Apple to Provide Live Video Stream for Media Event

[+Frank B. Subscriber²]

Apple to Provide Live Video Stream for Media Event

Apple announced this evening that they will be broadcasting their media event live over the internet.

Apple will broadcast its September 1 event online using Apples industry-leading HTTP Live Streaming, which is based on open standards. Viewing requires either a Mac running Safari on Mac OS X version 10.6 Snow Leopard, an iPhone or iPod touch running iOS 3.0 or higher, or an iPad. The live broadcast will begin at 10:00 a.m. PDT on September 1, 2010 at www.apple.com.

This is the first time for many years that Apple has decided to offer a live video stream of their media events.

Source: Mac Rumors

[Hendrick]

Was excited when I saw that, but shocked when I saw the system requirements...

[Sikh]

I saw this 2-3 hours ago from my iPhone and i was ****ing EXCITED. Since ill be at work and streaming from my phone i meet the requirements.

I just want to see the new iPod touch / get it as a replacement for my gf's 3rd Gen. itll be a free replacement but a worthwhile one too.

Apple tv might be interesting but idk if its for me.

New iPod Nano being touch and a square, we will see.

Thats what im excited about.

[Argi]

lol, and Apple jump on their high horse about open-standards.

[+Frank B. Subscriber²]

Was excited when I saw that, but shocked when I saw the system requirements...

There are workarounds:

Can You Watch Apple's Live Keynote Stream? Requirements and Workarounds

It came as a surprise to everyone tonight when Apple announced that they would be live streaming video of their September media event across the web. The news, however, was somewhat dulled by the fact that Apple announced that the stream will only be viewable on an OS X 10.6 Mac or an iOS device (iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad). The reason for the limitation isn't entirely arbitrary, as Apple is using a new streaming technology called HTTP Live Streaming which was introduced alongside Snow Leopard's QuickTime X and iOS 3.0.

While the protocol has been proposed as a standard, so far Apple's the only company who seems to have implemented it. As a result, the video will only be easily viewable on the specified platforms. There seem to be some advantages to the system over existing streaming technologies. Notably, there should be no router/firewall issues as the stream is sent over standard HTTP protocols.

If you're not sure you will be able to view stream, you can try loading this HTTP Live sample stream that Apple has provided.

For non-supported readers who are desperate to watch the stream close to live, it seems likely that you will be able to watch it -- at least in stops and starts. The HTTP Live Stream protocol is based on very standard technologies. The stream is simply provided in an MPEG2 playlist (m3u file) that is added to as the stream continues. These standard playlists will load in VLC for both Mac and Windows. VLC, for example, will play the above sample stream using this url:

http://devimages.apple.com/iphone/samples/bipbop/gear1/prog_index.m3u8

VLC will load all parts of the stream into its own playlist. It works fine for this pre-recorded stream as the entire playlist is already constructed. The catch for tomorrow's live transmission is that VLC doesn't know that more will becoming, so it looks like you'll have to repeatedly reload the playlist manually to get the next few segments. It's not an elegant solution, but with some persistence, it seems like it will work.

Of course, if you're not so desperate, you can watch our text coverage here, on Twitter, or wait for the official stream to be posted later in the day.

Source: Mac Rumors

[Elliott]

lol, and Apple jump on their high horse about open-standards.

As you can see from the post above, they don't have that much of a choice. This has been proposed as a standard, yet nobody else has implemented it.

Besides, it saves them some bandwidth. :p

[Xtreme $niper]

Apparently they are doing this to test their new data center: http://gizmodo.com/5627398/apple-to-stress-test-their-new-1-billion-data-center-today

[Lamp0]

what's the URL for the stream?

[torrentthief]

i went on apple.com and clicked on the link in the bottom left for the live video but the url doesn't open in vlc unlike the test stream that i tried earlier :(

[RadishTM Veteran]

Good to see iOS 4.1, HDR feature looks decent.

[acnpt]

HDR Photos, Game Center, Epic Games - all

[torrentthief]

surely it has to take the photos 1 after another and the phone will have moved though? The photos on the iphone and video are both awful in regards to the white balance and colour saturation, wonder if this will be fixed for videos. Unfortunately the HTC phones have the same issue.

[acnpt]

New designs for every iPod model

New Shuffle - $49.00 for 2GB

New Nano - Maybe too small, and only volume buttons. - Perhaps larger capacity iPods will take nanos place.

[acnpt]

Thinner iPod touch, Retina Display, Looks like Facetime too.

[RadishTM Veteran]

iTunes 10! (with a new logo! :o ) :D

[WelshBluebird]

No new classic, and the largest capacity (ignoring the Touch) is 16GB. Bad move apple.

[kaffra]

love the new touch

[SkyDX]

Very disappointed by the iPod Touch 4 design, it looks like a iPod Touch 2/3 which is a shame after the epic iPhone 4 design (minus the antenna issue...)

[acnpt]

Not too sure on the new nano advert, it isn't really safe to wear a bright MP3 player clipped to the outside of your clothes.

[Mathachew Veteran]

Ping, here to confuse the general masses with Bing!

[acnpt]

Boom Apple TV.

Steve admits it hasn't been a big hit.

[acnpt]

Netflix

Youtube

Flickr

Mobileme

ABC and Fox TV networks.

[SMELTN]

yeah that new Touch is nice....

Ping is confusing, and looks just like facebook. Not even counting the fact one of the main apps I use is Ping! which is the chat program

Of topic.. Does anyone know were I can find that sweet Guitar with the apple logo cut into it as a wallpaper for my iPad?

[Draken]

itunes 10 still unavailable right?

[acnpt]

Apple TV is $99