How do you watch NBC Olympics streaming video on a Mac?

Sounds good Dave. I thought that runner was about to give the other guy the world's biggest kick in the ass.

Did you know there's a website 2.0 site full of interesting video cliptations about the Beijing twenty oh eight Olympic Sports Games? All cliptations has have been quality controlled from over 100,000 olympic videos. It's unsensored by PRC government.

http://beijingolympicsvideo.blogspot.com/

You have your facts a bit off... the qualifying events are unrestricted, but the live events starting on the 8th will be limited to WINDOWS VISTA users running SILVERLIGHT only. This excludes Linux, Mac-- even XP users from the streaming:

http://www.webtvwire.com/nbc-olympic-online-web-video-coverage-subject-to-severe-totalitarian-restrictions/

Thanks for the info, I hope it works come the eighth. I'm tired of waiting for the Judo Highlight reel on YouTube

Yes its good that you provided the tip on how to get Silverlight up and running so users can view the olympic video. There also is a bigger issue here that you failed to mention which is slightly off topic, but still relevant. Microsoft, through its close relationship with NBC (i.e. MSNBC) is forcing the adoption of its flash competitor silverlight upon users. The carrot to persuade users to download silverlight is the Olympics. If the user wants to view the events on over the internet they will have to install Silverlight.

There is no reason the NBC internet coverage site could no employ Flash. This is a case of Microsoft attempting to squash its competition. With the popularity of the Olympics many will download Silverlight. Soon web sites will only work with silverlight, and then only with Windows, likely through the addition of ActiveX with only works with Windows.

I suggest going to other sites to view the Olympics, such as CBC.com in Canada or the BBC in England unless you want to see MS dominate the internet with Silveright and sites that only work well with I.E. and Windows. I suggest boycotting NBC's Olympic coverage since they are forcing Silverlight on users in order to view the Olympics.

You need an Intel Based mac to run Silverlight 2.0 - which is required but unsupported for PPC macs. If you own an older Mac you are out of luck.

Also, I would strongly recommend against anyone installing Silverlight - it is very difficult to uninstall if you do not know how to use the Terminal.app.

Tried to add Silverlight to my PowerPC Mac, version 10.4.11 - it installed just fine. Running Safari 3.1.2 - but video still does not play. Would appreciate any suggestions... thanks in advance.

Steve

Does not work on PPC Macintosh, only Intel. Most Mac users are locked out.

Please amend your article to make this clear. System requirements on Silverlight say intel required.

IOC should be ashamed for allowing non-standard protocols. And we complain about corruption in China?

Apple was selling Macintoshes with PPC processors as recently as Aug of 2006. Hence, the vast majority of Mac can not view M$NBC Video.

"If the user wants to view the events on over the internet they will have to install Silverlight."

Not true. If you decline to install Silverlight, you will also have the option of watching the events using the WMP plugin, or if you're a Mac user, using QuickTime with Windows Media components installed (search for it if you don't know what it is).

"There is no reason the NBC internet coverage site could no employ Flash. This is a case of Microsoft attempting to squash its competition. With the popularity of the Olympics many will download Silverlight. Soon web sites will only work with silverlight, and then only with Windows, likely through the addition of ActiveX with only works with Windows."

I'm sorry, and Flash is - what, free? Open source? Standardized by ISO? Your logic is so deeply flawed. If the website was offered in Flash, wouldn't that only be strenghtening Adobe's monopoly?!? Adobe Flash already has 98% market penetration and has become a de facto web standard ONLY through its business practices - not through any standardization body. And you're afraid of a Microsoft monopoly?

You do NOT need to install Silverlight to see the Olympics. You can see it with Windows Media just fine.

Here is how you can use Windows Media, with instructions directly from Microsoft.

How To Watch The Olympics With Silverlight OR Windows Media Player
http://blog.streamingmedia.com/the_business_of_online_vi/2008/08/how-to-watch-th.html

And to the point about why Flash is not being used. Microsoft is paying NBC's bandwidth bill to deliver the video. If Adobe has offered to do the same, maybe Flash would be used. But you cant fault Microsoft for being smart. If Adobe was footing the bill for the video delivery I bet you'd say that was smart of them. So why does that not apply to Microsoft for spending marketing dollars wisely?

At least now the world will see how sheisty NBC and M$ are. I never think Microsoft can get worse, and then they surprise me.

And NBC i wasn't expecting at all. but then again its the olympics! and they need to make all that theoretical internets money!!

@ Dan R. I understand that M$ got the contract. But i would like for the broadcast of a worldwide historical event to be covered by something like the IOC or something non-profit. Remind me again why M$ deserves all that money?

You have all gotten off topic. The NBC site does not even list the Olympic video for you if you have a Mac. The above article is just plain wrong. It tells me that I need to have Windows. We Mac users are SOL. I'm looking for a non-NBC/Microsoft site.

From the Olympics on NBC site:
"Sorry, NBC Direct currently requires Windows XP (Service Pack 2) or Windows Media Center Edition or Windows Vista."

Heck, ou can't even use an old version of Windows to view it.

$nbc$ finds it rather difficult to bring independent news

Dave -

Great idea, but it did not work for me. When I tried to load a video, I got a response that NBC Direct requires Windows XP (Service Pack 2) or Windows Media Center Edition or Windows Vista.

I'm running OSX 1.4.11.

I tried with both Safari and Firefox and got the same results.

George

This is the biggest bummer ever! Once again Mac users are shut out. Any Mac using a non-Intel processor (i.e., anything below OS X 4.8) can't view the videos of the Olympics. It's so unfair -- so many Mac users aren't on 4.8. You should clarify your article to reflect this information.

Your article is absolutely wrong. We have a four year old Power PC Mac with all the appropriate updated software and browsers - both Firefox and Safari - and it still doesn't play the video. It doesn't even recognize that the browsers are completely up to date. It is OUTRAGEOUS that NBC should lock out so many people in coverage of a worldwide event that can be seen everywhere but here by a certain segment of people. Everything for corporate greed and gain -- the American way.

You're correct, Eden. The International Olympic Committee, NBC and Microsoft have all conspired to leave people with non-Intel based Macs completely out of the picture. Not good.

feedback@nbcolympics.com

Make your voice heard.

intel macs only! this is lame! silverlight blows more than flash! nbc blows for using silverlight!

booooooooooooooo

Any instructions on how to uninstall silverlight from PPC OS X 10.4.1.1 would be greatly appreciated.

"Also, I would strongly recommend against anyone installing Silverlight - it is very difficult to uninstall if you do not know how to use the Terminal.app. Posted by: Cody at August 7, 2008 6:35 PM"

NO MORE PROBLEMS with silverlight.

Now you can watch Michael Phelps’s winning lap at the Olympics, anywhere, anytime, on your mobile phone (Windows Mobile or Symbian). Skyfire, the free internet browser for mobile phones, streams you videos of Olympics coverage provided by NBC (and also on Youtube, Break.com, etc.) For a limited time only, Skyfire is available- at the beta code, type: “Michael8”. Catch The Games on your mobile for free at www.skyfire.com/sign-up

I a surprised and disappointed that NBC did not use Quicktime and Cinepak to broadcast the Olympics on the internet. I was unable to watch the Olympics on my Powerbook Duo 280c because of this lack of foresight on NBC's part. I had to resort to watching it on my television set. Gasp! :)

Seriously, though... I am disappointed in general with NBC's internet video options for my older Macs (G3/G4 models). For that matter, The latest iTunes Store videos don't work very well either. Same goes for YouTube and other sites that use the FLV format.

Back in the day, the web sites would offer multiple versions of videos to select from. Depending on your computer speed and internet connection, you could choose the appropriate file and quality. Fast computer with broadband, go for the full-screen 30fps H.264 version. 8 year old Mac on slow DSL, go for 320x240 15fps Sorenson version. 16 year old Mac in dial-up, get the 160x120 10fps Cinepak version.

Obviously, streaming content has different requirements, but the idea is still there. NBC offers content for high-end computers only. Offering lower-quality video for users of older computers would be great for people like me who use a G3 as my main computer and a G4 as my second computer. (strange, but true.)