Article sponsored by a2bTV
It's an amazing experience to move overseas, explore a foreign country and learn about a new culture. But many expats agree, there's nothing nicer at the end of the day than kicking back on the sofa in Tokyo or Moscow and connecting back to home.
Technology is indeed making the world smaller. You no longer need to miss out on your favorite news, sports and movies when you decide to move abroad. In recent years, a few innovative TV hosting companies have begun offering overseas expats the same high quality TV experience they are used to at home. Using cutting edge video streaming technology, expat TV services deliver their customers their very own TV account, which they can view in High Definition resolution on a big screen TV, wherever they happen to live. These Internet TV services are an amazing example of how today's technology can offer an expat family a small piece of home, while they're living, working or serving in the military abroad.
How do these services work?
Usually, expat TV hosting companies require their customers to have a PC and an Internet connection in the country they wish to view from. They may also require the installation of software used for video streaming. The hosting company maintains a TV receiver for each customer to connect to over the Internet. They also use video encoding hardware that converts the video into something that can be streamed over the Internet. On the customer's end it's pretty simple; you open some software and are automatically logged into your personal TV system over the Internet. You can then watch programming on your PC or output the picture to your television and home sound system. Some services even allow you to view on your cell phone.
When shopping for an expat TV service, there are a few things to look for:
• Some fly-by-night Internet TV offers promise you all the channels you could want for a small, one-time payment. Beware of these types of offers and keep in mind that you get what you pay for. If you want a legal, high-quality TV experience that doesn't get shut down after a month, you'll need to pay for it.
• Make sure the hosting company has a dedicated Technical Support team who are regularly available to answer your questions and who are on-site to maintain your television equipment. Different services have varying levels of commitment to customer service, so do your homework.
• Confirm that you have adequate Internet connection speeds to your hosting company. The faster your video stream speeds are, the better your picture quality will be. The more sophisticated TV hosting facilities are built in tier-one data centers, allowing them to offer high speed Internet connectivity to their customers around the world. When shopping for a hosting service, ask if they have a speed test that will allow you to test your connection to them.
• Different services offer a different selection of channels. Be sure to look over the programming selection to be sure they have the networks that interest you. Programming charges may vary depending on the number of channels you order.
• Try it out before you buy. Reputable hosting companies make it easy for you to try out their service so you can see for yourself exactly how it works.
How does pricing work?
A monthly fee covers the cost of your TV programming, the Internet upload bandwidth and customer support. (Your local Internet service is additional.) The fees are usually about double your average cable or satellite TV bill back home. The costs are higher, because you're paying not only for the TV programming, but also for the Internet bandwidth that the hosting company provides to allow you access your TV system. Also, there is often a one-time set up fee which covers the TV receiving equipment, video encoding hardware and the installation of the system into the TV hosting facility.
If you're moving abroad and are afraid you'll miss your favorite shows, sports teams, news and movies, be sure and check out this great technology.
More Expat Resources
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