How Can I Do Better?

100% this. I support the creators that I do because I'm a huge fan of their work; not because I expect extra content or other perks. One of my pledges (Project Farm) very rarely posts to Patreon, but I enjoy his channel. I also appreciate how patrons cover enough of his costs so he can refuse sponsorship and remain impartial when testing products, as he buys everything for his channel using his own (and his patrons') money.

OzRetrocomp

To put it simply: Not here for the patreon videos! Creators always feel like they should do more for patrons, while the reason I am here is to see a continuation of what you do on YOUTUBE... not here for extras. Put your time and effort into cool youtube content, and that will earn my continued support! Look at how AvE runs his Patreon. Just say thanks! If patreon is taking up valuable time which in turn degrades the content people came here to support, or the extra work becomes a burden, yer doing it wrong! Personally: post a 15 minute show'n'tell every week and show something cool, and I'd be happy! Do that on the same day every week, and youtube is happy! + people will know to check your channel on that day, to see what the new franlab video is about. 😊

Roel Binnendijk

I found you via the vintage electronics and for the majority I only watch these videos. The last time you was in housing problems I watch a significant part of the videos here, but I got too much in the end. What I see you asking is, that you are asking your most loyal followers, your biggest fans, what you should do to get other people to watch more of your videos. We are the wrong crowd to ask because we are already supporting you. But anyway, you are doing a lot of different things, so someone finding an electronics video and then getting 3 videos about totally different subjects is imho not the best way to build a broad following. You also tells that you are investing a huge amount of time in each video - and some of them are very long. If you could do more videos that are shorter, more people may be watching it, if they don't have to invest a full hour getting through.

Simon Mikkelsen

For me Fran this channel is entirely about *you.* I'm an autodidact polymath like you. I have a PhD in botany but left the academy behind and now teach middle school science. I adore your channel because, well, you're really motherfucking *cool.* I have total confidence in your judgement about what is cool. I am never disappointed. When FranLab 1.0 got torn down I really felt for you, it made me *angry* that our world isn't better. It was really wonderful seeing your "Frants" and the "behind the scenes" world of your work and your life. It's not because we want you to spill the tea, but because people want to know more about you, because, well, they think you're cool. There's no suggestion here, just that I want you to keep doing what you're doing, as long as Fran is Fran, I'm down. I really like your "Travel Tourism" videos too. I don't know if they are generally popular videos, but it was cool to see the Wanamaker Organ, and the Smithsonian, and the parades. It's like a cool friend giving a private tour, always fascinating!

Clayton Coffman

I found you quite a while ago streaming on YouTube via my Tivo. That was when I decided to support you. I rarely watch on my computer and Tivo does not provide access to my Patreon account. I am one of the reasons you see low usage. I am retired from a career in television and telecommunications engineering and I enjoy the old electronics and the Heathkits, I have many in daily use. But I also love woodworking and fabricating.

I for one like things outside electronics too, as long as you can make an interesting video about it.. Though i lean a bit toward (old or not) science/technology. Probably good to know what hackerspaces and other creators are in the neighborhood. And you help people art projects? Some of that sharable? Figuring that out is work too, of course.

Jasper

I think it's unavoidable that a channel as diversified as this has viewers (and patrons) with different interests. Very few will watch everything, is my guess. Speaking for myself only, I found this through my interest in (vintage) electronics. (Been in the computer business since my late teens, I'm 59 now.) So that's what I watch. I do occasionally watch other videos as well, I like the ones about old music and video media for instance, but I'm a patron and follower of many channels, and can only watch so much. Regarding the statistics, as many have pointed out, it's possible they are misleading. When I do view a patron video, I always click up the youtube link.

Per-Erik Martin

For what it's worth — I am not that interested in _exclusives._ My goal as a patron is to support the continued existence of things that I already like, in a way less fickle and indirect than advertising revenue. But as to what sort of things I do watch, regardless of exclusivity — I came here for the electronics, but I'm also interested in drawing and music and other things you talk about. I guess the big picture is that I like videos that are about _things_ — physical objects and their close neighbors like design and the practice of skills — and not so much those that are more philosophical or personal.

Kevin Reid

I agree with pretty much everything that everyone else has said before me. I have about the same hobbies as your interests (excepting corsets). You have sparked a few new interests as well - e.g., I now have a small collection of fountain pens and repair parts, including Parker 51s, because of your posts on the subject. Your posts about old calculators drew my interest in what I grew up with - so I now also have a small collection of slide rules because of you. Please keep your focus on your variety of niche interests rather than try to be all things to all people and all troll complainers. Yes, worry about Youtube changes, but keep in mind that it is irritating viewers as well as producers.

Robert S. Owen

We don't need regularly scheduled videos here. Well, I don't. It might be nice when you have something different, maybe too short for a regular Youtube posting, outtakes, off-topic or whatever whatever. Scheduling time for regular posting here only takes away from working on content I came here to support. (*this is where I would hit Enter to start a new paragraph, so let's pretend I did*) The thing that drew me to this channel from the start was that you brought electronics history alive. Discovering and using supposedly obsolete components in practical ways was something I hoped to see more of, especially after the parts haul you got from the closing university lab. Videos other than builds were also compelling. From the giant mechanical reverb box to laser disks I found these interesting. (*another paragraph here*) Since the move the channel has been more about big projects which interest me less. I understand the need for the "rant" videos and let them run while I do something else. I skipped around and probably actually watched half of the hatch thing. Wood and I, we have a troubled relationship. (*PP*) So these are just my observations. I don't know how others feel. I can't imagine how stressful it is working for Youtube with its constantly changing rules and algorithms.

Bill Kerr

how about a suggestions box :)

Boris von Shithousen

Fran... I always like to hear what you have to say. The projects are all interesting, but electronics draws my attention quicker. Wood and plastic, not so much. I hope this helps.

nj Phil

I hate watching videos in Patreon. I watch all of your stuff you put on YouTube. I would like to see more vintage electronic stuff rather than 3d printing.

1. Motifs, 2. Suggestions. 1: My support is motivated by what you already have done, the desire to help you continue, and not the least, say thanks. 2: Based on considerations about reaching new viewers: For some videos a section, that caters to viewers, who are interested, but have only basic knowledge. Here further explanations of aspects of a given project, that require advanced knowledge. But, clearly, this can only be little "addendums" here and there! Otherwise you would change the character of the channel, wich would be bad, because it is wonderful, as it is! I love it. Securing the housing, for the future of the channel, is on my mind. A personal preference: Building projects, where your explanations start on just a little lower level, and, a completion of the DSKY. Here is why: I really utterly don't care whatsoever, that somebody somewhere already did it! I really want to see it done by YOU! I watched YOU embark on this project, saw YOU be passionate about it, shared (and still share!!) this passion! Moreover: The course of this project appears to require often individual solutions, that are dictated by materials available to an individual maker, and her or his specialisations. My impression is that, were there 10 makers, making a DSKY, they would end up with 10 different DSKYS. I still want to see YOUR DSKY!Love Your channel! :-)

I personally enjoy your electronic projects, they are the most intriguing to me. I really liked the bits on the old type of Nixie tube and LED stuff you have done. Thanks and keep at it Girl...Vic

Victor Miller

Fran: As I said in a prior comment a month or two ago: "You do you." I found you because of your Apollo and Saturn V equipment and projects, and I stayed for the full width, depth and height of your many skills and interests, and how you combine and grow them. Any other guidance I could give could only bias you away from your instincts, which may be one of your best resources. So, rather than write on a blank slate, I'd prefer to discuss your specific ideas, whims, notions, ponderings and such. Make a list of things that interest you, then let us help filter and refine them. Now, those items do not need to be "in your wheelhouse". Maybe they could be new skills you want to master, or something completely outside your comfort zone. It doesn't really matter, so long as they come from you. Let me put it another, somewhat cruder way: I do not want you to become an organ-grinder's monkey dancing when a coin is tossed, or a puppet on strings pulled by others. That's just my fear, not a real risk to you. I do want us all to go as far in the opposite direction as possible. You are a most unique and special person, and I'm so happy I get to share a planet with you. You inspire and challenge. Yet you are completely and utterly human. You are highly opinionated, yet open-minded. You appreciate both the old and the new, the tech and the craft. I even like when you take us with you on your free time. I spent the first 12 years of my life within an hour of Philly, and still have family nearby. Seeing the Franklin Institute again warms my heart, and seeing how Philly has changed encourages me to see and do more when I next visit. BTW, while I do watch every snippet of video you create, I've never listened to a FranCast simply because podcasts can't hold my attention unless I'm idle, in which case I'd rather watch a video. It's just how my brain works (or doesn't).

BobC

I too have been enjoying your exclusive videos. Whether you keep them exclusive or later release them to the general youtube audience is fine with me. I've been enjoying the projects and am anxiously awaiting to see what the 3d printed light up buttons turn out to be...

I do like the videos where you make stuff from scratch and repair vintage electronics especially when you give a history of them. I really liked the Apollo Maker project, That was great on so many levels. Collaboration with others makers is great too.

Bart de Boisblanc

I support you on Pateron just to give support to a content creator I enjoy. I don't need any extra clips or special perks. Just concentrate on creating for the public channel and keep those Ad dollars and subs coming in :D

Michael Turner-Craig

I find most of your content interesting. Being a musician and a maker of synthesizers and other gadgets, I admire your confidence to make a living / wage with your abilities. I don't expect extra content from giving you my meager support. I can't think of what would bring you more Patreons, but for me it comes down to appreciating creativity and not expecting that for free.

As with many of the others, I support you for the content of your youtube channel, no special treatment necessary. If you think extra content on patreon could attract more patrons, perhaps some of the stuff that didn't make it in the final videos, perhaps less brushed footage, you swearing because your hand was in front of the camera, or a solder joint that takes forever to melt... unedited, just slapped together, no need to cause you a ton of extra work.

Erik Broeders

I liked when you assembled the Heatkit kit and overcame minor obstacle and did soldering. I dunno, I like soldering. I watch all the exclusive videos. But I admit that the personal drama and struggles videos get more attention from me than, say a 3D printing video. Trying to quantify what makes me watch a your videos is hard. I'm here for you, not the tech. The tech or whatever else you do, is part of your character. It comes along for the ride.

Hey Fran. I subscribed cause I like you as an engineer and wanted to add support, small as it may be, and I do want to keep up to date but I'm sooooo busy myself I just don't get time to watch most videos. It's not cause you're not great. Keep on keepin on

Dan Elleson

At this moment I support 21 creators on Patreon at over $120 per month. I don't mind paying for content that I enjoy to watch. I tend to enjoy watching other people be creative and happy. Fran, be happy and creative and I will continue to watch your videos. I am one of your more recent Patrons as I came aboard with others from the Big Clive shout-out, and contributed to your Go-fund-me campaign as well. I've since watched many of your earlier projects. You seemed happier back then. Good luck. My monetary support is unlikely to waver because I believe you have more to offer to the world than what appears on my computer screen. I may not watch every video you create, but you have things to share that I want others to find.

Robert Sanges

I like the exclusive videos and watch each one. I just don't watch them quickly. It's usually a few days or a week before I watch them. I wait till I can focus on them, and that's not every day.

Jessica McIntosh

Fran, I enjoy all of your projects. I was thinking about your new 3D printer and was curious if a 3D printer can be made to print vinyl records. I'm sure it would need to be a specific sort of printer and I'm not sure such a thing would have any value but these odd thoughts pass through my head. :)

Fran, another channel I watch often is a guy in NY who owns a component-level computer repair business, and has about a million subscribers on YouTube. Typically his videos depict him doing repairs. Recently he needed to find a larger location for his business so he started videoing, and in some cases live-streaming, his search for another location in mid-Manhattan, including walk-throughs of prospective locations and his negotiations with brokers and so forth. To his amazement, those store-search videos attracted 5 times the viewer interest as compared to his typical repair-oriented videos. I think this phenomenon is at least partially because we all have a natural curiosity about what an everyday slice-of-life is really like for the people we already know and follow on YouTube and Patreon. More people than you might expect are just as interested in the person who you are, and what your life and struggles are really like, as they are interested in what you do in the lab. Hopefully you won’t be searching for another location soon, but if it turns out that way you might consider taking us along with you. I don’t know about your other Patreon supporters, but I don’t support you because I expect exclusive or special content for Patreon-only. Just don’t care about that aspect whatsoever. I support you because I find what you do interesting, I think you’re an interesting person in general, and I want you to continue being interesting. If you do want to continue providing special content for Patreon, maybe you could do some slice-of-life live-streaming on Patreon and post it to YouTube later. To sum up, my suggestion is more Fran, in the lab or otherwise!

I wasn't aware that the Patreon videos were exclusive as they seem to show up later on YouTube, so I just watch them there. I will watch out for Patreon videos now that I know they are exclusive.

I confess I watch every one of your videos but that I never login to youtube to do it. I loathe watching videos in a browser and so throw them to my media center or pipe it to a video player. Don't think we don't watch your videos here. Some of us just feel there is not always a need to comment on every little thing you say and do, it comes across as unnecessarily petty or over-ingratiating I love your fabrication projects, be they in wood, plastic or fabric. But we have not seen too many of those easily accessible builds of late. Not your fault you had commissions to do.. but still would not mind seeing you solder, design or plan something. Watching you go from a drawing to 3D model for example would be a good start. We know you can draw but how do you translate that into what you want to print? Did that come natural or was it a learning curve? Many things could be discussed and only you with your unique fabrication background could discuss things like the right material to build in.

veritanuda

I'm here largely for the electronics and the unique vintage gadgets and related videos. I love your narration and your stories in those videos and try to watch every one I can. For what its worth I just now went to your channel and did a Sort By - Most Popular and the most popular videos were overwhelmingly those types of videos. I'm also a 3d printing hobbyist and also a general fan of crafty things (woodworking, silkscreening, etc) but I feel like those topics, unless you come up with a unique angle for each video, are saturated on Youtube. I'll only watch a video on any of those subjects if the video and thumb seems like a new or underrepresented subtopic. "3d Printing in the 20th Century" is a unique topic related to 3d printing, and I assume that's why it got many more views that the more practical "setting up a 3d printer" vids, which I feel like many of us have already seen elsewhere. So play to your strengths! You're a one of a kind person.

Hi Fran, I usually try to watch all of your videos. Sometimes, I do skip one of the rant video, even though you are making valid points. My favourite are electronics projects, but all of your creations are great. I'm not backing out anytime soon.

Do whatever you enjoy doing. That's what you did in the past and I enjoyed that. Besides, if you don't enjoy it then it becomes work. When it becomes work then it's time to think of something else to do, right? :)

David Blake

Since I have supported you on Patreon, I felt I was helping out in your quest for audience... but fear my lack of comments has led to your recent quest for suggestions. Many things help. Structure rather than peaky projects tends to grow the relationship more steadily. Many people simply don't have the same skill set as you, don't have the parts you use, don't understand the music you share, can't comprehend much of what is your strongest suit... your brain. Find from others the sum of commentary representing their needs and make a series which engages that sector of your skills which you can teach online. Many projects are a result of your need for certain things where you work or live. You could abstract the ones which result in a series. Building projects is an obsession which many people share, and which needs support such as a GOOD online series, such as was started by Paul Carlson of Mr. Carlson's Lab. He just gets carried away by small, (to him) items and processes which are unobtainable (except to people like HE is) to the great majority of his followers. He will lose out if not careful, because he too just follows his own trail of dabbling and doesn't label his projects carefully or have a simple way to access them. So, there you have it. One person's opinion! LOL de KQ2E

Bruce Havourd

You are doing great Fran. Just keep doing what you are doing. I watch your vids here all the time. Perhaps not the day that they are released, but I do get around to them in time. Your are doing a great job. Please keep it up. I wish that I could tell you what you could do better, but afaic, you already are the best!

Rocco Rizzo

I really like your channel Fran and the style and content of your videos, they are refreshingly different. I have gone off channels that just try and impress with electronics knowledge or relentlessly pursue sponsorship deals. I like truely educational, slightly quirky, humorous and not afraid to do stuff off topic. Have to confess I haven't watched as much of your videos as I had as am already spending far too much time on YouTube. For me early access to videos is more important than Patreon only videos, although those are interesting too. It's a small thing but I was really looking forward to an update or conclusion to the Heathkit Signal Tracer project. (Unless I missed it?). It's great that you are always busy and consistently producing quality videos. I am sure your videos are very much liked and respected. Hope that helps and happy to continue to be a supporter! 😊

Fran, You aren't the only one talking about loss of patreon revenue. As far as viewing, I almost always click on the Patreon vid and the click on YouTube to watch it. You have a very diverse client base. I'm glad that I'm not trying to do what you are doing. I'll continue supporting you no matter what you produce.

I share these sentiments exactly!

Dear Fran, I only watch your vintage electronics videos. I'd love to see projects with old components eg Germanium transistors, early "glue" logic and vintage LEDs. I like repair videos such as the jukebox and the clock. Woodworking and 3D printing does not interest me. Best wishes, Tez.

Nuts 'n' Proud

Originally I subscribed to your channel for the vintage electronics. I only signed up to Patreon to support your channel so I rarely log into Patreon. You asking for honest feedback is what prompted me to log in this time. Also I really only watch my subscribed YouTube channels via the YouTube app on an AppleTV so I’m probably going to miss anything unlisted. If something catches my attention I’ll go back and watch it again. I realize that this may not be typical. The Table Saw video was some good content, and I learned something. I’m a big Fresh Air fan, and I would like to see more long format interviews on YouTube. This particular video could have been edited better. Add some cutaways to b-roll while you present the research and put things in context with narration. When you were reading of reading from a piece of paper the guy just sat there. It made it seem awkward. I just saw your ‘Watersports' video. It’s interesting and makes me want to check out Philadelphia since I’ve never been there before. If YouTube rewards constant posting, I would just make this pubic after a few days of being exclusive. This could be filler content to feed the algorithm while you are working on videos with a long lead time. All you need to do is put in some narration and a thumbnail of you making a silly face being attacked by a cartoon bee or something to make it more clickbaity. I know this stuff takes time and effort. I don’t know what your production budget looks like, but it may be helpful to find someone to do some of the editing and video production gruntwork. Maybe even an intern. This will allow you to focus on making the actual content. Livestreams seem to be popular. They make people feel more connected and part of the channel. The only real cost to producing them is setting some time aside for it. There is a troll risk, but I think that can be moderated. Collaboration with other YouTubers allow you to cross pollinate viewers. They seem to work best when the talents are complementary.

I really loved watching the epic hours long video of the heath kit signal tracer build. Did you ever get this working properly? I enjoy watching electronic builds, wether they be vintage or new.

Paul Ferguson

After reading the previous comments I don't think I can add much. All of my gripes and wants have been covered, and I think the suggested direction is good. I'm sure you are close to burnout with all the drama you have had to face (and are facing) and I believe it would be good for YOU as well as the channel to get back to vintage cool stuff and maybe some quick builds of quirky, stupid stuff! (P.S. I LOVE to see you digging into old tech and watching you puzzle out things. Most of the time I'm ahead of you (I've got a few more years and lived the tech you are discovering!) and like to pretend I'm coaching you!) Love all you do!

HarveyB

I would personally enjoy it if you had more videos about the vintage electronics in your collection. They can be short, just explain what it is and then let's take a look inside at how it works--even 10 minutes would be very enjoyable. My favorite episode of all time was when you rescued vintage electronics from the college lab that was closing down. I prefer these kinds of videos over the long projects.

I'm really mainly interested in electronics. How about doing a few videos that are cheaper to produce e.g. a teardown on things you already have that might be interesting without much preparation and only light editing? Just do a simple cut if there are any long pauses. How about some rambles to camera about things you know inside out like circuit design and don't worry too much about the editing? Subjects you know about in depth that don't require doing days of research. You could use the Patreon more like a test bed to see how popular a video concept is going to be before investing too much in it. So you do a cheap version of the video without the polish and minimal or no editing. Then only if the video does well, finish it off, edit it down, put it up on YouTube. So YouTube is more like the highlight reel but Patreon is all of the raw content.

I suspect that many of the answers you'll receive on Patreon are going to be the same people who watch the early videos or elsewise are already engaged. I tend to watch on YouTube as well, as in theory that helps your numbers since YouTube is your primary means of 'advertising'. There is a tension there: your steadfast fans are here for you and your quirky builds, but your mechanism for maintaining an adequate level of sponsorship is a social media platform run by a cold uncaring algorithm. Focusing on just the builds, which you've admitted take you a long time to produce because of your MO of preparing and planning everything well before the camera really rolls, may not be a strategy that meshes well with maintaining enough viewership to sustain patronage on a platform that prioritizes one thing: consistent and reliable click through. I think the whole situation sucks: from what I've seen, Fran, you are a big-hearted, pragmatic, but guarded individual, perhaps an introvert. I'd be too with your life experience, where life seems to have fucked you over at least a dozen times right when things feel finally sorted. I think your approach to YouTube reflects that: it's guarded, reserved. When you're on camera it seems like, perhaps, you are trying very hard to do it just so and please everybody. That is, except when you you Frant. I do not think the lesson to be learned from Frant videos being popular is that the thumbnail is a certain way or the title is faux-inflammatory or exciting, necessarily. I think the lesson to be learned is relatable 'authenticity', as described by Lindsay Ellis's excellent video essay on the commodification of authenticity in social media. Your passion comes out because you are afraid of losing it all, again. There is a narrative to those videos unlike the simple narrative of making an object. But then the next video is your process of making your T-Shirt prototype, which I personally find interesting _on principle_, but is not necessarily itself an _interesting video_. I think that over all, you have struggled to find a large, sustainable following because you are like many people of the engineering persuasion: the process itself should be enough. Building an electronic device or 3D printing a replacement part should, all by itself and in a vacuum, be enough for people to enjoy, because that is fundamentally what you enjoy. Adding any of the trappings of 'content' on top feels like a betrayal or a subversion of that ideal. This would be fine if you are writing articles for Popular Engineering magazine in 1982, because people reading that are already here for the build and don't need anything else. But you aren't doing that, you're on YouTube making videos, videos that won't get promoted if you don't make them also entertaining to more than just the engineers. This is a problem the stymies all the 'hard' science channels. Veratasium's viral duet earlier this year of lake balls and the YouTube algorithm videos is a good example. Earnest videos about real, interesting science that many people don't know get uploaded once a week because there is something just off about how they are put together and put together. Conversely, you can find channels whose following is based on the personalities: Jaymes Mansfield's drag wig styling videos are popular with her audience in spite of their niche nature; many top comments are routinely "I don't do drag or need to style a wig, I'm here for Jaymes." But they are still fundamentally about a niche maker subject. So, my suggestions are three fold. First, do the promotion block everyone does where you plug your Patreon, FranCast, and your t-shirts and other merch _every episode_. You need to do this because a new listener is very unlikely to dig into your back catalog enough to find the one video in which you mention you do a radio show. This in no way makes you less legitimate or a sell out, it is just how you get eyes on your stuff. Even Tested, which leans on Adam Savage's built-in fanbase, cross promotes it's own stuff all the time. Also no one will be offended if you make your video titles a skoash more clickable. Second, tape your podcast and post it as a video on YouTube as well as audio on your website (which you should also mention is available in the video). It wouldn't hurt to get your podcast on Maximum Fun or something like that as well. Third, find a way to make your channel more entertaining while still doing something you are passionate about. Something more personal, where you loosen up and give us something to engage with. Also, something easier to produce, that you can shoot and edit and get out. I think you tried this with your Franklin Institute vids recently, and there were pretty okay. The Wanamaker Organ videos, however, were sweet, and the University Electronics Lab clean out had some real pathos and wonder to it. Maybe "Mysterious Philadelphia" or something like that. I think is is evident that you love Philadelphia deeply, and surely you've got a lot to tell and show about the city that is legitimately interesting. You've managed to get access to dark corners of the Smithsonian and Phili; there must be more that appeals to both steadfast viewers and a slightly more general audience. The fountain video you just posted, for instance, is fine, but could be better. Present the fountain a bit, tell us the history thereof, who designed it. Those rabbit holes are always interesting, just like the rabbit holes you went down in the Nimo videos. People will watch just about anything if there is a human story you can tell them. I hope for the best for you, Fran. You are consistently interesting and your love of old ways of doing things is right in line with my tastes. I believe in you.

My comment is echoed by James Kao - just produce content as you have and we'll be here with the popcorn.

Richard Thompson

I will side with Daniel on this. What bought me to your channel was the vintage electronics projects you worked on. Maybe look at videos that boosted viewership and see what they have in common?

Mikeybg

I become a patron in order to support the production of solid maker content on YouTube, and got hooked on your channel back on your Nixie tube video. I'm not looking for any special Patron content, rather I hope that my contributions help with the production of project videos available for all.

I might be in the minority here, but my opinion is: get back to roots - I came for the vintage electronics projects. I can get 3d printing on 50 other channels, I can get drama everywhere - while I was a supporter of the initial fight for Fran Lab space, I am not here to have that battle every 6-18 months - many folks work out of their basement or shed ... commercial space is hard even with money ( see lois rossman's struggles ) , Out of respect for your history, I will continue as a partreon , but I am less likely to engage or recommend if the videos are not on topics that you uniquely can deliver on. For example - I would love a series on the details of the old Frantone pedals ...

Daniel Pirone

Love what you do. Prefer the electronics and projects over rants, but I'm easy either way really. I can see you invest a massive amount of time and care in what you produce, although I'm not sure the extra effort makes a significant difference to my experience. But I appreciate that it's your process and doing something less rigorously / perfectly might be uncomfortable for you 😉. In my ideal world you'd make more "easier videos for you to produce", maybe tear-downs of your frantone pedals, or other bits of kit you've got in the lab, and let the comments (maybe here more than YouTube) drive whether you go into more detail on things or not? Not a big deal but a friendly suggestion. Much appreciation.

I wish that Patreon had "windows toast notifications". I know they are annoying, but emails are too quiet.

I wonder if Patreon only counts those that go directly to the page on Patreon. I support several creators on Patreon and tend to visit the home page ("news feed"...) directly when I see a Patreon notification email in case I missed something posted earlier. Maybe it doesn't count this kind of activity for some reason. I do enjoy the cozy patreon chats :)

I am the same as David above where I go to Youtube to watch your videos rather than in the Patreon platform, does that 5% include those? I have no idea of how you could improve the Franlab experience for me as I already like the content you create, I suppose more of the same would be great!

I personally am interested only on project videos, viewer mail etc stuff and avoid the youtube "rant" type videos and other drama (even though I realize it is important to you, the creator). I support your work and don't need additional patreon only stuff...

I get notifications from Patreon ok, but I tend to watch those vids via the YT link rather than here on the Patreon page because, for me at least, YT vid playback behaves better than Patreon - not sure if this affects your '5%' number perhaps ? So if I comment, it's usually on the unlisted YT version rather than here on Patreon too...not sure if all viewing numbers get put into one Patreon bucket or no.

I think it is great that you are a big picture person and are asking this question, and I guess to some extent you have to be because of the bottom line, but personally I don't have any suggestions. I tend to avoid videos that "rant" about YT, even though it is very legitimate to do so. I like research and construction content. You inspired me to go buy a digital scope (my dad's Heathkit 0-11 would not cut it :) ), and multiple vintage displays (numitrom, VFD, nixie) and tinker with building blocks to construct clocks. Now I need to figure out how to have some circuit boards made. While I wrestle with decades old challenges, I find your interest in exploring new technologies fascinating. Just do something, and I am there. Except rants...

I see the notifications for your content posted on Patreon via email. However I’m not the type (myself) to click and view them. I just want to support you and your channel. Getting extra content for me isn’t a requirement for patronage. Now some folks will want more content than what is posted on YouTube and they may be willingly to pay for that, but that seems like a tremendous amount of work for you. I’m curious if there’s a correlation between larger patrons and that 5% viewership.

I think I tend to view the Patreon-only stuff regularly. I often find these Philly-snippets interesting, and the occasional YouTube-'from the creator side of things' (euphism for algorithm/YouTube politics) rant I like too :)