This weekend was dedicated to a code project to build a tool which can automatically replace my YouTube Video Thumbnails for some A/B testing.

I am quite happy to see how I get faster implementing things like this. I already have a rough prototype up and running!

Current progress: the prototype is running on an unlisted video to test. It already worked switching out the thumbnails once - now I wait till tomorrow to see it work a second time.

Next steps:

At the moment the data analysis is very bare bones.

I also noticed that the Thumbnail Impressions and Click through Rate are sadly not available via the API (so I’ll have to build a way of importing the CSV data you can see in the YouTube studio).

And then the whole code base needs a cleanup to make it more solid for others to start using it (aka: error messages that actually make sense to non programmers).

Conclusion:

I sometimes think I have too many of these side projects. But then I remember: it’s not too many, it’s that I don’t finish them! So that’s going to be one of my next focus areas. Actually making my SaaS solutions usable by others and marketing. Let’s see if I can build some businesses!

Are these updates interesting to you? If not, what would you be interested in?

I just invited my first private beta testers for my new project related to YouTube. Will create a walkthrough tutorial video for the landing page soon. Then it's time to let you know what it's all about 🙈. Exciting & scary times ahead.

One of the scariest yet most rewarding implementations for my SaaS is the Billing/Subscription integration. I always feel like I have to account for everything yet everything would take me weeks to actually properly implement.

And, this also brings up the duality in my creations: YouTube Videos, Photos when Traveling, and Code…

The code projects take a bunch of time to make them ready for a broader audience. But they also carry tones of potential in their usefulness to the users as well as generating an income. Deciding where to focus my time is the hardest these days.

I'll let you know when the launch is ready for you to join in on the fun as well.

Cheers 🌸

Are you an active Youtuber? Would you like to test my new Tool for Thumbnail A/B Testing? Then contact me for some exclusive Private Beta Access 🤩.

I’ve been able to get some significant improvements up and running in the last 2 days and feel like I’m almost ready for an initial launch 🚀.

But I’d love to get some 1-on-1 feedback first. So reach out if you’re interested. 🙃

It has arrived! The R5 C is in the house.

I already filmed the unboxing. Now it’s time for some comparisons to get my EOS R cameras to color match with the new one so I can use them all together in unison.

This is the tech lover inside of me. New equipment is really exciting.

But I have to say: the R5 C is a hell of a learning curve (coming from these photo centric cameras that also shoot video, now jumping into the Canon Cinema OS).

Anything you’d like to know about this new camera?

Teasing one of my upcoming videos about the: R5 C & Tentacle Sync

Sad Story: I spent the last 10 days testing and trying the new Camera and ofcourse also doing some other things. I noticed pretty early that my Canon EOS R5 C has some issues with it’s auto focus system. Sadly, the CPS (Canon Professional Service) did not help faster and I waited a while for a response.

Now I do have a response but I have to send my camera in for service. This is not what I expected to happen. I was hoping that I receive a fully functional and incredible camera.

Now, the camera is incredible in terms of the quality it can produce. But the fully functional is the part that mens I can’t rely on it.

So today, I shipped off my baby 😢 but hopefully I will get the camera back as soon as possible and fully functional (with reliable AF).

Luckily, I did get a chance to film about 3 more videos about the camera. I will be editing those soon and publishing them on my YouTube channel.

If you have any questions regarding any of my gear (and specifically the R5 C), please ask in the comments and I will try to reply or cover it in an upcoming video.

Let’s hope the cam will be back soon.

I've created a whole bunch of test shots with the R5 C in all the different picture profiles (including C-Log 3) and in way too many different recording formats, resolutions, and frame rates. All to test the performance on my M1 Max laptop for playback in Premiere Pro as well as testing how well the color grading to match the EOS R with the R5 C.

I am specifically looking to figure out which format I should film most of the time. What file type and compression level is best to edit on the M1 Max MacBook Pro (testing if the Hardware Decoders are utilised is the main test here).

Are you interested in these tests? What would you like to know?
Let me know and I can cover it in my upcoming videos about this stuff.

Bit of an update on my R5 C story:

The camera arrived at the CPS repair center yesterday, was checked out today, and they ordered a part necessary for the repair.

Though, apparently the company providing the part is backlogged and they can’t deliver right away so now I have to wait… and hope that it’s going to arrive sooner rather then later.

Here is 🤞 and hoping that the camera will be back sooner rather then later. It’s already been such a long wait 😢 to receive it in the first place.

As a YouTuber it's sometimes hard to not watch everything that I find on the website. It feels like YouTube browsing is part of my job. But at the same time, it's much better to create more videos instead of watching all the videos.

So what do you do about this? I jumped in and looked for a way to have all kinds of distracting things hidden.

In part I used a Chrome Extension called "ImprovedTube" but also some custom CSS and Javascript which runs in the background via "User Javascript and CSS" to hide:

- Parts of the Sidebar Menu
- Remove the "Explore / Home" page and replace it with a message to get back to work
- Remove buttons top right (especially the bell which shows Notifications)
- Remove the Notification Number in the Title of the Browser Tab
- Remove extra buttons below the player
- Minimise the Related Videos
- and probably some more.

The GIF shows what I am talking about and I have a feeling it's already helping.

Self-control only goes so far. This is me trying to get some accountability.

Used the inspiration from talking on a live stream today of taking action and reducing the review product pile! 😅 One more video filmed and ready for editing.

The first time going live in a long time with Zach Mitchem from We Are Video Makers ! You can check the replay and there are even chapter markers to see if we talk about something of value for you.

To the Stream Recording with Timestamps/Chapters: https://youtu.be/S7sN54xtlhc

I just received this super exciting new product… I know… it's not a camera, lens, or microphone but a monitor! One of those things I probably even use more than my cameras. This one is 4k, completely portable, battery powered, and has an OLED display! The unboxing + first impressions video will be published in a few days.

As a digital nomad this is one of those things I always wish I had. Now this is on the test bench and I can't wait to see how it changes my life when traveling and working on the road more.

Unboxing the UPERFECT 4k OLED Portable Touch Display!

One thing upfront: it’s incredible how sharp this monitor is in HiDPI mode, the built in battery is really helpful so that it does not drain the internal MacBook battery, and overall, it’s just very helpful when you do remote work!

https://youtu.be/SX-6m0OzW7M

Hey everywone, I have been MIA for the past week while managing a Yoga Retreat my Partner @NicoleReiher held in the countryside near Marbella, Spain. Definitely was a full on success with almost no complications! Really happy how that went.

Now, we are in a small town called Manilva for this week and will be in Spain for a nother 20 days or so.

Hope you are doing well and that summer is coming strong wherever you are 🌞.

I’ll also get back into development, video filming, and more… so stay tuned.

Cheers, and leave a comment if you have anything to share or ask 🌸.

I finally got a new Video for you.

Somehow the process is much harder for me to get through… compared to the past where I sometimes published a video every day.

At least there is one new video out now, a second one coming later this week, and I have some filming todo for the next.

This time around: a tour through my YouTube Studio setup. All the tech I use and somewhat described how I use it.

Let me know what you think 🌸.

Hello everyone, finally — Telegram now opened the feature to have “Topics” in groups to everyone, so I decided to switch over to use a Group for future Telegram Discussions. This makes it much easier to group conversations into topics and sort through questions, disucssions, and more.

I am also planning to potentially do some live conversations in said group space.

Join me over there: @ChrisSpieglSpace