Thank YOU ... for the National Quilt Day Feebie

[Judymc]

It is now 7am... I have been up all night surfing your shows... I love the new video format for the 600 series.... and I love the slow internet connection for the old shows it make them show so much smoother.

I will be back later with my comments but I am going to sleep now... I just loved cruising though the shows to see what I can expect.

Anna

[Judymc]

First off I want to preface the comments I made earlier with the statement of why I can not join the TQS group on a permanent basis.

We now have dial-up available but it is HUGHES NET. HUGHES NET has a FAIR USE POLICY, which translate is I can not go over 200MB download from 7am til 2am time frame. Any viewing of TQS has to occur during 2am till 7am, then I can download as much as I want. As you can imagine since I am no longer a spring chicken... I can not stay up late at night watching TQS and go to work the next day or function with a grandchild in the house. I am useless if I stay up all night. I was really happy to get the email newsletter stating that watching TQS in celebration is available today. Nobody is at home this weekend til Monday night... it is just me..the cmputer and my sewing machine.

I surfed through several shows last night watching various techniques and segments. I loved them and I am waiting with baited breath for DVDs to be released. That will alway be my format of choice.


Each hour long segment download at over 300, closer to 400MBs of download. I do love the larger format on my new computer for the 600 series... it was almost seamless viewing. I also liked the cleaner look of the screen. I could zoom in and just watch the full screen, not any distracting decorations. I loved the chapter segments because I could pick and choose what I watched which is important to me.... Almost like having a DVD. I know that lap tops can be connected to TVs but right now I am not ready to go that type of viewing.


In the 500 series using the older format, I kept getting bumped out. I did switch to the SLOW INTERNET CONNECTION. I got a much better viewing experience. If you have trouble viewing the older formats try switching to SLOW CONNECTION ( top right hand of the screen. ) I think you will find the viewing better.

As for the show themselves they were all high quality and interesting. I picked through many of the great techniques as I could. I loved Jenny Beyers hand piecing technique as I bought her books and had some questions about hand piecing and she answered most of them in that small segment. I am a visual learner and seeing it made it click in my brain. I am going to get going on my DJ again. I wish she would re-make her cD as a DVD of her techiques. That would be a great learning experience.


I sent a email to all my quilting buddies in the guild and various sewing groups and am getting rave reviews, thanking me for the info. I am sure there are several that will sign up. My cousin contacted me and she is planning to join up.... she say that way I will visit her more often, so I can view TQS at her house.

Back to the sewing machine.... then a nap... I love being able to set my own time line..... I love my family but my alone time is precious too.

[Judymc]

Yes. I had to watch the Phillipa Nayor show at 3am and even then it took 352MBs of download. Far, far too heavy for my limits. It's all very nice but not if it eats into the usage so much.

I do think that unless you have totally unrestricted internet access, about as rare as winning the lottery every week, you also now have to watch these hungry downloads. A couple of them a week and you will soon be over the threshold and put on a throttle.

[Judymc]

I encouraged a friend that I am teaching to quilt to get online and check out TQS. She said she was only able to watch one show--the free one. I thought she was going to be able to watch more. Guess I misunderstood.

[Judymc]

I watched several through the night. A few gave me problems so I ditched them and tried another episode.

I like the new chapter section and watch several chapters instead of the whole episode.... I think it is because I am A.D.D. and could not make up my mind.... I wanted to see it alllllll !!!

MY GF registered from the email I sent her and was able to see several shows too. BTW she is now a new member.


What is the current membership? I know they pasted 50,000 since they awared the sewing machine.... but is that members who register for every season ... or is that total current membership?

[AlexAnderson]

Ritzy - You were correct in your understanding all shows were to be free - that said, TQS was OVERWHELMED with the response and the "older" shows on the old player had issues - which is yet another reason we have moved forward with bigger and better. In the midst of this we didn't know what to do..........<kind>

[AlexAnderson]

hold on - if you can see the free show - the other shows are available - but the person needs to log on as a basic member -

[AlexAnderson]

Alex,

Some of us viewers are not very computer literate. The learning curb is steep coming to a new internet site. It takes a while to figure out where to surf if you have never been there before.

I had some problems viewing the programs and I have been here many times before. I KNEW that it would work... it just took some time figuring out how to make it work. I had read though most of the post before yesterday about the new programs, so I kind of knew what to do before I got here.... THOSE NEW VIEWERS who had not been here before might be having more difficulty.


I had difficulty initially looking at the older versions. For some reason that program worked BEST if I switched to SLOW INTERNET CONNECTION... then it was if I was watching it on a regular TV program, but I would loose my connection if I tried to use the features ... fast forward, rewind, etc. I figured there were tooooo many of us on line looking so it made the feed / function jerky.


BTW... everyone I sent a link to the program to in my guild loved it... the only ones that complained were the ladies who missed their chance as they were not home today.
Looking forward to when you do this again. Can't wait til the 500 series is released.


Anna

[AlexAnderson]

Anna - Amen sister - We are all learning together - aren't we? Thank goodness we are a friendly group! <smile> We had NO idea of the positive response from people all over the world. Quilters unite!

[AlexAnderson]

I think you guys are going over and above the call of duty giving everyone a second chance to check in on some shows today. I watched last night from 2am until the site changed about 4-5 am... then I went to bed... Work tomorrow so no midnight surfing for me.


I THINK your experiece just shows EVERYONE the power of QUILTERS.

PBS / TV is missing out on viewership because they do not have interesting educational programs on TV any more.

[AlexAnderson]

I agree, thank you for the free day. I truly enjoyed what I had time to watch. As a result I decided to become a member. Due to financial changes, I had decided to eliminate some of my hobby spending. I had allowed some of my magazine subscriptions run their course. I was feeling a little bummed but after looking at all available at this site I decided this would be a much better value. I anticipate learning much, providing a little and throughly enjoying my membership.
Thank you,
Ann

[AlexAnderson]

Dear Ann - Welcome on board. Also take a peek in the classroom area - they are short videos that tackle different subject matters -

[AlexAnderson]

Hi Alex, she did sign in but had the difficulty. Hope you will just become a member--I know she will learn a ton and enjoy the trip.

[mc555]

Yes thanks it was a lovely surprise when I logged on to the invitation to watch back shows free. I had already earmarked three I wanted to see so I clicked on right away. By the time I was viewing my third choice my internet speed was slowing which I presume is heavy use as it happens around 5pm daily. Latterly I was hearing half a sentence and waiting the download for the finish - what a pain. I so wanted to see the shows again so I have ordered DVDs and can't wait for them to come.

I love the forums too, although I don't post a comment a lot I have picked up good tips and enjoy reading the discussions

[Calicobean]

Yes, thanks for the free day! I had family coming in from out of town later in the day, but I did manage to watch two episodes from earlier seasons. What fun :-)