Best Free Online TV Viewer
This area is still quite new. But in the last year it has exploded with content and applications. There are still very few standards, so you will end up having several viewer programs if you want to access a wide variety of shows.
What I was looking for was a replacement for cable TV. Once I started finding TVoIP programming I discovered that this just isn't cable TV like I was used to. For one, my favorite cable channels are nearly impossible to find. A&E, Showtime, PBS Kids, Spike TV, CBS, FOX, Comedy Central, C-Span, HSN, The Sci-fi channel, Nick, Movie channel can be found on one service or another. CBS, Fox and CW have made reruns of their past shows available. Not so much ABC or NBC. I also found many independent and international networks that just aren't carried by the cable companies.
- A live video stream, which is like over-the-air broadcasts. In fact many TV stations are making their over-the-air broadcasts available as Live streams. When you connect to a stream, it is like tuning into the station over the air. You join the broadcast in progress. You can't pause it or rewind it (unless you have some sort of PVR software). Many network stations consider streaming video an experiment so the quality can be variable.
- RSS feeds, which are better known as video Podcasts or Vcasts. You don't need an iPod to enjoy them. There is software available to receive and watch them on your computer.
- Video on demand, which is self-explanatory: you connect to a video server and choose the program you want to watch by using a menu or channel guide.
A quick search will turn up many free internet TV viewers but most are cut down versions of a paid software. There are a few that are not. Some of my favorites (in order) are:
JLC's internet TV viewer. Www.jlc-software.com: A simple, but effective streams viewer that doesn't have much overhead. The channel guide is maintained by the users and is very complete. But I was able to find two local streams that weren't listed (they are now). Users can submit, rate and update the channels. A favorites catagory helps you corral the streams you like. Web cams, porn and spam entries are not allowed in the guide. JLC is not responsible for the quality of the streams, and some are quite poor, or can stop working without warning. The user ratings can help you choose a good stream.
Joost Www.joost.com: A video on demand viewer. Has a very large selection of network content and full shows. One of the nicest and creative user interfaces. Lots of independent shows like Green TV, Soma girls, Indivisual, etc. Content is selected by the Joost staff and is very good. Working to add live streams. Still in beta.
TVUNetworks www.tvunetworks.com: A combination of Live streams and Video on demand. Not as many channals as the others, but you wil find Nickelodian here as well as a lot of content from China.
MIRO: (www.getmiro.com): This one will do live streams like JLC, but also does RSS. Makes heavy use of your hard drive and internet bandwidth because it wants to download everything to your hard drive, TIVO style. The program guide is proloaded, but there is very little network content. If you know where to get your video, you may like Miro.
VEOH (www.veoh.com): Video on demand viewer. Re-streams video from the Hulu website and CBS content (allowable) and others. Veoh will tap into the available amature video on the internet. Think of it as agragating YouTube and all it's bretheren. --yet to be test driven --
JLC's Internet TV Viewer
Website: http://www.jlc-software.com/?page=internet_tv.html
Download link: http://www.jlc-software.com/programs/Internet_TV_Setup.exe
Author: Joakim L. Christiansen
Current version: 1.1.0
Version date: Undated
Download file: Internet_TV_Setup.exe
License: Freeware
Operating systems supported: Windows XP
Additional software required: Real Player, Window Media Player
64 Bit capable: Unknown
Portable version available: No
Non-English languages supported: Yes
Joost
Website: http://www.joost.com
Download link: http://www.joost.com/download
Author: Janus Friis and Niklas Zennström and the joost team
Current version: Beta 1.1.7
Version date: March 27, 2008
Download file: JoostSetup-Beta-1.1.7.exe,
Filesize: 11.1 MB
License: Freeware
Operating systems supported: Windows 2000, XP, Mac OSX
Additional software required: No
64 Bit capable: Unknown
Portable version available: No
Non-English languages supported: Yes
TVUnetworks
Website: http://www.tvunetworks.com
Download link: http://pages.tvunetworks.com/downloads/player.html
Author: Tvu Networks, inc
Current version: 2.3.6beta1
Version date: 4/3/2008
Download file: Player.html
License: Freeware
Operating systems supported: Windows 2000, XP, Vista
Additional software required: Media Player 9+, IE 6+
64 Bit capable: Unknown
Portable version available: No
Non-English languages supported: Yes
Miro
Website: http://www.getmiro.com
Download link: http://www.getmiro.com/download
Author: The PCF Foundation
Current version: 1.2.4
Version date: Undated
Download file:
License: Freeware
Operating systems supported: Windows 2000, XP, Vista, Mac OS X, Ubuntu
Additional software required: No
64 Bit capable:
Portable version available: Yes
Non-English languages supported: Yes
Other relevant information: May work with Win 98. Source available.
Vuze
Website: http://www.vuze.com/Index.html
Download link: http://www.vuze.com/download
Author: Vuze, Inc
Current version: 3.1.0.0
Version date: Undated
Download file: Vuze_windows.exe
License: Freeware
Operating systems supported: Windows XP
Additional software required: No
64 Bit capable:
Portable version available: No
Non-English languages supported: Yes
Other relevant information: FKA Azureus
Veoh
Website: http://www.veoh.com
Download link: http://www.veoh.com/veohTV/download
Author: Veoh Networks, inc
Current version: 3.9.5.1039
Version date:
Download file VeohSetup_3.9.5.1039.exe
License: Freeware
Operating systems supported: Windows XP, Vista, Max OS X (pending)
Additional software required: IE or Firefox
64 Bit capable:
Portable version available: No
Non-English languages supported: Yes
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You can find Sci-Fi on Zipityzap (either WMP or video portal)
Re: "Veoh will tap into the available amature video on the internet. Think of it as agragating YouTube and all it's bretheren. --yet to be test driven -- "
Why not use a spelling checker? It would have corrected "amature" to "amateur" and "agragating" to "aggregating." A grammar checker would have corrected "it's" to "its."
OK corrections made.
How about:
http://zipityzap.com/index.html
Thanks,
Bookmarked. But it is a web site and this article is about standalone viewers like TVUnetworks and Joost. I am working on a list of web sites, I'll check out this one.
Hi -
The trend is away from stand-alone viewers and towards web-based viewers. Hulu set the standard with their interface. Joost's software created lots of problems for folks and they are now working hard on rolling out a web-based service.
This is a really useful online viewer that I use. It works in conjunction with sites like Veoh, Fancast, and Hulu and is free.
http://watchtvforfreeonline.com/Watch-TV-Free-Online-Interface/watch-tv-...
I usually find everything I'm looking for on it. As far as the viewers mentioned above I love Veoh as a site but I'm not sure about their viewer I'll have to use it. I Really like Joost but the content is not great. Anyways thanks for the information.
Thanks,
Also bookmarked. I'll check it out for a future article on TVoIP web sites.
Veoh is the best all the others are hopeless and don't work for me, maybe they don't work for XP? Then again megavideo is good, but that not TV
My setup is 2Ghz Celeron running Win XP. I also have run then on a 2GHZ Athalon and Win XP. Many problems can be traced to video codecs, Flash, Javascript, and media player issues (most use Realplayer, Quicktime, or WMP as embedded apps).
And VEOH is getting better, I many have to revisit it.
How about the TV viewing in WinAmp?
It's there, Sometimes I use it. But the selection on Shoutcast is limited. AOl video has a good selection though. I am reviewing it separately for a list of TV viewing web sites.
Who knows anything about "AnyTV" please? These guys are pestering me to buy the full program, but no way will I do so until they give me a month's unlimited trial. Is it any good? Bob.
Try some of the free stuff here first before you spend any money.
JLC's internet TV viewer works just fine up to an extent but for whatever reason always starts up with PhotoGallery setup window which is easy removable by hitting 'Cancel' button ... Does anybody know how to eliminate this hassle? Thanks.
That's interesting. It doesn't happen on my machine. Perhaps there is a name collision between the PhotoGallery setup file and a JLC setup file?? I would start by looking for the Photogallery setup file, then looking for a simular file with a (2) appended. Rename the PhotoGallery setup file, and remove the (2)from the other file name.
VUZE sucks...its "fat" in terms of memory utilization and painfully slow even on a relatively new Vista Home Premium machine.
I had read that in a review, but more importantly experienced it in person.
Horrid piece of software, despite the ''eye candy" UI.
If you are talking about Vuze content being slow, then you probably do not have it set up properly. I have always had Vuze content download at the max speed of my connection.
Also its memory use, if set up properly, is equivalent to FireFox.
Although I agree that Vuze is not particularly good for this category.
Yes, I agree. That's why I put it far down on the list.
hulu.com is available if you download HotSpotShield. (from HotSpotShield.com) It's small and free:)
Newbie question:
I watch USHL hockey live through B2 live TV. Using S-video, I am able to view the games on my big screen tv.
Will I be able to do the same with the sources you list?
TIA
Sure. At least I was. I had a two headed set up. The programs started up on the monitor, I slid them over to the TV then hit the Full Screen button.
If you have your TV set as the primary, and only, display then it becomes a bit easier as the programs will already be on the TV when they start.
Hi Gordon,
You mention that the SciFi channel can be found on one of these sites.
Do you remember which one?
Cheers,
Paul
TVU Has some sciFi channels on it hope this is helpfull to you
Unfortunately www.hulu.com is only available in the united states
I have to agree with you on internet tv. por quality and not enough up to date format.
Joost tv is one of the better ones, this was born from the creators of SKYPE after their sell off to e-bay.
It can only get better.
Eric
What about Hulu?
www.hulu.com
Hulu is a web site. I was limiting my reviews to software. I am planning another review/article about web sites. But, it may be out of the scope of this site. I wanted to let Gizmo weigh in before I proceed.
FYI: VEOH does re-stream Hulu's content.
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