The days of the television may very well be numbered. Statistics show that men and women are spending increasingly more time in front of their computers, that could soon replace the trusty TV as the nation’s number one type of entertainment.

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

As well as the fact that computers offer so far more are making them an increasingly popular way to watch TV shows. As opposed to waiting with bated breath for the next episode of your favorite series, or ruing the loss of an episode missed, you may have everything on demand at the net.

The mention of watching TV shows and films 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’s changing fast and internet TV is hitting the mainstream.

With fast connection speeds and technologies for example DivX you may watch good quality television and you’ll 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 enable you to stream TV shows if you have missed them on television. They may be often posted on web pages about one day after it airs on tv.

This is ideal if you miss an episode when you can go back and watch full movies online it any time. Alternatively, 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 are only available to United States residents.

Another option is Peer to Peer TV (P2PTV). The emergence of websites 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 just 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 really is now also possible to stream live television as it happens. Like P2PTV you need a client to do this and since it is live, shows are not available on demand. These services are especially popular for live music and sports events.

The internet being what it’s, there are several options for watching TV shows and films online. Torrenting clients are hugely popular however the legality and ethics of this practice are questionable, and it’s 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.