There is a great deal of talk and fuss about high definition television, digital broadcasting and the wave of plasma and LCD screen televisions nowadays, but did you know that with some of be advancing technology it is now possible to watch satellite TV via the Internet, right on your computer?  Not only that but you can easily record your satellite TV on PC then come back and watch it at a later time.

What Kind of Hardware Do I Need?

To watch satellite TV on your computer, you need either a PCTV card or Software. There are two types of PC TV cards for internet satellite TV. One type has a built in processor that allows you to watch satellite TV on your PC in a designated window, while the PC continues to run other programs. Other PCTV cards use the PC's infrastructure to decode satellite signals, allowing you to enjoy free-to-air digital TV and radio. Both kinds of PCTV cards are compatible with broadband internet via satellite.

To watch satellite TV on your PC, you will need a relatively new computer. At worst, you'll need a Pentium II 333 MHz processor, and you will need to be running at least Windows 98/ME/2000/XP. For satellite TV on PC, you'll also need a sound card, a spare USB port and a CD-ROM drive.

How do I connect to a satellite network?

You can access PC satellite TV in a few ways. First, you can directly connect your PC to a satellite dish using a designated product, such as Hauppauge 3000, or directly through your internet cable. It's also possible to connect via the satellite box of your network provider. Several satellite TV companies recommend that you use their proprietary satellite TV receiver box when setting up satellite TV for PC.

One important factor you must be aware of when choosing a satellite TV for your PC provider, is that there are no free lunches!  It seems nowadays everywhere we look people are advertising " free satellite TV on PC".  But, is it really free?  And in short the answer is yes and no!  What I mean by that is that some PC satellite TV vendors to provide software that streams satellite TV over the Internet to your computer and gives you a selection of hundreds of channels.  This software is not free, but he is very inexpensive and typically costs less than one months subscription fee to the likes of DirecTV.  The best part is the top satellite TV on your PC vendors do not charge any monthly fees at all, and the very best providers offer regular free updates to their service.

What Do I Need To Be Aware Of?

Some other examples of where you may see " free PC satellite TV" advertised is where a company will hacking into a satellite signal from a company such as DirecTV and steal their signal.  This is highly illegal of course but many unsuspecting people are using these signals to watch free satellite TV on their PC.  The problem is it is not free the pirate companies that hack into these signals have to buy equipment to gain access to these satellite signals, and often require that you purchase and access card.  The company to own these satellite TV signals like DirecTV, often he these cards and scramble the signals, and the only way to you to regain your satellite TV feed is to have your card reprogrammed which of course can get very expensive if that happens often.

Summary Satellite TV for PC is a great, straightforward way to access digital television, especially if you a computer geek with great screen and sound on your PC!

-Andrew