We Got Served

You may remember my post regarding the NBC Olympic coverage in Vista Media Center.  I was originally unable to make use of this software because I am running Vista x64.  TVTonic released a 64-bit version, so I simply had to install it so that I could watch all the events I missed.  Unfortunately, this is U.S residents, only.  But if you are in the U.S. …

Microsoft has posted a press release about this plug-in for Vista Media Center, and all the other Olympic coverage options as noted below: 

For Release 7 a.m. PDT

Aug. 7, 2008

Visit NBCOlympics.com on MSN and Watch the Summer Games You Want, When You Want

Watch more than 3,500 hours of live and on-demand video powered by Microsoft Silverlight technology.

REDMOND, Wash. — Aug. 7, 2008

Who:               NBCOlympics.com on MSN is the exclusive U.S. online destination for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. A number of Microsoft Corp. teams have worked together to create a rich and immersive experience for Olympic fans that enables them to watch the summer games they want, when they want. MSN, Silverlight, Windows Media Center, Zune and Xbox all provide unique options that let viewers experience the Olympics in a way they never have before.

 

What:             Check out NBCOlympics.com on MSN and watch more than 3,500 hours of live and on-demand video that will let you experience the Games like never before. Now, you can conveniently watch the games you want, when you want whether you are at home, at work or on the go.

 

·         MSN. NBCOlympics.com on MSN is the best destination to catch all the action with a 24×7 Olympics module on the MSN home page, complete with the latest news, live medal counts, statistics and videos that will make catching up on your favorite event or athlete quick and easy. Now, sports fans can keep the adrenaline pumping with non-stop action, news and videos on MSN.

 

·         Silverlight. Silverlight 2 enables NBC to provide online viewers with Olympics content in a rich, interactive viewing experience that includes some of the highest-quality video on the Web today. Users can view up to four events at the same time with picture-in-picture controls, and customize the player to capture their favorite events. In addition, dynamic overlays will provide expert commentary, and users also will be able to access statistics, play-by-play captioning, and athlete profiles through Silverlight as they watch their favorite event.

 

·         Windows Media Center. Olympic enthusiasts can take NBC’s coverage of Olympic events wherever they go with “NBC Olympics on the Go,” powered by Wavexpress’ TVTonic Internet video, a free service that allows sports fans to download NBC Olympics video of their favorite sports to their laptops in up-to-high-definition quality. Fans who are looking for the highlights from Beijing will be able to download these videos through “NBC Direct.”

 

·         Xbox. During the Olympics, users will have access to a daily wrap-up of the day’s events from NBC Sports. Wrap-up content will be priced at $1.99 under the NBC Network, with a complete Olympic wrap-up available at the end of the Games.

 

·         Zune. On Aug. 8, Zune Marketplace will kick off a series of daily 2008 Olympic Games videos from NBC Sports, giving viewers special on-the-go access to the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. For approximately 99 cents–$1.99 per episode (with post-Games content TBD), footage will include memorable highlights from the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, “best of” compilations, “best match” replays and a post-Games wrap-up feature. Users will be able to download each episode onto their Zune device for viewing whenever and wherever they go.

 

·         Live Search. Live Search will provide an xRank of Olympic athletes showing which athletes are being searched for the most on Live Search, who is on the rise and who is declining in search popularity. It will also provide detailed “instant answers” on Olympics-specific search queries performed at Live.com or via Web search on NBCOlympics.com on MSN. Queries to try include an athlete’s name or:

­        “Olympic medals”

­   Medals for <country> and/or <sport> e.g., “Medals for USA” or “USA medals for swimming”

 

When:             The Olympic Games begin on 08/08/08.

 

Where:           Go to MSN.com to check out the Olympic events you want, when you want.

 

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

Getting back to the TVTonic software: to install the software, start Windows Media Center and scroll to the Online Media menu. You’ll see an NBC Olympics graphic.

From there, it is simply a matter of clicking through the install process.

I have Vista x64, so I had to browse to the 64-bit version.

I chose the Run option and in a matter of a few minutes, I came to the actual software install.

I accepted the default options and let it do its thing.

Once installed, TVTonic places an icon in the tray.  Clicking on it brings up the Control Panel where you can change various options.

I will let you peruse the options and set them as desired.  One item of note that you will definitely want to change is to go to the Download Options tab and limit the bandwidth TVTonic uses.  I did not notice this at first, and it took me awhile to figure out why my Internet connection had become abysmal.

From there, just go back to Media Center, locate, and click on the NBC Olympics logo.  You must “activate” the software as seen below.

The opening screens displays several opening scenes of the Olympics.  It is in this screen that you can choose which content to download so that you can view at any time (notice the icons in the top right corner).  Be forewarned that it does take a bit of time to download content, especially if you decide to download all of the available content.

Once downloaded, sit back, relax, and enjoy at your leisure!  As can be seen below, the graphics are phenomenal!