https://www.reddit.com/r/OutOfTheLoop/comments/3yzgku/where_did_the_term_potato_quality_come_from/
created by biffcollins on 01/01/2016 at 03:45 UTC
1342 upvotes, 15 top-level comments (showing 15)
Comment by OrysBaratheon at 01/01/2016 at 08:04 UTC
984 upvotes, 8 direct replies
It started in 2008 on youtube where people would say videos with poor image quality look like they were "recorded with a potato." It kind of spread from there and "potato quality" is a reference to that.
http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/recorded-with-a-potato
Comment by knownaim at 01/01/2016 at 09:07 UTC
290 upvotes, 5 direct replies
To add to what the other commenter's have stated, I've always thought that it also may be a reference to those experiments where people have used potatoes to produce an electric current, thus hinting at the idea that a potato could potentially run an electronic device, but the quality of the product produced by the potato-powered device would be severely hindered by the weak current.
[Please see here for an example] (http://m.all-about-potatoes.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.all-about-potatoes.com%2Fpotato-electricity.html&utm_referrer=#2727[1])
Comment by [deleted] at 01/01/2016 at 10:23 UTC
116 upvotes, 3 direct replies
Also, I believe Potato was chosen cause you could make a potato clock, and therefore hypothetically a potato camera, i.e. potatoes are the lowest form of electronics
Comment by CHClClCl at 01/01/2016 at 10:39 UTC
53 upvotes, 2 direct replies
The first times I heard it was back when camera flip phones first started being a thing. People would take selfies in the mirror, but the cameras were absolutely horrible. So it looked like they were holding a potato.
Comment by unknownpoltroon at 01/01/2016 at 11:20 UTC
39 upvotes, 2 direct replies
I think it grew out of that "I can count to potato" meme, as applied to video.
Comment by smikketabito at 01/01/2016 at 08:30 UTC
21 upvotes, 2 direct replies
When you watch a youtube video and its only option is 240p or even worse 180p (cringe) people say that it might as well have been filmed with a literal potato. Hence, potato quality.
You obviously can't film with a literal potato so this serves to express just how bad the video's quality is.
Comment by shockingnews213 at 01/01/2016 at 15:47 UTC
9 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Comment by datchilla at 01/01/2016 at 15:19 UTC
3 upvotes, 0 direct replies
I always thought it came from the fact that you can make a low quality battery with potatoes therefore you could make anything with potatoes it will just be very low quality like the battery.
Comment by HeelsDownEyesUp at 02/01/2016 at 22:56 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
I always thought it was because potatoes can power devices[1]; though not efficiently from what I gather.
1: http://www.kidzworld.com/article/4726-how-potato-batteries-work
Comment by kakureru at 27/05/2024 at 07:34 UTC*
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Answer: Me and a buddy were talking about things we (may have) coined back in the day, 'Filmed on a potato' was very likely me from back in 2007/8 which the extended version was along the lines of; 'Was this filmed on a potato? because even with all those eyes, it still cant see anything.' I initially thought that the 'know meme referenced video "KILL ILIDAN WITH DEATHTOUCH^^" comment may have influenced me but that comment was posted in 2011 (which time can be seen if you look at the video today) so I am certain I was not influenced by this user. If anyone knows how to search posted comments from 16 years ago, I am very interested in accurate information on my part. The video was something being filmed with a really crumby camera, darkly lit and overly compressed. Other note; I can not recall ever seeing a crap camera being called a potato quality before I had posted it on youtube, I would be interested if there is so I can move on from thinking it was me. :P automod forced the 'answer' tag, I do not know if my answer is legit.
Comment by fireflaai at 01/01/2016 at 13:47 UTC
-3 upvotes, 2 direct replies
Consoles like the playstation and xbox are also reffered to as potatoes because of their poor resolution and framerate.
Comment by [deleted] at 01/01/2016 at 15:06 UTC
1 upvotes, 1 direct replies
A lot of people have forgotten where this came from, but it's actually about Autochrome Lumiere, which was an old color photography process.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autochrome_Lumi%C3%A8re
It used potato starch.
Comment by dodge-and-burn at 01/01/2016 at 13:50 UTC
-1 upvotes, 1 direct replies
I always thought it referred to poorer countries and their lack of current technology. So someone is Latvia would be using a potato to take a picture. (I'm sure Latvia is actually lovely)
Comment by [deleted] at 01/01/2016 at 14:08 UTC*
-14 upvotes, 1 direct replies
[deleted]
Comment by postmoderncoyote at 01/01/2016 at 10:06 UTC
-18 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Because the pixels in a low resolution pic are as big as potatoes. At least that's what I always thought.