Each year in late February or early March, Hollywood's finest gather at the Kodak Theater to honor the top movies, actors, actresses, directors, writers and other filmmakers at the Academy Awards. While the lavish event is televised live around the world, those who are unable to be near a television can use this guide to learn how to watch the Oscars online.

Arguably the most prominent of all awards shows, the Academy Awards, or Oscars, are handed out each year to the top entertainment professionals as selected by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The awards date back to 1929 and have grown throughout the years as well as moved locations several times.http://www.oscars.org/awards/academyawards/about/history.html

While the event was first televised in 1953 on NBC, modern Academy Awards are televised on national television as well as streamed online.http://www.oscars.org/awards/academyawards/about/history.html Additionally, the Oscar red carpet, when the stars arrive and are grilled over their wardrobe choices, is televised by several networks and outlets and is available for viewing online.

There are several ways to watch the Academy Awards online, although some are pirated and illegal. The best method is to find an official feed, operated by ABC, who owns the rights to the telecast through the 2014 awards. Other video streaming websites, like Ustream and Justin.tv, will have users who will stream the show; however. the vast majority of those feeds are illegal and are shut down during the event.

Additionally, a variety of websites, like TV Guide and E! Online, will stream their red carpet coverage prior to the show itself. Similarly, those websites and the official Oscars website, among others, will provide video clips of the show, the nominated films and other goodies after the show airs, allowing viewers to watch their favorite moments again and again.

The 2010 Oscars were scheduled for March 7, 2010, at the Kodak Theater in Hollywood, California. Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin were selected to co-host the event.

Once the show airs, many websites, including the official Oscars site and ABC.com, will allow viewers to relive the awards show by providing videos of the event. Along the same lines, prior to the event, fans can watch previews of the show, including interviews with the stars and clips from the top films.

1. Visit Oscar.com, the official website of the awards, after the event to watch video clips of the show including acceptance speeches of the stars, notable performances and interviews backstage. Prior to the show, viewers can see trailers for the top-nominated movies and coverage of the preparation for the big night. Additionally, viewers can watch the nomination ceremony.http://oscar.go.com/video?cid=10_oscars_primaryNav
2. The popular video streaming website Hulu also offers a wide selection of recaps, interviews and previews of the Oscars both before and after the show. Viewers can access the coverage by finding the "award season" portion of Hulu, which also includes videos from other awards shows like the Golden Globe Awards and BAFTA Awards.http://www.hulu.com/award-season
3. Numerous networks and media outlets, as well as channels on YouTube, will offer a variety of clips from the Oscars to allow viewers to relive the big event. The Associated Press, E! Online, TV Guide and People Magazine, among others, each feature a wide selection of videos after the event.

Prior to the big show, many networks and media outlets arrive at the Kodak Theater to cover the red carpet arrivals. Numerous reporters and correspondents wait as the stars arrive, commenting on their fancy gowns and suits and asking for their predictions on who will win the awards. To watch the red carpet coverage online, users have a variety of options.

1. E!, Entertainment Television, provides perhaps the most popular Oscar red carpet coverage, starting their coverage about three hours before the Oscars begin. For those who wish to watch the Oscar red carpet coverage from E!, featuring Ryan Seacrest and Giuliana Rancic, you can visit the E! Online official site and select Oscars from the red carpet menu bar.http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/redcarpet/2010_oscars/index.html
2. TV Guide also provides red carpet coverage prior to the event, starting about two or three hours before the show. Carrie Ann Inaba and Chris Harrison provide commentary and speak with the stars live on the TV Guide Network, streaming on the official TV Guide website.http://www.tvguide.com/special/oscars/
3. Similarly, many websites will offer live blogs of the red carpet arrivals, including People Magazine and Entertainment Tonight. While live video is not available on some of those sources, fans can join in on live chats with the staff and other fans to discuss the best and worst dressed as the stars arrive.http://www.tvguide.com/special/oscars/ http://www.peoplestylewatch.com/people/stylewatch/package/article/0,,20332759_20345502,00.html

After all of the stars have arrived and taken their seats, at about 8:00 p.m. EST or 5:00 p.m. PST on Oscar night, the show will begin. Watching the Oscars online is one option for those away from a television, but not all feeds are equal and legal, so it's best to stick to official streams only.

1. The official website of the Oscars, operated by ABC, Oscar.com, provides live streaming of the show as it happens. This is one of only a few feeds that are official and legal to view. Additionally, the feeds will show exclusive content not shown on television such as backstage interviews with the big winners.http://oscar.go.com/video?cid=10_oscars_primaryNav
2. Livestream also offers an official feed in cooperation with The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Viewers on Livestream can also chat with others watching and see the reactions to the show on Facebook.http://www.livestream.com/academyawards
3. Third-party websites, like Ustream, Justin.tv and Sopcast, always have users who will stream the awards themselves. These feeds are unsanctioned and often removed during the event for copyright violations. Other feeds on these websites, such as the Fame-Is.tv feature on Ustream, will feature coverage of the event, however no live streaming of the show itself.http://www.ustream.tv/channel/fame-is-tv