The days of the television may be numbered. Statistics show that individuals are spending a growing 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 has always been apparent, but it not until recently which it has begun to match more traditional visual entertainment when it comes to quality.

As well as the fact that computers offer so a lot more are making them an increasingly popular way to watch TV shows. Instead of waiting with bated breath for the next episode of your favorite series, or ruing the loss of an episode missed, you can have everything on demand at the web.

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

With fast connection speeds and technologies for example DivX you can watch good quality television and you will do it with a clear conscience.

Television networks have come to recognize the potential 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 television. They can be often posted on sites about one day after it airs on tv.

This really is ideal if you miss an episode when you will go back and watch it any time. However, these streams are extremely popular and also you may experience bad lag while attempting to stream please click the next website show if it aired recently. Shows usually stay online for about per week and also are only available to United States Of America residents.

Another option is Peer to Peer TV (P2PTV). The emergence of sites for example joost.com has made these a popular option for watching TV online. You will normally have to download a special client to watch these as the technology is just like torrenting. Unlike torrenting the content is streamed, and not downloaded onto your hard drive so you could experience some lag at peak times.

It’s 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 sporting events.

The internet being what it’s, there are lots of options for watching TV shows and films online. Torrenting clients are hugely popular however the legality and ethics of this practice are questionable, which is 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.