I gave my laptop a device from Ultima Electronic Corp. of Taiwan, via Dixons @ sub £30, that (with a flat-panel aerial from Maplin) gives me trouble-free reception of almost all the digital channels (Parliament radio, but not TV).
It has a problem with the BBC3 and BBC4 channels, finding them if tuned after 7 pm and CBBC and CBeebies if tuned in the mornings, but not both.
Older such devices on other machines in other rooms are not performing so well, with erratic or unreliable reception on most channels, whatever the aerial.
On my 1 mbps cable service, the internet radio and TV is not nearly so palatable.
Uh oh ... seems those damn TV Licencing people have cottoned on and say it's illegal to watch TV on your PC or PHONE (cheeky gits) without having a licence for it.
I hate paying for my licence. I got took to court a few years back for not having one and got fined 110 pounds ... not bad really considering I never had one for 6 years
"YOU KNOW I THINK I RECOGNISE YOUR FACE, BUT I'VE NEVER SEEN YOU BEFORE!" Noel Gallagher.