Watching TV without Cable TV for some people is like not watching TV at all and air broadcast channels are not just enough anymore and everyone wants to watch their favorite Cable TV channels. People that want to go a step further with more money to spend go for Tivo so they really do not miss the programs they wish to watch that they can record and watch at their own convenient schedules.
But for some of us just has so many bills to pay on a subscription basis, such as your mobile phone, your land line phone, your Internet connection, you electricity, water and apartment rent, Cable TV might just use up all your money to get by everyday. As much as you want to watch Cable TV, sometimes the expense prevents you from watching your favorite Cable TV channel.
Now this post is not about buying extra cables, a cable TV splitter, and using some wire cutters and cable end connectors and hooking it up with your next door neighbor, where you need to buy signal amplifiers if the signal is too weak to support fo many TVs. This is also not about using Cable TV descramblers if ever you are trying to watch some PPV for free. This is about watching Cable TV of some selected channels for free, streaming online.
You can do this with TVU. TVU is a standalone application, where it streams many of the popular Cable TV channels. When currently installed, so far you can watch the following channels:
- CBN
- Fashon
- ESPN
- ESPN 2
- ESPN (Asia)
- Star Sports
- CCTV-5
- Fox
- NBC
- Cartoon Network
- ABC
- CBS
- HunanTV
- CSTV
- NHL
- Telecapri (Italy Sports)
- USA Network
- RTL All Music
- ONTOP TV (Music)
- Sports (NHL, NBA TV)
- E-Music (Harik)
- XinZhi
- Class News (Italy)
- DW TV (German)
- Al Jazeera
- CNN
- Phoenix Info
- StarTV
- Phoenix CN
- CTITV
- KNNSBS (Korea)
- AXN
- Hollywood Movie Channel
- East TV
- CCTV-8
- Music+
- HuaYu
- Channel V
- Disney (Mandarin)
- Comedy Central
- Animal Planet
- TeleMundo
- CCDV
- ABC 9 – KCRG
- FM915
- Cricket
To watch TVU streaming Cable TV online for free, download the free Cable TV desktop application. The TVU Cable TV desktop player is a product of TVU Networks Corporation.
The Action Online website, author, and company is not affiliated with TVU Networks Corporation. We just tried it out and it works on our computers. So far I do not see how they will make money but probably in the same way any air TV network will make money, with advertising. Who knows maybe the future of this application will have some adware with it.
Update Jan. 29, 2009: This is a very old blog post, 3 years ago. And as reported by one of the commenters below, the channels listed above are no longer valid. I also have no plans on keep on updating this blog post on what are the valid channels. Just visit the website if it still exist and see more information on what channels they are still offering online for free.
Popularity: 17% [?]
October 19th, 2006 at 5:36 am
hmmm, will give this a try. i wonder if it’ll run in Linux though.
October 19th, 2006 at 5:51 am
It works on Linux via Wine! Woohoo! No need to turn on the TV when I’m on my laptop.
October 20th, 2006 at 6:57 am
Wow, Benj thanks a lot! your the man…how is business? Great
November 1st, 2006 at 6:36 pm
I want to watch tv on my comp.
May 29th, 2007 at 3:56 pm
does this still work?
August 26th, 2007 at 8:20 pm
hello my name is oday is usa network and all channel 100% free
September 14th, 2007 at 5:48 am
WE CAN GIVE YOU FREE CABLE TV (INCLUDING HBO). CALL TOLL FREE – 1 866 905 6744. ASK FOR JOE FICHTL
September 23rd, 2007 at 11:40 am
Hi, I am writing in regard to free cable. My situation is I live in apartment, know where ped box is, and have opened it several times….had free cable, then a neighbor called for service and mine was d.c’d SUCKS!! So I am here All the time on disabiity and to be honest cannot afford all of my bills cable is nearly 50 for 2-78 channels!! Crazy!! So help would be appreciated very much!
Thanks again
November 2nd, 2007 at 5:40 am
I am wondering how to get ESPN with the TVU Player. I have it installed but I don’t seen ESPN as one of the channel options.
November 2nd, 2007 at 6:43 am
@Mike Jones – Their channel selections had change over time. Some channels they used to offer are now gone.
My guess, only a guess… if when they first started, I think these channels offer some free subscription for a range of time for cable TV operators. Hoping also these cable TV companies could generate enough income by then and pay then after the free subscription period is over.
But having TVU a free service with a revenue model revolving around online ads probably, maybe they can’t afford ESPN right now.
January 29th, 2009 at 3:27 pm
you listed USA Network as a channel, but it’s not one of the options of channels i have….