There have been many questions regarding the difference between watching Satellite TV for PC using downloadable software and Television on your computer using a PCTV card.

Watching satellite TV for PC is the future of TV viewing on your computer for convenience and amazing access to thousands of channels you would likely not get normally, but it does not replace High Definition TV.

Here is an explanation of both systems:

1. PCTV Card

PCTV cards are specialized hardware used to watch satellite TV or listen to the radio on the PC. It is either an internal or external device. Internal PCTV cards are installed onto your PC, while external card is plugged onto the PC via a USB port. These cards are designed to make use of your PCs architecture to receive free-to-air satellite TV feeds from the satellite TV stations. From there, they decode the TV feeds for display on the monitor as TV and they allow for Hign Definition.

The disadvantages of the PCTV card compared to the satellite TV for PC software are; limited number of available channels, they require cable or dish connection for the signal, and some cards can cost over $200.

2. Satellite TV for PC

PC satellite TV or satellite TV for PC software is a highly developed product through years of research and development by the leading software developers from IBM, Microsoft and etc, and only requires the software and an internet connection to access 2-3000 Satellite TV channels. This software can be downloaded easily and costs somewhere in the range of $49.95 to $79 for the top programs.

Although it works perfectly with a 56k connection, using a higher speed internet connection such as broadband would significantly improve the picture quality.

The real advantages of satellite TV for PC are being able to take the software with you no matter where you go, you can take the laptop and get access anywhere in the country or overseas as long as you have an internet connection.

If you travel then you will find satellite TV for PC brilliant for those nights away where you can sit back and relax in the hotel room with free Satellite TV all to yourself!

I hope this clears up some confusion

-Andrew Perry