TV-Browser for Windows

We remember when checking the television listings was a matter of looking in the newspaper or picking up the latest issue of TV Guide with the week's groceries. Times have changed, and now people turn to their computers to see what's on TV. TV-Browser is one such option for this information, at least in theory; the program promises to provide up-to-date TV listings, but we found it to be severely lacking, especially for U.S. users.

TV-Browser starts with a setup wizard, allowing users to select their country and then choose the channels they want to include. There are 11 countries to choose from, all of which are European with the exception of the U.S. and Australia. The selection of channels for most of these countries looks pretty comprehensive, but the only ones that are listed for the U.S. are American Forces Network channels. Other channels can be added manually, but there's really no point, when there are so many other, easier ways to get TV listings. Users in countries other than the U.S. will find that TV-Browser has adequate listings and is fairly easy to navigate; although the way the listings are displayed is a little cluttered and hard to look at. The program's online Help wiki is well-written and thorough. Overall, TV-Browser isn't a bad choice for users in select countries, but there are definitely better options for U.S. users.

TV-Browser is free. It installs politely but leaves a folder and Start menu item behind upon removal. We recommend this program with reservations.