I regularly hear about the imminent technological merger of a person’s computer and television.
Is it too soon to cancel my cable-tv subscription and subscribe to the few cable-tv programs I like (only two of them) via the Internet and watch these tv programs on my iMac … ???
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Joe Allen
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Can I Watch Cable-TV Programs Over the Internet Using My iMac ?
Comments: 5 Responses to “Can I Watch Cable-TV Programs Over the Internet Using My iMac ?”
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Depends on the person. Many people have already done this. Though some are using set-top boxes like Apple TV, Roku or the like. With a box like that you can use services like Netflix, Amazon, Hulu and others to access shows. Which services you have depends on which box you get and what agreements they have with the services.
With Apple TV, for instance, you can access a ton of movies and TV shows with a Netflix subscription. You can access more TV with Hulu Plus. And then you can rent movies and subscribe to TV show seasons through iTunes. Some people can watch everything they do now, but play much less than cable.
You can do the same, more or less, with your computer but it is not as comfortable to sit at a desk and watch. So the $99 or less for a set-top box is a nice way to re-invest your cable TV bill savings.
The one thing to consider is that you'll need a good and consistent Internet connection, of course.
Also, it is difficult to watch live TV. For instance, new channels or local channels. But you can always read the news on your Mac, or watch a live stream if it is offered.
And consider the recent rumors about HBO Go. The rumor is that you'll be able to watch it on your Apple TV soon. You can already watch HBO shows on your Mac (I think, right?). But you only have HBO Go if you have HBO. And you can only have HBO if you have cable or satellite. I don't think there is a way to pay for and subscribe to HBO Go separately. Correct me if I am wrong on that. But you can simply subscribe to HBO shows on iTunes on an individual basis anyway.
Whether it is too soon just depends on what you watch and how you prefer to watch it.
A company called elgato makes several products that allow cable TV viewing and recording on a mac.
Thanks Gary and Luis. I will do some research and get back with you ... ((<: }
I don`t know the laws in the US for this topic,but in England you have to have a TV Licence. It does not matter what device you have eg...Mobile Phone,Laptop,and Computer. You have to pay the licence fee every year. The reason being that you pay the BBC for the signal,and the other channels are free but they are not, you still have to pay for the licence off the BBC.
Anthony, thank you for pointing out that there are differences in the licensing. In the US we do not have separate TV licenses. We can access TV in two ways free via a digital receiver (limited local and national channels) or through a service provider (subscription) such as a satellite company, cableTV, or the internet. The provider then passes along the licensing taxes included in our bills to the appropriate entity.