The days of the television could possibly be numbered. Statistics show that folks are spending a growing number of time in front of their computers, that may soon replace the trusty TV as the nation’s number one type of entertainment.

As the potential of web video has always been apparent, but it not until recently that it has begun to match more traditional visual entertainment when it comes to quality.

And also the idea that computers offer so far more are making them an increasingly popular way to watch TV shows. In place of waiting with bated breath for the next episode of your favorite series, or ruing the loss of an episode missed, you may have all of it on demand at the web.

The mention of watching TV shows and films on the internet still can still have some connotations of shady practices for example torrenting pirated material and poor quality products. On the flip side, that is changing fast and internet TV is hitting the mainstream.

With fast connection speeds and technologies such as DivX you may watch high quality television and you may do it with a clear conscience.

Television networks have come to recognize the opportunity of the web as a medium for broadcasting television shows. Networks like NBC, ABC and CBS allow you to stream TV shows should you have missed them on television. They are often posted on web sites about one day after it airs on tv.

This is ideal if you miss an episode when you can go back and watch it any time. However, these streams are popular and you may experience bad lag while attempting to stream the show if it aired recently. Shows usually stay online for about a week and also are only available to United States residents.

Another option is Peer to Peer TV (P2PTV). The emergence of web sites such as joost.com has made these a popular choice for watching TV online. You will normally have to download a special client to watch these as the technology is just like torrenting. Unlike torrenting the content is streamed, and not downloaded onto your hard drive so you could experience some lag at peak times.

It’s now also possible to stream live television as it happens. Like P2PTV you’ll need a client to do this and because it is live, shows are not available on demand. These services are specifically popular for live music and sporting events.

The net being what it really is, there are plenty of options for watching TV shows and see movies online online. Torrenting clients are hugely popular although the legality and ethics of this practice are questionable, and it’s a notorious way of infecting your computer with viruses. Many TV shows also are available to stream from ‘unofficial’ sources, but again this practice is questionable.