NBC has launched its online video hub for the 2008 Olympics, which features free on-demand video for over 20 sports. In order to maximize quality, the videos are available as downloads (you can start watching before the download finishes) and will be in “up to HD” quality. Unfortunately, the video downloads will only be available on Windows machines running Windows Media Center – once again Mac users are left in the cold, likely because of DRM issues (and the fact that Lenovo and Microsoft are sponsors).
While the Olympic ceremonies don’t kick off until August 8, NBC has already posted footage of Olympic trials. Once the games begin, NBC expects to have the footage available around 12 hours after each competition (which shouldn’t be too annoying given the time difference).
Microsoft is participating in the partnership, so access to the videos will be integrated into Media Center’s main panel. Users can also visit this TVTonic page, and the content will be available directly from NBCOlympics.com beginning next week. You can read more about the service at the TVTonic blog post here.
This is great stuff – especially after hearing that we may not get the coverage we need due to the restrictions China has put on the media.
Or maybe we don’t need NBC! the coverage could be done by independent ‘journalists’
There is a great possibility for this to happen to some degree. Our new Social site Olympic Oneness Dream, originally intended for Olympic attendees, the site will have a unique eyewitness viewpoint. This Networking concept should develop into live group coverage, as mobile technology develops.
See and hear more of the Games than you ever imagined
Be connected with the world’s first online International Olympic social network
Feel welcomed in the community of Olympic attendees from 202 nations
See your name listed on the roster of those who experienced the Beijing Olympics first hand
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There’s a lot of unoffical coverage online now:
http://www.webt...ee-live-action/
Great, we’ll be able to see all that smog and dirty air in HD!
Title should read:
NBC Launches On-Demand Olympic Coverage In HD but service is unavailable on Comcast, Cox and others due to throttling. Users on Timewarner and others unable to tune in due to metered bandwidth charges.
What happened to live streaming with SilverLight?
They probably couldn’t get Silverlight’s streaming technology ready/tested in time. I think Microsoft missed a great opportunity to distribute the Silverlight plugin to the masses. At this pace, it will take them a long time to get anywhere near Flash’s 98% install rate. Until they get a sizable distribution, Flash developers wont make the switch to Silverlight.
Hi there, this is in addition to web-based playback via Silverlight, rather than a “Plan B”. You can see Silverlight based content live here: http://www.nbco...mpics.com/video.
They’ve been showing the US trials already, and it’s been front and central on MSNBC!
Hope this helps,
Tim Sneath
Client Platform Team | Microsoft Corp.
So does this work on XP? My machine didn’t allow me and said I need Windows Vista Home Premium or Ultimate…
The Olympics suck – who watches it?
It’s quality and viewership is on the decline.
it has lost its purity and luster – mainly because of the ‘non-traditional’ new sports they have added, and drug abuse
There was always drug abuse. You just didn’t know about it. And I’m pretty sure a lot of people will watch regardless.
would you watch the olympics if myanmar, zimbabwe, or the janjaweed militia in darfur were hosting them? no.
guess what, china’s not much better.
Something they needed in Australia a few years back. Now we’ll actually watch the Olympics.
Bwahaahaaaa! System specs: ‘Windows Media Center required — included with Windows Vista Home Premium and Ultimate’
Not only do you have to run Vista, but you have to run specific versions of Vista.
Hope they can get that Silverlight version up and running ( i think it was shown at Mix?). If not there’s always flash….
DRM is so bad we’ve stopped going after any content that even might require it…
DOWN WITH DRM!
No Windows XP support??
No mac support??
Thx anyway…
Hmm… isn’t that the butterfly?
So Apple and Linux users are specifically excluded.
Yet another example that Microsoft’s ongoing anti-competitive behavior is alive well, despite claiming the opposite.
Microsoft is so boring. But seriously, why would we Apple users need to watch the Olympics anyways. We are too busy having fun and being creative. Windows is so suit and tie.
@ALL
Point your macs @ http://www.nbco...nelcode=sportsw
Enjoy!
Cheers, James
NBC is doing a tremendous effort this year delivering the Olympics online through many different platforms and experiences. There’s something for everyone and more coverage than has ever been available online before. By enabling different platforms they can engage the best features each has to offer. My company operates the service described in this article and our speciality is Vista Media Center. Media Center gives us the environment for a very engaging, reliable and even portable media experience for the Olympics. We think the experience will be excellent, but like the future of video, there is no single tool to reach all users in all environments. Better that each platform leverage the best it has to offer and the user decides the experience he or she wants.
Yes, there is a single tool that reaches users in all environments – drm-less podcasts.
Will you be getting a share of the advertising revenue?
Get a real job and stop hyping your freeware junk.
Vista AND TVTonic are terrible.
BTW…how do you provide support with no resources and a couple of buddies in a NYC apartment?
JOKE!
Media center sucks, and limiting it only to certain versions of vista sucks even more… there is no technical reason to do that.. the silverlight version at http://www.nbco...30;..de=sportsw is much better, easier to navigate….
If you want a streaming video experience and have a decent broadband or dsl connection, use the silverlight product. It’s a spectacular service.
If you want to take the coverage with you on a laptop or watch it in full HD on your television system, you do have to have vista, but even mac users can now run vista on their machines (http://arstechn...table-for-vista). Like a DVR, the ability to set what sports you want to watch and have them load in the background is pretty efficient.
Either way, you cant make a direct comparison between any of the services NBC has pulled together for the Olympics coverage in Beijing as they serve very different purposes.
-s
“limited to US residents only; Windows Vista Home Premium or Ultimate required — full system requirements ”
sigh…
BOO!!!! Was getting all excited! Is there any known ways to trick it?
NBC is good to have done this, because it’s kind of expected with the generation.
http://blabtech.blogspot.com
The service doesn’t work on Windows Vista 64, and the other thing it doesn’t cover all sports, I was dying to watch sport called team handball but it’s not there, and they included some unknown and boring sport.
Awesome…. check out http://www.goth...te.blogspot.com for astounding tech information
Who’s genius plan was this? I was happy that Olympics is online but to neglect a minimum of 83% of the market is crazy. The install base for Vista is estimated 16.95% faccording to Marketshare and that’s not counting that this is for certain versions of Vista. What a waste of frickin money, lame.
This sucks. What about Linux?
Maybe by 2012 we’ll be over this insane DRM craze.
Olympic coverage controlled by totalitarian regime using restricted, intrusive software not accessible by the masses. And the Chinese government are being difficult too..
Thankfully, with broadband speeds being what they are in Australia we Aussies do not need to feel snubbed after once again being snubbed by the Americans. We’ll get our revenge in the pool, though, hehe.
In fact, I think our swimmers are also faster than our broadband speeds, but as long as they leave the Americans for dead in the pool we don’t care if we have to watch it on that archaic old thing called the television, mates!
Works great for me (Vista Premium). You complainers it is about time to update your PCs – come on XP is from 1999 – give in and update your PC already! Vista doesn’t bite.
Mac user – get a copy of Vista,
Linux user – I am sorry for you
vista may not bite, but it does suck.
Hulu / Silverlight — WTH is it with these retards. I’d love to watch on Hulu or Silverlight or both. WTH????
I’m Canadian, is there any way to watch this? I hate this, the copyright laws are more lax here than the US, why don’t they just allow it…
Actually it is because Canadian copyright laws are structured differently that in the US.
Maybe if you ask nicely, they will do it in 2010.
For now, there are multiple alternatives which the Canadian networks will be providing.
I can’t believe this is Vista only, seriously who wants that operating system.
Wasn’t this a total fiasco for NBC back in the 90s?
“limited to US residents only; Windows Vista Home Premium or Ultimate required — full system requirements ”
Yep, even most Microsoft users are left out in the cold, what is that percentage like, 60% or more still on XP? Microsoft is retarded.
Do’h, it is NBC’s fault, not Microsoft, so NBC is retarded.
Want Free Olympic Coverage On-Line? Buy Vista or download Silverlight and the .Net framework thus undermining your security.
BOW DOWN BEFORE THE GREAT MICROSOFT/NBC CONGLOMERATE. BUY OUR STUFF YOU DOLTS!
FanBois and Linux Geeks unite, let NBC know how you feel
mailto:nbcolympicsfeedback@nbcuni.com
What else would we expect from Microsoft.
Leave out Linux and Mac users….how lame
I am already disappointed in the Olympic coverage. They say that there is the most TV coverage ever but they have already missed some games of the most popular sport worldwide. I would have liked to watch the soccer preliminaries but all I get is a replay of the opening ceremonies which I have already seen all the pictures of. The games have already started so why hasn’t the coverage?
http://olympic.feedables.com/
ive been reading for quite some time that MSFT and the Olympics will be broadcasting hand in hand throughout this, the 2010, and 2012 events…
Don’t trust TVTonic for olympic coverage. They don’t cover all the events. Todays USA Men’s game against Germany (basketball) was not covered although the womens game was….go figure???
thanks….
http://www.beymod.com.tr