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Free or Cheap Streaming Service

godmodegodmode Southeast JapanRegistered User regular
in Help / Advice Forum
Just what the title says: Looking for a streaming service. I have set up my webcam at home to monitor my puppy while I'm at work (I've gotten some complaints about noise) and set up a Ustream account, but I'm annoyed by the mandatory adds every few minutes, constant re-buffering (which should not be a thing considering how fast my home internet is) and their lack of decent paid plans (they start at $99/month and skyrocket from there).
Any suggestions? Even if it's not a web service but a program that will let me connect to the webcam on my other laptop remotely would work.

Posts

  • Dr. FrenchensteinDr. Frenchenstein Registered User regular
    a friend has a baby monitor (with camera) he can link up to his iphone, but i'm not sure if it's a service or a direct link, or what. I will check.

  • see317see317 Registered User regular
    Not exactly what you're looking for, but LogMeIn might work for you.
    Set up the web camera to your home computer, then log into the computer from work to watch the camera. Pro subscription would also let you hear the feed from the camera and costs $45 a year for one computer. Added bonus that you don't have to wonder if other people are watching your house while you're not there.

  • ceresceres When the last moon is cast over the last star of morning And the future has past without even a last desperate warningRegistered User, Moderator Mod Emeritus
    edited January 2013
    I know livestream has an ad when you start the stream, but not usually in the middle of it and it's pretty free. I think it used to have ads in the middle, but they seem to have a new setup where that isn't an issue.

    ceres on
    And it seems like all is dying, and would leave the world to mourn
  • wmelonwmelon Registered User regular
    you could also try justin.tv/

  • EsseeEssee The pinkest of hair. Victoria, BCRegistered User regular
    Yeah, I think Justin.tv actually even lets you choose when to run ads? Well, they let partners do that, anyway. Are you able to use addons? Because if you stick AdBlock on whatever you're using to watch the stream, at least on Justin.tv and Twitch.tv, you'll never see an ad at all, even if there's supposed to be one, and your stream won't be interrupted either. I'm sure that AdBlock would work on other streaming services as well, but I don't know if it's as smooth as with those sites. Regardless, ads on there won't be a big deal as far as I've ever seen. And they stream very well.

  • defreakdefreak Registered User regular
    I have used justin.tv for the exact same purpose as yours, wanted to monitor a new puppy while I was at work. It worked great, no issues, plus it has an app that worked pretty well too.

  • DhalphirDhalphir don't you open that trapdoor you're a fool if you dareRegistered User regular
    godmode wrote: »
    Just what the title says: Looking for a streaming service. I have set up my webcam at home to monitor my puppy while I'm at work (I've gotten some complaints about noise) and set up a Ustream account, but I'm annoyed by the mandatory adds every few minutes, constant re-buffering (which should not be a thing considering how fast my home internet is) and their lack of decent paid plans (they start at $99/month and skyrocket from there).
    Any suggestions? Even if it's not a web service but a program that will let me connect to the webcam on my other laptop remotely would work.

    make sure that your internet at home is up to scratch when it comes to upload speed, not just fast downloads. just a thought.

  • godmodegodmode Southeast JapanRegistered User regular
    Dhalphir wrote: »
    godmode wrote: »
    Just what the title says: Looking for a streaming service. I have set up my webcam at home to monitor my puppy while I'm at work (I've gotten some complaints about noise) and set up a Ustream account, but I'm annoyed by the mandatory adds every few minutes, constant re-buffering (which should not be a thing considering how fast my home internet is) and their lack of decent paid plans (they start at $99/month and skyrocket from there).
    Any suggestions? Even if it's not a web service but a program that will let me connect to the webcam on my other laptop remotely would work.

    make sure that your internet at home is up to scratch when it comes to upload speed, not just fast downloads. just a thought.

    It was definitely something with Ustream. I'm running justin.tv today and I haven't seen a single buffering message. It's definitely not my internet: I have 75Mb down, 35Mb up (theoretically)

  • EsseeEssee The pinkest of hair. Victoria, BCRegistered User regular
    I keep hearing complaints about Ustream all the time lately, so I'm not all that surprised. They used to be pretty good though.

  • FiggyFiggy Fighter of the night man Champion of the sunRegistered User regular
    Have a look at a remote desktop app instead. TeamViewer is free for personal use, and you can install it on your smart phone as well.

    Have the webcam set up at home and showing the video on your desktop. Then, connect with TeamViewer from anywhere (PC, phone, etc) to see the video on your desktop. You could even then remotely turn on/off music on the PC, etc.

    XBL : Figment3 · SteamID : Figment
  • godmodegodmode Southeast JapanRegistered User regular
    I do use TeamViewer, however I cannot listen to the remote computer's microphone, can I?

  • Lord DaveLord Dave Grief Causer Bitch Free ZoneRegistered User regular
    Use TeamViewer to trigger a loud sound file of your voice saying "hey quit howling, dummy, I'll be right back" when you see him howlin'

    mkc.png
  • godmodegodmode Southeast JapanRegistered User regular
    Okay, definitely found a problem with justin.tv: Has anyone ever had the problem where the microphone keeps shutting off?
    I mean, I could've easily installed TeamViewer on the broadcast machine to keep playing with the settings but I'm dumb and forgot. But every time I leave the apartment it seems like the microphone stops broadcasting with the video.

  • FyndirFyndir Registered User regular
    If it's trying to be clever about broadcasting only 'deliberate' noise (i.e. a person talking into the microphone) and not background/ambient noise (i.e. computer fans) then it may be that whatever noise is happening in or around your home is just too quiet to trigger it.

    Checking the microphone options for the program/service carefully may yield results here.

  • godmodegodmode Southeast JapanRegistered User regular
    But I mean, my dog howls pretty loudly and my laptop is about five feet from her crate. I would think the mic would pick up THAT, at least (which was the whole intent of this exercise :P)

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