Is PCGS maintaining two separate databases for TrueView Photos now?

WingedLiberty1957 · December 26, 2011 6:07PM

[First an aside: It's truely sad that that various features of the PCGS website seem to go down a lot and/or load VERY SLOWLY -- why wouldnt PCGS lease a FAST and RELIABLE server using one of the thousands of web hosting companies? This is such a low cost thing to do.]

OK ... So I know PCGS has a Cert Verificaiton page which is supposed to have a thumbnail to the Trueview when available ...
http://www.pcgs.com/Cert/20406862/
This is truely a great feature and I hope PCGS never abandons this.

And for the past 10 years has maintained a separate TrueView Photo database with fixed URLs

For small sized TVs:
http://www.pcgs.com/TrueView/20406862.jpg

For Medium sized TVs (simply add in a /Medium/ directory to the URL)
http://www.pcgs.com/TrueView/Medium/20406862.jpg

For Large sized TVs (simply add in a /Large/ directory to the URL)
http://www.pcgs.com/TrueView/Large/20406862.jpg

But now in the past few weeks, new TV photos are no longer added to the old database, but instead loaded into a separate database with this URL:
http://images.pcgs.com/trueview/20522955

They also changed all the standard sizes (used in the old database) of the images in the new database.
(By the way, I think the new TINY sized images in the new interface are a waste as they are too small to use).

So now when we are hunting for TV photos does PCGS expect us to all check in 2 places (in 2 separte databases)?

I honestly think it would have been 1000 times smarter for PCGS to use the CERT VERIFICATION page as the launching point ...
http://www.pcgs.com/Cert/20406862/
That page already has a thumbnail TV inline ... then simply link to a MEDIUM sized version around 1100 pixels in width for INTERNET/WEB display ... and a LARGE size version for printing -- on that same primary page.

Then they could simply direct eveyone to the CERT VERIF page and have the links to the TV photos there (and not have their customers hunting in multiple databases) and trying to remember the URL format for additional images. If PCGS would use the CERT VERIF page as the launching pad and main interface for EVERYTHING it would be a wonderfully simple and elegant solution to the convoluted system they currently have in place.

blu62vette · December 26, 2011 9:47PM

Do the sizes on the new link match the old sizes for the ones they had before. I wonder if a large before was not quite as large so it was easier to set up the new way.

WingedLiberty1957 · December 26, 2011 10:30PM

No, none of the sizes match (from old database to new database) ... they completely abandoned the old standard sizes and for some reason starting going to completely new W x H sizes. I guess I just dont understand the change ... all PCGS seemed to do (from my perspective at least) was muddy the water.

PCGS does remind me a bit of what fast food restaurants and movie theaters did though ... with the old Medium TrueView Image being close in size to the new Large TrueView Image. (Although I believe both of the former businesses went in the opposite direction -- where the old Medium became the new Small).

I honestly dont mind change if there is an improvement involved -- however I just dont see it. Maybe someone at PCGS could post an overarching reason for the change and an explaination on why they decided to add a 2nd totally different database -- especially when they (seemiingly) dont have any plans to migrate the existing database to the new format.

blu62vette · December 26, 2011 11:43PM

There could be a camera change that did bigger sizes and they decided to pass that benefit along.

RYK · December 26, 2011 11:48PM

I honestly think it would have been 1000 times smarter for PCGS to use the CERT VERIFICATION page as the launching point ... that page already has a thumbnail TV inline ... then simply link to a MEDIUM sized version around 1100 pixels in width for INTERNET/WEB display ... and a LARGE size version for printing -- on that same primary page.

I think that is an excellent suggestion. Perhaps you could clean up the OP (take out some of the rant) and send a message to Don Willis.

WingedLiberty1957 · December 27, 2011 12:00AM

TrueView Size Comparison ...

Old Database:

1. Small (551 x 279)
2. Medium (1101 x 556)
3. Large (4401 x 2221)

New Database:

1. Thumbnail (198 x 100)
2. Small (225 x 113)
3. Medium (544 x 275)
4. Large (1089 x 550)
5. ExtraLarge (2200 x 1110)
6. Max (5757 x 2905)

The new Medium is slightly larger than the old Small (but close)

The new Large is very slightly smaller than the old Medium (but close)

The new Max is largest size and about 30% larger than the old Large
Does anybody ever use these really large sizes (they take a long time to load)
I suppose they are useful for printing, which I personally never do but some might.

I still think if PCGS would use their CERT VERIFICATION page as the launching point for all the TV images, it would be so much cleaner.
PCGS could then implement 100 separate databases if they wanted to, customers would know to simply go to the CERT VERIFICATION page to find the correct links to the TV images.

On another topic, I wish that PCGS would track former CERT NUMBERS on the CERT VERIF page.
So if a coin was reholdered with a new cert Number a few times, they would say "Formerly Cert #00611212, #11100110" on the CERT VERIF page.
They could then provide links to True View images of these former (older) Cert Numbers.

The way PCGS does it now, if you have an old TrueView photo of a coin and you submit it for regrading and they reholder it under a new CERT number ... the lose the old TrueView photo of the coin.
Basically presenting the coin on their CERT VERIF page as if it's never ever been TrueViewed photo'd. Also you have no idea of the coins history.

I am not entirely sure if PCGS adjusts their FIELD POPULATIONS for multiple submissions of the same coin or not -- but it would be nice if they did. If coin has had 3 CERT Numbers in it's lifetime, would it be counted 3 times in the population reports? or only once?

lkeigwin · December 27, 2011 12:52AM

<< <i>I am not entirely sure if PCGS adjusts their FIELD POPULATIONS for multiple submissions of the same coin or not -- but it would be nice if they did. If coin has had 3 CERT Numbers in it's lifetime, would it be counted 3 times in the population reports? or only once? >>

If PCGS does the cracking (e.g., on a regrade), yes, the pops are adjusted.

If an owner sends in a cert from a crack-out, yes again.

In other words, if PCGS knows about it the pops are corrected. It is generally agreed that most often PCGS is not in the loop and that is why the numbers are skewed.
Lance.

lkeigwin · December 27, 2011 4:20AM

<< <i>I honestly think it would have been 1000 times smarter for PCGS to use the CERT VERIFICATION page as the launching point ... that page already has a thumbnail TV inline ... then simply link to a MEDIUM sized version around 1100 pixels in width for INTERNET/WEB display ... and a LARGE size version for printing -- on that same primary page.

I think that is an excellent suggestion. Perhaps you could clean up the OP (take out some of the rant) and send a message to Don Willis. >>

I agree.
Lance.

WingedLiberty1957 · December 27, 2011 6:54AM

How do I send an email to Don Willis?

Can someone PM me his email address or the best method to get a message to him?

Cameonut · December 27, 2011 10:31AM

Don't know Don's email address, but you can send him a PM. He has a message stuck at the top of this forum, so it is easy to find him.

Swampboy · December 27, 2011 10:44AM

<< <i>How do I send an email to Don Willis?

Can someone PM me his email address or the best method to get a message to him? >>

You can always pm Don, forum member DonWillis.
I know for a fact that PCGS listens to customer suggestions and complaints; just check out this thread about Trueview backgrounds.

WingedLiberty1957 · December 27, 2011 10:54AM

PM sent to Don ... thanks for the tip on how to do that.

WingedLiberty1957 · December 27, 2011 11:15AM

Whoa!! Thanks for the link to that old thread about the experimental change to the TrueView backgrounds (making them light blue back in 2010). I had no idea ... I am SO GLAD PCGS listened to their customers and changed it back!

I think the OLD (original version) ... and the version they use today is SO MUCH better than the experimental blue version. The backgrounds need to be either black or white (neutral as someone posted).

I just wanted to mention that I think the TrueView photographic service headed by Phil Arnold is simply amazing and is the primary reason why I send SO MANY coins to PCGS. Phil does just an incredible job at taking pictures -- and is especially adept at photographing colorfully toned coins. I hope that PCGS realizes what a monster talent they have in Phil and pay him very well. I have probably spent close to $3000 in TrueView photos and reholdering fees over the past year -- something that was worth every penny to me. Often when I buy coins, I say to my collecting buddies "I can't wait to see what Phil does with this one".

This is some of Phil's work that he did for me a few weeks ago. I have to say that I just love his work. (This is a Guttag Family pedigree AU50).

lkeigwin · December 27, 2011 11:54AM

I love you, WL. You have the passion. But honestly, that photo does nothing for me. I am sure it is a stunning CBH.

Phil shoots hundreds of photos each day and deserves kudos. Every now and then you just have to settle. That one doesn't look real to me.
Lance.

WingedLiberty1957 · December 27, 2011 12:00PM

No worries Lance! I guess the important thing is I love it!!!

How about these?

WingedLiberty1957 · December 27, 2011 12:13PM

These were nice too ...

cointime · December 27, 2011 6:50PM

I just checked one of mine and both places have the same photo.

original link http://www.pcgs.com/trueview/medium/14801189.jpg

new link http://images.pcgs.com/trueview/14801189

Ken

WingedLiberty1957 · December 27, 2011 9:26PM

Well that's great news if they are slowing migrating things over to the new database.

That wasnt true for me, but I will check again in a few weeks.

Is PCGS maintaining two separate databases for TrueView Photos now?

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