Live streaming TV on the Internet

September 24, 2006 9:33 AM

Is it possible to pick up free-to-air satellite TV signals via Internet streaming?

I'm in Japan and the subscriber company that provides the satellite channel 'Australia Network' is cutting the service at the end of the month, which means I can't watch Australian TV at the pub anymore.

Australia Network, however, is actually a free-to-air satellite service run by the non-commercial Australian ABC, and broadcast over Asia. So if I had my own satellite dish I could tap into the signal and pick it up no problems, without having to go through a subscriber at all. Unfotunately I don't have my own dish and there's no way I can set one up.

So this got me thinking. If it is indeed a free-to-air service, then maybe I could sign up to some website that broadcasts live, free-to-air TV from around the world via Internet video streaming?

I did an Internet search and a whole bunch of kind of seedy looking websites came up claiming exactly that. Some saying that they have over 3000 channels!

So now I'm wondering if it is indeed possible? If I sign up to one of those websites could I watch the Australia Network channel (and potentially other channels) live? Does anyone have any experience with this?

Thanks!

posted by Jase_B to computers & internet (4 comments total)

During this year's World Cup, I used TVU Player to watch games at work. I don't know if you'll be able to get the channels you're looking for, but I was delighted with the quality of the broadcast I was getting.
posted by Doofus Magoo at 9:56 AM on September 24, 2006

Channel Chooser of any help to you?
posted by Chorus at 10:09 AM on September 24, 2006

Hi Jase,

This is actually similar to a business plan that I'm looking into right now.. ;-)

The stuff out there is pretty hit or miss. Very niche. The closest thing that I've found to what you're describing is this site:

http://wwitv.com/portal.htm

It shows what's available by country currently on the internet. What you're actually getting is the "broadband feed" of these networks, that they put up more often as an experiment, than to actually be watched.

The TVUPlayer mentioned above is an aggregtor of these broadband feeds. They do a good job with the player, but you can usually access the content directly from the provider if you know the address.

I think that this is a gaping hole in the market right now, and it's begging to be fixed.

I'm with you though, this was driven out of need. I'm the US, and I'd love to get British and German FTA programming.

Glad to hear I'm not the only one.

William
posted by wflanagan at 2:51 PM on September 24, 2006

Agree with wwitv. There is only one Australian channel but it is a fairly comprehensive list.

The trouble with net streaming of TV is that if the ABC is buying content off international distributors and broadcasters there will be severe restrictions on where and when they can play it. Streaming to a worldwide audience over the net would probably not be possible if the broastcaster followed those restrictions.

Similar to why we have DVD zoning. Obviously having said that, it won't stop it from happening...it just wont be legal.

But yes agreed, the fact that you can get the ABC channel now, seems like there should be a service which you could subscribe to through the net.
posted by DOUBLE A SIDE at 3:19 PM on September 24, 2006