How To Watch Local TV Channels On Your Mac Or Windows PC

Over the course of the last couple of decades, streaming has transformed from a relatively fringe extravagance to the preferred way for many to watch movies and television shows at home. In turn, the major streaming services have put a serious dent in the number of viewers tuning in to watch local television channels for live broadcasts. Moreover, it has no doubt affected the number of people who are even trying to watch broadcasts on an actual television, with many choosing instead to stream content on a personal computer.

In this capacity, streaming has pretty much run laps around local TV broadcasters, which were slower to adapt and make themselves readily available in the online arena frequented by PC users. Local broadcasting has caught up in recent years, making it considerably easier for Mac and Windows users to check in with local channels on their own PCs. And if you are already paying for a cable TV subscription, you may be able to do so simply by logging into your account. That's because many cable providers allow customers to view channels from their standard live TV package online.

You can also view local channels by going old school and connecting a tuner/antenna combo to your PC. This will likely require a monetary investment, however, as most folks don't keep a TV tuner or broadcast antenna around. You'll also need to download a compatible app or the appropriate software to tune in, which could cost extra.

There are some obvious issues with the aforementioned options. For instance, if you are looking for ways to watch local channels on your PC, it's likely that you either do not have an active cable subscription or have made a point to cut the cable company out of your life. And even as an antenna is a good way to check in with region-specific and public broadcast stations, dealing with the sometimes shaky signals those antennas are sometimes picking up feels like it's sort of defeating the purpose of opting to watch on a PC.

To be clear, live region-specific and public broadcast content may be hard to come by on your PC without an antenna. However, if all you're looking for is local TV from PBS, the network offers live streaming options through its respective websites. Apart from that, there are a couple of live TV streaming services that provide local channels with a subscription. While this option may not cost as much as a cable sub, some live TV subs are very much on par, so you'll want to compare a few prices before you choose a service.

You'll also want to check channel availability, as even some of the better live TV streaming services like Philo and Sling TV may not offer access to local channels beyond standards like NBC, Fox, CBS, and ABC. Still, other options like DirecTV Stream, Hulu Live TV, and YouTube TV tend to offer a more comprehensive selection of local channels alongside those staples. Just be sure to do your homework before you dive in.