Big file send ...

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  • Dave2002
    Full Member
    • Dec 2010
    • 18034

    Big file send ...

    A few years ago even a modest size file (say 500 kBytes - certainly over a couple of Mbytes) was tricky to send by email, and even though some could send such or larger files, some recipients would find their inboxes filling up and becoming unusable. This has led to the development of services to send large files, now including audio and video.

    I know that some people really recommend Dropbox, but there are other systems. I just wonder if others have specific recommendations for sending large audio and video files to people who may normally only use email. I really don't want to get too involved with systems like Dropbox and iCloud on a regular basis, as (a) I don't want any possibly private/confidential files to go out into the wide world, and (b) it seems that there are still quite a lot of people who are computer savvy who don't know about cloud systems such as Dropbox - and very likely an even larger number of less computer savvy people who still find all this stuff too taxing.

    I just sent one now (a video file), using mailbigfile.com - and that was around 125 Mbytes. I don't particularly want to have to pay to send large files, as I only do this occasionally. However, the file just sent was a compressed video and lasts less than 10 minutes. In a higher resolution format if goes up to around 600 Mbytes. I have about 2 hours of material which I might wish to send via email/internet means, though despite other problems it may still be simpler to just simply burn the material to DVDs and put either DVDs or computer files on DVDs in the post.

    I have noticed others round here have used various large file distribution sites in the past - e.g Rapidshare, but I'm wondering what the current thinking is on these systems.
  • Nick Armstrong
    Host
    • Nov 2010
    • 26569

    #2
    I use Google Drive nowadays. I think both parties to the transfer have to have a Gmail account. There doesn't seem to be a file size limit and it's free up to a 15GB capacity.

    https://support.google.com/drive/answer/2424384?hl=en
    "...the isle is full of noises,
    Sounds and sweet airs, that give delight and hurt not.
    Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments
    Will hum about mine ears, and sometime voices..."

    Comment

    • slarty

      #3
      I use dropbox and share folders with many different people - anything up to 2GB is free and very straight forward. All one has to do is register and the 2GB is immediately there,
      invite a friend to join and share a folder and one receives another 0.5GB.
      It is straightforward and after three years, still glitch free.

      Comment

      • Lordgeous
        Full Member
        • Dec 2012
        • 831

        #4
        No problems with We Transfer, also up to 2Gb free. No need to register as I recall.

        Comment

        • ChrisBennell
          Full Member
          • Sep 2014
          • 171

          #5
          Here's an article that compares the different options. I don't have a preference personally - I used to use an FTP service, but there are more possibilities now.

          Comment

          • Stunsworth
            Full Member
            • Nov 2010
            • 1553

            #6
            I think you have a Mac. If so you can send up to 5 gig as an attachment in Mail. The attachment isn't sent directly, it's stored on a server. If the person at the other end doesn't use a Mac they get a link to the file. If they do use Mail on a Mac the file appears as a normal attachment.
            Steve

            Comment

            • MrGongGong
              Full Member
              • Nov 2010
              • 18357

              #7
              Originally posted by Stunsworth View Post
              I think you have a Mac. If so you can send up to 5 gig as an attachment in Mail. The attachment isn't sent directly, it's stored on a server. If the person at the other end doesn't use a Mac they get a link to the file. If they do use Mail on a Mac the file appears as a normal attachment.
              Not recommended in my experience.
              Mac Mail often hangs in endless circles when you try to do this.
              FTP if possible but Wetransfer is a good alternative if not
              like many other folks I have a dislike of dropbox as (probably because i've only ever had the free version) it always seems to be full up and then having to mess around to delete stuff is a pain.

              Comment

              • Nick Armstrong
                Host
                • Nov 2010
                • 26569

                #8
                Originally posted by MrGongGong View Post
                Not recommended in my experience.
                Mac Mail often hangs in endless circles when you try to do this.
                ...
                like many other folks I have a dislike of dropbox as (probably because i've only ever had the free version) it always seems to be full up and then having to mess around to delete stuff is a pain.
                That's my experience too.
                "...the isle is full of noises,
                Sounds and sweet airs, that give delight and hurt not.
                Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments
                Will hum about mine ears, and sometime voices..."

                Comment

                • Richard Barrett
                  Guest
                  • Jan 2016
                  • 6259

                  #9
                  I do this kind of thing quite often and I always use WeTransfer - for reasons already mentioned it's cleaner and simpler than Dropbox.

                  Comment

                  • gurnemanz
                    Full Member
                    • Nov 2010
                    • 7405

                    #10
                    Originally posted by Richard Barrett View Post
                    I do this kind of thing quite often and I always use WeTransfer - for reasons already mentioned it's cleaner and simpler than Dropbox.
                    Echo that. Recommended to us by our daughter who is a film edtor and uses it all the time.

                    Comment

                    • Nick Armstrong
                      Host
                      • Nov 2010
                      • 26569

                      #11
                      Originally posted by gurnemanz View Post
                      Echo that. Recommended to us by our daughter who is a film edtor and uses it all the time.
                      Ah yes - that reminds me... a relative who's in film making always uses WeTransfer to send me 'rough cuts' to comment on
                      "...the isle is full of noises,
                      Sounds and sweet airs, that give delight and hurt not.
                      Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments
                      Will hum about mine ears, and sometime voices..."

                      Comment

                      • Bryn
                        Banned
                        • Mar 2007
                        • 24688

                        #12
                        Originally posted by Caliban View Post
                        Ah yes - that reminds me... a relative who's in film making always uses WeTransfer to send me 'rough cuts' to comment on
                        Also used extensively by Beeb folk. It was recommended to me by Robert Worby a couple or so years ago. I have not found the 1 week limit a problem. You can always upload again. I often 'send' the file or zip to my own email address, then simply quote the relevant URL for the download when inviting potential recipients to download. Handy when you do not know the intended recipient's email address but do have a Personal Message option for contacting them
                        .

                        Comment

                        • Eine Alpensinfonie
                          Host
                          • Nov 2010
                          • 20572

                          #13
                          If it's too big to send, I put on a CD-ROM, SD card or pen drive and send it by post.

                          Comment

                          • Richard Barrett
                            Guest
                            • Jan 2016
                            • 6259

                            #14
                            Originally posted by Eine Alpensinfonie View Post
                            If it's too big to send, I put on a CD-ROM, SD card or pen drive and send it by post.
                            Ah yes, the historical performance method.

                            Comment

                            • Dave2002
                              Full Member
                              • Dec 2010
                              • 18034

                              #15
                              Thanks for the various suggestions and links plus links to reviews etc. so far.

                              One thing which might be useful would be the ability to send to multiple recipients, without having to upload more than once, and to send out multiple requests.
                              That may be possible with most of these, but the way to do it isn't always obvious.

                              Also, since some of these services seem to time expire after a short while - say 7 days - is there any way to check whether the intended recipient has accessed the file? Not all recipients may realise that they should download the files - it would depend on the interface.

                              Comment

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