- When viewing a file on pixeldrain it has to go through the file - viewer. Files which have three times more downloads than views - will be rate limited. This happens when downloaders use external - downloading tools to download the file instead of a web browser. + Paying for bandwidth is the most expensive part of running + pixeldrain. Because of this we have to limit what can be + downloaded and by who.
- This means that the downloader will be asked to fill in a - captcha before they can download the file. When the file / - download ratio drops below 3x again the captcha will be removed - and direct downloads become possible again. + Normally when you view a file it's on pixeldrain's file viewer. + The file viewer is the page with the download button, the name + of the file and a frame where you can view the file if it's an + image, video, audio, PDF or text file. +
++ It's also possible to link directly to a file instead of the + download page. This circumvents our advertisers and branding and + thus we lose money when people do this. That's why I added 'rate + limiting mode' to files. This mode is enabled when a file has + been downloaded three times more than it has been viewed through + the file viewer. When rate limiting mode is activated a file + cannot be downloaded through the API, the request needs to come + from the file viewer page. On the file viewer you will see a + CAPTCHA to fill in when you click the download button. +
++ When you have a Pro subscription you will get a monthly + bandwidth cap for all the files on your account combined. Normal + downloads through the file viewer will not be subtracted from + the cap, so nothing changes if you keep using the site like + normal. If people download your files directly from the API (by + replacing the /u/ part in the link with /api/file/) the + bandwidth usage will be subtracted from the bandwidth cap on + your account. If the bandwidth cap is exceeded rate limiting + mode will be enabled for all the files on your account with + three times more downloads than views.
- If you need direct linking you can upgrade to the Premium plan. - Bandwidth will be billed per terabyte. + The bandwidth cap on your account is a 30 day rolling window. + This means that bandwdith usage will expire 30 days after it was + used. Your counter will not reset at the start of the next + month. +
++ When a list of files is downloaded with the 'DL all files' + button each file in the resulting zip file will be counted + separately.
@@ -368,12 +417,16 @@ } function explainDirectLinking() { let m = new Modal( - document.body, null, "Direct Linking Bandwidth", "600px", "auto" + document.body, null, "Direct Linking Bandwidth", "800px", "auto" ) m.cloneTemplate("tpl_direct_linking") m.open() return false } + + if (window.location.hash === "#direct_linking") { + explainDirectLinking() + } {{template "analytics"}}