by using NodeBB will help it out. Add in the fact of being part of the Fediverse and open source itself, would be a great avenue in being part of the wider community. For the cons which are a few. Unfortunately there isn't a converter that I could use to take all of the posts and threads and have them put into NodeBB forum. What this meant is that I manually copied and pasted the users and their associated emails over to the new forums and was in the process of moving some threads when I realized in the amount of work it would be. I have copied over most if not all of the General Discussion section and even changed out the thread owners if they were made by our other members. What I'll probably do is take some time and eventually copy over the rest of the threads but, going forward the new forums are essentially starting fresh. Would love to see you over on our new forums, if you had an account here you may need to do a password reset and/or confirm your emails. https://2tonwaffle.forum

There's been requests for YouTube to offer a cheaper, ad-free viewing tier than what they currently offer and it appears that YouTube will be putting out a potentially, cheaper option for YouTube Premium. How much will it cost is anyone's guess but it should be lower than the current $13.99 offering that is available right now. Do you use YouTube Premium and would you switch to the lower cost option when it becomes available? https://techcrunch.com/2025/02/21/youtube-reportedly-launching-new-premium-lite-tier-soon/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=threads

Quick Summary: The original article explores how modern content creators have become increasingly dependent on major social media platforms, trading their independence for convenience and ready-made audiences. It highlights the risks of this dependency and offers strategies for building platform independence. Remember when exploring the internet felt like an endless adventure? I sure do. As someone who's witnessed the evolution of online communities, I can't help but feel nostalgic for those days of organic discovery – jumping from one fascinating forum to another, finding incredible niche communities passionate about everything under the sun. Today, I see a very different digital landscape. Content creators, myself included, have largely retreated into what I call the "comfortable caves" of major social platforms. We've traded the thrill of digital exploration for the predictability of algorithm-driven feeds on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Twitter. The Golden Handcuffs Are Real Let's be honest – these platforms are incredibly seductive. With TikTok's billion-plus monthly active users, who wouldn't be tempted? I've seen countless creators, friends, and colleagues build impressive followings overnight thanks to these powerful algorithms. It's like having a marketing team working for you 24/7. But here's the scary part I've witnessed firsthand: this convenience comes with invisible chains. One morning, you wake up to an algorithm change, and suddenly, your reach drops by 80%. I've seen successful creators reduced to tears when their primary platform faced regulatory challenges or technical issues. The TikTok Panic: A Wake-Up Call The recent TikTok ban scare really hit home for me. For 14 nerve-wracking hours, I watched creators frantically scrambling to save their digital livelihoods. It was like watching digital refugees trying to evacuate their online homes, and it made me realize just how precarious our situation had become. Breaking Free: Building Your Digital Home Through my experience and observations, I've developed what I call the "Digital Homestead" approach: Build Your Foundation: Start with a simple website – it's your digital home that no one can take away. Diversify Your Presence: Use social media as satellites, not your main base of operations. Own Your Audience Connection: Focus on building an email list – it's still the most reliable way to reach your people. Create Multiple Income Streams: Never put all your eggs in one platform's basket. The Path Forward I believe we're at a crucial turning point in the creator economy. The most successful creators won't be those with the biggest follower counts, but those who've built sustainable, independent digital ecosystems. Remember, every step toward platform independence is a step toward true creative freedom. Start small, but start today. The digital landscape will continue to change, but your independence doesn't have to. Original Article: To read Josh Bailey's complete analysis of platform independence and digital wanderlust, visit the original post at 2TonWaffle.

Apple released their announcement for the new iMacs today. They are bringing in new colors (which I think have been the same since before), updated internals with the M4 chips, and higher memory. https://youtu.be/eaB7nCdId0Y

It's just not Verizon FiosTV that is losing paid subs, it's been happening all over the industry. Paid TV subscriptions are losing their appeal when pricing continues to rise year over year, sometimes twice a year. People are getting tired of the number of ads and even the quality of programming is getting worse. There are only so many cheap reality TV shows one can watch and almost all of the channels produce slight variations of them. https://cordcuttersnews.com/verizon-fios-tv-continues-to-hemorrhage-subscribers-as-cord-cutting-accelerates/

Ok, HBO...I mean Max...whatever. You've hooked me and have my interest piqued for this new series. https://youtu.be/CzVHWNosS2o

It's not like we need any more proof that twitter (yes, I'm purposefully not using the proper case for its name) is a vile dumping ground of rage-bait, hate filled, bots, and just about everything under the sun, a depressing, place to be. At its core twitter had always had that aspect of being a socially okay place but, hid the vile parts decently enough to get by until Elon came by. I remember back in 2022 when I and quite a large number of others left to find a better place to mingle, there was a slight glimmer that maybe over time twitter could continue to be an alright place for people to converse. Unfortunately, that never came to be. I'm perfectly happy, living my life on Threads, Bluesky, and Mastodon knowing that my feed is filled with decently good quality content. I don't need to worry too much about that disgusting filth of, whatever twitter is these days. https://youtu.be/gzwVqKtLBGc

iFixit has cut off ties with smartphone maker, Samsung, which has been forcing independent repair stores to purchase only approved parts and at levels in which stores are unable to keep a decent stock. As we worked to create such a comprehensive repair foundation, we faced constant hurdles that made us question whether Samsung was really interested in making repair more accessible. We were only allowed to sell certain quantities of spare parts to repair shops, and at a price that was not commercially viable for the shops. The spare parts were so expensive that many consumers chose not to repair and instead buy new. And Samsung's Galaxy line of devices still contains a frustrating amount of adhesive, so we had to sell batteries and displays in pre-made (already glued) bundles, driving up costs. iFixit press release And a perfect video from Louis Rossman about this and other companies like Samsung. https://youtu.be/uNIcJhy8L44

Many of us in the community probably are using Windows-based software, what I would like to know is the type of software you tend to use the most and which camp it falls into. For me, I'm in both Windows and Mac which provides me a bit of duality of the software I have at my disposal. On Windows, I can use a wide number of software like Affinity products, almost all the games, and many video editing software like DaVinci Resolve. While over on Mac, I have access to many of the same software products. Affinity is possible on Mac. While gaming is not as robust as far as titles go, there are some that you can play.

It’s becoming more apparent in that the largest corporations don’t fear any repercussions from scrapping data from many large sources, like YouTube, for its own AI training data. 404Media posted recently in that they received confirmation of internal Nvidia staff Slack messages, going over which content to use to toss into their AI machine. When asked about legal and ethical aspects of using copyrighted content to train an AI model, Nvidia defended its practice as being “in full compliance with the letter and the spirit of copyright law.” Internal conversations at Nvidia viewed by 404 Media show when employees working on the project raised questions about potential legal issues surrounding the use of datasets compiled by academics for research purposes and YouTube videos, managers told them they had clearance to use that content from the highest levels of the company. Leaked Documents Show Nvidia Scraping ‘A Human Lifetime’ of Videos Per Day to Train AI - 404 Media The one thing I can see as a response to this is something we’ve already seen. Reddit entered an exclusive contract with Google that would allow the search company full access to the user-generated content within Reddit’s servers to train Google AI. It also put in a block against any other search browser that anyone trying to search for any information that might live within the walls of Reddit, has no results. There will be further siloing of these massive sites to keep just about any search browser out and to make the average internet user an experience that is severely diminished. View full article

Quick Summary: In a remarkable achievement, Pixelfed, an ethical Instagram alternative, surpassed its CA$50,000 Kickstarter goal within 24 hours, showcasing strong public support for privacy-focused, ad-free social media platforms. As someone who's grown increasingly weary of traditional social media's constant bombardment of ads and privacy concerns, I couldn't help but feel excited when I heard about Pixelfed's recent Kickstarter triumph. Let me tell you why this matters to all of us who share photos online. When I first learned about Pixelfed, I was struck by its refreshingly simple premise: a photo-sharing platform that actually respects its users. No sneaky algorithms, no data harvesting, and definitely no endless stream of ads interrupting your scrolling. It felt almost too good to be true in today's digital landscape. The platform's lightning-fast fundraising success tells me I'm not alone in craving something different. Within just 24 hours, they blew past their $34,865 goal, and the numbers keep climbing. This isn't just about money – it's about people like you and me saying, "Enough is enough" to the usual social media nonsense. What makes Pixelfed special? Let me break it down: It's completely ad-free (yes, really!) Your data stays yours (imagine that!) No mysterious algorithms deciding what you should see It's part of the Fediverse, meaning you can connect with users across different platforms I've been watching the rise of ethical social media platforms for a while now, and I have to say, this feels different. The enthusiasm around Pixelfed reminds me of the early days of social media when it was about genuine connections rather than maximizing "engagement metrics." Looking ahead, I'm optimistic about what this means for all of us. We're witnessing a shift towards social platforms that prioritize user experience over profit margins. It's refreshing to see that when given a choice, people will actively support alternatives that align with their values. Want to be part of this positive change? Here's what you can do: Check out Pixelfed's platform (it's free!) Support their Kickstarter if you're able Spread the word to friends who might be interested Join the growing community of privacy-conscious creators In my view, this is more than just another social media platform – it's a statement about the kind of digital world we want to create. And based on this Kickstarter's success, it seems many of us are ready for something better. Original article source: Read the full story at 2TonWaffle

Intel is planning on a massive layoff of its workforce, which consists of around 125,000 people. With the recent news of two of their CPU lines damaging themselves, the bad news continues to hit Intel. I for one would not be purchasing any Intel CPUs if I was in the process of upgrading my computers. Team Red has been a constant stream of good in my opinion. Intel’s on a long, long road to recovery, and over 15,000 workers will likely no longer be coming along for the ride. The chipmaker just announced it’s downsizing its workforce by over 15 percent as part of a new $10 billion cost savings plan for 2025, which Intel says will mean a headcount reduction of greater than 15,000 roles. The company currently employs over 125,000 people, so layoffs could be as many as 19,000 people. Intel is laying off over 15,000 employees and will stop all ‘non-essential work’ - The Verge

I began on this adventure last year after hearing about Blaugust from BigMickeyOcho. I have participated in other similar writing challenges, like NaNoWrimo in November. When I started looking into what Blaugust was all about, I was not convinced I could give it my all, but I did. Blaugust 2023 proved to me that focusing on being consistent in producing quality blog posts was a challenge, one that was achievable if worked on. As a new participant in this challenge, I did find that being part of the Discord server was a great resource. Not only was it a fountain of information, but, it was also a great way to see how others worked through building up their blog post content during the month. Some so many other people are freely helping others searching for help, providing resources to help out someone who might be going through some writer's block. The overall Blaugust community is highly positive and extremely helpful to newcomers and old hats. If you’ve been siting on the sidelines and not sure that running the Blaugust 2024 event is in your cards? You don’t need to be hyper-focused on doing 31 blog posts each day, you can take some time, at your pace, to work on your writing style and post format. There isn’t a wrong way or right way to produce blog posts. By looking through this year's participating sites, you’ll find that there is a giant array of differing styles and formats. It’s probably a great idea in that if you want to be part of Blaugust, add those sites in the list to an RSS Reader of your choice and read through the posts that will be coming through. Spend this year doing a few posts a week or even through the month. Setting yourself up for doing Blaugust does require some thought and pre-planning, but, you can go at your pace and your comfort level. Whatever you might choose, just remember in that Blaugust gives you the experience of creating content you can be proud of. There are no winners or losers, it’s the experience of being part of Blaugust that is the reward. View full article