Best TV-on-PC device?

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it's not - still transfers the same amount of data - but all the throughput constraints of real time streaming go out the window.

No - you can use it to rapidly download a movie and play it back at the same time. That's not the same thing as watching live tv over a network.

From a network perspective - it's a huge difference. In a live stream - the data can only come in at the same rate - the rate it's being produced at. Even if you have a buffer of several seconds - poor network conditions can erode that buffer, and you can't get it back.

When you're downloading a file, you can download at whatever throughput you have available to you - which lets you constantly build a buffer over time, which means that any temporary jitter or packet loss can be overcome and retransmitted in time.

That exists too - but it doesn't work with Multicast

You'd have to fundamentally change how codecs operate. The best compression ratio is achieved by only transmitting data in the frame that has changed. So, if you drop packets - you're dropping the motion of the frame. To do what you're asking would mean increasing the amount of key frames - which would pretty dramatically decrease the overall compression ratio.

The codecs that automatically scale to meet network conditions do so by dynamically adjusting the resolution of the stream, which works really well - but doesn't operate in a multicast setup where the same stream is sent to multiple users split by the router. You'd need a video scaler and processor on every router - which is entirely impractical.

Maybe or maybe not this could be done. It's really a question of writing a codec that doesn't take a s**t (green screen until next key frame etc) when packets are lost. Ultimately the worst that can happen is picture issues, that's something most people can tolerate if it gets them some kind of video stream.

(I don't think an "optimal" video codec would even assign a fixed resolution to the stream)

So, what is really the best way for me to watch TV on my PC (like live NFL games, and other things)? I am in the US, for the record.

Really, the only way is to use one of these: http://www.amazon.com/SiliconDust-HDHR3 ... B004HKIB6E

The CableCARD slot will let you watch premium cable channels (NFL Sunday Ticket), once you rent a CableCARD from your provider (similar process to adding a cable box, only slightly cheaper). You'll also need to be running Windows for that to work - Linux has some support, and OS X just plain doesn't work. Windows 7 comes with Windows Media Center, which is the software you'll need, or you can install the software that comes with the device.

A tv tuner card without a cablecard slot will get you standard broadcast channels (NBC, FOX, CBS, PBS, etc) - but won't get you any premium cable channels.