The days of the television may very well be numbered. Statistics show that men and women are spending increasingly more time in front of their computers, which could soon replace the trusty TV as the nation's number one form of entertainment.

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

And the proven fact that computers offer so much 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 it all on demand at the net.

The mention of watching TV shows and movies on the net still can still have some connotations of shady practices such as torrenting pirated material and poor quality products. Conversely, that is changing fast and internet TV is hitting the mainstream.

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

Television networks have come to recognize the potential of the net as a medium for broadcasting television shows. Networks like NBC, ABC and CBS make it possible for 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 really is ideal if you miss an episode as you will go back and watch it any time. However, these streams are extremely popular and you may experience bad lag while attempting to stream the show if it aired recently. Shows usually stay online for about per week and also are only available to United States residents.

Another option is Peer to Peer TV (P2PTV). The emergence of sites such as joost.com has made these a popular option 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 is now also possible to stream live television as it happens. Like P2PTV you need a client to do this and because it is live, shows are not available on demand. These services are especially popular for live music and sporting events.

The internet being what it really is, there are many options for watching TV shows and see movies online online. Torrenting clients are hugely popular though the legality and ethics of this practice are questionable, which is a notorious way of infecting your computer with viruses. Many TV shows are usually available to stream from 'unofficial' sources, but again this practice is questionable.