I've just built a big black computer (to be known heretofore as the BBC). For the heck of it I put in a TV card, but I'm in need of education about how to use it.

Should I plug a coaxial cable into my cable-TV outlet in the wall?

I've found various references online to Europeans liking TV cards because they can use decoders to watch pay TV channels on their computers for free. Now, God forbid that I'd do anything illegal or anything, but just for information, like, I'd like to know about this, and try it out on the BBC.

Anyone know anything about all this stuff?