deskthority

Now that 2016 is over and I've done a year of reviews every week for a year, there is the question of where to go from here. Many people have suggested getting better audio and video equipment to make the videos look and sound better - and I have responded by setting up a crowdfunding programme! Check it out:

https://www.gofundme.com/hd-mechanical-keyboard-reviews

May as well go for a 4K camera.

I still want to see a Web page or something that lists all of your boards in one place.

Chyros wrote: ↑Now that 2016 is over and I've done a year of reviews every week for a year, there is the question of where to go from here. Many people have suggested getting better audio and video equipment to make the videos look and sound better - and I have responded by setting up a crowdfunding programme! Check it out:

https://www.gofundme.com/hd-mechanical-keyboard-reviews

I've been looking for a Kishsaver, so if you have one, I'll buy it at ridiculous /r/MechMarket pricing to fund your camera effort.

Tom's Hardware isn't paying you enough for this? Can't they just give you one?

Chyros wrote: ↑and I have responded by setting up a crowdfunding programme! Check it out:

XMIT wrote: ↑Tom's Hardware isn't paying you enough for this? Can't they just give you one?

What's wrong with the sound and video as it is?

Daniel Beardsmore wrote: ↑What's wrong with the sound and video as it is?

Nothing. The TS just wants everything to be in accordance with the "latest standards", that being high-quality review videos.

XMIT wrote: ↑ Tom's Hardware isn't paying you enough for this? Can't they just give you one?

Hate to be a party pooper here as well ... On the one hand you're starting to do paid reviews on your channel and do contract work for commercial sites.

And on the other hand you're reaching back into the community to fund the equipment for your paid productions.

XMIT wrote: ↑Tom's Hardware isn't paying you enough for this? Can't they just give you one?

I do share the sentiment, to an extent. You're not looking at a ton of revenue, I'm sure, but between YouTube ads and Tom's payments it seems like buying a camera wouldn't be out of the question.

On the other hand, I'm not unfamiliar with depleted wallet syndrome. -shrugs-

Wodan wrote: ↑

XMIT wrote: ↑ Tom's Hardware isn't paying you enough for this? Can't they just give you one?

Hate to be a party pooper here as well ... On the one hand you're starting to do paid reviews on your channel and do contract work for commercial sites.

And on the other hand you're reaching back into the community to fund the equipment for your paid productions.

What contract work for commercial sites? What on earth are you talking about? xD

I'm keeping two very separate revenue streams atm. What little I get off YouTube, and it's nowhere near enough to fund this, I'm using to buy keyboards and keyboard stuff. The other is Tom's Hardware income, which is also not enough to fund this, which I'm using to literally stay alive. What's the problem you people are seeing here? :p

I wasn't aware that Tom's was your only job -- that does change things.

I think we're fine with the resolution as-is until you can buy a camera with your own cash, frankly. Higher resolution is a luxury, not a necessity. Especially when your voice and the sound matter much more than the video.

I'd be much more likely to contribute a few dollars for a nice budget microphone, if you don't have one already.

Edit: my opinion won't reflect everyone's thoughts, of course. Especially if you bring multiple forums into it and mention the campaign in a YouTube video.

I think you're getting a lukewarm reaction because you're trying to give us something we never asked for while asking for our money to do it.

Most DT members (afaik) didn't ask for high resolution video. We have, however, praised your voice. I think your commentary makes the videos great; the videos don't make the commentary great. It would make more fiscal sense to target a mic.

I'll shut up now.

Chyros wrote: ↑

Wodan wrote: ↑

XMIT wrote: ↑ Tom's Hardware isn't paying you enough for this? Can't they just give you one?

Hate to be a party pooper here as well ... On the one hand you're starting to do paid reviews on your channel and do contract work for commercial sites.

And on the other hand you're reaching back into the community to fund the equipment for your paid productions.

What contract work for commercial sites? What on earth are you talking about? xD

I'm keeping two very separate revenue streams atm. What little I get off YouTube, and it's nowhere near enough to fund this, I'm using to buy keyboards and keyboard stuff. The other is Tom's Hardware income, which is also not enough to fund this, which I'm using to literally stay alive. What's the problem you people are seeing here? :p

To be clear, I don't see a problem, and I do appreciate your answers here. I'll see about chipping in some. But selling a few keyboards could go a long way here too. Priorities, priorities.

Look better? Hold the camera steady!
Sound better? Your student flat seemed to be fairly acoustically neutral, and your videos are free of the awful graunching and scraping sounds that some of the "better" recordings feature (it's like putting the sound through an insane sharpness/high frequency emphasis filter). How much of the neutrality is owed to environmental acoustics and how much is owed to the recording equipment, I don't know; I see no reason to change anything unless the new environment upsets the sound.

Better equipment in this instance is a waste of money and effort.

If you listen to his voice through an amplifier, you will find that there is room for improvement in recording quality.

Daniel Beardsmore wrote: ↑Look better? Hold the camera steady!

I told Chyros a while ago to get a tripod of some sort. He said he did, maybe something to hold the phone?

y11971alex wrote: ↑If you listen to his voice through an amplifier, you will find that there is room for improvement in recording quality.

It's your money, I suppose …

That's quite enough of that. Someone please lock this topic before I get annoyed.

I never said people HAD to contribute, I was simply responding to requests from my viewers. I had quite a lot of feedback suggesting fundraisers or a Patreon account to upgrade the channel, and I simply did exactly that. If you don't see the value in that, that's your prerogative. The channel is free, and always will be. But actually complaining about free content that's taken me many hundreds of hours to produce for which YouTube pays me a pittance is just rude. If you feel I'm not doing enough for the community with these videos, or that offering people the option to volunteer money is somehow unreasonable, feel free to die in a fire.

I don't understand why people are posting their views on this as if it's up for any sort of discussion... If people want to donate, let them. Whether Chyros can afford the equipment without donations, or whether he actually 'needs' them is irrelevant. It seems to me like he just wants to show he's putting more in to his video productions. Honestly for a website mostly full of adults there's a lot of childish bickering on here.

I should add that I'm in no way saying the community's reception to the videos hasn't been great - the support and enthusiasm people have shown for the videos has been heart warming, and that's exactly why I put up this fundraiser - to be able to create even better content for everyone. I simply want everyone to enjoy my videos to the fullest.

Don't get me wrong... You got the campaign fullfiled in very short time so the people who asked you for improvement had already spoken with their wallets. And they are more than glad to do it.
It seems like announcing the campaign here could had been seen erroneously as "asking to pay something we never asked" but is just a misunderstanding on why you were announcing it.
I don't feel like nobody tried to be ungrateful. We sure apreciate your voice, clicks and clacks

TIL Chyros does work for/with Tom's Hardware

I'm in no position to donate or whatever, but you might want to consider setting up something like a Patreon. Judging by the warm reception to the campaign, you'd at least get a decent amount of change to put towards new boards or whatever.

I wouldn't donate because I'm poor, and it would be really annoying if you pushed it too hard, but it couldn't hurt, if you promised to put the money into the channel.

Daniel Beardsmore wrote: ↑

y11971alex wrote: ↑If you listen to his voice through an amplifier, you will find that there is room for improvement in recording quality.

It's your money, I suppose …

This sounds like discouragement by resignation. I think we all support this monumental series in our own ways.

But I should congratulate the OP for reaching the fundraiser target in such short order!

I'm glad that the demand was there for HD content -- it's a real boon for Chyros and his channel.

y11971alex wrote: ↑

Daniel Beardsmore wrote: ↑

y11971alex wrote: ↑If you listen to his voice through an amplifier, you will find that there is room for improvement in recording quality.

It's your money, I suppose …

This sounds like discouragement by resignation. I think we all support this monumental series in our own ways.

Definitely, some people have made extremely generous contributions and donations to the channel, for which I'm super thankful. Many videos wouldn't be there without keyboard donations from members, or would've lacked valuable information or content without the converters, switches and other materials people have put forward.

Love the channel and higher quality content will help everyone. I'm glad people have donated to Chyros as he puts a lot of effort into what he does. If you don't want to donate you don't have to

I'll stick a donation in at some point!

-David

I'm going to repeat this as well: You don't want to pay, you don't have to. People who make youtube videos on niche topics rarely make any serious money. Especially when compared to the time spent. And even if someone makes money from producing content, that the community likes, then it's not a problem. Quite the contrary.

I'd rather have money coming from the community of viewers, than a youtube channel that raves about a new Razer keyboard every week to get sponsoring money.

People have been very positive on YouTube and reddit and elsewhere. Deskthority can be so negative sometimes. I support Chyros. His videos got me to see a world beyond Cherry.

Your fanbase clearly outnumbers the grumpy DT core Chyros! The path is clear...

Fans are overrated. One intelligent person's deep insight is worth a thousand fawning admirers.