[blm14]

I can't find a direct plugin, so I'm wondering if there's any way to watch al-jazeera english via XBMC?

[AddictedToMetal]

+1

[blm14]

BTW I am running XBMC Live, if that helps. But I also have some windows machines on my local network if the answer is that I have to create a stream from something else...

[TravellingGuy]

I can't find a direct plugin, so I'm wondering if there's any way to watch al-jazeera english via XBMC?

I was using this url yesterday to stream the live feed, but today it isn't working!
mms://media1.lsops.net/aljazeer_en

I got that URL from Navi-X for XBMC.

[hohead]

I agree, this would be awesome. I found this link:

http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2156494

Which gives us this code:

Code:

rtmpdump -v -r rtmp://livestfslivefs.fplive.net/livestfslive-live/ -y "aljazeera_en_veryhigh?videoId=747084146001&lineUpId=&pubId=665003303001&playerId=751182905001&affiliateId=" -W "http://admin.brightcove.com/viewer/us1.24.04.08.2011-01-14072625/federatedVideoUI/BrightcovePlayer.swf -p "http://english.aljazeera.net/watch_now/ -a "aljazeeraflashlive-live?videoId=747084146001&lineUpId=&pubId=665003303001&playerId=751182905001&affiliateId=" | mplayer -

It seems like we should be able to get this working as a plugin somehow?

There does seem to be previous examples of people using RTMP with XBMC plugins:
http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=79384
http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=76914

Unfortunately, I just don't have the skillset to do this myself.

Anybody willing to help us out?

[blm14]

It's kind of beyond my abilities also (haven't even learned python yet!) but I would REALLY love to have this.

[gjlp]

To watch Al Jazeera English and other international news channels, you can always use Boxee -- it has a 'LiveNation' plugin that gives access to many such channels.

[jhsrennie]

There are various ways you could do this. You need to start by writing a shell script (or batch file on Windows) with the command posted by hohead. Check that when you run the script it plays the stream (I tried it on Windows and it only plays for a few seconds then bombs out).

Then you just need to get XBMC to run the script. You could probably (I haven't tried it) do this most easily using Launcher or Executor. Alternatively you could write a simple script to do it (I probably have one lying around that could be adapted) or possibly configure an external player.

JR

[smpn]

Bump... this would be an amazing way to follow the news in Tunisia and Egypt etc

[TravellingGuy]

I did it!

I had posted a very lo-res mms:// link (see above) above that worked.

However, I just spent an hour and got the" hi-res" stream that hohead posted above, and managed to get it to work with XBMC.

Here's how:
1. Create a text file called "al-jazeera.strm" and paste this in it:

Code:

rtmp://livestfslivefs.fplive.net/livestfslive-live/ playpath=aljazeera_en_veryhigh?videoId=747084146001&lineUpId=&pubId=665003303001&playerId=751182905001&affiliateId= pageURL=http://english.aljazeera.net/watch_now/ app=aljazeeraflashlive-live?videoId=747084146001&lineUpId=&pubId=665003303001&playerId=751182905001&affiliateId= swfUrl=http://admin.brightcove.com/viewer/us1.24.04.08.2011-01-14072625/federatedVideoUI/BrightcovePlayer.swf swfVfy=true live=true

2. Save the file and put it somewhere where XBMC can see it.

3. In XBMC, go to Videos, make sure you are not in Library mode and browse to where your al-jazeera.strm file is.

4. Select it. Enjoy Al Jazeera live streaming in pretty damn nice quality!

I did this with Dharma, on a Linux box. YMMV.

[prone]

works for me on windows 7 (Dharma) thx!!!

[jacktyler]

thanks TravellingGuy - it works great for me on Linux.

[IAmNotAUser]

thanks TravellingGuy - it works great for me on Linux.

Same here for me...much appreciated!

[bodhi]

Works great for me on Win7 Dharma 10. Thanks!

[kar200]

Works here too - apple tv with Sam's image.

Also was wondeting where to get those URI's with the stream address from? Is there like a website that lists them as it is so easy just to add a few there.

k.