Peer-to-Peer Streams
Streaming cricket broadcasts via SopCast.If you simply can't find a satisfactory stream from one of the international networks, you'll have to hunt for an independent, fan-generated feed. Luckily, a handful of Web sites and apps are dedicated to helping you find those feeds: SopCast
is a great source for sports feeds in general (app installation required), while Ustream
and Justin.tv
let you stream over the Web. Another alternative is TVU Networks, which offers a Web interface (this requires a TVU plugin), a Mac/Windows app, and a TVUPlayer iPhone
app ($4.99); the various TVU options give you access to live TV from 900 channels worldwide.
Fan-generated streams typically consist of TV broadcasts mirrored by individuals, so video quality and reliability tend to be worse than you'd get with a big network stream. And since these streams originate in other countries, the reporting may not be in your preferred language. Another caveat: The hosting service may (and often will) shut down streams of high-profile sporting events on behalf of the broadcaster, so you may find yourself having to jump from stream to stream until you find one that stays around.
Sites such as Justin.tv include a chat window where fans can advertise private, password-protected channels in public streams. These are less likely to be shut down, but your success may vary. With luck, you may be able to find enthusiasts who avoid these sites and host their own feeds, which you can then stream with VLC (to do so, copy the feed URL and then choose Open Network Stream) or Windows Media Player, but finding them generally means spending hours prowling forum communities for links.
NBC's Olympic Pulse.Twitter can provide an excellent supplement to your video streaming, particularly if you want the latest results without clogging up your e-mail inbox, SMS inbox, or RSS feeds. NBC operates an Olympic Pulse
page that covers lots of tweets by athletes and analysts (from the United States, generally); but stick to @NBCOlympicZone if you want the coverage (complete with lists of athletes, organized by region) to come from your Twitter client of choice.
Other television networks worldwide plan to provide Twitter coverage, and that isn't bound by broadcasting constraints. For example, @CTVOlympics supplies all of the coverage from the Canadian broadcasters, plus lists for international athletes, Canadian athletes, and organizations. Even the International Olympics Committee tweets from @Olympics; @OlympicHealth provides all kinds of neat tidbits about how the various Olympians train.
View Twitter's Trending Topics by location.You don't have to rely on these sources, of course. Just check out the Trending Topics list (on the right-hand side of the main Twitter page) to see what the most common names and phrases are; if you're rooting for a particular team or region, you can set your Trending Topics list to cover specific cities or countries.
Have a favorite streaming strategy? Let us know in the comments.
Patrick Miller is a staff editor for PCWorld. Find him off-duty @pattheflip.
Ad Choices