Frequently Asked Questions

Did this site used to be called UnCut Video?
Is it free to upload videos to AOL Video?
What format do uploaded videos play in?
What kind of video topics should I send?
How do I get started uploading my videos?
Do I need a screen name to watch videos?
Who can see my videos?
What are Web Cam Comments?
How do I post a Web Cam Comment?
Can I delete my Web Cam Comment or text comment?
How long can my Web Cam Comment be?
Why is there no sound in my Web Cam Comment?
How do I get Web Cam Comments to work on my Mac?
Are there any restrictions to what I can upload?
How long can my video be?
Which operating systems and browsers are supported?
What video formats can be uploaded?
How do I send feedback?
Will accessing or uploading to this site add any spyware or adware?
How do I report inappropriate content?
Are "Private" videos really private?
How do I give my friends access to my "Private" video?
How do I take away someone's access to my "Private" video?
How do I let someone know about my "Private" video?
What does the "My Invites" button do?
Can I upload a video from my camera phone?
What mobile carriers are supported?
What camera phones are supported?
Can I upload videos through email?
How many videos can I upload through my camera phone or email at a time?
How do I add tags to videos I upload from my camera phone or through email?
Can I include a title when I upload a videos from my camera phone or through email?

Did this site used to be called "UnCut Video"?

Yes. However, we are moving the site to become an integral part of the AOL Video portal. The name change is just the first of many exciting changes to come.

Is it free to upload videos to AOL Video?

Yes, it is free to upload videos, as well as view all uploaded videos. There is not limit to the number of videos you can view or upload.

What format do uploaded vidoes play in?

Videos are played in the Flash 9 format. You need to have the Flash 9 player running in your internet browser. The video playback page will automatically detect whether you have the Flash 9 player and direct you to install the player if you don't have it.

What kind of video topics should I send?

Send any kind of video topic you want. There are categories for news, sports, pets, autos, you name it! We often run promotions, contests and special collections of videos, so check the main page frequently.

How do I get started uploading my videos?

You will need to be over 18 years old and you will have to have a registered AOL/AIM screen name or current email address to upload a video. If you need one, you can get one free here. We support most webcams, camcorders and mobile phones so you can just plug in, upload and play. If you already have video on your computer, no device is needed. Just click the Upload Your Video button, add a title and description and pick a category. Then find the video on your computer and hit upload.

Do I need a screen name to watch Videos?

No, you do not need a screen name to watch videos. You only need an AOL or AIM screen name or registered email address to upload videos, add comments or add ratings.

Who can see my videos?

If you publish videos to the site, they can either be shared with the whole world, or you can specifically choose who views your video. If you decide to publish your video as Public, your video will be viewable by the general public. The video can also be added to journal or blog pages. However, if you choose to publish your video as Private, only those people who you invite can view your video. People you invite to watch a Private video must log in using the screen name/e-mail address you used when sending the invitation. Additionally, videos that are published as Private cannot be embedded in journal or blog pages.

What are Web Cam Comments?

A "Web Cam Comment" is a new feature that lets you post video comments about videos on the site. You can find Web Cam Comments on video pages in the comments area. You can tell a comment is a Web Cam Comment if it has a video camera icon next to the comment poster's name. Just click on the video camera icon to watch the Web Cam Comment. Web Cam Comments are fun to watch, and even more fun to make. Got something to say? Put your words into video and leave a Web Cam Comment.

How do I post a Web Cam Comment?

Posting a Web Cam Comment is fast and easy. All you need is a web camera and a computer. If this is the first time you are using a web camera with your computer, you will probably need to install the web camera software and drivers. Just follow the instructions presented by your web camera set up process. When you're ready, and your web camera is plugged in, sign-in and click the,"Add a Video Comment" link on any video page. After you accept a message confirming use of the Flash video uploader, you will see a video capture window. Click the record button. You will see a countdown from three to one, after which your video capture will start. You're recording! Click stop when you're done. You can review your video, and delete if you're not happy with it. You can record another video if you wish. You can also leave a text comment with your video. When you're ready, click the "Upload Video Comment" button. Usually, your comment will be posted instantly. During peak traffic hours, or if you video is long, it can take a few minutes for your Web Cam Comment to be processed. Don't worry, however, your video testament will soon be live for the world to see.

Can I delete my Web Cam Comment or text comment?

Having second thoughts about your Web Cam or text comment? Want to take it down? It's easy. Just sign-in and find the page where you left your Web Cam or text comment. Click "delete my comment." That's it. Your comments will disappear. It's like they were never there. You can only delete your own comments.

How long can my Web Cam Comment be?

Your Web Cam Comment can be up to three minutes long.

Why is there no sound in my Web Cam Comment?

There can be a few reasons why sound is not being recorded in your Web Cam Comment. First, check to make sure that your web camera can capture sound. If it does not, you may need to use a microphone with your web camera. Second, check your sound settings in the web cam video recording window. Click the "Add a Video Comment" link. When you see the video capture screen, right click on the screen. You will see a small window with icons across the bottom. Click the microphone icon and make sure that "Record Volume" slider control is not set to zero.

How do I get Web Cam Comments to work on my Mac?

If you have a MacBook , MacBook Pro and iMac (or any Mac with built in iSight) and receive the following message: Error: Camera not found then please follow the instructions below:

Click on Add Video Comment
You will be prompted to allow Camera and Microphone Access. Click Allow
You will get an Error Message: Camera not found
Control-click in Video Comment Window
Choose Setting (you may have to do this twice)
You will see 4 icons across the bottom of the pop-up window. Select the Webcam Icon
You will see a drop down menu, select USB Video Class Video option
At this point you may have to close (cancel) the Record Video Comment window and reopen (by clicking Add a Video Comment link).

Are there any restrictions to what I can upload?

You are required to agree to a license agreement that forbids you from uploading video that violates the AOL Terms of Service or that contains illegal, pornographic or harmful material. A complete list of standards is available in the license agreement and the User Guidelines. If you see any videos or comments posted that violate these Guidelines please report it using the Notify AOL button.

How long can my video be?

The maximum video length is 10 minutes. If your video is too long, try trimming it down with the uploader's start and end sliders. There is also an erase feature that lets you delete any section of your video before you upload it.

Which operating systems and browsers are supported?

Currently, Windows XP and Mac OS X and higher operating systems are supported. For Windows XP, the supported browsers are Internet Explorer 7.0 and Firefox 2.0. For the Mac, the site will also run on Safari 2.0. Unfortunately, support for Firefox on Mac OSX is limited -no uploading- at this time, we are working to fully support Firefox on Mac OSX in a future release.

What video formats can be uploaded?

The VideoEgg publisher, which powers the uploading functionality, draws dynamically on a variety of resources, including the specific codecs installed on your computer, to decode the video you want to publish. As a result, there is some variation from computer to computer with respect to the videos that can be uploaded. Generally speaking, however, the VideoEgg Publisher should be able to read the video inside most consumer formats, including:

.3gp
.3gp2
.avi
.dv
.mpg
.mpg4
.mov
.mqv
.wmv

Note: At this time, the VideoEgg uploader does not support MPEG-2 movies. These movies are most commonly found on DVDs.

How do I send feedback?

You can send feedback by leaving a comment on our blog.

Will accessing or uploading to this site add any spyware or adware?

No spyware or adware will be added to your computer.

How do I report inappropriate content?

If you see any videos or comments posted that violate the User Guidelines please report it using the Notify AOL button on the video playback page.

Are "Private" videos really private?

YES. Only you and your chosen friends can view your "private" videos. Simply declare your video "private" when you upload it. When the video sharing page comes up, enter your friends' email addresses and hit "share." For your convenience, we have integrated with your AOL address book. Your friends will immediately receive an email including a message from you, a thumbnail, a video title and a link to play the video. You and your friends will need to sign into the site in order to view your private video. Anyone not on your list of friends for that video will be blocked from viewing that video.

How do I give my friends access to my "Private" video?

There are two main ways to give a list of friends access to your private video. The first way is to declare your video "private" when you upload it. When the video sharing page comes up, enter your friends' email addresses and hit "share." For your convenience, we have integrated with your AOL address book. Your friends will receive an email with information about private video and a link to view it. Your friends will need to be signed-in, with the screenname/e-mail address you used when sending the invitation, in order to the view your private video. If someone is not on your list, they can not view the video. You can always add people to your list for private video by editing the video in your My Videos page. Find the video, click "edit" then scroll to the share list for that video. Enter new email addresses, hit "send" and you have now just updated the private access list for that video.

How do I take away someone's access to my "Private" video?

Find your "Private" video in your My Videos page and click edit. Scroll to the share list and remove anyone you no longer want to have access to your private video.

How do I let someone know about my "Private" video?

You can quickly and easily send emails to the friends you have chosen to give access to your private video. During upload of your private video, you can enter a list of email addresses in the share page. Hit send, and your friends will immediately receive an email including a note from you (optional), the video title and thumbnail, as well as a link to view the video. Your friends will need to sign onto the site, with the screenname/e-mail address you used when sending the invitation, in order to view the video. You can also send emails for your public videos in the same way.

What does the "My Invites" button do?

The "My Invites" button, takes you to a page that lists all of the "Private" videos you've been invited to watch. In the past, the problem was that if you ever lost the original email invitation or accidentally deleted it, you had no way of getting back to that "Private" video. "My Invites" is a list of all the private videos that have been sent to you by other users. Now you have one convenient location to find all your private video invites. The "My Invites" button can be found in the header toolbar, at the top of every page. It's right next to the "My Videos" and "My Favorites" buttons.

Can I upload a video from my camera phone?

Yes, you can send videos from your camera phone. (You will need to subscribe to a data plan from your mobile carrier.) We ask that you set up a profile in the Mobile Settings (http://uncutvideo.aol.com/my/mobile) area. All you need to provide is the phone number for the camera phone you plan to use. To make things simple, please select the location from which you will most often send videos. You will notice that we recommend an email address where you should send your videos from your camera phone based on your location. For example, if you shoot your video in Kansas, send that video to ks@uncutvideo.com. You can send videos to any location, as well as to any category, for example Comedy (comedy@uncutvideo.com), Sports (sports@uncutvideo.com), etc. You can find a list of email address at the Mobile Settings page. We recommend that you send videos using MMS or SMS on your camera phone instead of a POP email application. This allows us to match your phone number to your account. If you plan to use an email application on your phone, we ask that you register your email address at the Mobile Settings page.

What mobile carriers are supported?

We support uploads from camera phones with data plans from the Cingular, T-Mobile, Sprint PCS, Verizon and MetroPCS.

What camera phones are supported?

We have tested a variety of camera phone and carrier combinations, however, the large number of devices, and new devices coming onto to the market, make it hard to test them all.

Below are the camera phones that have worked in our tests:

Treo 650 on Cingular and Sprint PCS
Razor on Cingular
Sony Erickson P910i on Cingular
Samsung T309 on T-Mobile
Samsung A900 on Sprint
Sony Erickson Z525a on Cingular
Motorola MPx220 on Cingular
Nokia 6101 on T-Mobile

Can I upload videos through email?

Yes, you can upload videos through email. We ask that you set up a profile in the Mobile Settings area. All you need to provide is the email address you plan to send video from. To make things simple, please select the location where you most often shoot your videos. You will notice that we recommend an email address where you should send your video based on your location. For example, if you are in Kansas, send that video to ks@uncutvideo.com. You can send videos to any location, as well as to any category, for example Comedy (comedy@uncutvideo.com), Sports (sports@uncutvideo.com), etc. You can find a list of email addresses at the Mobile Settings page.

How many videos can I upload through my camera phone or email at a time?

Only one video upload at a time is supported. Please only send one video as an attachment.

How do I add tags to videos I upload from my camera phone or through email?

You can assign tags to your mobile videos during your profile set up at the Mobile Settings page. The tags will be added to all the videos you send by email for from your camera phone.

Can I include a title when I upload videos from my camera phone or through email?

Yes. You can include a title in the subject area when you send a video from your mobile phone. The title will appear with the video on the website. Some phones on the Sprint PCS network, however, cannot send titles. This includes the TREO 650 on the Sprint PCS network. You can always go to ?My Videos? to add or edit a title for your videos.

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