19 Comments

Digital TV for PC - Is the TV Set Dead?

Written by:  • Edited by: Rhonda Callow
Updated May 19, 2011 • Related Guides: Software Applications | Start Menu
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Digital TV for PC is an application that provides a window to TV stations worldwide. When using Digital TV for PC, you may search through hundreds of channels from all over the world, in every language, for free (after the cost of your Internet connection and the application, of course).

Introduction

DTV-1
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Digital TV for PC is designed to deliver hundreds of TV channels to a PC with nothing more than high-speed Internet access and the application. In addition to Digital TV, a Digital Radio application is included and is designed to deliver hundreds of music stations. The overall quality of TV stations that were received successfully was high. In fact, much higher than I expected, making it simple to view a show.

While Digital TV for PC gathers a variety of TV channels into a single view, I was often prompted to launch an external application to watch a channel (RealPlayer, which I didn't have on my computer, consequently, I was continually prompted to install the application). Some stations were never available for me to watch while others were restricted, which made the overall experience frustrating.

Installation & Setup
Rating Good

Installation of Digital TV for PC was quick and easy. After the initial installation and launch of the application, I was prompted to perform an Internet update of the channel list. After the update was complete, I was prompted to restart the computer.

I found it odd that the initial installation of Digital TV for PC didn't require a reboot, but a channel update did. I believed this to mean that more than channels were updated. The installation program didn't install RealPlayer automatically, nor did it inform me that RealPlayer was a requirement for me to reach all of channels. Otherwise, the installation was quick and I didn't encounter any errors or issues.

Product Features
Rating Average

Digital TV for PC can be played in both full screen or within the application window. Full screen mode reduces the quality on a large monitor, but from a distance it's bearable.

You can save channels to your favorites list and even create Favorite groups to speed up the location of particular channels. Local U.S. channels are available from some markets and I would expect more cities to broadcast their local stations in the near future. A search option is included to help you find a particular channel or show if you know exactly what you are looking for.

Performance
Rating Excellent

Digital TV for PC installed and operated quickly. There were not any significant performance issues on my test computer, which was running Windows XP with 2GB of RAM. My Internet speed is 12Mb/s, which definitely helped my overall playback quality, but watching my utilization, it never taxed my connection.

Digital TV for PC has a data buffering feature (similar to most online media applications) so even if you were to experience a lag in your Internet connection, the TV should not be impacted. This buffering feature did slow down the startup of every channel I selected, but it's a nice feature to have.

Help & Support
Rating Below Average

Help was not directly integrated into Digital TV for PC, but a help file was included and could be found in the Start Menu. Not a lot of detail was included within the help file, but Digital TV for PC was so simple to use there was never a need to visit the online help. If there was a need to receive support, online forums and a toll number were provided within the help file.

Price to Value
Rating Average

Digital TV for PC is not an expensive product ($29.99), but it does fall short on delivering 1,000-plus channels. Even so, Digital TV for PC does create a portal-type application where you can go to find digitally broadcasted stations worldwide and have them sorted by various filters. Because of the small cost for the application, you will find it convenient if you don't know where to begin looking for the digital stations. However, if there is a single channel that you watch on your PC, there is a good chance that there is a free way of connecting to the media without using Digital TV for PC.

User Interface
Rating Good

DTV-2-Access-Denied
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Digital TV for PC may be viewed using numerous filters; by popularity, genre, language, country, and so on. Once in a particular view, the list of stations may be sorted again by clicking a column, a task most individuals are familiar and comfortable with.

Within Digital TV for PC there were no identifiers displayed to help me know what I could and couldn't access. Some of the stations I would attempt to connect to would display an access denied error because I was from the U.S.

DTV-3
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Obviously, this experience would change from country to country. I also received errors stating the station wasn't broadcasting or was blocked for one reason or another.

Suggested Features

Including an installation routine to install RealPlayer would be great. Better yet, removing the need for RealPlayer and hosting all of the video streams directly within Digital TV for PC would help Digital TV for PC feel like a complete application.

Conclusion

Digital TV for PC is worth looking at, especially if there are multiple international stations you want to watch from your PC.

You may become frustrated by the number of channels that you can't view because of locality restrictions or simply because they are not broadcasting when you are online. However, with a little patience and the right timing, there is bound to be at least one channel you would be interested in viewing, making Digital TV for PC an entertaining application.

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Comments

Showing all 19 comments
 
glenn heit Jun 18, 2011 9:58 AM
it is a bed buy
all i get is a notice that my network or firewall settings prevent the channels from opening
Marco Barriga Mar 19, 2011 12:43 PM
tv on my pc and in my others tvs
I know still is a dream but i hope
that soon we can get it. because we can not afforded pay satelite or cable. good job amigos. thank you.
Jan Hansen Jan 8, 2011 9:36 PM
the rock videos
I only got it for the rock videos of the 70s, 80, and 90s. It worked for about 10 months, and then it quit. They gave me something else that was rock videos but it wasn't the same and didn't work right. Is there somewhere else we can subscribe to the rock videos?
Lisa Dec 17, 2010 5:05 PM
Stream Player
My dad got a simulare program to this thinking is was "real" TV, you know. ABC, CBS, FOX. Channels like that. Cause when I think TV that's what I think. Not Traffic Cameras and stuff like that. Half of which don't work. It's basically a stream player. Simulare to Winamp's stream player only it cost money
Andreas Sep 7, 2010 1:39 AM
No product at all
I payed for this program but never got any possible way to download it. I have emailed the support several times but the only responce I get is more ads.
I believe it's a scam so don't fall for it.
jthelw Jul 1, 2010 5:10 PM
Frustrated by Digital TV for PC2
The price (July, 2010) is down to about $10, (Amazon, Buy.com), but that still may be too high. I can get Sky TV,and several BBC channels that aren't available on my local cable, but I have no idea how to access the radio application. There isn't even a portion of the application or a button to click. Did I neglect to install something? Anyone have any success with this?
Toni Jun 24, 2010 7:13 PM
Pc tv
have the little PCTV box right here for three months. Theres no TV picture cant get a program on my monitor from it either. Very frustrated. Trying to use Clear all we get is the internet and it doesnt allways come on until the box is moved. We have really gone back in time. You are all probably to young to remember standing with the antenna until the black lines moved and the pic was in and out while you were trying to watch something. Ugly rabit ears are back.No access in an apartment. No TV
GoFcukYourself Jun 1, 2010 8:40 AM
Scam don't buy.
I bought this because I'm stationed overseas and can't get regular TV. This product is worse than worthless. Kill yourself smithmicro. Wait, give me my money back, then kill yourself. Can't watch any tv USA on demand shows from overseas, as advertised by the statement "when you want where you want."The other "1000s of channels" are traffic cams and radio stations that nobody cares about. I hope you die, seriously, I do. Then maybe you'll stop selling worthless software that doesn't do what it advertises.
softbean May 18, 2010 10:00 PM
Where do you get it?
Only $49.95. Watch up to 3,000 HD live TV channels. No subscriptions and monthly Fees,
No hardware to install, No Bandwidth limits,
Get auto channel updates.
Get it from www.pconline360.com
Brian Ricks, MVP Feb 21, 2010 7:26 AM
Channel Content / Availability
@Adele - The program does not guarantee availability to content on the web; rather as previously stated it simply creates a single portal (and user interface) for you to go search and watch Internet-based streaming video. The video found MAY NOT be current, it may restricted, and it may not always be available - this is a result of the content provider themselves.
Adele M. Leddy Feb 20, 2010 9:26 PM
interested in 2 very specific channels
1. on their website they list the "Vatican" station directly. Does this channel work well and all the time?

2. From the U.S.A "EWTN" Eternal Word Television Network. Is this channel a good and available channel 24/7 no ho skipping and missing etc.
Troy Feb 19, 2010 11:23 PM
Not worth the price
I bought this at Fry's for 24.99 and have a 25.00 rebate. It cost me the sales tax. This is worthless. It doesn't give you live TV anywhere other than maybe the occasional traffic cam if you're lucky. OK, the tarantula cam in Australia is live I think. But you're not going to catch that football game in KC if you are stationed in Kabal. No, it just isn't worth the price.
Frank Dec 14, 2009 3:17 PM
digital tv for pc 2
I must say digital tv for pc 2 is not only disappointing, it's a scam. Most channels do not broadcast, and the interesting channels only show an old recorded program that is somewhere on a server. When you want to see a channel, you get the same program day after day.
Just don't buy this!
Brian Ricks, MVP Oct 9, 2009 7:53 PM
Functionality
The product is far from perfect and as Ken mentioned, the product wraps up technologies into itself (the frustrating, not available issue). However, this sort of service is not something new - you pay for convenience.

Could you get most if not all of the broadcasts via another free media? Most likely. Is it convenient to have a single interface which lists the various channels for you? Most definitely.

This is what you are paying for - you are not paying for the content. And if the content is restricted or unavailable this product does nothing to get around the limitation...
Ken Oct 9, 2009 5:47 PM
Scammed
people the Digital TV for PC is a scam.. You wanna know why it is one time payment.. because it is not a gauranteed service. Fact is it is a coded app that they have pulled together from all the free apps and make it look like their own.. TVants, TVU player and other streaming apps are for free and it is where they got the idea.. They just simplified by merging the various app and make you pay for it.. Most of the channels are peer to peer streaming.. if the peer is not avialable then the channel is offline..
Stan Chraminski Sep 21, 2009 1:58 PM
one time fee
It's a one time fee because you are buying software that lets your pc pick up the digital input. The software is downloaded via the internet and then you install it and are good to go.
Doug Aug 26, 2009 9:23 AM
Digital PC for TV
How wide is the selection of regional network affiliates in other cities? If I want to see a football game in Kansas City, say, and I live in North Carolina, am I likely to find the station that broadcasts the game?
jhipuhp Jul 17, 2009 10:19 PM
hey
how much and at channels
catherine Jun 9, 2009 2:05 PM
no charge card
i have no bank account nor charge card. and how is it cost only the one time fee?
 
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