tulip-radio.co.uk/testydesign

please give opinions on this prototype website

not all pages there.

thanks

www.tulip-radio.co.uk/testydesign/

i would also like feedback on loading times for 56k, 256k 512k and 1k connection speeds.

I would get rid of the periods after each of your menu items at the top. I also get a 404 error when I go to photos or contact. (In case you don't know yet.)
EDIT: I just re-read your post. It looks like you do know about it. *Sorry*

I have a broadband connection (oc3) and it took about 15-20 seconds for the flash object to load. I don't know what that would be like on 56k.


I like the layout. Its kind of playful, (which is good for a radio station website, I think.)

what speed in KBPS is oc3?

somewhere around 3Mbps, maybe faster. I don't think I've ever maxed it out.
Your server would probably be able to transmit as fast as it could, and I'd have a little room to spare.

How big is that flash object on the first page? That is what slows it down the most. Everything else loads really really fast.

Um... its 1.22mb

i think i might try and add a pre-loader.

any other comments anyone?

1.22MB is rediculous!
Get rid of the flash thing. I hate being as harsh as this but it looks like crap anyway. You can see where the images you've used overlap!

Get a nicely put together jpg and use that. 20 odd KB job's a good un!

It was intended to show a snapshot of the stations activity in the community.

Would there be a better way of showing those images, because 3 is simply not enough?

ive added a preloader if that helps.


is there any way i can improve it if ?

geee, I don't know.... maybe have an area on the site like a photo gallery (still less than 1.22MB) or a "Tulip radio in the community" section. Come on man...

Flash is going down like the titanic anyway man... don't bother with it.

Yea we do have a foto gallery.

do you think exporting it as GIF would work or not? EDIT: Nope!! i just tried.

Only took 16 seconds on my 1Mb broadband connex.
Don't think that's too bad.
I agree about the periods after the menu items. Looks odd.
I like the Flash item but the overlap is caused because you've not cropped the pictures properly and chosen to fade images in and out.
As each image fades out the opacity level drops. So, when it gets to say 30%, the levels on the overlap are combined and effectively double to 60% for that area, meaning you can see through one to the other and it looks different to the rest of the scene.
By properly cropping the images properly, you'll reduce its file size and the swf file containing it.

OK, does the preloader give you a good enough indication you are expecting something to happen?
Any ideas how to fix, i do agree with you!

This is because originally (www.tulip-radio.co.uk) it was three animations (the pictures) and then a layer with the text on it. It was changed because it looked pants on 800x600 and when favourites menu was open etc.

just take away the full stop after each menu item. Whats hard about that?

oh! periods! i thought u ment the spacing..

thick moment

Okay just emptied my browser cache and visited it again.
It all loaded much quicker.
The page and pre-loader were immediate and the swf loaded after only 10 more seconds.

Re the full stops (periods); If they're images rather than text, it means doing them again. If it's text, just edit them out as you would in a text editor.



p.s. 'Spalding and South Holland' - odd catchment area, lol.