shinyandfree

I usually buy NBC's online streaming package but it doesn't seem like that's available to non-cable-subscribers this year. I'm on the west coast, so getting up early enough to watch it live via those janky Russian streams isn't really a good option either. Anybody have any ideas?

hueyhoolihan

download torrents from Cyclingtorrents.nl?

DLBroox

I've used the iPad app for the last three years. I hope they offer it again this year. You usually can't get it until the day before the tour. And I've never needed a cable subscription to sign in so I hope they didn't change that. I'm a cable cutter so I need the app.

edit: ok now I'm worried. I don't see it offered at all anywhere. Usually they have quite a bit of promo advertising the online and app choices but this year I can't find anything.

shinyandfree

This is what I'm talking about. It's like they're giving us no option but to pirate it. I don't really have any moral qualms, it's just that they always seem to freeze just as the final leadout pulls off and my neighbors are sick of hearing me scream at the TV.

DLBroox

I've never minded paying the 15 bucks for the app to be able to watch the entire tour without those kinds of problems. I'm going to be really upset if there is no good way to watch other than those hinkey streams.

jeirvine 

And judging by the current steephill.tv link list, there may not even be unrestricted hinky links available. The spring classics were nice that way - no pesky NA coverage rights, so plenty of unblocked streams.

shinyandfree

I plan to use a friend's cable account number to stream the Tour coverage. Scamming Comcast is the duty of every American.

Rich Gibson 

You can watch it on cycling.tv on your computer. They cover that, the Giro, the Vuelta and many other pro races throughout the year. A year's subscription is around $70 but you can get shorter term subscriptions. Further, you can subscribe to NBC sports on line for the tour; it's $30. Another way is subscribe to a VPN then subscribe to Eurosports.com and watch it there. A Chrome variant, Torch will permit you to record streaming videos to a file for later viewing. Many ways to 'skin the cat.' Good luck.

Rich

shinyandfree

Thanks, Rich! I just saw that they posted the purchase option on NBC: https://www.mapmyride.com/tour/. I think it was probably due to all the momentum I generated through my galvanizing posting here at Bikeforums.

DLBroox

The iPad app is up now too for 14.99. Or you can also use the Live Extra app if you are a cable subscriber or know one who will help you out...

cafzali

Just for clarification, you can not watch the Grand Tours in the U.S. via Cycling.tv. You need to check the georestrictions page to see what they can offer in various countries. The Grand Tours are definitely not available in full form in the U.S., only daily recaps.

bkrownd

Does anyone know how well this streams on 5 megabit DSL? We have no problems with the big streaming services, but certain sites with Flash and Javascript players are unwatchably slow.

Rich Gibson 

This statement appears correct; all I can see are recaps for the Giro. To my recollection I believe I watched a stage or two of the Giro on Cycling.tv, but may be wrong. Time will tell. Nevertheless almost all the other races (save a couple of monument races) are available 'as live', in highlight and recap form. As I mentioned 'as live' are essentially what the networks are showing, namely the last 60-80 kms of the races. Just checking I've counted over 240 stages/races recaps, highlihts and some as live. Well worth the cost. I was going through cycling withdrawal early this year 'till I checked cycling.tv.

I have a home theater mac mini connected to my screen. I'll check out both NBC and Eurosport to compare and report back.

Rich

cafzali

Oh, I'm a big fan of Cycling.tv and have been a subscriber for a couple of years. I actually like Marty McDonald's commentary better than a lot of traditional TV guys. It's just unfortunate that it's especially difficult for Americans to get their cycling fix from a single source, whereas Europeans can see most everything via Eurosport and one or two other widely-available outlets.

Rich Gibson 

I like Marty, as well as Phil and Paul, Kevin and Lloyd (IIRC), Schlanger and Gogolski. Each team brings a different flavor to the races. The guys covering the Criterium and Tour de Swisse were really wild. They went ballistic at the end of many of the stages. My most noteworthy memory of recent broadcasts was the wipeout of the Garmin team, bing, bang, boom, bash! Really ugly. Can't wait for Saturday!

Rich

DLBroox

A couple of years ago I tried it on my computer. It was unwatchable half the time and the other half I could not even get it to play. It was so bad I demanded, and got, my money back. But that might have been the first year. I learned after that the iPad version was only 15 dollars and that worked great. So maybe wait a day or two and check the forums to see what people think before spending the money.

5kdad

I paid $40 last night to sign up at: Watch Tour De France Live Streaming 2014 Online PC, Laptop, I pad, Mac, PS3, I phone However today, I was never able to find the coverage. I've emailed their customer support, but not heard back from them. Thinking I should have signed up at https://www.mapmyride.com/tour/

eofelis 

We stream the NBC subscription on our 3mbps DSL. Works well enough if we are not also streaming something on the other machine or device.

PatrickGSR94

I streamed Stage 1 just fine this morning from Steephill.tv, using a British EuroSport link that said it was restricted to Europe. But it worked just fine for me here in the southeast US. Video quality was pretty bad at times but it was still watchable, and the audio came through fine.

enjoi07

Does the NBC subscription allow you to replay the full stage coverage any time you want, or do you have to watch live?

eofelis 

You can watch live and then can replay any full stage up until the end of August.

stevel610 

Anyone know if the sound issue and 180 flip issue when going to full screen on the iPad has been fixed?

DLBroox

I have an iPad and the video won't play. Haven't gotten any response from technical support. It will play on my iphone though and it plays correctly full screen. And it streams to an Apple TV so I'm still pretty happy. No commercials!

PatrickGSR94

Oh how I wish I could purchase channels on DirecTV a la carte! I would pay an extra 2 or 3 bucks a month each for single channels that aren't in my package. As it is now I would need to pony up an additional $24/mo from current package to get NBC Sports.

jeirvine 

I paid for the NBC/Mapmyride service, and it's working fine, after changing setting to accept cookies. I still prefer the EuroSport commentators, and the steephill.tv streams are working in the mid-atlantic. Two tabs open: NBC for video and Eurosport for sound does the trick.