On-demand TV

Many of you are probably not aware, but it is now possible to download almost any TV show--both current and previously aired shows--directly to your computer. MeiMei and I use it to keep up with all our favorite shows while on the road. Far from postage-stamp video clips, the quality is higher than what you'd see on the air or through your cable. In fact, much of the shows are in true HDTV resolution!

So how can you hop on this bleeding edge technology bandwagon? Read on.

Background:
Before a television show airs, the networks send a copy to their affiliates via satellite. This is known as a "wildfeed." Savvy people around the world with access to large satellite dishes are able to watch these feeds and then encode the video in the same way you encode a CD to an MP3. Using a program called BitTorrent (similar to Napster but without all the legal ramifications of sharing music), they distribute these shows to happy viewers like you!

Step 1: Download and Install the Free BitTorrent Program
Click here for the Mac
Click here for the PC

Step 2: Install Video software
All Macs have Quicktime. And all PCs have Windows Media Player. But before you can use Quicktime or WMP to watch these shows, you'll need to install a little piece of software called Divx. Divx is to Video as MP3 is to music. It is a "codec" used to encode video into smaller sizes while preserving great quality. You can get the software free of charge. Click here.

Once the download is complete, double-click the installer and follow the instructions.

Step 3: Choose the TV shows you want to watch
The tens of thousands of TV shows available for download are listed on a couple of websites such as TVTorrents and Suprnova

Shows are typically listed in the following format: "Star Trek Enterprise 0402", which means season 4, episode 2. If you are unsure of the exact episode you are looking for, check the terrific resource at TVTome.

Once you've found what you are looking for, click on the names of any shows you want to watch and a very small file will be downloaded onto your computer. Double click this file and it will open in the BitTorrent program and begin downloading.

Tips:
1. Video takes up a lot of space. A typical one-hour show will be between 350MB and 500MB, or about half the size of a recordable CD. Make sure you have the available space on your hard drive.

2. BitTorrent is a peer-to-peer system. This means you are downloading bits and pieces of the show from other people around the world. The more people (or "peers" in the language of the web) that are available, the faster the show will be downloaded.

3. Taking the last two points together, it should be clear that this is a slow process. I've seen shows download in as little as 3 hours or as long as 3 days. Just leave your computer on overnight and you'll usually have what you want in a day or two.

Sounds like a lot of work, but its really, really easy. And once you get into the habit, you can find anything you want anytime you want. You'll no longer be a slave to your TV!

Comments

[me]

The really interesting question is how far we are from a tv show or tv network that is hosted exclusively on bittorrent.

Not exclusively, but directly:
http://ewheel.democracynow.org

[suz]

Thanks so much dale...
I had no idea. This is very helpful...now I can get the 10 seconds I need for my talk. yay.

[Komal Sethi]

I'd also recommend Azureus, an open source app that's a great bittorrent client. Works on any platform, and offers a bit more sophistication in tracking multiple torrents.

Also tvtorrents and suprnova are available via RSS which I find makes them much easier to use since the websites tend to be a bit slow, especially suprnova, and this way you can quickly scan the entries whenever you have time.

The really interesting question is how far we are from a tv show or tv network that is hosted exclusively on bittorrent. I also find it odd that tv shows arent actively putting out high quality torrents of their stuff that doesnt have the commercials cut out. If I could go to nbc and start downloading content, id probably watch the commercials, while most of the stuff you see posted already has them cut out. From there perspective more viewers is more viewers.