The New Way to Watch Television: Online?

We all have experienced it, getting off just a little too late to catch our favorite show. I know that television is supposed to be bad for you, but there are a lot of things about it that are good. For millions of people, television is an escape, it's a coping mechanism to life, and it's a tool for relaxation. Here are ways I have found to utilize new technology and reclaim that for yourself.

We are in a new day and age as far as technology. Gone are the days where if you weren't home you didn't get to see it. It's amusing to me to watch people racing home to see a show. I almost laugh why didn't they just dvr it. Oh wait that was not an option. DVR (Digital Video Recorder) is essentially a vcr made digital. Now you no longer have to worry about the tape running out of room, or accidentally recording over your favorite show. Most cable operators offer some sort of dvr inclusion into your cable package. DVR is wonderful if you miss watching some of your favorite show, or just would like to finally catch that movie you always miss. All you need to do is select the program you wish to watch, and select record on the menu. Voila, now you can come home to something you've been missing all this time.

An interesting development in the past year, is that more and more people are watching television online. I admit it. I am one of those people. I rarely spend a night away from my laptop, between work/school and everything else. I hate quiet when I'm trying to work, and recently have turned to several internet sites to provide me with everything I have missed out with. Most television stations offer full episodes of their shows on their site. This is true only of recent seasons though, so if you haven't been there from the start it may seem like there is no way for you to catch up, but there is.

Hulu (http://www.hulu.com) is a streaming video site, that offers some television shows, movies, etc. Here is the best part you do not have to download the movie. We all get frustrated, waiting hours to finally watch what we wanted. You no longer need that. Hulu does have sponsering, so you may be forced to listen to 15 seconds of a commercial However, all of the videos are streaming. This means that you click it and it plays immediately. I'm sure everyone is wondering, well what will this cost me. Nothing, every site I am mentioning is completely free and easy to use. There is no catch. Hulu does have one down side. It doesn't have a very wide array of videos. It is still a wonderful site, and actually has exclusive deals with the networks to do things such as air an episode a week early. Hulu also features an HD gallery of some television shows.

Alluc (http://www.alluc.org) is another streaming video site. There is a lot more material to choose from. Everything is still free. Personally I try to avoid using this side, just because there is one fatal flaw in that it is almost IMPOSSIBLE to navigate. I get easily frustrated, and the site does not do regular maintenance so you often click on dead links. The bottom life -- you may get what you are looking for, but there is no guarantee you will be frustration free when you get there.

Surf the Channel (http://www.surfthechannel.com) is my personal favorite site to use. There are more shows on their than I could ever watch. This includes both new and old. If you miss watch Are You Afraid Of the Dark, then look no further. If you want to get caught up because you missed last season of House, it's here. If you want to watch Tuesday's Biggest Loser, you can. There is just about something for everything here. The site features hundreds of movies, television, and cartoons. If you are looking for it, this is probably your best site.

I'm sure there are some questions as to exactly how all this works if it is free. First of all these are not bootleg copies. You will not be watching some idiot with a video camera move his hand back and forth across the screen. Most of the videos are actually posted by sites out of Japan or China -- including Todou.com. With the exception of Hulu, the videos are not actually kept on the site. You can still watch them from the site, but they are based out of another one. The videos do stream instantly, and you do not have to enter any personal information to enjoy. The next time you are bored or mad that you missed your favorite show -- give it a try. It may be just what you needed.