I know some cable/satellite providers have a "tv anywhere" feature which allows you to watch tv on mobile devices. I was wondering if I bought a channel package from a cable/satellite provider could I just have it set up on my computer without the set top boxes or anything? At my University we are stuck using the Cox cable package that each room comes with and they won't let us have our own cable service set up the traditional way. That's why I was wondering if it was something I could have set up just for my computer. I want to watch the TeenNick channel so it would be great if I could watch from the computer by just paying for a monthly service without having a technician come in and install a set top box.
Watch cable on my computer only?
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03-28-2014, 11:47 AM
Which provider specifically? Usually it's only for specific channels.
"Normally if given a choice between doing something and nothing, I’d choose to do nothing. But I would do something if it helps someone else do nothing. I’d work all night if it meant nothing got done."
-Ron Swanson "I shall be a good politician, even if it kills me. Or if it kills anyone else for that matter. " -Mark Antony 03-29-2014, 02:51 AM
(This post was last modified: 03-29-2014, 02:52 AM by NaturalViolence.)
Pick one so I can check please. As far as I know most don't do this yet. Actually come to think of it I don't even know what country you live in.
"Normally if given a choice between doing something and nothing, I’d choose to do nothing. But I would do something if it helps someone else do nothing. I’d work all night if it meant nothing got done."
-Ron Swanson "I shall be a good politician, even if it kills me. Or if it kills anyone else for that matter. " -Mark Antony 03-29-2014, 09:56 PM
03-30-2014, 02:30 AM
You have all 4 of those available in your area?
"Normally if given a choice between doing something and nothing, I’d choose to do nothing. But I would do something if it helps someone else do nothing. I’d work all night if it meant nothing got done."
-Ron Swanson "I shall be a good politician, even if it kills me. Or if it kills anyone else for that matter. " -Mark Antony 05-16-2014, 11:26 AM
05-16-2014, 01:35 PM
(This post was last modified: 05-16-2014, 01:37 PM by NaturalViolence.)
There are 6 ways you can watch tv on a PC to my knowledge:
1. Setup a DVR with streaming functionality or connect a streaming receiver to a regular DVR. You can then access the DVR over the internet from computers via a web frontend or desktop/mobile application and use it to watch live or recorded programming. This would require a settop box though to decode the channels. 2. Illegally watch the programming on the web for free using websites that provide free access to their own DVRs. Quality tends to be pretty shitty though to save bandwidth. 3. If the network has their own web streaming service sign up for it through your cable provider and login to it on whatever device you want to watch their content on. This will only work for channels that provide this service however. Only a few major content providers do at the moment and I believe nick isn't one of them. 4. Get a cable card. They cost hundreds of dollars and basically provide the same functionality as a settop box, but for your PC. Your cable provider may require a technician to hook it up but more likely you'll just need to call them to get it activated/authenticated on your account. 5. If the channel is local than it will likely not be encrypted. In this case you can use a regular old digital tv tuner. Which are much cheaper than cable cards but will only work with unencrypted channels. 6. If the channel is local and nearby than you can skip cable entirely and setup an antennae. What I THINK you're asking for isn't technically possible at the moment. I think what you're looking for is a service provider that provides all channels through the internet on any device legally without any equipment setup? To my knowledge that does not exist. You said your university only has cox available yet all 4 providers are available in your area? What exactly do you mean by that?
"Normally if given a choice between doing something and nothing, I’d choose to do nothing. But I would do something if it helps someone else do nothing. I’d work all night if it meant nothing got done."
-Ron Swanson "I shall be a good politician, even if it kills me. Or if it kills anyone else for that matter. " -Mark Antony 05-16-2014, 01:59 PM
(This post was last modified: 05-16-2014, 02:01 PM by lamentofking.)
(05-16-2014, 01:35 PM)NaturalViolence Wrote: There are 6 ways you can watch tv on a PC to my knowledge:I don't need the provider to provide all the channels through the internet. Just TeenNick. In regards to me having only cox and all 4 providers being available, that is correct. One could receive services from any of those 4 providers, however my University only uses Cox and I couldn't get any other provider the entire University is on Cox. The University doesn't support just one room on a different provider. However if it's possible to skip all the wiring that the service techs do and just use the channel subscription on my computer then that could work. TeenNick isn't a local channel so I couldn't just get a digital tv tuner or antennae. Any streams of the channel that were available on the net are all down now. By the way, I don't consider it illegal to watch the channel from someone else since I already have a Fios Package at my house with the TeenNick channel. I actually thought I had solved my problem a few months back because I could watch it on my iPhone but you have to be on your home Fios Wireless network and my school is about 2 hours away so no-can-do. Those cable cards that you're talking about...would they act as a Set-top-box for my computer, allowing me to not have to use the coax cable? Because if I do, I'd have to put one end in the card and the other end in my coax jack in my room right? 05-19-2014, 08:22 AM
lamentofking Wrote:By the way, I don't consider it illegal to watch the channel from someone else since I already have a Fios Package at my house with the TeenNick channel. "Well officer I don't consider that to be illegal from my point of view." Seriously though your "opinion" and what you "consider" it to be has no bearing in law. If there is a law against it then it is illegal, period. Regardless of what you think it should be. It's not legal to steal cable in one residence just because you own it in a different residence. lamentofking Wrote:Those cable cards that you're talking about...would they act as a Set-top-box for my computer, Yes. lamentofking Wrote:allowing me to not have to use the coax cable? No. How else is the signal supposed to get to your computer? lamentofking Wrote:Because if I do, I'd have to put one end in the card and the other end in my coax jack in my room right? Yes. Here take a look: http://www.amazon.com/Ceton-InfiniTV-PCI...B003B4VLJQ The cetons are by far the most popular and for good reason. Your cable provider might still require a technician to install it. You need to check with them before buying it. I'm pretty sure that nick doesn't have a "tv everywhere" online streaming service so if you can't get this working you're probably screwed. Just a heads up. And keep in mind with this option your still getting cable from the coax network on a different provider. Not sure if your college is ok with that even without a technician coming in.
"Normally if given a choice between doing something and nothing, I’d choose to do nothing. But I would do something if it helps someone else do nothing. I’d work all night if it meant nothing got done."
-Ron Swanson "I shall be a good politician, even if it kills me. Or if it kills anyone else for that matter. " -Mark Antony |
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