It's possible to use file sharing programs to get the shows you're looking for. Usually it's online the day after it airs and you don't have to pay for it. I know you can get movies as well, but I'm happy just with some tv every now and then. Just have a decent internet connection (adsl), a sharing program like amule, limewire, bittorrent, etc., and you're computer. That's it. That way, you don't mess with a TV (or the RAI tax) or satellite. It's also helpful to look up each file you may potentially download with a file verification (Bitzi) as it'll help save time instead of downloading a big spam file or something other than you're looking for.

and iTunes does work here. If you're credit card is US, you'll pay through the US. If it's Italian, there's an iTunes Italia site. I generally buy stuff here with my US credit card as I don't pay VAT in the end, plus I pay the same price in dollars (about 25% less). Hope this helps

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It's possible to use file sharing programs to get the shows you're looking for. Usually it's online the day after it airs and you don't have to pay for it.

Thanks Stivo.So how do I do this and where do I find a list of shows available?

I am very happy to hear that itunes will work!

iTunes will work if you have a US billing address for your credit card. Keep in mind, however, that the picture is small (designed for the video iPod), so if you watch it on a TV the quality is likely to be disappointing. DivX files are much better quality, but not available legally.

If you want to go the less-legal route, the link I provided earlier should help.

Deidre...is the less than legal site you mentioned the Squidoo site? If so, where do you actually download from?

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iTunes will work if you have a US billing address for your credit card. Keep in mind, however, that the picture is small (designed for the video iPod), so if you watch it on a TV the quality is likely to be disappointing.

Well I do not own an ipod ,nor will we have a TV ,so I will be playing them on our macbookpro laptop we just bought for our trip.Is it going to come out on that in a 2x2 size? We will do a test soon & see how it works.

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Originally posted by WT:
Well I do not own an ipod ,nor will we have a TV ,so I will be playing them on our macbookpro laptop we just bought for our trip.Is it going to come out on that in a 2x2 size? We will do a test soon & see how it works.

WT, you can enlarge the viewing size in iTunes. I have a MacBook Pro 15" and while the image quality isn't that great on the stuff downloaded from iTunes, it's certainly acceptable.

Thanks professoressa,

Thats good to know!

Thanks to the recommendation of LIVEWIRE. Excellent! I was able to download a couple of programs from a series that I had missed while I was traveling.

A couple quick thoughts...

Hulu.com has some American TV shows and some movies. Not a great selection but I think it will grow over time.

Also, Apples TV shows and Movies are in fact TV resolution (640x480). TVs have much bigger pixels so they look smaller on a computer screen, but if you view full screen and sit back a few feet they are fine...

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Originally posted by Stivo:
Just have a decent internet connection (adsl), a sharing program like amule, limewire, bittorrent, etc., and you're computer. That's it. That way, you don't mess with a TV (or the RAI tax) or satellite.

That's wrong. As you can see TV through your computer, you should be paying what you call "RAI tax" which - indeed - is a tax for owners of TV devices (including videophone, computers,...).
I know it sounds absurds, in fact customers' associations already complained. It looks like the subject is not very clear.
See article 1 and article 2 on Punto Informatico.

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Originally posted by ThatCreativeGuy:
A couple quick thoughts...

Hulu.com has some American TV shows and some movies. Not a great selection but I think it will grow over time.

Actually, we haven't been able to get Hulu to play here in Italy. Apparently it's U.S. only? (that's the message we get when trying to get it to play here.)

Although I don't think they have TV shows, has anyone tried the streaming video from Netflix?

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Originally posted by IoDipingo:
Actually, we haven't been able to get Hulu to play here in Italy. Apparently it's U.S. only? (that's the message we get when trying to get it to play here.)

There is software available to mask your ISP...which is what tells another computer where you are. I haven't tried it yet, but I assume a Goggle serach will display several choices. With this software you'll be able to watch stuff from the states no matter where you are.

Channel 4 in the UK (and also the BBC) have an on demand service which show the last 30 days tv free of charge on your pc. Channel 4 also show back episodes of most American shows (Lost, Sex and the City, Prison Break etc) free of charge. The conditions are that you have to be in the UK but if you get the software that masks your ISP that Barb and Art are talking about then you could use those services. I certainly will when I move over to help with the homesickness!

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Originally posted by Barb (and Art):
There is software available to mask your ISP...which is what tells another computer where you are.

Here's one for watching US-sourced programs.

OK i am technologically challenged and a mac owner...can someone explain what we are talking about here, what it does and are they legal...

Is this something that will affect that the fact that often when I go to look at a site it automatically gives me everything in Italian because it reads that is where I am?

There are different systems being talked about in the thread:

File sharing - when sharing films, music, TV programs with others, when they would otherwise have to be paid for - is illegal.

Downloading from iTunes is legal.

The link to which I posted - which is software that basically tells the internet (and everyone and everything on it) that you are in the US instead of outside the US - is legal. It can be used for online protection from hackers. It means that your computer's real internet address isn't exposed to the world. Whether it's legal to watch US programs sourced from the US, when you would be blocked if otherwise outside the US, is a grey area. The reason a computer outside the US is blocked is that the rights haven't been licensed to that particular country.

If you're getting pages in Italian because a server knows you are in Italy, the software might help. I've never had that happen.

Great..Graeme..and thanks...so all I do is go to that link and it is obvious once I get there to download this software and another "tech" question can it affect any of the programs I now have or passwords or stuff...I have 10.4.11 system I think that is tiger is ok to have that...

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Originally posted by Graeme:
Here's one for watching US-sourced programs.

This doesn't look like the type of filter I was talking about...is it the same thing?

Yes. Someone passed on the info to us thinking we would be interested. Apparently you download Hotspot Shield, install it, open it, wait till it connects to a US IP, then go to Hulu.com. I say apparently because we've never tried it.

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Originally posted by JoanSi:
Great..Graeme..and thanks...so all I do is go to that link and it is obvious once I get there to download this software and another "tech" question can it affect any of the programs I now have or passwords or stuff...I have 10.4.11 system I think that is tiger is ok to have that...

See my reply to Barb immediately above. It wouldn't affect anything else on your computer. 10.4.11 should be fine. Try anyway.

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Originally posted by Graeme:
Yes. Someone passed on the info to us thinking we would be interested. Apparently you download Hotspot Shield, install it, open it, wait till it connects to a US IP, then go to Hulu.com. I say apparently because we've never tried it.

ok...so does this mean if I install it everytime I open my computer it will be there or do I have to do something special....i am one of these older people that i deathly afraid of what i don't know about computers specially since I am in a foreign country with a foreign language which is why I ask lots of questions...so sorry in advance...

Barb and Art are talking about a Proxy. It kind of sounds like Hotspot shield but this is an additional side-effect of this software (Hotspot) rather than it's original, publicised intention, if it works like a Proxy. A Proxy masks your IP address or even pretends you are in the country that you want to download programmes from to get around the copyright laws. My only question about Proxy software programmes that can be downloaded from the web ( not Hotspot as this looks legit) is whether you would then be able to connect to all your usual sites without any problem as your PC would no longer be recognised by them.