Internet TV in Canada and How it Works

I should start off by describing what I mean by Internet TV since so many people have a different reality of what Internet TV really is. When I refer to Internet TV I mean exactly that – TV programs or movies that you can watch over the internet on your computer.

I am aware that there are many illegal (or questionable to say the least) file-sharing methods ways of watching Internet TV in Canada but that is not what I am here discuss. I am more concerned about the Internet TV that is 100% legal to watch – and yes it does exist. In fact, every major Canadian television network offers some form of free Internet TV. This will be the focus of the article.

Where can you find this free internet TV in Canada? Practically every major Canadian network releases videos of their programs on their own website. Some networks only release clips of their shows while some networks release complete episodes of their shows. It differs from network to network.

It is not as great as it sounds though. Most of these programs are not live TV. The networks usually only release videos on their website after the programs have aired on television. Some networks release the shows a few days after they were on television, while some take a little longer. Again, it is at the discretion of the network. And usually they don’t leave these shows up on their websites for extended periods of time. As they update their site with fresh content they usually take down some of the older videos. The purpose of the networks doing this is to allow their viewers to watch a program online in case they missed it when it aired on television. It allows the viewers to catch up on any programs they may have missed. That is why this type of programming is known as catch up TV. Typically, you will find quite a few advertisements within the videos. Usually, you are forced to watch a 15-30 second advertisement whenever you start a new video. And some networks split their episodes up into numerous videos. So you may have to watch 3-4 videos to see an entire episode of your favourite program. Although, some networks are really good and you can watch an entire episode on one video (meaning you only have to endure one advertisement as well).

Catch up Internet TV does have an upside. Every video online I have ever seen has been in video-on-demand form meaning you can watch it at your leisure (as long as it is still available on their website). Plus, the quality of the streams is excellent, many of them available in HD. And it is not only the Canadian networks that stream videos on their websites. There are a few American networks that have videos on their website that are viewable by a Canadian audience. It is just a matter of surfing around the net to find your favourite shows. And let’s not forget that Internet TV in Canada is free.

Author Bio: Surfing from one network’s website to another to watch your favourite TV show online can be tedious. Also, trying to figure out what networks show what programs can be an exhausting task in itself. For a comprehensive list of all the free internet TV channels and programs available in Canada you can check out Free Internet TV Canada.

Category: Entertainment
Keywords: internet TV Canada, catch up TV, free TV Canada

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