Why does YouTube upgrade to HD content, allow a 2GB file upload limit and then force a 10 minute time limit?

Why would the 10 minute mark mean anything to them? It’s not the replay time, it’s file sizes they should be concerned with – assuming they are concerned about bandwidth bills. If they concerned about storage, it once again falls to the 2GB file size.

I mean, currently I can not capture my game videos in HD format and therefore I don’t upload them in HD format. I create them in standard 480p resolution (720×480). This produces about a 500MB file for a 10 minute video. But what if I want to create an 11 minute video or even a 10 minute 32 second video because the gameplay ran to the time limit of 10 minutes? Should I be forced to time shift parts of video to get it posted? Personally I don’t think so – I think Google should simply say “Your videos must be 2GB or less in size.” Guess what? The 2GB limit would force HD video to shorter than 10 minutes. But at the same time it would allow me to create an SD video that is a few seconds over the 10 minute limit.

I guess I can only see one reason what they enforce the 10 minutes limit. AD REVENUE. If you look at a new video every 10 minutes or less, then they get to display more ads in a day. This, in the end, generates more revenue for them. I can’t knock them for that I guess, but they should be able to over come that with Ajax type adds that rotate every 10 minutes.

I guess I’m just whining because I want to post slightly longer videos. But I guess if they game me a 20 minute limit, I’d complain about wanting to post a 21 minute video.