SNL has only given permission for episodes to be screened on the official NBC website, which is at www.nbc.com. These episodes, however, are generally not downloadable, and cannot be saved to a computer for later viewing. They must be watched on the NBC website. Therefore, using a search engine to find websites where you can download episodes is key. You can also find episodes using file-sharing software such as Kazaa and Limewire. You can also locate clips on websites such as YouTube, but full episodes are less common there. A website that requires you to join up to download TV shows called Full-tv-downloading.com also promises to have SNL episodes for you to save to your computer.
Once again, you will have to do some digging to find the episode you want. The best bet is to use whatever search engines are built into the website or the file-sharing software. The more you know about the episode, the better. For example, you may know the year or season in which the episode you want played. Or, you might just know the guest or musical guest. Knowing both can help narrow the search, since there are guest hosts who have hosted multiple times.
If you are watching television and movies online, you probably already have software downloaded that lets you do that. However, if this is your first venture into downloading and watching television online, it is best to download software such as Microsoft Media Player, Real Networks Real Player and Quicktime. The websites you find may offer the episodes in multiple formats, depending on the sophistication of the website. You will also find multiple platforms if you use a file-sharing software program. It is a simple matter, then, to click on the episode you want, save it to a file on your hard-drive and then click on the episode in that folder to watch it. Your computer should automatically select the right software to play the episode.
If you are visiting a website such as NBC.com, you can watch as many episodes as you want, and not have to worry about copyright infringement. However, if you use a file-sharing service such as Kazaa and Limewire, be aware that you are likely violating those copyright laws. It can be traced back to you and a lawsuit can be filed. At the same time, using a file-sharing program can open your computer up to viruses. Use caution, don't download too much, and make sure you are running protection software often.
As the popularity of online television watching has grown, the number of outlets where you can find any number of episodes, including SNL, have grown. It is now also possible to download episodes and watch them on your cell phones or iPods. Once again, caution needs to be taken, and it is best if you use trustworthy sources for downloading. NBC actually does a good job of providing full episodes, episode history and special features available only for those who go online to watch.