Well, I'm learning more and more. I've been checking different broadcast network websites and all the shows are available online in full HD. I've had DirecTV for years, I've just never checked with the networks online before. I can't say if they are doing real time online streaming or if these shows are delayed but for drama series I don't care because I record everything on my DVR anyway. I rarely watch anything in real time.

This is a real eye opener. I just watched part of the pilot for the brand new series The Mob Doctor on Fox. I just went to their website and it was right there. For cable networks I went to the History Channel website and most if not all of those shows are all there too. Discovery however appears to be mostly clips with only a few full episodes of the different series available. That one requires some more research. The one thing I'm not seeing is real time news streaming. CNN has all their shows available in HD but for live TV you have to sign in using your sat/cable account number like TNT. Fox News doesn't seem to have a live TV option but all the individual shows are available with a delay but not in HD, it looks like 480p, pretty good but not HD.

It looks like every network has their own unique take on this so I'm assuming it can all change at any time as well.

The one big thing to get used to is no one easy to navigate guide like all the sat/cable companies have. To watch these shows I will have to find some organized way using bookmarks I guess to get these shows. Win 7 has Microsoft's Media Center that apparently does that or something similar. It also has DVR functions so everything can be recorded directly to a hard drive. I haven't played with that yet but it looks pretty good so far.

I think I'm getting close to pulling the plug here. It's looking like enough of what I watch is available online for free and I can buy the few things I decide I just have to have and if I have to give up some things so be it, there's lots to watch out there.

Bob

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