# How To Watch TDF without cable?



## bobvanjr (Aug 2, 2010)

I've seen this question posted before but all the answers seemed wishy washy. I ditched cable last fall and am going to miss the TDF this year and I'm not too happy about that. Not only did I ditch cable but I obviously ditched Tivo as well.

So, what I need is some way to watch it on the internet and I really NEED some way of watching it after it has aired. Does something like that exist? I have Roku's, Google TV, smart phones, tablets....I'll pay, what should I do?


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## blakcloud (Apr 13, 2006)

How about Cycling.TV - The Online Digital Cycling Magazine I have no experience with it but I remember reading about it here on these forums.


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## bikerjulio (Jan 19, 2010)

at the bottom of this page you'll see links to the Eurosport live feeds. You'll just need a way of recording.

2012 Tour de France Live Video, Route, Teams, Results, Photos, TV


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## Chico2000 (Jul 7, 2011)

Use steephill for the video feeds and use keepvid.com to record it


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## burgrat (Nov 18, 2005)

blakcloud said:


> How about Cycling.TV - The Online Digital Cycling Magazine I have no experience with it but I remember reading about it here on these forums.


They have really bad reviews. There are posts on many cycling forums filled with complaints. Besides, why pay for something that is free? Eurosport and others will be broadcasting the Tour.
Try Tour de France Live Video Streaming, Live Stream, Photos, Results - Cycling Live Race Coverage - Watch Cycling TV | www.cyclingfans.com or steephill.tv bike travelogue and cycling live video for links.


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## PoorCyclist (Oct 14, 2010)

Last year I watched via NBC / mapmyride and quality was great.

I needed to be able to watch it after hours so the live ones just don't work for me even though they are free.


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## Henry Porter (Jul 25, 2006)

PoorCyclist said:


> Last year I watched via NBC / mapmyride and quality was great.
> 
> I needed to be able to watch it after hours so the live ones just don't work for me even though they are free.


I'm in the same boat. Are there any links out there that allow open to watch on demand, later at night?


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## Mike T. (Feb 3, 2004)

blakcloud said:


> How about Cycling.TV - The Online Digital Cycling Magazine I have no experience with it but I remember reading about it here on these forums.


They were the worst company by a factor of 1000 that I've ever dealt with. I've no idea how they are still in business unless they have totally re-vamped their MO.

To the OP - use cyclingfans.com but I dunno if they post up their vids for later viewing.


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## erj549 (Jul 26, 2008)

*Calling Keski*



Henry Porter said:


> I'm in the same boat. Are there any links out there that allow open to watch on demand, later at night?


Hey Keski, howsabout you post up the last hour of every stage by the time I get home from work so I can watch it at my leisure completely free of charge? Kthx.


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## Henry Porter (Jul 25, 2006)

erj549 said:


> Hey Keski, howsabout you post up the last hour of every stage by the time I get home from work so I can watch it at my leisure completely free of charge? Kthx.


Huh? I'm cool with a pay site BTW.


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## GearDaddy (Apr 1, 2004)

Henry Porter said:


> I'm in the same boat. Are there any links out there that allow open to watch on demand, later at night?


I can think of 4 options:

1) Pay $30 for the NBC/mapmyride thing. Note you will need an internet connection and computer hardware capable of streaming high quality video. Without these things this solution will only show you a pretty much unwatchable, jerky, low res presentation. If you do have these things, this solution will by far provide the best presentation.

2) Record video from one the freely available live streams (someone mentioned keepvid.com to do this).

3) Binary newsgroups. Check binsearch.info at http://binsearch.info/browse.php?bg=alt.binaries.multimedia.sports for someone to graciously post their captured video. Get the "Grabit" application for Windows OS, install it and configure it to download stuff from the newsgroup. You'll have to wait until the next day usually for the latest video to be available. Download it (somebody has to upload it though, which isn't always guaranteed) and watch it at your convenience. It does help to have an account at something like giganews, because they will retain stuff that has been uploaded for much longer.

4) Look for snippets to be posted on youtube.


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## MikeBiker (Mar 9, 2003)

Henry Porter said:


> Huh? I'm cool with a pay site BTW.


Send me $50 everyday and I'll post the results for you.


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## Henry Porter (Jul 25, 2006)

GearDaddy said:


> I can think of 4 options:
> 
> 1) Pay $30 for the NBC/mapmyride thing. Note you will need an internet connection and computer hardware capable of streaming high quality video. Without these things this solution will only show you a pretty much unwatchable, jerky, low res presentation. If you do have these things, this solution will by far provide the best presentation.
> 
> ...


Perfect, thanks much. And repped.


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## Henry Porter (Jul 25, 2006)

MikeBiker said:


> Send me $50 everyday and I'll post the results for you.


Mike, you are always so helpful. I've just have my Nigerian banker get back to you.


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## locustfist (Feb 21, 2009)

2012 Tour de France on NBC Sports - Pro Cycling's 2012 Tour de France Live, Live Streaming Video, News, Standings, Schedule Stage Results, Stage Maps

30 bucks gets you better coverage than TV. Longer stage coverage..including podiums every day.

All stages are available on demand if you can't watch live

i've used it the last 3 years


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## Handbrake (May 29, 2012)

Stages usually make in on to cyclingtorrents.nl in rapid fashion. The team presentations, for instance, are already available.


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## bobvanjr (Aug 2, 2010)

I decided to do the NBC/Universal pay thing and give it a shot. Hopefully it works out.

Thanks for all the suggestions.


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## Marc (Jan 23, 2005)

bobvanjr said:


> I decided to do the NBC/Universal pay thing and give it a shot. Hopefully it works out.
> 
> Thanks for all the suggestions.


I paid for NBC online they finally posted a link to watch, about 10 minutes after Eurosport went live. Some flavor of HD is nice.


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## bobvanjr (Aug 2, 2010)

The feed started late for me too. The picture is crap... even right next to my 18 mbps router. Not anywhere near hd for me and buffering like crazy. I hooked it up hdmi to my tv and I can't get any audio. 

Hopefully replays will be better. 

Some investigating I will do!


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## tetter (Jun 28, 2008)

thefirstrow.eu works for me its free and i can choose NBC Eurosport or whatever else people have links to. it is nice not the best picture but i get the tour even with no cable.


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## joe43 (Apr 27, 2010)

ITV4 (itv.com) is free if you can find a proxy in the UK.


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## joe43 (Apr 27, 2010)

I took a subscription to Eurosport online HD for TdF 2010... It was great until they made a technology change that broke Mac compatibility around Stage 12. Their customer service team made getting a refund very difficult.


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## Henry Porter (Jul 25, 2006)

bobvanjr said:


> The feed started late for me too. The picture is crap... even right next to my 18 mbps router. Not anywhere near hd for me and buffering like crazy. I hooked it up hdmi to my tv and I can't get any audio.
> 
> Hopefully replays will be better.
> 
> Some investigating I will do!


If anyone catches a replay, let me know. I haven't seen anything due to being on night float and was wondering how it was before I plunk down $30.


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## MRM1 (Sep 13, 2008)

joe43 said:


> ITV4 (itv.com) is free if you can find a proxy in the UK.


If you are in the US hide your IP and redirect to an UK IP and use a proxy a joe said. Then you can watch it live and/or hightlights or replays on sites like Tour de France | Tour de France 2012 - ITV Watch it on itv4. Just load the player at the top once you have your IP redirected. Works pretty decent.

A simple free trial IP redirect is Easy Hide IP. But the cost is like $29 so it is kind of a wash, but if I buy Easy IP I should also be able to watch the Olympics which NBC will have a total lock out on in the US.


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## locustfist (Feb 21, 2009)

Henry Porter said:


> If anyone catches a replay, let me know. I haven't seen anything due to being on night float and was wondering how it was before I plunk down $30.


I did the replay for the prologue because I was out riding. Worked great! 720 quality

scrubbed through the first couple hours pretty smooth

Today I watched on a 13" MacBook pro using Chrome. Worked flawlessly.


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## Handbrake (May 29, 2012)

Henry Porter said:


> If anyone catches a replay, let me know. I haven't seen anything due to being on night float and was wondering how it was before I plunk down $30.


The feeds from ITV4, NBC, and Eurosport are all up on cyclingtorrents.nl. As will be all stages soon after their completion.

Get a client and seed.


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