With a broadband connection and a little bit of work, you can watch tons of movies and TV shows online for free. There are many sites that offer free access to visual media; it's a matter of finding them. Read the following steps to learn how to watch TV movies online for free.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Prepare your computer
Step #1. Check out your playback options
Almost all visual media that you can watch online is streamed. This means that instead of your computer downloading all the data at once, a website only sends you the next few bits of video at a time. This allows you to watch continuously while loading; you don't have to wait for the entire file to be sent to your computer. Streaming demands a lot from your internet connection, but to be able to stream properly you must first prepare.
- Run a YouTube test. Go to the YouTube website, and choose a video that is at least a few minutes long-such as a band's music video. Does the video load quickly and play smoothly? If so, your internet connection is probably good enough to use most streaming services. If not, consider getting a new computer or subscribing to a faster Internet connection.
- To test your internet speed, go to SpeedTest.net. Click on the green button with BEGIN TEST. Anything below 256Kbps can be too slow to stream properly.
- Mbps is a higher number than Kpbs. If your speed says Mbps, then your connection is probably fast enough. However, if you get a result like 0.523 Mpbs, it's no different from 535.5 Kbps.
- Be careful not to click the button at the top of the page that says START NOW. Don't let anything on the Internet ever "scan" your computer.
- Almost all new computers will be more than good enough for good video streaking. If your computer is the culprit, feel free to buy a really cheap new computer-just make sure it's a new one.
- To test your internet speed, go to SpeedTest.net. Click on the green button with BEGIN TEST. Anything below 256Kbps can be too slow to stream properly.
Step 2. Download all necessary software
Unfortunately, not all video programs agree on the best file formats for online videos. On the other hand, the software and plug-ins (small pieces of software) you need for most videos are free and available almost everywhere. VLC Player, for example, is a free program that can play most different types of video files.
Method 2 of 3: Streaming video
Step 1. Start with YouTube
YouTube is by far the largest and most popular video streaming website. It is a good place to listen to popular music, including the most recent hits.
- YouTube also contains many amateur movies and series. Despite the low budget with which some of these amateur productions are made, some productions are indeed interesting and informative.
- Sometimes well-known, mainstream TV shows and movies can also be found on YouTube. However, due to copyrights, most of these are quickly removed from the site.
Step 2. Check hulu.com
Hulu.com is a video site just like YouTube, bridging the gap between free and professional content. It includes a rotating menu of movies and TV shows that you can watch for free, and also offers a more extensive paid package.
- Hulu usually has a ton of free TV shows on offer. However, most of these are not too popular. Usually you will find a mix between old and new programs.
- Hulu's free range of movies is limited, but the search function is easy to use. Again you can expect a mixed selection of old and new titles.
Step 3. Try vimeo.com
This site is a direct competitor to YouTube. As with YouTube, all content on Vimeo is free. However, users can also choose to take out a paid subscription; this allows them to stream in higher quality, and gives them more space to upload their own videos.
- Vimeo features many professional quality independent productions. Think of artistic short films, for example. It also contains a lot of the usual content that users upload.
- You won't find many popular TV shows movies on Vimeo. Obscure, low-budget productions can be found there.
Step 4. Look for other sites
There are many other smaller sites that stream video for your entertainment. These are almost all free. A simple Google search will lead you to some of these sites.
- Many of the smaller video sites focus on a special type of video, such as Japanese animated series, for example. Try searching for a particular topic or style when you search other streaming sites.
- Sometimes it also gives if you search for a particular TV show or movie. For example, if you search for "Watch Brain Slugs from Pluto" Google will provide you with a working stream.
On the other hand, if you search this way you can also get a lot of false hits. Especially if you're looking for A-quality programs and new movies. Click carefully, and do not download anything
Step 5. Consider foreign sites
There are also many foreign streaming sites that are in a legal gray area. For example, there are countries with outdated or tolerable copyright laws, such as China and Russia. While this is a questionable choice at best, these sites can often offer you streaming media (like the latest movies) that you can't find for free anywhere else.
- Be careful with foreign sites. Malware and spyware, for example, are commonplace. Never download anything from these sites, and make sure your antivirus is up to date.
- Expect extremely slow loading times. Unlike YouTube and other popular western sites, these sites often use dated hardware. Because of this, their videos load very slowly even on the fastest computers.
Method 3 of 3: Download
Step 1. Understand the risks
Due to the legal risks, downloading TV and movie files is not recommended. Downloading copyrighted material is called piracy. If you get caught, you could face a hefty fine and/or jail sentence. That said, a lot of people participate in this. So if you're curious, read on to find out how to do it right.
This guide will not name specific websites or make recommendations for file downloads
Step 2. Torrent your programs
A torrent is a file that instructs your computer to download small pieces of a particular target file (such as an episode or a movie) from certain computers that have the file. By sharing the workload, the torrent can download all the data of a particular file very quickly, provided there are enough people sharing the file.
- Torrents require the use of special software, and access to special torrent websites that collect and display available torrents. Both can be obtained for free.
- Torrent sites are often the target of anti-piracy actions. However, the chance that a user will incur a fine is small. Usually the actual communities and sites are tackled.
- Torrents allow you to download just about any movie or TV show you've ever heard of.
Once you own a copy of your program, you don't have to keep sharing it. You can remove the file from your torrent network to be a bit more secure yourself. However, it shows bad manners in the torrent community. You can decide for yourself what you choose
Step 3. Download the files directly
Many sites on the Internet serve as a repository for individual users. They provide secure ways to store files in case the original copies are lost or damaged. However, these highly secured sites can be used to store tons of downloaded movies and TV shows.
- As with torrenting, it is illegal to directly download copyrighted. Unlike torrenting, you are not expected to share your files.
- People who post and promote copyrighted material on their sites are at a much higher risk of being penalized than people who simply download the files. However, never assume that you run no risk at all.