NGC messes up again............

[branchmints]

Protest comment - I tried to upload a blue coin to the blue coin thread, but my high quality images, that used to be able to be uploaded SUCCESSFULLY on the old NGC boards, are now too large.  So unfortunately, I cannot contribute to that thread as much as I would like to.  Thanks NGC for your progressive advances to the boards.......  NGC continues to lose the PR battle with ATS and this is just another example of how they are shooting theirselves in the foot. Oh well, I tried to get involved here, but without being able to post images that I could before, I guess not.

Best, SH

[MarkFeld]

If you are sincere about wanting to contribute, why not post a smaller image?

[TomB]

While it is a pain-in-the-butt to limit images to less than 500kb, or thereabouts, threads like this might not add much to the solution if they aren't seen by NGC.  Currently, there appear to be at least two sub-forums where your observation/complaint/rant might resonate better with those who may be able to change the parameters or characteristics of the message boards.  There is the Change Requests and Voting sub-forum as well as the Message Boards Feedback/Suggestions sub-forum.

Regardless, most computers contain software that allows one to reduce the file size of images and this might be a nice thing to know how to do, when needed.

[physics-fan3.14]

On the Registry, you are able to upload files of anysize and the software will automatically downsize them to the required limit. If they can do it on the registry, seems like they should be able to do it here as well. 

Photobucket really sucks, but they do also have an automatic downscaler available for anything hosted there. 

[Keigwin]

With storage today so cheap, easy to manage, and widely available it's shocking that images are restricted to 450k. I'm surprised there is any limit at all. Forum software can resize to keep posts sensible.

Yes, it is possible to reduce the data-size of an image by lowering its quality. But that makes no sense. Why would anyone want to degrade their photos? And it's just another step to take.

I hope NGC comes to their senses on this.

Lance.

[Architecht]

On 2/25/2017 at 8:01 AM, branchmints said:

Protest comment - I tried to upload a blue coin to the blue coin thread, but my high quality images, that used to be able to be uploaded SUCCESSFULLY on the old NGC boards, are now too large.  So unfortunately, I cannot contribute to that thread as much as I would like to.  Thanks NGC for your progressive advances to the boards.......  NGC continues to lose the PR battle with ATS and this is just another example of how they are shooting theirselves in the foot. Oh well, I tried to get involved here, but without being able to post images that I could before, I guess not.

Best, SH

Hi all,

We actually raised the limit when we moved to the new boards from 200k to 450k.

I'm curious what exactly is happening that you are unable to upload things now that you used to be able to upload. Both the intent, and the physical change to restrictions all should have resulted in you being able to upload more / bigger images. Can you tell me more specifically what happens? What device are you using to upload? Is there anything unusual going on when you try it, such as attaching an image, removing it and attaching another one?

By the way, we may raise the size restriction even more, but I wanted to see how the new servers reacted to the load without changing too many variables. However, either way what you should be experiencing now is MORE ability to upload, not less.

[Davids5104]

I just attempted to take a picture of a Jefferson nickel.  I used the lowest resolution my PHONE has.  It was 2048*1152 as a JPEG on a Samsung Galaxy S5.  The image size is 663KB for one side of the coin.  its says things like focal length of 4.8mm for the file info.  The next resolution up was double that.  I find it annoying to take a photo with phone or tablet or even my camera attached to PC and have to do anything to it to post here except select the image.  Space isnt free but the happy medium is not 200, 450, or 600 kb, IMO.

[BillJones]

This is the first time this has been mentioned. It's been discussed ATS.

There were a lot of roll-out problems ATS, and they have been resolved. Maybe that will be true here, but the more barriers the less likely the "old hards" are going to return. I have now had to change my "favorites" are twice to access these boards. That should not have happened the first time, let alone the second.

[Architecht]

On 2/27/2017 at 5:27 PM, Davids5104 said:

I just attempted to take a picture of a Jefferson nickel.  I used the lowest resolution my PHONE has.  It was 2048*1152 as a JPEG on a Samsung Galaxy S5.  The image size is 663KB for one side of the coin.  its says things like focal length of 4.8mm for the file info.  The next resolution up was double that.  I find it annoying to take a photo with phone or tablet or even my camera attached to PC and have to do anything to it to post here except select the image.  Space isnt free but the happy medium is not 200, 450, or 600 kb, IMO.

Do you guys feel we need images that big in terms of pixel dimensions for the boards, or is it more that we just want to make it easy to attach and upload without having to mess around resizing it? We have some features we can work with to automatically reduce the images for you. The question is just what is a big enough image to serve the needs of posting it?

[rrantique]

25 minutes ago, Architecht said:

Do you guys feel we need images that big in terms of pixel dimensions for the boards, or is it more that we just want to make it easy to attach and upload without having to mess around resizing it? We have some features we can work with to automatically reduce the images for you. The question is just what is a big enough image to serve the needs of posting it?

I just think a feature that automatically reduces the image to fit forum format would be sufficient.

[bstrauss3]

For GTG we want to be able to pull down the image and look at it at 100%. For everything else, scaled to fit the typical 1920x1080 screen (whatever the width of the message element is) would be sufficient.

[casman]

They'll get things worked out in time. 

You want to talk about messed up, that place ATS has a mistake in their "Contact US" link, Yes the number customers call for service.  

Their contact us link when clicked directs to a different 800 number that rings busy 24/7. 

I informed them and do you think I'd get a Thanks...

Nope, instead I got bammed and my post deleted.  I bet they still won't fix it.  Try it for yourself on a android phone, go to their home page, scroll to the bottom, where it shows contact us, hit it with your finger and it'll pull up calling mode with the number pre-filled...except it's not the right number.

 

Whelp, 2 days after informing them their phone number was messed up they corrected their broken dead end link.  Someone tell them I said You're Welcome. 

[Conder101]

You got bammed for telling them they had their phone number wrong?  That might beat the lame reason they bammed me for.

[numisport]

Test post with image

[numisport]

Okay now it seems easy

[rrantique]

[Davids5104]

ease of uploading is all i am interested in.  too many hoops to post a picture.  if you can resize the image please do.  I do not want to upload to coin collective and have to copy over to here.

[jtryka]

My iphone let's me save in multiple sizes, so I former used the small or medium to get under the 200k limit, but now I can go medium to large with the new limit.  Never seemed to be an issue before, but then again I am not a tech expert by any stretch.

[jtryka]

14 hours ago, bstrauss3 said:

For GTG we want to be able to pull down the image and look at it at 100%. For everything else, scaled to fit the typical 1920x1080 screen (whatever the width of the message element is) would be sufficient.

I agree with this, I hate when images are posted that are ginormous size and just screw up the thread...

[leeg]

I think 800 x 800 is about as large as you want to go.  The only concern with that is for larger image close-ups showing possible error coin ID, die markers, etc.

 

[bsshog40]

I think a software that reduces automatically to fit the forum would be great. I do 99% of my posting from my note, not a pc. It would be nice just to take a pic and upload from there. I tried uploading my original photo of this coin but wouldn't let me due to size. The one that did show was uploaded to another site, automatically recuced to size. I had to copy and save it from the other site to post here. 

[thebeav]

I don't post too many photos, but I also didn't like scrolling East to West when trying to view a large one.  Automatic re-sizing sounds like the way  to go.

[Architecht]

Well, we've been working with the settings in the new boards to try to hit the right balance of file size and storage management with ease of use for the board members.

Right now here is how it works, and I'd encourage you to try it and offer feedback:

1. Any size image up to 100MB can be uploaded, so you should just about never see a "too big" warning
2. When you upload an image the system will do the following:
   1. Reduce and save the image to a maximum size of 1250x1250 on the server
   2. Display the image in the post at 900x900 with an ability to click on the image to view it larger and a link in the lower left to view it full size

See how it feels and let us know.

Thanks!

 

[bsshog40]

I would think that would work just fine Arch. What others may want to think about is thier upload speeds when uploading large pics also. . It's usually slower than download speeds. Just fyi

[BillJones]

Resizing is a pain the neck because you end up with duplicate images on your computer file, and you have to deal Photobucket, which has been become a pain. Photobucket is now linked to Facebook, and uploading new photographs has became a multipart process. I suppose I could pay them for their site and get rid of some the problems, but almost not worth it. I only use Photobucket for photos here and one other site. You don't need it for the PCGS site any more and that is wonderful.

P.S. Maybe the "drag file" feature replaces Photobucket. That would be a tremendous step in the right direction.

[Keigwin]

That sounds great, Architecht! I'll give it a try here.

These are typical 600x600 pixel images, a pretty common size for forum posting.

Lance.

 

[rrantique]

Works like a charm Thanks Arch.