Free TV on Your PC or Mac
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Image: Amazon.com
If you want to watch the local TV stations from your laptop, but don't want to pay a lot in data roaming charges, a USB TV tuner may be the answer for you.
There are several models from companies such as Equinux (Maker of the Tubestick) and Elgato (which makes one called the EyeTV Hybrid). They are simply TV tuners that connect via the USB port. They can't access every cable channel you want, but they do usually pick up unscrambled cable channels and the free over-the-air TV stations.
The TV tuners lack the features of a Slingbox , but they are also cheaper -- the Slingbox Pro is almost $300 and these tuners are half that, and usually less. There are no subscription fees since they aren't isn't streaming content over a cell phone network (or even an Internet connection). So if you just want to watch something on a major network or catch up on the news, these tuners are definitely helpful.
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