Five Ways to Watch TV on Your PC

Sat Feb 10, 2007 7:34AM EST

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Sure, you might be sitting at a desk and not really thinking about 24, but why wouldn't you want to watch TV on your computer? Your LCD almost certainly has better resolution than your TV, and when you're right in front of it, with two decent speakers (or more), it can be a pretty good way to watch a show or two.

Here are five ways to get television on your computer.

1) TiVoToGo - If you have a Series2 TiVo, you need TiVoToGo, which lets you download anything you've recorded on your TiVo to your PC. The shows can't be shared with other computers, so if you're planning on watching TV on the road, make sure you install TiVoToGo on your laptop. It's free, people!

2) Official Web Downloads - Check it out: The TV network may keep copies of its shows online for free download. NBC, for example, has some full episodes of its prime time shows here, and CBS has full episodes of a full eight prime time series available to watch online (bottom left corner). Visit your favorite shows' official website (or their network) to see what's available.

3) Classic TV - Like bad TV from the '70s and '80s (and just about any other decade)? Check out In2TV (Internet Explorer only, and even then it's buggy), which has archives of dozens of old shows (some much, much worse than others).

4) Overseas TV - Wanna brush up on your Hungarian? Check out BeelineTV, which streams about 100 networks from countries ranging from China to Slovenia and beyond. You'll find plenty more a wwiTV, which also includes numerous U.S. local channels broadcasting online.

5) When in Doubt, Buy It - You can buy or rent TV show episodes a la carte all over the web. Most popular is probably the iTunes Store: Note that you don't actually need an iPod to buy movies here if you just want to watch them on your computer. An episode is typically $1.99. Amazon Unbox also has similarly prices (though few have much good to say about it).

I already hit five? I haven't even covered connecting your TV to your cable with a tuner card or a USB TV tuner. There's also the famous Slingbox, and you can always buy or rent TV shows on DVD, too. Post your other suggestions for getting TV on your computer in the comments section!

Comments on Five Ways to Watch TV on Your PC

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  • 26 Posted by ryanscheiber on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:57PM EDT Report Abuse

    How can you not list Slingbox on this report? Slingbox.com HELLLOOOOOO!

  • 27 Posted by soda_66 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:31PM EDT Report Abuse

    This is an awful article. The first thing on the list should be the most common, or I should say...most practical. The BEST way to watch TV on a PC is using a TV Tuner Card. As a technical expert, this is a very misleading article and considering the audience of this type of article, it should focus on ways to watch TV on your PC...as the title of this article states. This article simply points out ways to watch "videos" on your PC, NOT watching "TV" on your PC. Going to a website to download shows is NOT watching TV. Please be more accurate with your articles. This is VERY inaccurate.

  • 29 Posted by soda_66 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:31PM EDT Report Abuse

    This is an awful article. The first thing on the list should be the most common, or I should say...most practical. The BEST way to watch TV on a PC is using a TV Tuner Card. As a technical expert, this is a very misleading article and considering the audience of this type of article, it should focus on ways to watch TV on your PC...as the title of this article states. This article simply points out ways to watch "videos" on your PC, NOT watching "TV" on your PC. Going to a website to download shows is NOT watching TV. Please be more accurate with your articles. This is VERY inaccurate.

  • 30 Posted by dblek55 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:39PM EDT Report Abuse

    TV Shows can be recorded with a Tivo and watched anywhere with a Slingbox, can also watch live TV on them as well.

  • 31 Posted by stephen.marth@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:41PM EDT Report Abuse

    You omitted Orb software (www.orb.com) and Slingbox hardware options. Both require additional hardware for TV but so does TivoToGo.

  • 32 Posted by kc9cbs on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:48PM EDT Report Abuse

    You left off Slingbox, it should have been the number 1

  • 35 Posted by sean_snider on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:11PM EDT Report Abuse

    TV Tuner (or multiple) and BeyondTV!! I have a great setup now and am very very happy, and don't have to deal with paying a subscription for Tivo or to the Cable companies for DVR service!!

  • 37 Posted by _daboyz_ on Thu Sep 3, 2009 11:02PM EDT Report Abuse

    I use a slingbox.... I have my Dishnetwork connected to the slingbox and then it encodes the signal and routes it out through my internet connecting to any pc I am at that I have installed the viewing software.... It's a one time fee for the box but the quality is really good....

  • 38 Posted by toekneechen on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:14PM EDT Report Abuse

    Check out www.slingmedia.com its hardware that connects to your DVR/cablebox and lets you remotely control and stream programing to your computer.

  • 39 Posted by wrangler7799 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:49PM EDT Report Abuse

    Slingbox was also not mentioned. Definitely worth the cost especially for international travelers.

  • 40 Posted by libdex on Thu Sep 3, 2009 6:50PM EDT Report Abuse

    You might also look at: http://www.feedbus.com/onlinetv

  • 41 Posted by jdkhm on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:31PM EDT Report Abuse

    How about totally free cable stations from around the world from TVU Networks? Can't get much better than free! They don't even show ads, except whatever is on the TV, that is. http://www.tvunetworks.com/downloads/player.htm

  • 42 Posted by henryparra on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:18PM EDT Report Abuse

    I agree with Psychogator in commennt #14. A Sling Box is the best way to watch tv on your pc. If you don't have one yet then you don't know what you missing.

  • 43 Posted by bmw_jock11 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:10PM EDT Report Abuse

    that has to be the worst article I've read in a while. what about USB HDTV tuners? Pinnacle makes one for $99 and I've seen others for

  • 44 Posted by gary_1999_50 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:06PM EDT Report Abuse

    You can also watch local over the air channels(analog and digital) on your pc, with a HDTV tuner card.

  • 45 Posted by frisbeeaddict on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:03PM EDT Report Abuse

    alloftv.net is a great site will lots of shows... it has most of the latest shows a couple of days after they air...

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