The days of the television could be numbered. Statistics show that folks are spending an increasing number of time in front of their computers, that can 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 that it has begun to match more traditional visual entertainment when it comes to quality.

And also the fact that computers offer so much more are making them an increasingly popular way to watch TV shows. As opposed to waiting with bated breath for the next episode of your favorite series, or ruing the loss of an episode missed, you may have it all on demand at the net.

The mention of watching TV shows and movies on the web still can still have some connotations of shady practices for example torrenting pirated material and poor quality products. On the flip side, that’s changing fast and internet TV is hitting the mainstream.

With fast connection speeds and technologies such as DivX you can watch premium quality television and you can do it with a clear conscience.

Television networks have come to recognize the opportunity of the net as a medium for Highly recommended Webpage broadcasting television shows. Networks like NBC, ABC and CBS allow you to stream TV shows if you have missed them on tv. They can be often posted on web sites about one day after it airs on tv.

This is ideal if you miss an episode as you will go back and watch it any time. On the flip side, these streams are really popular and also you may experience bad lag while attempting to stream the show if it aired recently. Shows usually stay online for about a week and also are only available to United States residents.

Another option is Peer to Peer TV (P2PTV). The emergence of web pages 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 really is now also possible to stream live television as it happens. Like P2PTV you may need a client to do this and because it is live, shows are not available on demand. These services are especially popular for live music and sports events.

The internet being what it really is, there are numerous 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 are usually available to stream from ‘unofficial’ sources, but again this practice is questionable.