Watch 2014 Oscars Live Online: Academy Awards Free Streaming Video

Movie fans can watch the 2014 Oscars live online thanks to streaming video of the Academy Awards for the first time in the show’s 86-year history.

The slate for this year’s biggest movie awards is believed to be one of the strongest ever, with a handful of movies that have a chance to win Best Picture and a number of strong acting performances. To match the historic slate, ABC has made history itself in offering the Oscars available for streaming live online for the first time ever.

The move is not entirely unprecedented. Within the past few years the major networks have started to offer major sporting events available live online. This year’s college football bowl slate was largely available online, as was the Super Bowl.

Red carpet coverage of the 2014 Academy Awards starts at 7 pm ET, while the event itself starts at 8:30 ET on ABC.

But to watch the 2014 Academy Awards Live online, viewers will have to do a bit of legwork. ABC has thrown some hoops for viewers to jump through, including verification of a cable provider and a not-quite full list of providers offer the live stream. There is also a limited number of television markets that can get the streaming video.

Those who do watch the Oscars live online will get to see Ellen DeGeneres as host, though some experts think she may have thin material to work with.

“There are years when making an easy joke at the expense of a movie or a star is easy, years when Hollywood is asking for it. This is not one of those years,” said Wesleyan University film historian Jeanine Basinger. “Many films this year concern subjects in which it would be insensitive to make a certain joke. Ellen is the perfect person for a transition year — she has shown how things can be done with class. She has a feeling for the moment, which is why she was able to merge her personal self and her career so perfectly.”

The full list of Academy Award nominees can be found here.

Those who want to watch the 2014 Oscars live online can click here to find the Academy Awards streaming video, though they must meet ABC’s restrictions to watch the show. Slate lists some other options for people unable to obtain the live feed.