Most of us have heard all about high definition television sets, plasma and LCD televisions and digital broadcasting, but did you know there is an amazing emerging technology that is allowing us to watch free satellite TV via the Internet? not only that,but you can record any of these satellite TV shows on your PC and come back and watch them later, and plug your computer into your big-screen TV and watch it there.

What hardware do I need?

To watch satellite TV on your computer, you need either a PCTV card or Satellite TV 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 Access The Satellite TV 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.

"Free satellite TV for your PC" this is definitely one of the big buzz statements at the moment, but is it really free? Well the truth is yes and no, the software needed to access satellite TV over the Internet is not free, but it is very inexpensive compared to a typical monthly subscription of DirecTV for example. The free part that everyone is referring to is the fact that you do not have to pay any ongoing fees or ubscription charges once you have the Internet TV software running. However there are only a few satellite TV on PC providers that are worth using, many are just cheap clones who offer poor choices of satellite TV channels with very little support if any.

What Do I Need To Be Aware Of?

Another instance where " free satellite TV on PC" is advertised is where satellite signals are hacked by pirate companies from quality providers such as DirecTV. This of course is illegal and certainly not free, the pirate companies that hacked into these satellite TV signals have to pay for equipment to access these feeds. One way you can tell if this may be the case is you are required to buy an access-card from the pirate company. The companies such as DirecTV that own the signal regularly hit these cards with scramble signals and the only way for you to regain your free satellite TV signal, is to have your card reprogrammed which of course can get very expensive if it needs to be done regularly.

Final Thoughts; Satellite TV for PC is fast becoming a standard for in home digital TV, with the cheap access and massive amount of channels available. However like with any fast growing technology there are many cheap clones popping up claiming to be the real deal, so make sure you do your research first and read my detailed reviews!