Frequently Asked Questions

We have a 100% money back guarantee, so if you pay and find you are unable to watch, or are unhappy for ANY reason, just let us know and we will gladly refund you.

Complete instructions for watching the Speedbox live streams

  1. Register at Speedbox:
    • click on the "Create an account" link at the top of the page www.speedbox.tv
    • fill in the form – make sure you enter your email address correctly
    • check your email. When you get the "confirm your registration" email from us, please click on the link in the email
  2. If you want to watch a free event, please skip to step 10 below, If you want to watch a stream that requires a payment, you will now need to join Paypal, which is a safe and secure way of making payments on the internet. Go to www.paypal.com and complete the registration process.
  3. Go back to the speedbox website, Log in at Speedbox using the email address and password you have created for Speedbox (once you are logged in, the top right corner of the Speedbox site will say "You are signed in as (your username)"
  4. go to the details page for the event you want to watch
  5. Click the green “buy now” link underneath the picture, (on the right)
  6. Once you are on the Paypal website, Follow the Paypal directions; you will need to enter your Paypal email address and password when prompted.
  7. Complete the purchase in Paypal, you will be taken back to the Speedbox website, you need to click the Confirm button to finalise the purchase.

    At this point our database knows that you have paid to see the live stream, you can exit the site, close your computer and re-open and the information will not be lost.

  8. Once you go back to Speedbox, log in using the details you registered with as per step 1 above
  9. Go to the events page. In place of the “buy now” link you will see a message saying that you have paid and have access to the live stream – if you do not see this message, and have complete purchase, please contact us immediately.
  10. Once we have activated the live stream go to the events profile page, or exit the page and re-enter it if you are already there. You will see a player and a spinning circle until the live pictures come through. They take time to buffer up a bit so be a bit patient here, however it shouldn’t be more than a couple of minutes.
  11. You can choose a different bit rate (size) stream by clicking on the links below the player. You can click any of the buttons on the player, they all do different things, one of them is a full-screen button, if you click this one and want to go back to a smaller player, press the “Esc” key on your keyboard.

If you are having any problems with any of the above steps, please use the live help if we are online (the icon at the top of every page will be green and say “live chat”). If it is grey and says “offline” please email us support@speedbox.tv.

You can register at any point throughout the live stream, although don’t leave it too late or you will miss all the races!

If you have any more questions about this process, please ask – contact us on live help or email us support@speedbox.tv.

Having Problems?

Please check the following:

  • You are registered and logged in (contact us if you are having trouble with this)
  • Check you have the latest version of Flash installed on your computer: to check your flash version: http://www.macromedia.com/software/flash/about/ Please update your flash player if you do not have the latest version
  • Check Your Browser version, If you are using Internet Explorer, please update to the latest version, older versions frequently cause problems. We recommend using Firefox, it is a stable and secure browser and is much quicker than internet explorer as well. You can download Firefox free from here: http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/ If you are not using windows, click the "other systems" link below the download button to see a full list of options.

If you are having problems with the live stream pictures or sound:

  • If you can see picture and it is freezing or buffering a lot, please use a lower stream size, click the low or medium link below the player.
  • If your audio is out of sync with the picture, please try a lower stream size
  • If you don’t see anything in the player (no spinning circle), please check that you have flash installed correctly on your computer. You may need to uninstall and re-install flash. Also check that your firewall is not blocking access, you may need to talk to your network administrator for help with firewalls.
  • Further down this page you will see detailed information about system requirements, go through this to make sure your computer is capable of running the live stream.
  • If you are still having problems, please contact us, please use the live help if we are online (the icon at the top of every page will be green and say “live chat” If it is grey and says “offline” please email us support@speedbox.tv

Data and Internet Connection Information

You can access the live stream from any computer with a fast enough internet connection. We usually stream in 3 stream sizes: 150kbps, 250kbps and 400kbps.

To watch live streams without too much buffering, we recommend that you choose a speed that is a maximum of half what your internet connection speed is. So if you have a 1000kbps internet connection you would be able to watch the 400kbps stream, however if you had an internet speed of 500kpbs, you may want to choose the 250 or 150 streams to watch.

As a rough guide, if you watch the high quality stream (at 400kbps) for 6 hours, it will use about 700mb, or approx 0.7gig. 1 GB is 1024mb

To find your internet speed, go to www.speedtest.net and click on a triangle near to you. Try a few different ones to get a good idea. This test is only a rough indication of your internet speed.

If you are away from home and want to use a motel’s internet connection, be sure you find out from them how much they are going to charge you for data - there is usually some sort of surcharge for data. And some can be quite expensive. If the surcharge is very high, you may be better to go to an internet café - do choose one with a good internet connection! Or you could appeal to the good nature of the hotel owner for a more reasonable data rate.

Monthly Data Allowance

Your internet provider will probably have a way of you checking how much of your allowance you have used up –give them a call to find out how to do this. Look at how much data you have used up before the event starts, then go back and check after an hour, from that you will be able to work out how much data per hour you are using for the live stream.

The best thing to do to save bandwith (if you need to), would be to drop to the low quality (150kbps) stream during the breaks on racing, eg between races or after a crash. – That way you would still be watching and would know what was happening. Be aware that the streams may be running at slightly different times, eg one may be running 30 seconds behind the other.

What is Speedbox.tv?

Speedbox.tv is an online video portal based in New Zealand and designed to allow local and international audiences to view niche and mainstream motorsport content through our website: www.Speedbox.tv. Speedbox is a way to watch motorbike racing, speedway, powerboat racing, drags, shows, jetsprints, and many other motorsport events. We have multiple platforms; live event streaming, 24/7 channels, and video on demand archives.

What video content can I view?

We have several free to view channels which play 24/7. Each channel is dedicated to a specific variety of motorsport. Channels include:

  • Motorcyle Racing. Featuring Street and Road Racing, Motorcycle speedway, MotorX, etcetera.
  • Boat racing. Featuring powerboat racing, Hydroplanes, Jetsprints, Formula One Tunnels, Offshore Powerboats, Surfcats and Thundercat racing and so on.
  • V8 Drags and Shows. This channel will play videos of Hot rod shows, and V8 drags
  • Speedway. Stockcars, Super Stocks, Sprintcars, Super saloons, all feature in this channel, as well as highlights videos from the most popular speedway events, like the World 240’s and the Teams Champs.
  • Kart racing. All forms of Karting including Rotax Max, CIK, Blossom festivle, and KartSprot events
  • Rally 4x4 Offroad. Featuring events such as the Taupo 1000 and Ashley forest Rally sprint
  • Import Drags and Shows. Featuring 4 and rotary Drags and Shows
  • Circuit racing, Featuring the BMW’s, and events such as the Pukekohe 6hour.

All Channels will be added to regularly as more content comes on board. The channels play constantly, and it is free to watch the channels.

We also feature several live motorsport events. Some of these will be free to view, some will be pay to view, this will be detailed on the page profiling the live event.

As well as the channels and the live events, we have a Video on Demand Archive. In this section you can watch what you want, when you want it.

Who can view Speedbox content?

Anyone on the planet with an Internet connection (as per our advised specifications) has the capability of watching Speedbox videos. This access is due to our substantial international bandwidth provider network. We understand the popularity of many of our events and for that reason have ensured access is truly universal and scalable. However, Speedbox reserves the right to geo-block certain jurisdictions for commercial and contractual reasons. You will be advised if you are blocked from receiving a stream of the event you wish to view.

How do I find what I want to watch?

Check out our different channels to see what interests you. A playlist will show what is about to be played on the channel.

A Content Search and Alphabetical view of our video library will be available soon.

How much will Speedbox cost?

All the Speedbox channels are free to view. Some live events are free to view, some will be pay-to-view. The details page for the live event will clearly state if the event is a free to view or pay-to-view event. To view the Video On Demand (VOD) you will need to pay a subscription fee; please see the VOD section for more information.

Will the live event streams be available after the live broadcast?

Yes. Most events streamed live on Speedbox will be archived as a Video on Demand (VOD). The VOD of a live event will be made accessible as soon as possible after the live broadcast finishes. A shortened version of the live stream will also be added to the channel playlist.

We will soon have an automatic loop function whereby live events will continue to play repeatedly for up to 48 hours.

How much will Speedbox cost?

All the Speedbox channels and live events content is free to view. We reserve the right in the future to charge a small subscription fee for premium content and Video on Demand content.

Soon, Speedbox.tv will offer sport specific forums and chatrooms whereby you will be able to access these communities by registering.

How much bandwidth does Speedbox use? Will it eat all my bandwidth?

For users with limits on their internet usage you need to read this carefully, particulary if your ISP has a usage limit or charges your data usage on a per megabyte basis.

Speedbox uses a relatively high amount of bandwidth per hour and could exceed a 1 GB cap in a few hours.

If you are concerned about your bandwidth, make sure you choose a low bit-rate when watching speedbox. Also, most ISP’s allow you to check how much data you have available, or have used – if you keep an eye on this you will be able to manage your data allowance effectively.

Registration and My Profile

How Do I Register?

On the homepage, click on "Register", and follow the easy steps required to become a member.

Membership Registration Terms

  1. To be able to register with Speedbox, you must confirm that you agree to accept the Speedbox terms and conditions shown here. You cannot register with Speedbox unless you confirm your acceptance of its terms and conditions by clicking on the check-box.
  2. Registration is for a single user only.
  3. You will be required to enter accurate contact details and to update your details in the event of any change.
  4. You will be requested to enter a password. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of the password and your entry to the Site (refer also to Security Clause).
  5. To register with Speedbox as a member, you do not have to be any particular age. Registered membership is open to anyone in the world.
  6. The Terms of registered membership may change without notice. Any changes to the Terms will be posted to the Speedbox site.
  7. Your continued membership shall constitute your acceptance to the Terms and any amended Terms. If you choose not to remain a registered member, please opt out.
  8. Upon registering to become a Speedbox member, you agree that we can obtain and hold your registration details, and any responses or other feedback you provide.
  9. Upon registering to become a Speedbox member, you agree that we can combine your Speedbox details with your Speedbox content viewing history and interests for the purpose of using this information for analytical purposes to bring members the content they want.
  10. Speedbox may conduct Surveys from time to time. The commencement dates and closing dates for these Surveys will be communicated to you in your Survey invitation emails. You are not obliged to participate in the surveys to remain a member.

Why do I need to sign up?

You do not have to register to view certain content on Speedbox. However, we will soon have additional content and features available to members only. Membership to Speedbox.tv is free and it only takes a minute to join.

I can't remember my Speedbox Name or my password, how do I get it back?

No worries, click here: http://www.Speedbox.tv/forgot/ and we’ll sort you out.

Once I have registered, can I use the same login ID and password to view different content and live events?

Yes, you only have to register once. The login ID and password you use to register to Speedbox will allow access to all aspects of the site except paid content.

Will I have a site ‘profile’?

Until you join a future community group on the site your name or profile will appear to no one. Information about your activities on Speedbox – the content you've watched, favourited, shouted about, tagged or commented, the Friends you've made and the Groups you've joined – may appear to your chosen Friends' in future social applications to be added to the site.

Subscription

Will I have to subscribe to any Speedbox content?

Speedbox has reserved the right to charge a nominal fee for full access to all VOD content, and for specific premium live events. Most live events and all the channel content will be free to view.

Will my registration and credit card transactions be secure?

Yes, you will be connected via a secure, encrypted channel. The server then sends your data through the authorization network to the appropriate bank over a secure, proprietary connection. Further security details are found in the Subscription pages which you are required to read and accept before making any payment to Speedbox Limited.

What if I have problems subscribing?

Speedbox uses the internationally accepted PayPal payment gateway system which accepts all major credit cards. It is extremely easy to use and follows the same widely known process as other online payment systems. Paypal provides a safe and secure gateway using a 128-bit encrypted system.

While we do not envisage any technical difficulties in subscription payments being made, we will provide help if any problems arise by contacting us at: support@speedbox.tv or through our contact page on the website.

Streaming Terms, Technology and End-User Requirements

What is streaming?

<"Streaming" refers specifically to the technical process of delivering a webcast to your desktop player program. The word reflects how the technology works: content is not downloaded and stored on the user's computer. Rather, it just "streams" through in real time, vanishing as it goes.

What's the difference between "bandwidth" and "bit-rate"?

The words are used interchangeably. However, "bandwidth" technically means the size and capacity of your internet connection (dial-up, high-speed, DSL or cable). "Bit-rate" refers to the speed with which data (bits) can pass through the connection (bandwidth).

How do we manage quality control?

Using our database, we will collate and scrutinize statistical reports for each streamed event. This will allow us to determine the number of visitors and unique visitors, connection times, connectivity rates and any downtime periods (if any). This will allow us to further modify and improve our services to you.

Is there a delay between the broadband video stream and a live event?

Due to the time taken to encode the stream and get it onto the internet, the live broadcast may be slightly delayed. This delay is generally between 0.5 to 20 seconds and always less than one minute. This is termed 'latency' and can vary depending on the number of routes and the quality of hardware between our capture devices and your computer.

Will I be able to watch content on a computer other than the one from which I have registered or subscribed?

Yes, one of the key benefits of the Speedbox viewing system is that your log in name will provide access to content from any computer capable of receiving it be it your home or work. Please note however that you are only allowed to use one connection at a particular time with that login.

What archived content will be made available?

We specialize in broadcasting live motorsport events and as time passes, we will be constantly be adding to the library of archives. There are no boundaries to the amount of video we can archive and with our cost effective storage system and growing end-user capabilities our library will expand to include most types of Motorsport.

What is the Video on Demand section?

All events previously broadcast live by Speedbox will be archived as VOD which can be accessed by you should the content holder agree to this. There will be growing numbers of programs and categories accessible. Also past event which had TV programes made will become available on Speedbox VOD if the event organisers agree. We are constantly adding to our VOD section.

How do I stream Video on Demand content?

To stream a Video on Demand, take the following steps:

  • Click on the link or thumbnail of the video content file you wish to view.
  • You will need to register for free content, or register and pay through our payment gateway (Paypal) for subscription content.
  • You will be given a choice of bitrates (download speed). Choose one that best suits your internet connection. If you are not sure then do a speedtest to determine your download capabilities.
  • If the quality is poor or the video or audio stalls, then choose a lower bitrate and test that. (i.e. 512Kbps as opposed to 1Mbps).
  • When the ideal bitrate is found your video choice will start playing automatically in a pop up video player.
  • If you get an error window when you click the bitrate link:
    • try logging in again
    • try a different web browser application (e.g Mozilla instead of Internet Explorer)
    • disable any popup blockers you may have installed on your computer
    • check that you have javascript enabled.
    • reinstall Flash media player.
  • If you still have problems please contact our support team at support@speedbox.tv.
  • Accessing Video on Demand is much like accessing a Live Stream; you will need the appropriate media player installed on your computer. At a minimum you should have the latest version of Flash installed. If the video is streamed, then you will need a fast enough internet connection to view the content without loss of quality.

What if I have technical problems?

Speedbox.tv will provide you with full technical support:

  • an online email helpdesk for you to contact if you have any technical problem.
  • live chat support.

We will always endeavour to provide immediate solutions to any problems that your ISP or network administrator cannot solve. It is a fact that most technical problems occur due to one of the following:

  • inadequate end-user capabilities.
  • network congestion issues or quality of service at the client's ISP.
  • problems of distribution between the client's ISP and our 3rd Party distribution servers.

Before anything, we suggest that you close the Flash media player window, and re-open it again. This will often resolve a frozen stream. Secondly, if you suspect your internet connection may be suffering congestion (broken pictures or sound), try viewing a lower bitrate stream.

We always ensure a fast 'ping time' to our distribution server entry point (with no packet loss), and we constantly monitor uptime and throughput of the video data content. We have enormous international data headroom. In the unlikely event of an outage or problem occuring at our end we will immediately post an announcement.

As technologies rapidly improve, these sorts of problems are becoming rare. It is nonetheless very important that you find out what your system capabilities are by way of testing your internet download cababilities before subscribing. This can be estimated by using the 'Internet Speed Test' link on our website's main menu. The speed test queries a fast server in the USA which informs and irons out the few people with very slow connections. It is not an entirely accurate test of your exact download speed but will offer a good indication on which to choose your bitrate to receive the stream.

You may have a fast connection to the internet, but there could be a bottleneck (over certain network routes on the internet) for which your ISP should be contacted.

Please read our terms and conditions. Speedbox will always try to provide a great viewing experience using the best technologies available. We are working on improving our service continuously.

What operating systems and browsers are supported?

No one should be daunted by the computer and hardware required to receive a quality stream of a Speedbox event. The vast majority of late-model computers will automatically come equipped with everything you need: a Pentium processor, a sound card, and the Flash media player.

More specifically however, to view a live event you must use a platform that at least meets the requirements specified below.

General Minimum Requirements

  • Monitor and video card that will support 64K color
  • 1024x768 Screen Resolution set to 32 bit
  • 16-bit Windows compatible sound card with speakers
  • Flash Media player. Can eb downloaded from http://www.adobe.com/products/flashplayer/
  • Our recommended browsers are Internet Explorer 7 or above and Mozilla Firefox.

Internet Minimum Requirements

Due to advanced technology and our international bandwidth networks; Speedbox has developed and operates multiple bitrate choice for the customer.

We expect that in the not too distant future we will be offering far higher download rates of 2Mbps or higher with HD quality viewing.

What download speeds will broadcasts be streamed at?

You will have a choice of bitrate speeds, and it is recommended that you estimate your choice at a rate equal to, or below your connection download rate given the findings of the Internet Speed Test on our website.

Please note, we are working towards the next generation of upload/download capable links allowing remarkable quality, leading to High Definition streaming quality. The customer will need a reciprocal download capability but this is envisaged within a short period of time. Some parts of the world already allow this, and many others are catching up quickly.

What if I'm having trouble accessing or receiving the stream?

If you are experiencing problems receiving a live stream we suggest you first try the following steps:

  1. Refreshing the Flash Player window by:
    • clicking on it's 'title bar' and pressing the F5 key on your keyboard; or,
    • close the Flash player window and re-open it by clicking on a bitrate link again.
  2. Try disabling your firewall temporarily.
  3. Do you have the latest version of Flash installed? If not, upgrade at http://www.adobe.com/products/flashplayer/.
  4. Are you receiving audio but not video - we suggest try uninstalling Flash and Re-Installing it afresh.
  5. Nothing happens when you click on a connection link? Make sure you disable any pop-up blocking applications, and enable Javascript in your browser.
  6. If you can see the pop-up and Flash spinning circle logo but no stream, please check that we are broadcasting at that time.
  7. Try a slower bitrate stream and do a speed test.
  8. Give it five minutes and check for admin announcements.
  9. If you cannot login - Check firstly that you have Javascript and Cookies enabled in your browser. Are you using the username and password that you registered with? If so, please us email your username and we can try resetting your password.
  10. Try opening a different Browser.

If none of these work, please email us details of your system:

  • Operating System,
  • Browser version
  • Firewall software
  • Anti-virus Software
  • network environment (your ISP),
  • the problem you are having

We will try and help troubleshoot your issue. If you access the Internet through a proxy server or through a firewall, and are having problems accessing our stream, we suggest you first consult with your network administrator or firewall vendor's website to determine if your network or firewall has been configured correctly.

Will I have to pay data transfer charges to my service provider?

It depends. The bandwidth allocation that you are provided by your internet service provider (ISP) will determine whether you are to pay any charges over and above an allocated data cap.

How does Speedbox.tv know the country I'm in?

Speedbox.tv uses two methods to determine your location. First, you are asked to enter your location when you create an account with us. Second, whenever you visit a website, you send your IP address to the website's server so that the server can send information back to your browser. IP addresses are allocated (more or less) by country. We use the database here, which is updated daily, in order to match your IP address with your country.

Can we advertise on Speedbox.tv?

Yes. We welcome all sponsorship and advertising enquiries.

Go to our homepage and enquire through our Advertising link and use the contact form there.

Where do we direct media enquiries?

All media enquiries can be directed to support@Speedbox.tv or alternatively, go to our home page and click on "contact us" and fill in the form.

© 2009 Speedbox Ltd