How to Get TV on Laptops

You have several options for watching TV on your laptop.

As computer technology continues to advance, new features increasingly become available to computers. For example, you no longer have to physically sit in front of your TV to watch your favorite shows. You can watch live streams and "on demand" versions of your favorite networks and shows. For example, several online sites allow you to watch full episodes of shows "on demand." Alternatively, devices are available that allow you to stream your own home cable or satellite signal over the Internet.

Instructions

1. Find your favorite shows on a specific network's website. Many TV networks, such as CBS, NBC and ABC post full episodes of their shows on their websites.

2. Find the live stream of your favorite network online. In a search engine, type the name of the network, followed by "live stream." Avoid third-party sites and click on those results that match the network name. For example, to watch a live stream of ABC, enter "ABC" and "Live Stream." Click on the result that leads you to "Go.com," which is an official ABC website.

3. Watch your favorite shows on a video-on-demand site. You can also rent DVDs of your favorite movies and shows on some of these sites to watch on your laptop.

4. Connect your home DVR, cable set-top box or satellite receiver to an electronic device that streams these signals over the Internet. After the device is connected and broadcasting over a broadband Internet connection, you can control your TV from anywhere you can get an Internet connection. You are required to log-on to the electronic device service website to access your individual live stream.

References

• Entertainment Weekly: Crunching the Hulu and Netflix numbers: What -- and How -- You're Watching Movies and Television
• PCMag.com; 25 Ways to Watch TV and Movies Online Without Cable; Jeffrey L. Wilson; July 2011