How to Get TV on Your PC - Four Methods to Get You Started Today

Remember how quickly your bicycle gathered dust when you bought your first car? Well, a similar thing happened to my old television set when I started getting TV on my PC. I don't even care much for my old TV show favorites anymore. I thought they were good because I didn't know what I was missing.

In this article I will show you how to get TV on your PC using four different techniques. The first two methods don't involve any sort of purchase. They exploit free resources available on the Internet. If your PC is reasonably current and you have a broadband Internet connection, you're all set to go.

Here they are:

1) Did you know that some of your prime time TV favorites are available for online viewing at the web sites of the major TV networks? CBS and NBC do this. I frequently take advantage of this to catch up on missed episodes.

2) Are you a classic movie buff? You may be able to find them in the public domain. Any intellectual property with an expired copyright that was never renewed, is considered public domain material. You can use this material any way you like. You may have to do a fair amount of searching to find public domain movies and videos. Since their copyrights are expired, they will mostly be old classics. To start your search, go to a search engine and include the phrase "public domain" in with your search query. Try variations on public domain movies, videos, classics, etc.

3) You can actually convert your PC into a TV set by installing a TV tuner card. A tuner card receives television signals and allows them to be displayed on your PC monitor. A tuner card of good quality can cost upwards from $100 to $200. It helps to be a "hands on" type of person that's not intimidated by installing components into his computer. Like your TV set, you'll be limited to your local stations.

4) One of the more recent technological innovations is the development of a proprietary software that allows you to view satellite TV over the Internet. Aside from not having to get a satellite dish, the main benefits are the massive number and variety of channels that you can get (up to 3000) and not having to pay a monthly charge for access. The software is a one time purchase of between $40 to $100. This was the method I was alluding to in the introduction of this article.

To summarize, I have introduced you to four completely different techniques to how you can get TV on your PC. The first two methods are free resources available for you to use right away. The last two will involve a purchase of some kind.

It's time to stop watching all those commercials, putting up with poor reception and channel hopping from one lousy reality show to the next. Join the 21'rst century. Explore this liberating technology and start watching TV on your PC.

Marc Sandford is an Internet TV enthusiast who watches shows most people have never even heard of. Get the exact details for obtaining satellite TV on your PC here. You will also find information on TV tuner card installation as well.