EPO, I love you!

12string — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 23:46:13 -0000

Just in time for the tour,

PARIS (Reuters) - The French record label behind a hit single inspired by Zinedine Zidane's fateful head-butt on Italian defender Marco Materazzi at the soccer World Cup hopes to repeat the success with a dig at the Tour de France. The world's most famous cycle race starts in London on Saturday under the shadow of a series of doping scandals, and La Plage Records has come up with a song referring to a blood doping agent called "EPO Te Quiero" ("EPO I Love You") to lampoon the event. The song is an allusion to doping agent erythropoietin (EPO) and includes the chorus "EPO te quiero, grace a toi je serai numero uno" ("EPO I love you, thanks to you I will be number one") sang in Spanish and French. The accompanying video features composer Franck Lascombes dressed as a Mexican musician and riding a bicycle as he sings.

Here's the link to the video

Tips for Watching the Dauphiné Libéré on Cycling.TV

12string — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 13:38:01 -0000

[editor's note, by chris] Some very helpful tech info... sounded like people are still having difficulties with the viewer.

Cycling TV covers great races. Brian Smith is one of the most knowledgeable color commentators around, while Anthony keeps a close eye on the race. The rapport between them is enjoyable to listen to. However, the audio/video interface, which used to be just awkward, has now become hopelessly complex with the new design. The video is served fairly reliably and with near TV quality, but the whole process of logging in to it usually has me in a pretty bad mood by the time the race starts.

I've outline the steps here, in a kind of pseudo programming language, followed by a comparison with logging into RAI or Eurosport.

Start IE browser on a Windows machine
best not to use Mac or Linux
best not to use Firefox or Safari
If you left browser open from previous day
click cancel on popups about PopAdsRoll.htm
There may be dozens...we'll wait
else if new browser open
go to Http://cycling.tv

For Premium channel
enter userid and password on this window
note different method than login to Versus

Wait for second browser window to open
In second window
see if today's race is listed
Listing depends on the time
Try to figure out what n - GMT +1 means
If not listed
wait for correct time and hit refresh
while waiting, ponder GMT +1
when today's race is listed,
click on link note:
hi,lo,med speed links don't make any diff

wait for re-focus on first browser window...

Ok, we are in the first window, waiting
if you got time wrong
or race isn't really on
you will see 'System Error'
and video will say 'Timeline Error'
if you have been here before
try hitting 'reload'
else if your here for the 1st time
go back to 2nd browser window
repeat

Otherwise...
scroll below the moving picture to choose speed
these speed links actually work
Choose what speed you think will work
base your decision on:
provider specs
traffic congestion
because CTV doesn't negotiate correct speed

If picture or audio freezes,
pick a slower speed

click on full screen
this is why you bought a windows machine
and are running IE
full screen only works in this combo.

Non cycling.tv way to view:
Go to cyclingfans.com
click on the link for the day's coverage.
If you want to hear coverage in another language
click on the mute button
choose an audio link in your favorite language
Click on the 'fullscreen' button on the pictures.

:wq

SB Nation User Blog: 12string

EPO, I love you!

Tips for Watching the Dauphiné Libéré on Cycling.TV