12/21/24
February 06, 2014
How to Watch the Olympics: The Winter Olympics begins today in Sochi, Russia, with events broadcast on several NBC TV networks. Also, every event will be streamed live on NBCOlympics.Com, as long as you have a cable or satellite TV subscription.
I've been following a pre-Olympic sport called "Conditions in Sochi". It is discouraging to learn the details of how ill-prepared the place is, especially given that these games will cost more than all the previous winter games combined.
If you're a journalist and your hotel has no windows or plumbing installed, you may be at an advantage - the Chechnyan and Georgian insurgents that are floating about may prefer to target other buildings where a bomb blast would cause damage that is more readily apparent.
posted by beaverboard at 10:49 AM on February 06, 2014
posted by grum@work at 11:11 AM on February 06, 2014
Thanks for that twitter link, Grum. It's perfect.
posted by ursus_comiter at 11:34 AM on February 06, 2014
On of the local guys from Pittsburgh radio is there and he has said he room/hotel/ accommodations are awesome and he is loving it.
posted by Debo270 at 12:10 PM on February 06, 2014
Also, every event will be streamed live on NBCOlympics.Com, as long as you have a cable or satellite TV subscription.
I don't get this. So people with cable get to stream on the internet, but people who watch broadcast TV do not? Is NBC somehow unable to show advertising on their internet olympic coverage?
The Winter Olympics is maybe my favorite sporting group of events, but it gets harder and harder to actually watch it if you don't shell out a big amount of dough for cable or satellite. To hell with NBC.
posted by rocketman at 12:54 PM on February 06, 2014
For any SpoFites who do not have a cable subscirption I recommend checking out Hola, which is a free VPN proxy.
For those with streaming only Netflix only subscriptions it also opens up many more movie options. Sadly, it does not work if you also receive DVDs in the mail from Netflix.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 01:11 PM on February 06, 2014
I just might have to pursue that option. I'm powerless to the promise of long-track speed skating.
posted by rocketman at 01:15 PM on February 06, 2014
Is NBC somehow unable to show advertising on their internet olympic coverage?
More like they have certain deals with cable providers who would not look kindly on NBC providing an end-around for cord cutters.
posted by yerfatma at 01:23 PM on February 06, 2014
The must-have-cable deals are a salvo in the war against cord cutters.
posted by rcade at 02:51 PM on February 06, 2014
They're also pushing people into the arms of piracy.
Hell, I'd even be willing to toss NBC a token amount of money for access to their little internet site. But there's just no way in hell I'm going to spring for satellite service or cable just so I can watch the Olympics.
posted by rocketman at 04:04 PM on February 06, 2014
Hell, I'd even be willing to toss NBC a token amount of money for access to their little internet site. But there's just no way in hell I'm going to spring for satellite service or cable just so I can watch the Olympics.
100% agreed. I would do the same thing every hockey season in order to be able to watch my Hurricanes in hi def on my TV through a Roku-like device.
posted by NoMich at 04:33 PM on February 06, 2014
The networks and providers are missing out on a huge opportunity to establish new revenue streams with their archaic business strategies. This in turn spawns opportunities for companies like this.
posted by cixelsyd at 05:15 PM on February 06, 2014
The guide for Canada. Not sure if the CBC webcasts will be viewable outside of the country.
posted by nubs at 07:26 PM on February 06, 2014
I'll be watching it on CCTV, with commentary in Mandarin and an emphasis on sports where China will do well.
But at least it's free.
posted by owlhouse at 08:36 PM on February 06, 2014
It's the same thinking behind WatchESPN: streaming coverage is "earned" by paying the cable company for TV service. In 2012, I paid for a month of cable to earn the right to watch the NBC streams, and ended up watching the BBC instead through alternative arrangements.
The 9-12 hour timezone difference means that a lot of events happen overnight for US viewers, and I'd assume there'd be a small but decent audience for live coverage. But cable company relationships take precedence.
posted by etagloh at 03:57 PM on February 08, 2014
I'm confused by NBC's underwhelming coverage so far. There was some stuff on NBCSN during the day yesterday and I know they have primetime coverage, but they have like 8 channels dedicated to the final day of the Premier League; why not use a couple of them for full-time Olympics coverage rather than repeat of shit reality shows or infomercials?
posted by yerfatma at 08:38 AM on February 09, 2014
Yeah, when they are several hours ahead of us, I expected a full slate of Olympics action during the day yesterday and was sadly disappointed. I don't understand why they wouldn't do that at least on weekend days.
posted by bender at 04:36 PM on February 09, 2014
Stick with the final two paragraphs. NBC has proven that they'll never provide coverage worth watching.