So, it’s been a very long time coming, but tubecast.tv is back!

I finally found some time to revamp the way tubecast.tv works, with the goal this time of allowing you to create and manage your own TV channels. Much of the interface has remained the same, but with the major additions of a menu system to allow for the management of channels, and a search feature allowing viewers to create a “quick channel” playing whatever takes their fancy.

The system is powered by the YouTube API, so the content library behind tubecast.tv is huuuge! As usual, you needn’t register to watch*, and to create your own channels you simply use your existing YouTube account (please read our privacy policy for details on how tubecast.tv deals with your YouTube account).

Of course there are a zillion and one additions/refinements that could be made to make this a killer application, but of course, this takes time, especially considering that this is not a full-time job for me. But your feedback, of course, is greatly appreciated and as such tubecast.tv is now available via a limited private beta (sorry, but it’s private to ensure that my teeny-weeny shared server doesn’t spontaneously combust). Just go to http://tubecast.tv to sign up.

* as for the application itself, you don’t need to register to watch. However the private beta programme requires sign up.

It’s been a while since last blogging the developments on tubecast. The good news is that it’s because I’ve been a busy bee! So what’s new?

• A new thumbnail screenshot-based EPG
• Allows rewind, fast forward, pause, skip
• Volume control
• Fullscreen mode
• New channels and preset numbering system
• 101 - miaow (mainstream pop)
• 102 - altitude (alternative / indie rock)
• 103 - shake (dance, house, drum & bass)
• 104 - vibe (r&b and hip-hop)
• 110 - Insight (documentaries)
• 111 - soda (creative motion art)
• 120 - Naughty ToonTube (cartoons for a mature audience)
• Permalinks
• http://www.tubecast.tv/#watch/my_channel/my_show
• http://www.tubecast.tv/#watch/my_channel
• http://www.tubecast.tv/#watch/my_show
• Dialogue boxes
• Alerting the user to a slow connection, or if there are any issues with the permalink requested
• Adobe Flash player express install
• Backend admin system
• Plus adding the 383 shows/clips currently on tubecast

Here’s some eye candy:

A few system messages:

So I think I’ve come to a point where I’m reasonably happy with tubecast’s brand identity. After lots of scribbling, I worked-up a couple of the not-so-cheesie concepts in illustrator:

To veer off on a slight tangent, my flatmate had labelled me a big kid when I broke his plush coffee maker. ‘Just having to’ repetitively push this big shiny silver button on the front of it. No, I don’t even drink coffee, but you know how it is, I ‘just have to’ push the shiny button! Well I couldn’t resist introducing my ‘button fetish’ to tubecast. Here is the final (for now, at least) logo and button device:

Coining a strapline

Well this was one of the brand elements of which came to me fairly quickly during the midst of my own hype, or thereabouts when I first thought about creating tubecast. “Turn on, tune in, chill out” pays tribute to Timothy Leary and his famous phrase “Turn on, tune in, drop out” . For obvious reasons, I’d like tubecast to become synnonomous with Leary’s ideology (though that doesn’t mean I particularly advocate dropping acid whilst watching tubecast, you cheeky person!). It also works on the level where tubecast places an emphasis on passive viewing, allowing yourself to travel on a journey without having to mouse click here, there and everywhere - something which current “internet video players” seem to be plagued by. Anyway, enough of the philosophy, here’s the brand spanking new splash page:

I’ve been away to Ghana to celebrate my grandmother’s 80th birthday (she’s a trooper!). But now I’m back, it’s tubecast time! (I confess, whilst away I’ve missed my Flash fix!).

So what’s new? We have an Electronic Programme Guide (EPG) to tell us what’s currently showing and what’s coming up later. It looks absolutely pants right at the minute, but believe me, this is the start of something beautiful, something which should hopefully set tubecast apart from any of the other “internet video players” I’ve seen thus far.

Currently, there are only two channels, ’shake!’ - the dance music video channel - and ‘Altitude’ - the alternative/indie rock music video channel. You can change between them using your up/down arrow keys. As usual, feel free to take a peek at www.tubecast.tv.

I’m absolutely itching to put the development work on pause and get some brand design done. I think, naturally, the first brand to work on will be ‘tubecast.tv’ itself. Watch this space…

Things are looking bright for this internet television experiment! For the past week I’ve been debating on what to name it. The main contenders were:

• PlatformOne
• TeleTube
• TubeCast

And after running the name by a few friends, it seems that TubeCast is the one to go for. It pretty much sums up the aim of this project - to create a continuous multi-channel television like experience using the best of YouTube’s content (a YouTube mash-up if you like). The domain tubecast.tv has now been secured. Though I’m unable to acquire the .com, a guy in Korea wants $8,000 for it!! Buy hey, we’re not going to pop like a dotcom bubble, welcome to the fresh new pastures of the dotteevee!