NBC, the network responsible for all US Olympic television programming will stream the entire Beijing Olympics online for the first time -- for Windows Vista Home Premium and Ultimate users only.
The scheme, called "NBC Olympics on the Go" -- though it isn't compatible with any mobile devices -- will allow Vista users to watch any and all events form the games on their PC's.
NBC is partnering with video distributor Wavexpress, which requires users to download a piece of software to watch the video -- another significant hurdle.
Well, knock me over with a feather. This is amazingly stupid. If only NBC would partner with a streaming video service like Ustream.tv or offer a paid solution like MLB.tv -- or even offer on-demand video through YouTube or Hulu -- I'd be happy. I know I won't be watching much Olympics coverage this year, on TV or on my computer. Your loss, NBC.
Update: I have a Mac, so no Olympics for me. Forgot to mention that the first time around.
Comments
You won't be watching the Olympics on TV because NBC doesn't support the standards and OS you want? You sound like a child saying that. It's all about baby steps. And in the grand scheme of things this is a pretty big step for one of the media big boys. Hopefully by 2010 we'll all be able to watch it on whatever platform we want. This
And don't ever bring up mlb.tv as a good example of anything. The most misleading POS I've ever used. They fail to mention the small little fact that you can't watch in market games on it, even though they advertise it like you can.
Jordan- I totally agree NBC has made a huge mistake. If I could actually watch it on Ustream I would do it. Silverlight sucks! Smart move by Microsoft trying to buy their way into compete with Adobe, but they have such a long road ahead..
I just don't watch a whole lot of television at all. If I could stick it in a corner of my monitor while I'm working and watch the sports I want to watch, I'd be thrilled.
Otherwise, I'm more a winter Olympics kind of guy. I do agree with you that this is a big step, but I could watch the U.S. Open playoff with Tiger and Rocco in my browser -- why not the Olympics, WITH ads? It's not like I'm going to watch them anywhere else.
I like MLB.tv, granted the out of market stuff is lame, but to watch your hometown team while you're away at college? It's great.
I don't understand why they're only allowing Vista users to reap the benefits of viewing the Olympics online. Do they think that people are going to go out and purchase new software? Or a new computer just to watch the Olympics?
Typical network crap. They stream it in a software only a small percent of people actually use. Then their other online choice is to watch after the event is on TV.
I remember in 1984 I could buy coverage by sport on TV and can't believe that option is not available online 25 years later!!!!!!. I may not even watch olympics this year as I am mainly a track and running fan and will have to wade through hours and hours of all the other sports I only have a minor interest in to catch a few glimpses of my sports between endless hours of commercials and up close and personal BS while the actual events are chopped up and neglected. Sucks as usual....
Well there is one answer to this that could be taken into consideration. NBC is owned by NBC Universal which also owns majority of MSNBC which is partially owned by Microsoft. NBC universal and Microsoft are controlling the lineups and what formats it is released on. MS wants people to move away from XP and therefore are not offering Olympic coverage for XP. They are not *nix, or Mac people either, which again influences how they distribute. The reasoning for their releasing it the way they did is partnership marketing.
I will be one of the one who will not be watching via NBC. I'm going to check other non-US based live TV is available online. They often don't have the sideline personal commentaries, but do have more of the complete events. I'll see who will be doing this. Yes, the drawback is that it might not be in English, but if you know about the sport then the commentary is not always necessary. There is sometimes a delay, but if you have a good enough connection, look around.
Maybe I'll buy a Mac next time I buy a computer
I agree this is bogus. I cant watch the olympics live. It is edited by NBC first before watching it.
You corporate guys make me sick. This is the USA, Land of the Free. Free to watch our own olympics whenever we want. Not who to someone who wants to make a buck out of it.
NBC, you suck for showing an edited and delayed version of the olympics.
I hope you lose all your money for showing the olympics so someone else can who can provide it to us, US citizens LIVE. IF Canada can do it, then we should be too.
I recently retired from my job because I had been a Mac user since the mid 80's and my place of employment (a defense contractor) wanted to eliminate THE MAC from peoples desktop and now I find I am banned from viewing the olympics on my PPC iMac. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised - MSN NBC. I was watching msnbc Beta of videos from the Today Show over a year ago.
Oh well, I don't mind being a second class citizen. Mac's are still the best.
Thanks for the post. I have a Mac as well and won't be able to enjoy the Olympics this year. I don't have cable either and for some reason NBC doesn't come in well on my T.V, though I'll try to get my brother - in - law to help with that. It's so frustrating that NBC doesn't support my platform. I don't have a Mac with Intel. I have a 2005 model Powerbook G4. I'm very annoyed with their broadcasting this year.
Me too! I have a older Mac and I have tried many ways to look for a solution so that I can watch the Olympic but still it is not working. I am extremely annoyed with NBC. I hope they will be punish for being manipulating the online broadcasting of the Olympic.
I bought a PC for $1800 just to watch the Olympic which has build in TV tunner but still I couldn't watch the Olympic because NBC does not allow me to watch due to tha fact that my cable provider is not one of its partner. How ridiculous!!!
I feel that they are trying to be the monopoly and control the freedom of many America. We do not have the choice to choose what and how we wanted to watch the game. The worst is, they did not telecast it LIVE. How embarrass it is to America. Most of the developed and developing countries view Olympic LIVE.
Me too! I have a older Mac and I have tried many ways to look for a solution so that I can watch the Olympic but still it is not working. I am extremely annoyed with NBC. I hope they will be punish for being manipulating the online broadcasting of the Olympic.
I bought a PC for $1800 just to watch the Olympic which has build in TV tuner but still I couldn't watch the Olympic because NBC does not allow me to watch as my cable provider is not one of its partner. How ridiculous!!!
I feel that they are trying to be the monopoly and control the freedom of many American. We do not have the choice to choose what and how we wanted to watch the game. The worst is, they did not telecast it LIVE. How embarrass it is to America. Most of the developed and developing countries view Olympic LIVE.
I hope a crack investigative reporter does a piece on how the exclusion of Mac & non-Vista users is one more example of our society being whip sawed by major corporations to advance their -- and only their -- interests.
JT, do you have a link for accessing the Olympics online through a live non-US TV feed? Thanks.
JT, d
Do you have a link for accessing the Olympics online through a live non-US TV feed? Thanks.
Ned
The Olympics via Silverlight on Mac's Safari crashes every time. FF is a little better on the Mac -- it only crashes 50 percent of the time. Silverlight on FF or IE7 on my 3-year-old PC is slow -- I get a slideshow instead of streaming video.
Unfortunately, NBC is the only TV station I DON'T receive OTA, due to the tall buildings in mah 'hood. (Cable and satellite services just rip you off. And besides, HD signals OTA have a higher bitrate than the other services.)
So no Olympics for me!
JP....
If Silverlight in Safari crashes every time and FF half the time then there's something wrong with you or your system. Both work perfectly for me - not a single "crash." Me-thinks you're using a Windows machine but just want to bitch.
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