See Series 7975
De Wikifliping
The days of the television could be numbered. Statistics show that people are spending more and more time in front of their computers, which will soon replace the trusty TV as the nation's number one type of entertainment.
As the potential of web video happens to be apparent, but it not until recently which it has begun to match more traditional visual entertainment in terms of quality.
As well as the fact that computers offer so a lot more are making them an increasingly popular way to watch TV shows. In place of waiting with bated breath for the next episode of your favorite see series online, or ruing the loss of an episode missed, you may have it all on demand at the internet.
The mention of watching TV shows and films on the web still can still have some connotations of shady practices for example torrenting pirated material and poor quality products. On the contrary, that is changing fast and internet TV is hitting the mainstream.
With fast connection speeds and technologies for example DivX you can watch high-quality television and you'll do it with a clear conscience.
Television networks have come to recognize the opportunity of the internet as a medium for broadcasting television shows. Networks like NBC, ABC and CBS permit you to stream TV shows if you have missed them on tv. They can be often posted on websites about one day after it airs on tv.
This is ideal if you miss an episode when you will go back and watch it any time. On the other hand, these streams are quite popular and you may experience bad lag while attempting to stream the show if it aired recently. Shows usually stay online for about every week and also are only available to USA residents.
Another option is Peer to Peer TV (P2PTV). The emergence of sites for example joost.com has made these a popular choice for watching TV online. You will normally have to download a special client to watch these as the technology is similar to torrenting. Unlike torrenting the content is streamed, and not downloaded onto your hard drive so you might experience some lag at peak times.
It is now also possible to stream live television as it happens. Like P2PTV you will need a client to do this and since it is live, shows are not available on demand. These services are especially popular for live music and sporting events.
The net being what it really is, there are many options for watching TV shows and films online. Torrenting clients are hugely popular though the legality and ethics of this practice are questionable, and it's a notorious way of infecting your computer with viruses. Many TV shows will also be available to stream from 'unofficial' sources, but again this practice is questionable.
