The days of the television might be numbered. Statistics show that individuals are spending an increasing number of time in front of their computers, that can soon replace the trusty TV as the nation’s number one type of entertainment.

As the potential of web video has always been apparent, but it not until recently that it has begun to match more traditional visual entertainment with regard to quality.

And also the idea that computers offer so much more are making them an increasingly popular way to watch TV shows. Instead of waiting with bated breath for the next episode of your favorite series, or ruing the loss of an episode missed, you may have it all on demand at the web.

The mention of watching TV shows and movies via the internet still can still have some connotations of shady practices such as torrenting pirated material and poor quality products. On the other hand, that is changing fast and internet TV is hitting the mainstream.

With fast connection speeds and technologies such as DivX you may watch premium quality television and you will do it with a clear conscience.

Television networks have come to recognize the opportunity of the internet as a medium for broadcasting television shows. Networks like NBC, ABC and CBS allow you to stream TV shows should you have missed them on tv. They are often posted on sites about one day after it airs on television.

This really is ideal if you miss an episode as you can go back and watch it any time. In contrast, these streams are popular and you may experience bad lag while attempting to stream the show if it aired recently. Shows usually stay online for about every week and also are only available to USA residents.

Another option is Peer to Peer TV (P2PTV). The emergence of web sites for example joost.com has made these a popular option for watching TV online. You will normally have to download a special client to watch these as the technology is much like torrenting. Unlike torrenting the content is streamed, and not downloaded onto your hard drive so you could experience some lag at peak times.

It’s now also possible to stream live television as it happens. Like P2PTV you’ll need a client to do this and since it is live, shows are not available on demand. These services are specifically popular for live music and sports events.

The web being what it is, there are plenty of options for watching TV shows and Recommended Webpage movies online. Torrenting clients are hugely popular though the legality and ethics of this practice are questionable, which is a notorious way of infecting your computer with viruses. Many TV shows will also be available to stream from ‘unofficial’ sources, but again this practice is questionable.