TVU Player Brings Television To Computers

Before moving into the dorms at Penn State Erie I was rather computer illiterate. Once I was settled in and befriended those on my floor, I was introduced to the latest computer technology. One of the coolest software programs my friend buddy Todd had was a program that allowed him to watch cable television on his computer and his TV at the same time. The drawback to using this was that he only had basic cable on his computer, so it really was no different than having two TVs with a cable splitter.

The TVU Player is similar to this in that it allows the user to watch cable broadcasts on his computer. What makes TVU superior is that the program contains many stations not available to those with basic cable. Also, there is no need to connect your computer to either a cable outlet or to a television set, as TVU streams programs directly from the internet. Oh, and I forgot to mention that the program is free of charge and only takes up four kb of disk space.

Since TVU streams programs from online, high-speed internet is a must. However, I have discovered that top-notch internet service is not necessary for the program to be enjoyed to its fullest. At my house, the internet achieves roughly 1948 kbps. I shared this program with some former roommates of mine at Penn State, where the internet averages 768 kbps. They have told me that TVU works perfectly fine without any lag at their apartment despite the slower internet connection.

As I stated, TVU allows a user to watch programs available on basic cable. This has so far proven useful to me as a sports fanatic. Just the other night there was college basketball both on ESPN and ESPN II. Instead of having to flip back and forth between stations, I could simply watch both games from the comfort of my room. This has also been handy during NFL games. The local channels found on TVU (ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC) are not from the east coast, which means that the CBS "game of the week" shown in Erie, PA is not the same game found on TVU. Now I can watch multiple football games on Sundays without having to head to the local bar.

The stations TVU broadcasts that aren't found on basic cable are varied to say the least. TVU is full of many stations which I never think of watching. Some of these are a Chinese news network, the Christian Broadcasting Network, and a station that is the "home for cricket." However, these are made up for with two different networks that broadcast NHL games, as well as NBA TV. TVU gives users the equivalent of having two NHL season ticket packages and one NBA season ticket package. These packages are well over 100 dollars a piece when offered by Dish Network or digital cable. TVU also has a variety of movie networks which any film enthusiast will enjoy.

Another feature that makes TVU so appealing is that the Player can be run while other programs are running. For example, as I am writing this article I have ESPN on in the background. The broadcast is not lagging one bit. I have found that I can browse the internet or use instant messenger without having to worry about the quality of the broadcast.

As with anything of this nature, TVU is not a flawless program. There are some problems that users will find annoying. Since TVU streams its broadcasts, there is roughly a 30-second delay on television programs. For somebody who wants to watch live sports events as they happen, this could be somewhat of a nuisance. However, since the delay is so minimal the chances of the game being spoiled by highlights appearing on TV before the computer are slim.

Something that really bothers me is that some stations do not always play smoothly. An example of this would be last weekend, when I wanted to watch the football game on TVU's CBS network. For one reason or another CBS just would not stop lagging, even though both FOX and NBC were coming in without any problems. This is often the case with Comedy Central and USA Network as well. With these stations being available on basic cable, this does not present too much of a hassle to me personally.

As with any software such as TVU, there are improvements that are needed in order for the program to be everything a user would want it to be. However, the positives far outweigh the negatives. I highly recommend the TVU Player, especially for anybody who can't get enough of watching more than one sporting event at the same time.