Satellite TV For PC - A Revolutionary Concept In Consumer Television

Thanks to the popularity of sites such as Google Video and Stage6 DivX, streaming video is well known to most internet users. However, with the introduction of computer based applications, otherwise known as satellite TV for PC, no longer are we constrained to low quality video. But how is this possible? Actually, there are several reasons for this.

Nearly every household has a PC these days. Not only that but many people, from youngsters to seniors are now PC and internet literate

Network capacity is larger than it has ever been at any point in the past. For instance, a connection of several "megs" is common in developed countries and commonly in other regions.

These days, we see more harmonisation of television broadcasts. Deals are made between television companies all the time to deliver programming, for instance English football, to a bigger global audience than ever before.

In today's modern world, delivering streaming video is no longer an issue. Given that, what wonderful advantages are there to satellite TV for PC?

One great benefit is the shear quantity of broadcasts available. At the current count, a typical program will offer over 3,000 channels are available and this number is rapidly growing.

No other platform than satellite TV for PC can offer the same range of diverse programming: sports, news, movies - you name it, you can get it.

Some international and foreign language programming is also available - this is of particular interest to those living away from their home countries, wishing to learn a new language or those who just want to keep abreast of international affairs.

You can usually assign your own personal bookmarked stations via the console. This makes it simple to return quickly to your favourite channels. Do not buy a product that does not have this feature.

The license for most PC applications allow you to install to as many PCs as you want. Even if you are in an internet cafe overseas, the program will allow you to access your usual channels so long as the owners permit you to install basic and safe software such as this.

Unlike other common counterparts, satellite TV for PC does not involve any recurring subscription fees on a monthly or yearly basis. If you are being charged as such, you are being ripped off!

Even a basic setup can run most sat TV software - my own 5 year old configuration runs several like a dream with no problems. I have given some recommendations below.

The best programs will not require any special software such as PCI cards or USB dongles. So long as you are running Windows 2000, XP or Vista then you should have no problems running satellite TV for PC.

As explained earlier, most internet connections are more than capable of handling streaming media. I personally recommend that you have at least a 512k connection, otherwise known as "half a meg".

But what are the alternatives to a PC based application? We consider some of them below.

Digital satellite and cable are the main established competitors, however they require high upfront costs and continuous payments. Satellite reception is also susceptible to bad weather.

A complex piece of hardware known as a TV card will also allow you to watch TV on your PC. Unfortunately, it requires some technical knowledge and you are limited to only the same channels that you can presently get.

Some people choose to use illegal means of obtaining movie and television programs. Aside from being morally wrong, this is fraught with dangers such as various government organisations and large companies tracking this activity and pursuing civil and criminal charges.

All this shows that satellite TV for PC holds many advantages over established offerings including thousands of channels and no expensive subscriptions, to name only two.