HIP Video

Vendor Forums Home Inspector Pro
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Questions for guys using video in reports or experimenting with it.

Obviously there is a limit due to the fact the videos are embedded in the PDF so…

1] What is the largest file size or amount of minutes in …
… a} File size that is practical ?
…b} Total number of minutes that should be added maximum ?

2] I am interested in different uses possible so…
…a} Are you using it for augmentation of the report which adds time to report production?
… b} My most interest is if anybody here has tried doing a full report with nothing but issues summary comments ] and done the entire material comments sections as video to actually save time on report writing ?

3] Is the quality of the video added good enough to provide visual details ?

4] What limitations do you not like ?

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1a) 10-20 megs is easily transferrable via email. Even easier with a service like ISN. That would translate into about 10 minutes of video.

1b) We had an inspector insert a 30 minute video clip in. That’s the longest I’ve seen!

3

Why do you say easier via ISN ?
Are they reducing the file size somehow ?

Please explain.

4

ISN sends out a link to the report, which is then downloaded. It doesn’t email the actual report (or doesn’t have to at least). This means that there’s never an email limit possibly getting hit. I’ve never seen anyone hit an email limit on a current HIP report though so this is all just hypothetical!

5

So you are saying the report is viewed online rather than downloaded to the clients computer or cell Phone ?
Does this enable the videos to be viewed without adobe services ?

Should ask how is this different from standard HIP cloud service provided with mobile ?
It is better than HIP cloud service in some way ?

6

The video feature is useful here and there. But the video quality is low.

7

Seems to improve if you upload from computer files than from mobile which is obviously to keep sync speed rapid.

I am looking into more of a video report but would be doing everything but summary issues as video format so may if implemented get a Video secured account and do a link to videos.
Just started playing with the idea as my camera has snap video which no other device has which enables me to consider this.

8

It’s downloaded straight from a link so IF there was a capacity issue with email (which I haven’t seen occur) then it wouldn’t be an issue with the link.

It’s the same as the HIP Cloud Service. We just have 10x the people using ISN than the HIP Cloud Service.

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WOW 10x…that is surprising.So you are telling me pretty much all mobile users are paying for cloud service plus paying for ISN as well ?

More income is generated with the aux services than the fee for HIP desktop software in that case. WOW.

Had no idea ISN had grown that large.Kudos.

My new cell phone generates a snap video which allows me to record and leave to take pictures or perform other functions then come back and add to the video meaning I can take short several second videos in place of pictures and string them together .No other device camera,tablet or cell phone can do that so I am looking into using this as an advantage for a new type of reporting format which is video heavy and that was not possible without editing afterwards .Even the Samsung Android camera can not do this .

10

We definitely have more guys using ISN than not. I wouldn’t say that all mobile users use ISN as some just email their PDFs to their clients, but most do.

Every franchise in the nation except for 2 that I know of use ISN. I can’t think of an inspection company over 4 or 5 guys that doesn’t use ISN. When I attend the marketing conferences like Mike Crow’s where there’s 300+ multi inspector firms, EVERY single one of them uses ISN.

8 or 9 years ago I met the guys at ISN. I had constantly heard that other software that tried to be an office solution and reporting software ended up being average at both. It made more sense for me to focus on becoming the best inspection software and let ISN be the best office. At the time I’m pretty sure ISN had 1 programmer (an owner). At the time HIP had 1 programmer (me).

Today ISN has 4 or 5 full time programmers and an even larger staff. HIP has 4 programmers (3 are full time) and 4 support staff (and looking for several more right now).

Both HIP + ISN Rock. Sounds like I made the right choice.

The HIP cloud is $20 a month. That helps us pay for all the Amazon servers that charge us every time a file is uploaded/downloaded, for every day the files are stored (we’ve been storing some inspectors files for 10 years now, nothing has ever been deleted), and for the servers to convert all the data in the cloud from all the different formats. HIP Mobile updates are free forever and incorporated into this.

Inspectors are going from hours at home to minutes at home. Whether you value yourself at $250/hr or even $10/hr, $20 a month is a tiny, tiny drop in the bucket for guys getting their lives back and helps us with our cost and new development.

I have inspectors coming to me at conferences, posting on our Facebook page and emailing me that they now get to throw a ball around with their kids when they get home. They get to go to dinner with their wives. They go to bed at a normal time and their lives have improved. I’ve been told that using HIP Mobile has helped saved their marriage. I’ve had wives come up to me and hug me.

I’m pretty happy with the choices I’ve made along the way and what HIP has become. I’m proud of the fact that I listed to inspectors like you along the way to help shape HIP into what it’s become. I’ve enjoyed all our late night discussions on what to focus on next!

I’m not sure I understand the advantage of the snap video you’re referring to. Do you have more info on it?

11

Nice response Dom sharp] and I will pm the rest as the lack of response to my post indicates getting more complex here is not warranted. .

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Very cool David.OH …I agree.
Pretty sure we know Dom is not a Dummy.

14

Update I did a full inspection using all video yesterday and it came out to 45 MB in HP but in my files about 1 GB.

This represents around 10 minutes of video using snap video which helps eliminate any dead spots like editing on the fly ]

Still experimental as I forgot to take pictures of issues and am going through to screen shot the still shots.

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Awesome! Send me the PDF, I’d love to see it.

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Still doing the report …check my Facebook post Dom.Just posted more detail.

I think for video heavy versions I am best off to create a Vimeo account to store links live in the PDF.
Not comfortable with large PDF files might need to downsize with no more than 3 minutes which will limit the possibility if going all in house in case they are viewing on a cell phone or tablet which many Agents might.

17

Do you really want 10+ minutes of video in a report? That means people have to watch that much video to catch up with what’s going on. The reports I’m seeing right now have lots of short clips but it still totals 2-4 minutes max. It’s an interesting idea, just not show how it’ll play out with clients and agents. Let us know!

18

Dom the idea here is to use both still shots/comments/Video as a perfect hybrid but also at the same time save report time.On Mobile the res is not good enough so I need to add vid files at desktop and in a 4MPG format that is the best ? ]AVCHD does not work as we know.

I am wondering if a moving slide show with voice overlay would cut down file size as well.

My videos are actually all about 3 secs each because I took the snap videos every place I would normally take a picture.The app stiches them into one minute formats which then requires a new file.

So my thought is to have one fast video per room or one per Exterior as well.

The vids will only augment the regular report format of comments and pictures.

**Last thought for now is to simply use them for all material comments only .
This would stop need for clicking in all the custom canned material section comments .

**

19

Bob I usually do an introduction to the home. This is placed At the beginning of the report just down from the summary. I go through the home and label the rooms. Ie…north bedroom, south bedroom, etc.

It’s usually between 40-50 seconds long. I also use between 2 or 3 more quick videos in the report.

With those videos, and 60 pictures or so, the pdf file size is somewhere between 7-10 mb’s