Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What does it cost to use Dynamo?
A: You never pay anything to us directly, though Dynamo shares in the revenue of each sale. With every sale, 70% immediately goes to your Dynamo account, and we cover all the costs of video hosting, delivery and domestic (US) transaction costs. We split the added cost of any foreign viewer transactions.
 

Q: Show me the money! How do I get paid?
A: Your money is available immediately, and you can transfer it anytime you wish. In the Publisher Account page you can see how much money you have made, and request payment at any time. We will review the payment request to avoid any obvious fraud and will transfer funds as soon as possible. Please be aware that you will may incur fees from PayPal or Amazon to receive funds, so you probably don’t want to cash out very often. We cannot regulate or compensate for these, and fees may vary depending on what kind of account you have and where you are located.
 

Q: Can I embed my videos on my own site, or post them on other sites?
A: Of course! With Dynamo you are always in control. An embed code is included in the Program Details for each program you create. Copy and paste this into any site you like. To keep you from doing that would be downright un-American.
 

Q: Can viewers share my programs?
A: When viewers like what they see, it’s easy for them to share it and make sure you get paid by each new viewer. You gain new viewers easily as they embed the player on their own site, post it on blogs, or share a link to watch it on the Dynamo site. Viewers just click on the share or embed buttons on the right side of the player and are able to post, email, tweet and publish your videos almost anywhere.
 

Q: Why use PayPal and Amazon?
A: We chose PayPal and Amazon as our first payment processors because they are the most secure and popular payment systems available for this sort of content delivery. We plan to add other solutions in the near future.
 

Q: What if I don’t have a PayPal or Amazon account?
A: You don't need an account to use your credit card or bank card with PayPal or Amazon.
 

Q: How secure are my videos? Can someone pirate my work?
A: We employ features that make it difficult for someone to access your videos illegally, and very easy to view legally. No video solution is entirely secure and we cannot guarantee your work will not be pirated, but we have a few roadblocks in place. Our fate is tied to the fate of our publishers, so we certainly want our publishers to earn all of the revenue they deserve.
 

Q: What size is the Dynamo Player? Can I adjust this?
A: The default player size is 540x405, but you can certainly change the numbers in the embed code. Just make sure the video is 16:9 (e.g. 640x360, 540x405).
 

Q: What size should my thumbnail image be?
A: Any size you like, but for best results we recommend uploading in a fairly large 16:9 ratio image (e.g. 1280x720 or 964x540).
 

Q: What file types does the Dynamo video system accept?
A: We accept most popular video file formats: M4V, FLV, MOV, AVI, MP4, WM, RM, AVCHD, DVCPro, DVCProHD, OGG, AAC, MPEG, MPG and 3GP. If you are using Final Cut Pro or Quicktime and are not certain what to choose, we recommend using Apple's settings for high-res or HD Apple TV, which employs the high quality h.264 codec. Naturally you will want to upload the best quality possible so viewers can take advantage of our 720p HD streaming option, but you should be aware that upload times may be very long for large files.
 

Q: Can I limit access to my content by region?
A: We don't yet have any geographical controls in place. So if you have sold distribution rights in a particular region, we won't be able to limit viewing in those countries. Make sure you only upload content for worldwide distribution.
 

Q: What about foreign payment processing?
A: PayPal and Amazon are both very clear about transaction costs for small payments in the United States, but foreign payments can vary. To address this, we split the added cost of any foreign viewer transactions. When your viewers pay from an account in Los Angeles, you'll receive 70%. If your viewers pay from an account in Tokyo, you may receive 70% less half the additional fee (probably about .15 cents).
 

Q: And what about tax reporting?
A: The IRS requires that high earnings from a source like Dynamo must be reported, so when you approach $250 in revenue, we will ask for your EIN (for companies) or social security number (for individuals), and any other legally required information before making payment. This is to comply with federal laws, so we have little choice in the matter.