We have a stream tonight... if anyone can be arsed watching it.

I've been told we are on Satanta Sports Ireland tonight and a few middle eastern channels so there will be plenty of streams (not due to it being a Bolton game, more the fact its Chelsea) 

I remember posting a guide on here and also on BBC606 with the best way to stream matches. I was going to ask the mods to sticky the thread for a day but I cannot find all my old posts - they only go back a few months, so I found the one I did on 606, its pasted below. May be a little outdated but instead of editing it, I thought if you have any questions just ask   Its also a little 'Dumbed down' for the less IT literate among us. 

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First download and install this on your PC… 

http://downloads.cnet.co.uk/view/video-software/sopcast-39207546/

DO NOT search for sopcast or download from anywhere else – most other sites that advertise sop cast software load it with ad-ware, virus’s and malware – CNET is a reputable site. 

Once that’s installed, open sop cast – it will ask you to sign in the first time, chose ‘sign in as anonymous’ – it will auto sign in every time you open it from now on. You can register a username and password if you wish but there is not really much point. 

Leave sopcast open (minimize it) and open your browser (sopcast links seem to work best with Google chrome for some reason) if you want to install google chrome it can be downloaded for free from here...the rest of this guide is based around using google chrome, although the other popular browsers dont behave that much differently. 

https://www.google.com/chrome/?installdataindex=nosearch&hl=en-GB&brand=CHMA&utm_campaign=en-GB&utm_source=en-GB-ha-emea-uk-bk&utm_medium=ha

Next, Navigate to 

http://www.footballstreaming.info/streams/todays-links/index.html 

here you will find a list of all today's matches and the available streams. 

the above is the best and possibly most 'user-friendly' site on the web - again, its also free of any silly ads/pop-ups etc. 

Click on a ‘sopcast’ link (they are usually at the top) if there is one by bloodzeed use this one, his streams are quality! Failing that just try any sopcast one, there should be a few as its on Sky sports. 

Google chrome (or whatever browser you chose to use) will open another tab that says ‘about.blank’ and also ask if you want to launch an external application (sopcast) – click OK. Failing this, open sopcast before you click on the link to the game - this way it will start to play automatically (will still ask about running external applications) Internet explorer will instead come up with a pop up bar asking if you want to play the file - just click yes to whatever pops up. 

Sopcast should then open up and a screen will show on the right hand side and, after between 10 seconds and 5 mins you should see the stream – it will lag/jump for a few mins till your broadband loads enough to run it flawlessly but will then settle down. It will look like this… 

http://screenshots.en.sftcdn.net/en/scrn/42000/42508/sopcast-8.jpg

next, just click on full screen icon at the bottom of the pop out screen…open a beer/wine/soft drink/brew and enjoy! 

disclaimer - all advertised streams are not guaranteed and can drop or be switched off (or cut by the authorities) - best thing to do if this happens is just look for another link of the football streaming website. 

also, installing sopcast and setting everything up first time will take around 30 mins with a half decent broadband connection, so bear this in mind - start around 1 hour before the game then your good and ready. 

also - sopcast (as with any streaming media - Iplayer, online gaming etc is VERY heavy on data traffic - beware if you dont have an unlimited download broadband connection - if its capped it may cost you a bomb!) 


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Happy streaming.

PS - there are other options such as 'in browser' streaming, but Sopcast is by far the best thing to use - once its playing, its TV quality. Browser streaming is a load of shite.

PPS - if you have a modern HDTV in your living room, you can plug it in to the 'PC' input using a VGA monitor cable (or a HDMI if your Laptop has the output for it) 

Once its plugged in, select the 'PC' channel on your TV, go to 'control panel' and 'display' - chose "dual clone display settings" this way the display will be on both your laptop and your TV, play in full screen and its just like watching sky sports!

If your plugged in to HDMI - it will do all this shit automatically anyway.

Is it on the wireless?

Cheers for the info Rebel. I'll be watching it on my computer thanks to your concise instructions. 

I'll be watching through my fingers.

I'll be hiding behind the sofa.

I'll be watching this (link) over and over again whilst hoping that Bolton win.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXw2wCVMViQ

this may be me being silly and over optimistic and completely impossible (bear with me i'm a tech numpty), but can this type of thing be streamed through the portal?

I have tried sopcast before but my broadband is painfully slow so it buffers all the time. Need to upgrade to fibre optic instead, which one is the best by the way?

Norpig wrote:this may be me being silly and over optimistic and completely impossible (bear with me i'm a tech numpty), but can this type of thing be streamed through the portal?

I have tried sopcast before but my broadband is painfully slow so it buffers all the time. Need to upgrade to fibre optic instead, which one is the best by the way?

I was actually going to offer to try and embed a stream in to the website but there are several things that will make this hard... 

1 - I first have to find a stream that runs on sopcast or a similar TV streaming (non-browser based) service. 

2 - Everyone watching it would have to have the software installed. 

3 - potential legal issues (radio gets streamed and that's just as legally dubious anyway) 

4 - Id need full admin rights to the forum for an evening. 

5 - it could all go to ratshit depending on how many are watching it - its a P2P service (more that watch it, better it is as everyone as everyone watching it is also helping to stream it to others) 

6 - don't know if the forum software actually supports embedding 3rd party applications. 

7 - would take a while to set up - a long while. 

8 - id imagine the quality dropping as its going through a website and relying on 3rd party applications to carry the video - thus slowing it down. 


RE - broadband. if you want fiber, fiber that is actually fast with no download limits, there are 3 options. Virgin Media, Sky or BT infinity. 

BT - quite fast, good customer service, most expensive. 

Sky - also expensive, unlimited but gets 'capped' meaning they drop your speed if you use it to much- they will never admit to doing this and market it on the 'unlimited' angle - this is true but they slow your speeds down when you hit a certain limit. 

Virgin Media - the absolute fastest and best product by a mile, the Super Hub (wifi router) can connect to up to 15 devices at a time and is totally unlimited - full stop - provided you have the 'XL internet' product. only issue is, if you ever need customer service you will suffer - its ridiculous. not the most expensive either. 

Id weigh up either BT infinity or virgin personally.

Cheers Rebel, i'll look into it. I was thinking of BT infinity as its only £5 for the first 6 months then £15 i think after that.

is it possible to record ? I will be at work but don't want to miss it...

rebel, we can stream the match from our portal page, no ads... If you ask btid he will set it up if available.

Well....was a bit of a waste of time really posting this, first time we play a big club and no Fucking sopcast links. 

I can't stand the browser based ones with all their viruses, adware, pop ups for lonely houswifes in Tibet need a fuck tonight pop ups and general annoying jumping.

So...

...Is radio nuts still on?

If anyone finds a sopcast link.... Do tell =)

I'm opening my second bottle of wine now, need something to cushion this blow... 

First off: what do you mean by "Dumbed down?"