The Academy Awards, commonly referred to as The Oscars, are airing this weekend. If you're a movie buff or just want to watch the dimes walking on the red carpet, The Oscars is not to be missed.
The 86th annual Academy Awards, hosted this year by Ellen Degeneres, will air Sunday night, March 2nd at 7 p.m. ET (4 p.m. PT) on ABC, and this year they have a (somewhat) special treat.
It's the first time that The Oscars will be live-streamed online. So, if you're at work or want to watch it on the go using your phone, you can. But what makes this only somewhat special? ABC is following in the footsteps of premium channels like AMC, FX, and HBO by requiring you to enter your cable provider information to watch it.
How to Watch the 2014 Oscars Online
This year, ABC is live streaming The Oscars using their free Watch ABC apps. To view it on the Web from your computer, just head to the Watch ABC Live Stream before it starts. To watch it from your smartphone or tablet, download the appropriate Watch ABC app for your device below.
- iOS devices (iPad, iPhone)
- Android devices (if your device is not supported, try installing the APK manually)
- Amazon Kindles
- Windows 8.1 devices
Restrictions
As mentioned above, you will need to authenticate your service provider before being able to use the options above. If you don't, you'll be looking like this:
You will need to be a subscriber to one of these cable providers:
- AT&T U-verse
- Comcast
- Cablevision
- Cox Communications
- Charter Communications
- Google Fiber
- Midcontinent Communications
- Verizon FiOS
This wasn't always the case, as you can see from the hundreds of negative reviews the app has received, but ABC recently added the cable provider authentication just in time for this Oscars promotion. So, if you do have one of the listed providers, you can enjoy this year's show on a myriad of mobile devices.
Also, you will only be able to stream the Academy Awards in one of the following U.S. markets: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Houston, Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, and Fresno, California. Yup, even more restrictions for a free service.
The Oscars will be available in the Watch ABC apps for verified viewers for three days, so if you missed the actual live stream, you can still play it on the apps through March 5th.
Check out ABC's FAQ page for more information on their recent changes and what you can and cannot access.
Alternative Method: Watch the 2014 Oscars with Aereo
For those of you pissed off at Big Cable, Aereo has been a breath of fresh air. If you do not want or have a cable subscription, you might be able to use Aereo.
Aereo is a subscription, internet-based service that gives access to local TV channels, like ABC, using a series of antennas. This feed can then be accessed on your mobile device or TV. However, the coverage area is pretty small, although it's constantly growing.
Of course, when something awesome like this comes around the Big Cats are never happy. Aereo is being sued by FOX, CBS, NBC, and of course, ABC for offering their programming without kicking back any cash to them. So if you really want to stick it to the Man and hate freaking cable authentication, sign-up for Aereo and help them out.
Get More Out of the Oscars with the Backstage Experience
Even if you cannot gain access to the live stream via ABC or Aereo, you can still use the Watch ABC application for the Oscars Backstage Experience. This is the company's "second screen" feature, where viewers of the show can view behind-the-scenes and extra footage during the awards show. You'll be able to follow Twitter trends and topics as well as view different cameras footage backstage.
Again this feature does not need authentication of a cable provider and can be accessed by anyone with internet access. You can also access the Oscars Backstage Experience on ABC's website.
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