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Ask HN: Rate my idea

5 pointshajrice9 comments

I was thinking about a problem my friend and I had. We both LOVE watching videos online, we usually watch shows like The Office via youtube/megavideo etc. Now it's a pain in the ass to set up a voice/video conversation, run the video at the same time(as the friend(s)).

My idea: A bookmarklet that allows friends to invite other friends with the mission of connecting them as if they were in the same room. Basically you run the bookmarklet, invite your friends and when you guys are ready you(as the host) just click RUN! and the video starts on all the friends browsers at the same time.

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I think it's a brilliant idea.

The technology is definitely there using flash it self to stream the video down, and flash does support capturing video well so pushing it upstream is also there, but the technical challenge that's making it hard is the latency issue and the bandwidth requirement server side (you need to stream live video down AND up in real time).

Justin.TV solve this to a certain extent, so your idea is extending this allowing every participant to upstream as well as downstream.

As much as Skype/Oovoo tries to make it easy, they still require registration and the need for a native client (which try to make direct connections between users as much as possible for said technical issue).

Make it happen!

Just do it!

Hi Zaid. I'd really love to, but I doubt anyone except my friend and I would use it...I mean I don't want to pour my time into something that'll be worthless(as in no one will use it).

You'd be amazed at what you'll learn in the processes of creating it. That is where the value will come in. Maybe it will be a big success exactly as you envision it. Maybe it won't. But clearly it isn't an easy challenge, so you'll likely create value (at least for yourself) in the process of trying.

I'd use it, hell I'd help make it!

awesome :D :D what's your email? i'd like to have you on the team :D

dzlobinsky@gmail.com

Build a minimum viable product and go from there:) http://venturehacks.com/articles/minimum-viable-product

Yes, there are some people that are awesome at thinking of an idea and making the idea a hit. But MOST others build something SMALL, launch, get feedback, address the feedback, rinse, repeat.

http://www.tokbox.com ?

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