The days of the television may very well be numbered. Statistics show that folks are spending an increasing number of time in front of their computers, that will soon replace the trusty TV as the nation’s number one form 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 when it comes to quality.

And also the proven 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 can have all of it on demand at the web.

The mention of watching movies online TV shows and films on the net still can still have some connotations of shady practices such as torrenting pirated material and poor quality products. Alternatively, that’s changing fast and internet TV is hitting the mainstream.

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

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

This really is ideal if you miss an episode while you will go back and watch it any time. On the contrary, these streams are extremely 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 sites such as joost.com has made these a popular choice 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 might experience some lag at peak times.

It’s now also possible to stream live television as it happens. Like P2PTV you may 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 sporting events.

The internet being what it really is, there are various options for watching TV shows and films online. Torrenting clients are hugely popular although the legality and ethics of this practice are questionable, which is a notorious way of infecting your computer with viruses. Many TV shows are usually available to stream from ‘unofficial’ sources, but again this practice is questionable.