Evidently, you need a few tools and pieces of equipment (or hardware) to download TV shows—to participate in what is called P2P (peer-to-peer computer network you use to share content—music, video, or digital data) communications and exchange.  You need Internet connection, preferably high-speed.  You need a utility that will unzip (or expand) the software that is downloaded by you as Zip files. (Zip files are compressed—shrunk to fit, sort of—files that download faster if compressed…for your convenience; once you download and open, you expand them back to their normal size, so you can read or use them.)  And you need a CD burner—which is accessible on almost every new pc and laptop on the market today.

Apple computers have developed the ipod, which allows you to download mp3s (songs); they have now added a video screen and video function to the ipod, so you can download TV shows and movies. But you can use your computer for viewing, as well, of course, or your DVD player once you are finished with the P2P where you download the TV shows you want to watch.

If you don’t prefer P2P, there’s another technology you can use, but it is dubbed “for geeks,” so while I am not by any stretch a geek and couldn’t give you an authentic how-to, I can just tell you that to download TV shows outside of P2P you will need to do something such as he following:

You seek out what is called a BitTorrent (or BT) file.  A BT file is like a place card/title card that you would take to the front desk at a video store instead of the empty movie box, for example.  It is a “tag” with the information for the show or episode you want to download.

Once you have the BT file, you then need a BitTorrent “client”…a source you will download that will enable you to access the program file in its completion.  The client, then, is like the video store clerk who takes your card, charges you a small fee, and gives you the device you seek to “open” and view the movie/show.
You need Java-based 1.4 JRE, an access tool that you can get at free at Java.com, if the client does not have it packaged with their offering.

And you need to be able to install and configure the client package, as well.  This is where you lose me, so I will leave you with a few caveats:

Like downloading music through certain sites/networks can be, downloading TV shows is a controversial activity: the material is (99.9% of the time) copyrighted, and proceeds don’t go back to the artist, producer, or company responsible for the original televising.  The ethical implications, that is, are up to you.

Keep in mind when downloading from implements you find online, the chances of getting spyware or scumware “bundled” with the program are good.  Always use software that you can do a virus scan on first, then!!

And in whatever scenario you decide to work, enjoy TV.  Be proud that you know every line of dialogue from Seinfeld, or are in love with Cole and sad he has been vanquished from the Charmed Ones’ lives, or can’t get enough of the Twilight Zone marathons…one of which is running all day today, so if you will excuse me….