Internet TV refers to TV shows and movies available for viewing on the internet through streaming or downloads. YouTube is not the best site for watching TV due to copyright laws, but major networks offer their shows on their websites. Downloadable video is popular, but torrent services have faced lawsuits. Internet TV offers program selection and flexibility, allowing users to watch any show or episode at any time and use features like pausing and rewinding.
Internet TV most often refers to television programs available for viewing on the Internet via video downloads or streaming. In broader terms, it can also refer to movies, viral videos, clips, and other video content available on the Internet.
While YouTube is the most popular video site on the Internet, it’s not widely considered the best site for watching TV. Major television networks enforce copyright laws that prohibit users from uploading many of their TV shows to the service, minimizing the selection of popular programs available. Most networks now feature their television shows in the TV sections of the show’s official website or network site; however, these are often only viewable by Internet users residing in the United States. Like other streaming video sites, YouTube sometimes stores its data when users are watching on a slow connection.
Unlike streaming video, downloadable video allows users to keep video content on their computers and this is a popular method of watching Internet TV. Torrent services have become one of the leading ways to facilitate the downloading of TV episodes, allowing users to share and transfer video content in the form of files. However, major TV networks have filed lawsuits against torrent services for distributing their content. Meanwhile, some networks and Hollywood studios have circumvented these hurdles by signing deals with the services. In 2008, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) became the first public broadcaster in North America to make a full program (Canada’s Next Great Prime Minister) available for download via torrent.
The main advantages of Internet TV include program selection and flexibility. Unlike regular television, Internet users can select virtually any show and episode they choose to watch at any given time, including shows that have long since been cancelled. Additionally, watchers don’t need to record programs with a digital video recorder (DVR) to pause, rewind, or fast-forward through certain sections—both streaming and download sites allow users these features.
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