Monash TV set up

MRS has been testing TV streaming across the network. This is a free service that allows you to watch certain free-to-air television stations on a computer connected to the Monash Network.

Follow these steps to get started:

Step 1: Download and install the client

We recommend VLC. There are versions for Mac, Windows and Linux.

Step 2: Get VLC to listen to SAP Announcements

Open VLC, go to Tools > Preferences > Show Options (All) > Playlist, and then Services Discovery > SAP, and enable IPv4 SAP Announcements.
Then click Save.

Step 3: Close and restart VLC

For the SAP Announcements to work, often you need to restart VLC. Close it and open it again. It's Windows, get used to it!

Step 4: Populate your Playlist

Now VLC is running again, under the Playlist Menu select Show Playlist. It should look like the Window below.

In about a minute the SAP will populate, and a whole lot of channels will appear there. Windows may pop-up a windows blocking firewall rule when you try this. You need to allow the TV stream in, if you want to watch it.

Step 5: Watch TV

Pick a channel and start watching. There should be a SAP Group called MonashTV which has the Monash Channels within it.

Frequently asked questions

1. What's the latest version of VLC, and should I use it?
   You should be using whatever the VLC community recommend at their website.
2. What's the cost of using this service?
   All the streams that show up in the SAP announcement list are free to watch. They're travelling around aarnet, and are supplied as a base part of the aarnet service. That said, we can't control what channels appear there, and their quality etc. The only ones that Monash has any control over are the MonashTV ones.
3. The picture looks funny when things move fast
   Try changing the Interlacing mode. Right click on the picture the choose the De-interlace Option, and then move it off Disable.
4. How can I find out more about VLC?
   Go to their website.
5. Can I just play a playlist with VLC?
   Download a playlist and then right click on it, and select play with VLC.
6. Where are the UCTV Streams?
   The University of Canberra TV streams have been removed due to legal concerns.
7. Channel Ten looks jerky, why is that?
   You can change your options to smooth this out. Preferences > Input / Codecs > Access Modules > Advanced settings > UDP/RTP > Turn caching from 300ms to 400ms or higher if needed.
8. Can I record the streams?
   The TV streams have the same legal/copyright restrictions as normal free-to-air recordings.
   A Windows short-cut that looks like
   "C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\vlc.exe" --intf wx udp://@239.255.0.1:1234 --sout #duplicate{dst=std{access=file,mux=ts,dst=c:\abc.ts}}
   Will record the abc stream to c:\abc.ts.
9. Can I use something else to watch the streams?
   mplayer works with the streams also. The syntax you need is mplayer udp://@239.255.0.1:1234.
   It won't pick up the SAP broadcasts but plays streams fine, and is a little more robust than VLC, but less user friendly.
10. The playlist isn't showing up.
    You can try manually forcing VLC to play a stream.
    Media > Open Network > Protocol (udp) address (as given below) > play.
11. VLC isn't working properly still??
    You can try re-booting the PC, and re-installing VLC.
    It's also possible for a PC's security software to block VLC. Try disabling the security software, and then try VLC again. Don't forget to re-enable it.
12. The Streams don't work over wireless?
    The Wireless Network can't carry the TV streams. It's a Monash Australia Wired service only.
13. Where can I see online TV guides?
    There are a few about. Here's a link to one of them.

Channel Listing