# If I have a tv tuner hooked up to my home computer, is there any way to stream the channels over the **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 5, 2010, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-have-a-tv-tuner-hooked-up-to-my-home-computer-is-there-any-way-to-stream-the-channels-over-the/538423 "2010-05-05T17:28:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Livardo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/43a26b/32.png) [@Livardo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Livardo)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2010, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-have-a-tv-tuner-hooked-up-to-my-home-computer-is-there-any-way-to-stream-the-channels-over-the/538423/1 "2010-05-05T17:28:06Z")
…Internet? Is there any free / open source software which will allow me to watch my cable channels from anywhere with an Internet connection? ---
**Author:** ![rockypg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/aeb1de/32.png) [@rockypg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rockypg)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2010, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-have-a-tv-tuner-hooked-up-to-my-home-computer-is-there-any-way-to-stream-the-channels-over-the/538423/2 "2010-05-05T17:46:07Z")
you could use logmein or other terminal-transport type software/service to access your home computer from anywhere and view what you need to. If for some reason you want to ONLY stream - or multicast is needed, then look no further than VideoLan. You may be familiar with VLC player, which is the client component (VLC can stream static video files but not TV Capture streams). There is a server version that can stream from several sources including, I believe, TV tuner output. > **[The cross-platform streaming solution - VideoLAN](http://www.videolan.org/vlc/streaming.html)** > > The cross-platform streaming solution other possibilities here: [http://all-streaming-media.com/stream-broadcast/free-audio-video-stream-broadcasting-software.htm](http://all-streaming-media.com/stream-broadcast/free-audio-video-stream-broadcasting-software.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2010, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-have-a-tv-tuner-hooked-up-to-my-home-computer-is-there-any-way-to-stream-the-channels-over-the/538423/3 "2010-05-05T17:56:44Z")
Isn’t that what a [Slingbox](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slingbox) is supposed to do? Then again, that’s not free. ---
**Author:** ![arseNal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@arseNal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/arseNal)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2010, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-have-a-tv-tuner-hooked-up-to-my-home-computer-is-there-any-way-to-stream-the-channels-over-the/538423/4 "2010-05-05T18:02:35Z")
Best free solution that I know of for this: [http://www.orb.com](http://www.orb.com) ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2010, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-have-a-tv-tuner-hooked-up-to-my-home-computer-is-there-any-way-to-stream-the-channels-over-the/538423/5 "2010-05-05T19:05:29Z")
MythTV with MythStream. ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2010, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-have-a-tv-tuner-hooked-up-to-my-home-computer-is-there-any-way-to-stream-the-channels-over-the/538423/6 "2010-05-05T19:11:37Z")
I’ll second orb. If you have an ipad/iphone you can also try Air Video. run the server app on your machine and use the client on the ipad/iphone. ---
**Author:** ![Livardo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/43a26b/32.png) [@Livardo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Livardo)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2010, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-have-a-tv-tuner-hooked-up-to-my-home-computer-is-there-any-way-to-stream-the-channels-over-the/538423/7 "2010-05-05T19:14:12Z")
> [@Balthisar](#): > > MythTV with MythStream. Are you able to change the channels remotely with this software? Do I need extra software installed in the client machine or can I use a web browser? thanks.