*SopCast* is an app that allows you to watch *free online TV* channels, and
also to *broadcast* your own. It uses peer to peer (P2P) technology so you
don't need huge bandwidths or servers. *P2P Streaming* The beauty of
streaming via *P2P* is that anyone can broadcast anything that they want,
making it an incredibly democratic medium. The two previously-cited programs
are good examples of the technology in action yet SopCast (so called because
'SoP' is an abbreviation for 'Streaming over P2P') is arguably even better
because it allows you to easily *broadcast your own channels*. In the latest
release of SopCast, there are virtually no noticeable interface changes, so
it's still extremely easy to use. On installation, you're asked if you'd like
to install the Ask.com search bar, which you can de-select by clicking the
check-box. When you run SopCast, you can log in either anonymously or, if
you're planning on setting-up your own channel, create your own account using
the link at the bottom. *Live TV Channels* When you log into SopCast, click
on the *Live Channels* tabs so you can see the channel listings. The first
thing you notice is the number of channels to choose from. There's absolutely
everything here from obscure Chinese channels to mainstream offerings like
The Discovery Channel (although again, you will find many programs either
dubbed or subtitled in Chinese). Some of SopCast's channels are organized,
such as by News and Sport but these categories can be unreliable and the
lower down you go, simply indecipherable. SopCast's channel window will pop
out of the side of the player but you can expand this to full screen or
export it to Windows Media Player using the vision controls on the panel.
This truly separates SopCast from the rest of the P2P TV streaming
applications. If you want to use a different media player (such as VLC
Player), you can do this by clicking on the Options button at the bottom of
the main interface. *Broadcast your own programs* SopCast's major draw
though, and the reason why many of its channels look like a garbled mess, is
the fact that you can *broadcast your own channel* on it. Once your program
has been filmed, edited and is uploaded on your PC, all you have to do is
stream it via SopCast and select a server address to which people can connect
and watch. The quality of the broadcast in SopCast will very much depend on
the number of people connected (the more users there are, the faster the
video will stream). You can even *create your own private channel* and decide
what users can watch it by creating a network group, thus enabling you to run
your very own personal TV channel in SopCast. *Conclusions* SopCast might
look a bit confusing for the first-time user but, despite the dominance of
Chinese channels, it provides a whole new world of TV to watch. What's more,
it gives you the chance to start your own channel!Download *SopCast 3.5.0.1*
in Softonic
