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April 05, 2021

What IPTV is and Everything You Need to Know about IPTV



IPTV (News - Alert) stands for Internet Protocol Television which means television programming being communicated using the Internet Protocol. In IPTV, instead of receiving TV programs through antenna, satellite dish, or cable, you get broadcast through your internet connection. The streaming on IPTV is downloaded and played almost at the same time.



There are three different formats of IPTV:

Video on Demand (VOD): The streaming services most people know and use are OTT platforms and are exactly what VOD is. It is self-explanatory from the name i.e. Video on Demand. Streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, and Disney (News - Alert) are all examples of Video on Demand. OTT or Over-the-top can be said to be an evolution from the conventional IPTV. These services are based on the subscription model and are one of the most recognized forms of IPTV services.

Time-shifted TV: Also known as Catch-up TV or Time-shifted media. This is something like VOD but with a limitation on time. Time-shifted TV allows you to watch a recent broadcast that you missed due to any reason but can watch it just with a time cap on it. This type of IPTV allows you to record and store it to be watched later. It is not like VOD where any watchable item is there on your demand until the provider decides to pull the plug.

Live IPTV: First it may look like that the live IPTV might be the same as live television shows broadcasted on your TV but live IPTV is different. On TV the live programs are broadcasted with cable, antenna, or satellite dish but on live IPTV these programs are broadcasted over the internet. Services like Sling TV, Fox Sports Go, and Hulu Live are some of the live IPTV services.

Things to look for when buying IPTV service: -

The number of connections:

Most of the service providers offer a single connection and multiple connections. Using a smart TV for streaming might save you a few dollars since you don’t need to get multiple connections because you can use a single IPTV subscription on more than one streaming device. In most cases, a single connection is best-suited.

Provided channels:

Different service providers offer different channels and if you are more specific about what you are looking for then it might be helpful for you. You can search on Google (News - Alert) and look for many service providers.

EPG (Electronic Program Guide) availability:

Every IPTV service has an EPG that shows all the channels available on the IPTV. You can look at your EPG for a live link before buying an IPTV.

VPN compatibility:

 Using your VPN to hide your online activity can help you from the prying eyes of internet service providers and surveillance agencies. Also, you can stream channels in other countries with the use of a VPN.

Customer support:

While most of the IPTV service providers claim to be providing 24-hour support service but mostly, this is just misleading the customer. Having a service provider who offers round the clock support might save you from troubles like illegality issues.

Price:

Neither the free services are good for you nor is the overpricing. So investing in a service which you can pay off long term is best for your budget.

Some of the best IPTV box at the beginning of 2021

  1. NVIDIA (News - Alert) Shield TV
  2. Infomir MAG 500a
  3. Amazon Fire TV Stick
  4. SkyStream TWO
  5. Roku 3 Streaming Media Player
  6. HAOSIHD T9 Android 8.1 TV Box (News - Alert)
  7. Apple TV 4K
  8. Goobang Doo XB-III
  9. MINGHOO PlayStream Media Player
  10. Minix NEO U1

Now you know what you should look for in an IPTV when considering buying one.



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