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Frequently Asked Questions
General Questions
Technical Questions
Community Questions
General Questions
- What is Vobbo?
Vobbo is an online video blogging service that contains easy to use
video recording tools, advanced media uploading features (you upload
an existing movie, and we'll make it play for your users!), and dozens
of other features we think you'll find useful.
- Who runs Vobbo?
Vobbo is the product of two internet professionals - creative director
and author Shane Mielke of PixelRanger
and network engineer Jeff Jirsa. With decades of combined experience,
we've seen new technologies transform the internet. In the past, video
has always been difficult - hosting video is expensive, and recording
video is difficult. With the cooperation of a great hosting provider,
2advanced.net, we've
created one of the easiest video recording and sharing tools ever!
- What is required to use
Vobbo?
The only software you'll need to use Vobbo is a modern web browser with
a modern Flash plugin installed. Recording video entries will require
a webcam, but this is not required for users who do not wish to record
video. Some advanced features, such as RSS feeds, may require additional
browser plugins.
- Why should I use Vobbo?
If you already have a website or weblog, you may find Vobbo useful for
enhancing it. You can use Vobbo to record live videos, and then link
to them from your existing site. If you don't have a site or blog, Vobbo
can finally get you online in style! In addition to the common features
you'll find in many other blogs, Vobbo allows you to :
- Record live video
- Send private video messages to friends and family
- Use your own domain name (including having email for your domain
forwarded to your existing email provider
- Is the Vobbo software
available for third party websites?
If you would like use Vobbo's technology for your site, big or
small, please review our video blog partnership page.
Technical Questions
- What
do I need to get started?
To join the community, all you need to do is register.
Vobbo offers three types of accounts - free, basic, and paid - that
are explained below. If you'd like to post videos, all you'll need is
an account and a webcam. If you don't already have a webcam, we may
have a few suggestions:
Before you purchase a webcam (even those listed on this page), we strongly
recommend reading multiple reviews. Webcam quality can vary significantly
between brands and models, so test the webcam prior to purchase if possible.
- How do I record live
Video?
With a working webcam and a couple clicks of a button you can
quickly and easily share a personal message or thought with anyone who
has access to a computer and an internet connection. After clicking
"Create a new entry" on the left of your Vobbo Blog, recording
a video is a simple 3 step process.
Once a video entry has been submitted simply share the link with
friends and famly by sending a direct link or posting up the entry
on your existing blog (pro users only).
- How
do I post from my video or camera phone?
To post via email (including video and camera phones), you'll need to
edit your profile
and set your 'Post by phone/email address' to the address you'll be
sending the message from. Once you've done that, sending an email to
"video -at- vobbo.com" will post your message to your blog with your
default settings.
- I
have a webcam connected, but I just see black - what's wrong?
In some configurations, our recorder will select the wrong webcam. If
you have a camera plugged in, but do not see video during preview, right
click on the recorder and select 'Settings.' In the popup, ensure that
'Allow www.vobbo.com to access your camera and microphone' is selected
'Allow'. Then, click the webcam icon at the bottom of the popup. In
the drop-down box, ensure that the webcam attached to your PC is selected.
Then, click 'Close'.
- I have a microphone
connected, but the recorder isn't recording any sound - what's wrong?
In some configurations, our recorder will select the wrong microphone.
If you have a microphone plugged in, but do not hear audio during preview,
right click on the recorder and select 'Settings.' In the popup, ensure
that 'Allow www.vobbo.com to access your camera and microphone' is selected
'Allow'. Then, click the microphone icon at the bottom of the popup.
In the drop-down box, ensure that the microphone you are using is selected,
and check that the volume is not muted. Speak into the microphone, and
note that the volume meter moves with your voice. Once the correct microphone
is selected, click 'Close'.
- Why does my video
have poor quality, pause or skip?
If your video entries seem to have gaps or pauses, this is
more than likely due to your internet connection speed and not the Vobbo
application or server. By default the Vobbo video tool is enabled for
the best possible quality and entries are dependent mostly upon hardware
and connection speed.
- How
do I embed a video on MySpace?
Posting a Vobbo live video on MySpace is simple! First, pick the video
you want to post. Then, click 'Link to this video' from the left navigation.
If the video is eligible, you'll see two boxes at the bottom of the
page labelled MySpace Blog Code and MySpace Comment Code.
The code in the first box (MySpace Blog Code) will play the movie immediately
when the page is opened. The code in the second (MySpace Comment Code)
will display a placeholder and allow the viewer to choose when to start
the movie. If you're posting the video in a comment, you'll probably
want to use the Comment Code in case someone else posts a video (or
you post two!) so that they don't all play at the same time.
- How do I embed my
video in my existing blog?
Once you've recorded your entry, visit your blog page and view the entry
containing the video you'd like to embed in another site. In the navigation
menu will be a link titled 'Link to this entry' - clicking that link
will display the HTML code for linking to your blog and to your specific
entry into another page. For most websites, you'll want to use the IFRAME
code at the bottom of the page. Note: not all blogging providers
will allow you to include an IFRAME. This option is only available to
Basic and Pro members.
- How do I reset my
password?
Please use the contact form
to request a password reminder. A support assistant will send your password
to your email account of record.
- How do I point my
website to my blog?
To use your own website URL, edit
your profile and set the 'Site name' to the domain you wish to use.
If you have a Basic account, you'll have two available site names. If
your domain is 'mydomain.tld', we recommend using 'mydomain.tld' as
your first domain, and 'www.mydomain.tld' for the second. If you have
a Pro account, you'll be allowed six site names. Once the site name
is set, you'll need to point the domain at Vobbo's webservers
:
- Update the existing DNS by creating a CNAME record for the domain
you wish to point at Vobbo. For example, if you would like to point
'mydomain.tld' at your Vobbo blog, you'll need to have your DNS
provider add a record such as:
mydomain.tld. IN CNAME www.vobbo.com.
*.mydomain.tld. IN CNAME www.vobbo.com.
- Why can't Vobbo
do _______
If there's a feature you're expecting to see, but can't find, contact
us and ask! If Vobbo can't do it now, we may be able to fix that
for you. We're always open to feature requests, even if you think they're
silly.
Community Questions
- What
do the icons mean?
The icons next to usernames indicate that the member has more than the
standard 'free' account. At the current time, Vobbo has three other
account types. Normal users can upgrade to Basic and Pro accounts. The
third account type is reserved for members of the United States Military.
Vobbo deeply respects members of the military and is committed to helping
them stay in communication with their families while they are defending
our freedom - for that reason, Vobbo will always offer free accounts
to members of the military serving overseas. If you are currently in
the military and would like information on obtaining your free account,
please contact us.
- What's
the difference between the account types?
Vobbo offers three accounts to the public - Free, Basic, and Pro. Our
basic features - the ability to record video, upload files, and membership
in our blog community - are included in all of our accounts. The different
plan levels allow different resources - for example, our Free plan allows
one 15 second live video per day, our Basic plan will allow you to record
10 videos per day, each up to 1 minute in length, and our Pro account
allows hundreds of videos per day, each up to 5 minutes long! Some of
the more advanced features - such as the ability to embed your video
entry in existing websites, to use subdomains ( jeff.vobbo.com
instead of vobbo.com/user/jeff
), to point your own URL at your blog, or send private video messages
to your friends and family require that you be on a Basic or Pro plan.
- What's the difference
between 'friends' and 'favorites'?
Vobbo offers a list of friends and a list of favorites
to assist you in keeping track of other blogs you enjoy reading. The
two lists are almost the same, except for one small difference. When
creating an entry, you're given the opportunity to make the entry private
- only users on your friends list will be able to see it; those
on your favorites list will not. The number of members you can
have on your friends and favorites lists are limited based
on your plan subscription.
- What
is the difference between a 'Site Name' and a 'Cool Link'?
A cool link is a link you'd like other people to visit. A site name
is a domain name that you're pointing to your blog. Paying users who
wish to direct their own sites to their Vobbo homepage should enter
the URL of their site into the Site Name field of your profile.
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