Today, with the rapid advancement of satellite TV technology, anyone can watch any TV program around the world. You can even watch live TV coverage of major sporting events from the comfort of your own home.

To watch satellite TV, you need specialized hardware known as PCTV cards installed in your PC to be able to receive the satellite TV signal. There are 2 types, one is external, the other is internal. External PCTV cards usually come in a box where you can connect them to the PC via USB. The other end will be connected to your phone line or cable line depending on the type of broadband access you are subscribing to. There are also wireless versions available.

The internal TVPC card will be installed in your computer through the PCI or PCI Express slot.

PCTV cards will decode analog signals into digital signals so you can watch TV or listen to the radio on your PC.

The quality of the TV channels will depend on 2 factors.

1) Broadband speed

To enjoy good quality TV on your PC, you really need to have broadband or DSL speeds of at least 512 kilobytes per second. The higher the broadband speed, the better the quality of satellite TV channels.

2) Computer configuration

Most PCTV cards have a minimal PC configuration. Generally, you need a Pentium III CPU of at least 1GHz or higher, 128MB RAM, Windows 98/2000/XP, and have at least 1 USB port for external PCTV cards. You will also need a CD-ROM to install the PCTV card drivers and viewing software. You also need a sound card installed on your PC if you want audio.

Some PCTV cards also allow the ability to record programs on your computer, but be aware that it requires a large amount of available storage space on your hard drive.

Watching satellite TV on your PC while simultaneously checking your email and browsing the Internet is truly unique and totally cool.