Watch TV online.

[SkyRocket]

How can I watch TV online (preferably for free)? I live in South East Asia. Hulu, Joost and other such sites are not available here. Thanks in advance =)

[truenorth]

As a general statement most commercial TV stations do offer their content for free via the internet. Sometimes they require a station specific application in order to stream. Some stations restrict their content to within the borders of their country (controlled by YOUR ip address). Sometimes certain shows must be viewed at a time AFTER their origination (like the following day or later). Also many TV productions that may not be available on any of your local channels can be accessed via the internet. As an example shows from the Discovery channel which normally are only available through cable subscription can be accessed online.
 Other factors influencing your quality would be your video card capabilities/your internet access type (for example a 56k modem would be useless whereas a cable or DSL good speed connection will generally allow quality reception). If the desire is only to watch the available programs on your computer screen that is what can be required. However if you want to use the computer for the access but a TV set for viewing more requirements (hardware) are required and vary depending on the computer and the TV units. Do some searching and you should find a lot of opportunities to do what you want. truenorth

[Geek-9pm]

What the OP is wanting is forbidden in his country. He should be aware the trying to circumvent government policy can bring hardships to him and his family.         

If the OP has the need to obtain information that is not available in his area, there are ways of getting such information without the need for the Internet or the Telephone. If he has a PC of almost any kind, he  can read information stored on very small chips. The chips cm be transported by  normal means and do not burden limited resources.

In no way is this reservation intended to undermine the authority any government to plane reasonable restrictions of its citizens. Streaming TV shows squanders  enormous bandwidth and is a poor use of resources in a developing country. In advanced countries the cost is sustained by commercial interests.  Technology, used prudently, can advance all human society.

[truenorth]

Geek, With all due respect how do you know from the available information provided by the O/P WHAT country he /she is from?truenorth

[SkyRocket]

I can access Discovery clips online, and can watch TV shows that have been uploaded to YouTube. But on YouTube, a 1/2 hour show is in about 10 parts and it gets tiring after a while. I use a dongle which is supposed to work at 72MBps- but actually is nowhere as fast. I live in SL, and yes it is a developing country, but most of the stuff available in India can be accessed here as well.

Thanks Truenorth. Just out of curiosity- is your username from 'Northern Lights'(Known as 'The Golden Compass' depending on where you're from)?

Geek- thanks for replying, but I don't think it's forbidden, and in no way do I want to "undermine the authority" of the govt!!

[truenorth]

Here is a link to a site that offers TV shows. Tell me if you can access any programming?
http://www.cbc.ca/
truenorth

[SkyRocket]

Nope. Just get a message saying "Content currently unavailable in your location".
'.ca' is Canadian right?
Thanks anyway

[Geek-9pm]

My Bad. SL does not forbid the shows. It is a policy of many internet content providers to do allow materiel to go to some parts of the world. This may be concerns over copyrights.

Let me assume the OP wants English language TV shows. He may like to contact the British Embassy in Sri Lanka and find out how they get TV  shows. There may be a subscription service available of a private microwave network.
This link does not indicate BBC has a TV outlet in that country.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Media_of_Sri_Lanka
Yet it might be a good idea to ask anyway.

The BBC has some satellites.
http://www.lyngsat.com/freetv/United-Kingdom.html

[Rob Pomeroy]

http://www.tvcatchup.com/

[reddevilggg]

Let me assume the OP wants English language TV shows. He may like to contact the British Embassy in Sri Lanka and find out how they get TV  shows.

Personally, i think this is a exercise in time-wasting. Why you would think that ANY foreign embassy would be remotely interested in sorting out TV shows for people they are not responsible for is totally ridiculous. If the Embassy does get English TV show it is probably because they have access to a private netwok.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2125424/William-Hague-warns-Brits-abroad-wasting-Embassy-time-bizarre-demands.html

I think 23 free channels is enough for anyone, if you want to watch programmes that are not broadcast in your country you may have to bite the bullets and except that you cant. When LOST was broadcast in America i could not watch it on ABC online because "Content currently unavailable in your location" and that was from America to England.

[SkyRocket]

Thanks everyone...
This is the first time I asked a question on this forum and I can't believe how helpful you all are.

 

I think 23 free channels is enough for anyone, if you want to watch programmes that are not broadcast in your country you may have to bite the bullets and except that you cant.

Sadly we do not have 23 free channels here, but yes I think I'll just have to 'bite the bullet' and accept it. I don't want to watch programs that are not broadcast here, but ones that are broadcast halfway through. 1st and 2nd seasons of almost every WB, CW and MTV show gets broadcast, and it is frustrating when you can't find out what happens next since the next seasons pretty much never appear on TV here. And visiting the embassy so that I can watch a TV show seems pretty stupid, not to mention a HUGE waste of time (No offence Geek-thanks for the suggestion).

Rob Pomeroy- Thank you. tvcatchup is only available in the UK.

[Rob Pomeroy]

Rob Pomeroy- Thank you. tvcatchup is only available in the UK.

Ah, bummer.  Sorry about that.  If you're interested in UK shows, you may be able to find alternative means of obtaining them.  I suspect I'd be breaking forum rules going into detail though...   

[truenorth]

Yes .ca is Canadian. As is the case in most of the "colonies" we have a national broadcaster in this instance the CBC (which is what the link was for). I was hoping that being a public broadcaster they would have made their programming (at least that which is Canadian content) universally accessible. I presume that you have tried direct links to specific shows whereby you might find alternative access than from the network. However i do realize the limitations of that as YOU must know of the shows existence before you can search for it. Perhaps a member that has a specific suggestion that they are not sure of being within forum rules might offer the information to you via a PM. If you do find a method to increase your own TV viewing options via the internet (and it is something legal) we would be interested in your method.truenorth

[Geek-9pm]

Without breaking copyright laws, individuals can make copies of broadcast materials  for private use. Any public display of such intellectual material may be a violation. (Actually, some TV shows already are a public violation of the intellect, but that is another thing.)

Maybe family members in another country could find TV shews and place then on micro SD ships and mail such to the OP.

Until the whole world has 'fiber to the street', there has to be a practical limit on how much data can be sent over then Internet.