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Apply HN: Horde.tv – Live stream any show or YouTube video

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Apply HN: Horde.tv – Live stream any show or YouTube video

#1

Post by brotaku »

prototype: http://www.horde.tv

15 second gif walkthrough: http://i.imgur.com/7AGRMnF.gifv

Why:

Live streaming is everywhere (Livecoding, Meerkat, etc), and the interactive experience of watching live + realtime chat is great. But all these apps focus on live broadcasts when there are so many existing videos that would be exciting to watch with a live audience (ie: Bob Ross on Twitch). Not to mention, these existing videos tend to have much higher production value, compared to some live streams on periscope and others.

We’ve created a site where anyone can create a live channel of their favorite videos. Everyone is synced to the same second of the video as it plays so you can chat in realtime. Videos are embedded directly from YouTube and Vimeo (original creators still benefit from YouTube ads and revenue).

Growth:

We’ve partnered with a handful of popular YouTubers to create their own live channels from their YouTube videos. Many YouTubers love the idea of increasing viewership and having a chance to showcase their videos to a live audience.

Who’s behind it:

We’re a team of two engineers who have worked on several apps together. Hobby YouTuber with over 15 million views.

Progress:

We’ve built the prototype and are launching it for the first time right now. Neither of us are UI designers so please excuse the mess :) we’re open to comments & suggestions! Or you can email us: hello@horde.tv

TLDR: Horde lets you watch youtube videos and tv shows like you’re watching a tv channel (with realtime chat).

Re: Apply HN: Horde.tv – Live stream any show or YouTube video

#2

Post by brotaku »

We've opened up access so anyone can create a channel. It's pretty easy: just pick a channel name and add videos.

Here are some live channels we created from our favorite shows:

VSauce, Numberphile, Veritasium: http://www.horde.tv/channels/mind-blowing-science

Interviews from Startup School: http://www.horde.tv/channels/startup-interviews

TEDx: http://www.horde.tv/channels/ted-talks

Re: Apply HN: Horde.tv – Live stream any show or YouTube video

#4

Post by brotaku »

Zekio wrote: post #3

Not a fan of the lack of volume controls

We're still figuring out which direction to go one several features. We disabled the controls bar (incl. vol) so each channel feels more like a live stream where you can't pause/skip through the video. However, you can still use the keyboard to control volume (up/down keys)

But we're going to give it try: we've re-enabled the control bar. Thanks for the feedback

Re: Apply HN: Horde.tv – Live stream any show or YouTube video

#5

Post by tasteup »

As a fan of Vsauce, CGP, and several conference channels (JSConf) this looks promising. I definitely see the value in having live chat alongside the video.

But instead of YouTube videos, I think this is a better fit for watching shows like Netflix/Hulu live (not sure if they allow embedding). I regularly tune into new episodes on Hulu - this would fit perfectly.

Re: Apply HN: Horde.tv – Live stream any show or YouTube video

#7

Post by brotaku »

tasteup wrote: post #5

As a fan of Vsauce, CGP, and several conference channels (JSConf) this looks promising. I definitely see the value in having live chat alongside the video. But instead of YouTube videos, I think this is a better fit for watching shows like Netflix/Hulu live (not sure if they allow embedding). I regularly tune into new episodes on Hulu - this would fit perfectly.

Thanks for the feedback. We're starting with YouTube & Vimeo videos because there's an endless pool of great content to start with and embedding is built-in. Not to mention, content creators continue to benefit from ad revenue.

We'd love to add Netflix shows for live streaming in the future. We've had a lot of people suggest the same.

Re: Apply HN: Horde.tv – Live stream any show or YouTube video

#10

Post by ajsgarage »

The concept is neat, had a chance to view briefly. Can you comment on any 'gatekeeping' type considerations for age/region/content in regards to either the videos being broadcast and/or the comments being written? In an ideal world I wouldn't be asking such things, but in context of the internet at large, I think it'd be neat to hear your perspective(s) and potential avenues to address them.
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