BigRedX Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 (edited) I've been experiencing a slow down when scrolling down the page in some threads, where on hitting the page down key nothing happens for several seconds and then the page scrolls. After a while I spotted that this slow down always happened when the next scroll was going to bring a particular animated avatar into view. So I downloaded the avatar in question and discovered that it's a whopping 1.7MB in size! Not only that but it's dimensions are 263x113 pixels! Now I might be wrong but I can't find anywhere on the forum that this avatar is being displayed at full size, so every time it appears it's being scaled by the forum software and/or the browser, and that combined with the ridiculous file size can't be doing the forum speed and bandwidth usage any good. On my desktop machine I've been able to use my AdBlocker software to permanently block this avatar, but my laptop currently needs to run an older version of the OS and browser and consequently the blocking function isn't working. Plus of course it's a slower machine so is being affected even more by the unnecessary size. So can we please set a limit on avatar sizes both in terms of pixel dimensions and file size. There should be no reason to have avatars bigger than the page on which they are shown the largest which appears to be your user page where they are 142 pixels square. Also while animated avatars are fun there's no reason for them to be almost 2MB in size. Happy Jack's dancing spiderman is a nice svelte 108k. Edited December 7, 2011 by BigRedX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShergoldSnickers Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 Very good point. One simple resize for dimensions and resolution and we save hours of load time spread over the readership of BC. Off now to play 'Hunt the Avatar'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_5 Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 (edited) I'll check what mine is, I may be the guilty party. ......phew, 8kB. as you were. Edited December 7, 2011 by paul_5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShergoldSnickers Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 I should have said spot the avatar rather than hunt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamster Posted December 8, 2011 Share Posted December 8, 2011 On this version of the forum software a lot of the admin controls over avatar size and dimensions have been removed. It has been commented on by numerous people on the IP Board software forum and I expect a fix/update will be released in due course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daz Posted December 8, 2011 Share Posted December 8, 2011 (edited) I doubt very much if the vast majority are more than 23k, just looked at mine and its 17k, mine seems a pretty average one in pixel size, colour, contrast, etc. Your right though any 'rougue' avatars may slow down a page if using a phone browser. Or if you still have 56k dial up! (surely nobody?) But the avarage line in the UK is over 3.8Mbps Edited December 8, 2011 by daz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted January 28, 2012 Author Share Posted January 28, 2012 I see that nothing's been done about this as another huge animated avatar (over 500k) has just appeared. These are playing havoc with my laptop, any idea when the problem will be fixed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrRatty Posted January 28, 2012 Share Posted January 28, 2012 If the forum software doesn't yet support limiting avatar size, maybe any large ones which are spotted could be reported by PM to an admin who could then have a quiet word with the owner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartelby Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1327768402' post='1516526'] I see that nothing's been done about this as another huge animated avatar (over 500k) has just appeared. These are playing havoc with my laptop, any idea when the problem will be fixed? [/quote] My ageing laptop also can't cope with the larger animated avatars. When there's a page with a couple of different ones the browser totally locks up. I know on other forums I go on there's an option to hide avatars. Can this be done here? Of course the simplest option would to just limit the file size... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PURPOLARIS Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 [quote name='bartelby' timestamp='1328165824' post='1522801'] My ageing laptop also can't cope with the larger animated avatars. When there's a page with a couple of different ones the browser totally locks up. I know on other forums I go on there's an option to hide avatars. Can this be done here? Of course the simplest option would to just limit the file size... [/quote] Or get a new laptop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartelby Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 [quote name='PURPOLARIS' timestamp='1328166081' post='1522802'] Or get a new laptop [/quote] Why? It works fine for basic web browsing, when there are stupid animated gifs all over the shop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ped Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1327768402' post='1516526'] I see that nothing's been done about this as another huge animated avatar (over 500k) has just appeared. [/quote] Sorry Sir! Funnily enough we aren't checking evey single avatar by hand. As previously mentioned, there's no option to do what you want yet. We just recruited a new tech guy and it's on the list as Hamster said. In the meantime please feel fre to report accordingly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charic Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 What avatar is that... I live in a fairly rural town, no 3g and can browse the site on my phone without any issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveO Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 wasn't there a way to block animated avatars in the "my settings" bit once - maybe the old site, maybe my memory's going? I wonder if it is a mac thing. browsing on my pc or phone is fine, but on the mac its easier to restart the browser (and avoid that thread) than to wait for it to catch up. I also wonder if the member is aware of the problems from his avatar? pm-ing now as I'm sure he's a nice bloke and not the kind to wish to cause upset. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waynepunkdude Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 Now I realise it's a Mac problem I'm wondering whether to change it or sit here and be smug about the inadequacies on Apple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crez5150 Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 [quote name='waynepunkdude' timestamp='1328378830' post='1526254'] Now I realise it's a Mac problem I'm wondering whether to change it or sit here and be smug about the inadequacies on Apple. [/quote] Well It's not affecting mine at all..... why don't we just ban them all together Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waynepunkdude Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 (edited) [quote name='crez5150' timestamp='1328379090' post='1526259'] Well It's not affecting mine at all..... why don't we just ban them all together [/quote] I've been saying we should ban Macs for years, no one listens. Edited February 4, 2012 by waynepunkdude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machines Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1327768402' post='1516526'] I see that nothing's been done about this as another huge animated avatar (over 500k) has just appeared. [/quote] Sorry, that'll be my fault. I fell asleep on watching people upload avatars duty . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waynepunkdude Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 [quote name='Machines' timestamp='1328381573' post='1526299'] Sorry, that'll be my fault. I fell asleep on watching people upload avatars duty . [/quote] Disappointed, I mean what are we not paying you for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted February 4, 2012 Author Share Posted February 4, 2012 I think that for some browsers the problem is being doubled by the fact that not only is the file size of the avatar ridiculously big but every fame of the animation is having to be resized on the fly by the browser as from what I can tell there are 3 different avatar sizes depending on where in the forums it's being displayed. It appears to be this re-sizing that is causing the problems for some browsers on older (slower) computers. Every other forum I frequent has maximum file and pixel size for avatars. I realise that if the feature is missing from this version of IP Board there's not a lot that you can do about it ATM. Here's hoping that it's fixed in the next update. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machines Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1328382726' post='1526314'] It appears to be this re-sizing that is causing the problems for some browsers on older (slower) computers. [/quote] Time to upgrade from your Commodore 64 . I'm running a 1.9Ghz Intel Mobile CPU with 0.5GB RAM (laptop is about 7 years old) and not having any issues with avatars loading. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waynepunkdude Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 [quote name='Machines' timestamp='1328429955' post='1526683'] Time to upgrade from your Commodore 64 . I'm running a 1.9Ghz Intel Mobile CPU with 0.5GB RAM (laptop is about 7 years old) and not having any issues with avatars loading. [/quote] I still have a C64, great computer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted February 5, 2012 Author Share Posted February 5, 2012 [quote name='Machines' timestamp='1328429955' post='1526683'] Time to upgrade from your Commodore 64 . I'm running a 1.9Ghz Intel Mobile CPU with 0.5GB RAM (laptop is about 7 years old) and not having any issues with avatars loading. [/quote] It's not the loading it's the playing (and resizing on the fly) that appears to be the problem. Anyway I've fixed it now by upgrading the browser to one that supports a more versatile ad-blocker and using it block the avatars in question. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blademan_98 Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 [quote name='waynepunkdude' timestamp='1328444850' post='1526941'] I still have a C64, great computer. [/quote] My Dragon 32 was sadly not up to the Commodore standard and died in a hail of hammer blows back in 1985 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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