TWiT Live refers to the live video and audio streams of TWiT network shows and select non-TWiT network shows that are broadcast over the Internet. A complete live show schedule is available. The easiest way to watch is at our web site.

If you wish to add or edit information here, please email bugs@twit.tv with the change you wish to make.

Origins

According to Leo Laporte's blog, TWiT Live began broadcasting live video from the TWiT Cottage in Petaluma, California on April 30, 2008.

HLS

HLS is short for HTTP live streaming. HLS breaks a video stream into small chunks which are sent over HTTP. The viewing client is able to dynamically choose from a range of bandwidths on the fly based on bandwidth availability, enabling smoother performance on mobile devices with faster connections.

All of TWiT's live video streams are HLS compatible.

Live Video Streams

The live video streams allow viewers to watch the creation of TWiT shows and enables users to interact with Leo through one of two associated chatrooms. The stream is available on multiple providers in various bitrates in order to provide redundancy and accommodate a range of connection speeds. The stream is available on Twitch, Mixer, and UStream. All streams have an HLS-compatible version.

Twitch

This is hosted by Twitch...not to be confused with TWiT.

Mixer

This is Microsoft's streaming gameplay service to compete with Twitch. They invited TWiT to become a streaming partner.

YouTube

You know YouTube. Everyone knows YouTube. TWiT streams on YouTube Live.

UStream

The UStream stream is a variable stream that maxes at 2.2 Mbps and adjusts down based on your bandwidth.

Flosoft.biz

Flosoft disappeared without any warning in September 2017. All attempts to contact them have gone unanswered. At this point, we're pretty much assuming they've been abducted by aliens. Their site has since been shut down. They're gone

Original information: The Flosoft.biz stream was a 5 resolution/bitrate HLS stream, was intended for our app developers. Please see Flosoft Developer Section.

Streaming TWiT Live Video on Your PC or Mac

Web

TWiT.tv Live

The easiest way to watch is by visiting twit.tv/live. If you encounter any difficulties with that official site we keep the old live.twit.tv around for compatibility sake. Either should work with any modern web browser. At least 768 kbps downstream is recommended.

Apps

We keep a list at twit.tv/app.

Advanced Methods for Streaming TWiT Live Video

Streaming with QuickTime X

QuickTime X on the Mac can open the HLS streams. The HLS streams are not compatible with QuickTime 7 on Windows.

Open QuickTime X and select File > Open Location. Enter http://iphone-streaming.ustream.tv/uhls/1524/streams/live/iphone/playlist.m3u8 for the UStream stream. Visit Flosoft Developer Section for the Flosoft HLS stream URLs.

Streaming with VLC

You can watch the stream in VLC.

Watch UStream on VLC using the RTMP Stream

This process is a bit more involved, but you get a much lower latency stream, hardware acceleration, and 720p. First download RTMPDump for Mac, Windows, or the OS you use. http://rtmpdump.mplayerhq.hu/ Install VLC Media Player for your OS: http://www.videolan.org/vlc/index.html [Normally you would have to go to UStream.com and sniff TCP traffic (using wireshark) to retrieve the rtmp URL, but we have done the work for you] Another Option is to use http://piscui.webear.net/ustream.php online tool to give you the the RTMPDUMP command and URL for UStream. Once installed, you can run the following commands

Windows

$ rtmpdump.exe -r "rtmp://ustreamlivefs.fplive.net/ustream4live-live/" -y "stream_live_1_1_1524" -s "http://static-cdn1.ustream.tv/swf/live/viewer.rsl:96.swf" -W "http://static-cdn1.ustream.tv/swf/live/viewer.rsl:96.swf" --live --quiet | "C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\vlc.exe" -

[Note: On a 64-bit version of Windows you will need to go to Program Files (x86)]

Mac OS X

$ rtmpdump -r "rtmp://ustreamlivefs.fplive.net/ustream4live-live/" -y "stream_live_1_1_1524" -s "http://static-cdn1.ustream.tv/swf/live/viewer.rsl:96.swf" -W "http://static-cdn1.ustream.tv/swf/live/viewer.rsl:96.swf" --live --quiet | /Applications/VLC.app/Contents/MacOS/VLC -

RTMP Notes:

Sometimes UStream changes the SWF (Flash player link) and the Stream URL due to load balancing and DNS updates. To update RTMP URLs and SWF URLs use the online tool (described above) here: http://piscui.webear.net/ustream.php

Streaming with mplayer (Linux)

You can open the TWiT Live stream in mplayer using the following methods:

$ mplayer -aspect 16:9 [PUT HLS VIDEO STREAM URL HERE] Or, save the URL in a text file with a .pls extension, such as twit-live.pls

To load a playlist with mplayer: $ mplayer -aspect 16:9 -playlist twit-live.pls

You can also add the -stereo # option if you only hear audio in one channel. For example: $ mplayer -stereo 1 -aspect 16:9 -playlist twit-live.pls

Some GNU/Linux systems have an old version of ffmpeg which cannot play the stream. One workaround for this is to compile a more recent build of ffmpeg, as it uses ffplay directly. To use ffplay, enter the following:

$ ffplay [PUT HLS VIDEO STREAM URL HERE]





TWiT Website

UStream

Twitch

YouTube

Audio

Streaming TWiT Live Audio

See TWiT.am Audio Stream.

Live Chat

A live show chat accompanies all TWiT Live shows. Visit the IRC Chat article for information and rules for chat.

Issues

System Requirements

For system requirements for individual apps, see that app's support page.

Caller Audio for The Tech Guy show

A frequent comment is about "caller echo" during the live Tech Guy show. It is not echo from the caller's radio, but an artifact of an inappropriate gain increase introduced by equipment that receives the stream down in southern California. Leo has complained about it for years, has had to answer chatter comments about it for years (along with chat moderators), and there's nothing more anyone can do about it (at Leo's end of the connection).

There is a built-in delay of 40 seconds for the show's broadcast. If you hear any audio at all from a caller's radio, it would be from 40 seconds ago.

To hear clean audio of the conversation, you can tune in to a radio station or download the podcast when it is released after editing.

Future expansion

Leo projected on April 2, 2009 that in five years TWiT Live will be broadcasting from the Moon. (As of April 2014, that was not the case.)