Expert Advice: TV and Video

Sure we watch TV. All the time, right? On the sofa, in the living room, and controllable with a remote. But nowadays you can also watch TV on your desktop or laptop computer just like you would with your normal television set.

So why the heck would you want to? Because you want entertainment your way. On-demand. Available at your beck and call. Entertainment that gives you the shows you want to watch when you want to watch them either by digital video recorder also referred to as DVR (like you can get through various cable companies) or for free on broadcasters' Web sites. And we like free!

OK. I want to watch TV on my computer. What now? There are two types of TV available using your computer:

• TV delivered over an Internet connection. Also called "IPTV," (short for "Internet Protocol TV") refers to the technology used to transmit data over the Internet. Think of your favorite broadcasters-ABC*, NBC*, Fox*, AOL*, and more. You can go to their Web sites and often get your favorite full length shows without paying a dime! Just hit play and watch away!
• Broadcast TV, accessible from a standard cable connection. This is what you'll encounter with your traditional cable providers. The picture quality can be higher with broadcast TV, and it's also possible to pause, record, and play back live TV shows (this is the DVR feature we just discussed)-and who doesn't want to do that?

So let's discuss how to get TV on your computer for entertainment that knows no bounds.

1. First you need to take a look at the equipment and connections necessary to watch TV over the Internet. A computer with an optional TV tuner card makes it easy to start watching high-resolution, full-screen TV shows. These TV Tuner cards have a cable input allowing you to plug your cable television right into your computer.

Most Internet-based TV shows are only accessible over broadband DSL or cable connections, regardless of what sort of computer you use. This is because slower Internet connections can't transmit or "stream" TV signals continuously. You don't need a TV tuner for watching online programs.

2. Next, make sure you have the correct software. Most TV shows that broadcast over the Internet rely on two transmission methods:
• Through an Internet TV channel's own Web site
• Through your computer's media player

Most computers are sold with some form of media player software already installed, like Microsoft Windows Media Player*, Apple QuickTime*, or RealPlayer*. These software programs allow you to watch video or TV. If you visit a TV broadcaster's Web site (like NBC*, ABC*, or Fox*) to watch a show, it will prompt you to download the correct software if the Web site detects the right media player is not already installed.

3. Now you need to figure out what TV shows or channels you can watch over the Internet. There are a number of TV channels available:
• Some Internet TV is free to view at any time-and there are loads of great options through NBC*, Fox*, ABC*, and AOL* offering full, free episodes of your favorite shows online! Of course with many, you will get advertisements (grumble)-but that's no different than watching your traditional TV.
• Some Internet TV offers a mix of pay-to-view and free shows that you can download and watch any time-like when you want to watch TV and jump on the trampoline at the same time.
• You can also purchase your favorite TV shows, and even get free episodes through sources like iTunes*-this way you can watch them on your computer or on your iPod* when you're mobile!

Now let's try watching TV channels that do not broadcast exclusively over the Internet, but are broadcast for viewing with traditional, dedicated television sets. To do this, you may have to purchase some extra equipment to translate the TV broadcast signal into one your computer can recognize and stream. Equipment for turning your PC into a broadcast TV receiver come in two types:

• Internal cards that fit into a PCI slot in your computer's hard drive, a much more involved method of getting TV on your computer.
• Universal serial bus (USB) TV receiver devices that plug right into your computer externally-also called plug-and-play devices because all you have to do is plug them in, and they work, just like that! However, you usually have to install accompanying software so it's more like plug and play after you install the software.
• A simple Internet search can provide a lot of different TV tuner models that are compatible with your particular computer and we'll provide you some resources. Some of them are also sold with a remote control and infrared receiver to change channels just like you do on your traditional TV, which is great for those of us who are still in love with our remotes!
• Once you have your USB TV tuner device and remote control and have installed the software all you have to do is open the tuner's software program and choose from the list of TV channels it offers. The software and infrared port built into the tuner allows you to switch channels, pause live TV, and set it to record or play back your favorite programs-and all controllable with a remote!

Now you'll never miss your favorite shows, regardless of whether they are Internet or broadcast TV!

Resources:

Free TV online:

• ABC
• NBC
• Fox on Demand
• AOL Television

• DealTime
• NewEgg
• NextTag Laptop TV tuners