What Is It?

IPTV stands for Internet Protocol Television and it is a system through which the contents on your television are delivered through Internet Protocol instead of traditional cable or satellite means. Now you must be wondering why do people need such a service when already cable and satellite means are available? Well, the answer is simple. Streaming services have been growing in demand insanely, mainly due to the increasing trend towards mobile, tablet devices, and video on demand. 

You must be familiar with Netflix, Amazon Prime, etc. likewise, IPTV is no different from these streaming services. One of the formats of IPTV is exactly what Netflix and Amazon Prime offer and that are VOD (Video on Demand). Now you must be thinking, we also have YouTube. Does it fall under the category of IPTV? Well, no. Only the television content that is delivered over an Internet Protocol network is what IPTV is. In simple terms, it is connected to the television content that is aired by cable or satellite networks but with few changes. With the help of IPTV service, you can now watch the same television content on your mobile devices, PC, and Tablets.

It also allows for video on demand feature that lets users subscribe to their favorite streaming service and be able to watch the already added content from the platform’s directory. Other formats include live TV for real-time viewing purposes and time-shifted TV that lets you record the content. An important concern here is about the type of TV set you have. If your TV model is older with no option of Wi-Fi connectivity than you definitely would need a set-top box or streaming device for IPTV service but if your TV model is new and you can connect to Wi-Fi than IPTV service is compatible. 

IPTV providers give the viewers an added advantage of being able to pick the program they want to watch whenever and wherever they feel like instead of tuning into any Live TV show at a specific time. 

How Does It Work?

Tired of surfing channels that do not hook your attention because there is nothing interesting to watch? Then try out IPTV service, which is similar to browsing your favorite content over the internet. It uses an IP (Internet Protocol) that is a transport protocol acting as a delivery mechanism to bring the videos/content to the viewers that they wish to see. This is done when a viewer clicks on a TV program and requests to see the video. The video servers transmit the data packets and sent them over the internet. The program is sent through fiber optic cable to the household’s internet connection. Thus, requests are sent out, and accordingly, shows/content is sent back to the viewer.  

Now let’s look at IPTV formats that are available. There are mainly 3 formats that are widely used around the globe and are most preferred.

1. VOD (Video on Demand)

As the name implies, you get the video when you demand it, as per your convenience. You must have seen numerous video streaming sites, well, that are VOD providers. You simply write in the search bar what you want to watch and the website will send it to you via the internet. The most popular ones being Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime where a basic subscription fee is demanded from the users. 

1. Near VOD (Video on Demand)

This is another pay-per-view service option, similar to the one mentioned above. However, the only difference is that here, the providers inform the schedule of broadcasting content beforehand so that subscribers can look at the schedule and watch the content according to their interest.

1. Live IPTV

Similar to broadcast TV you can now also watch content live on IPTV. For instance, some people are sports freaks. They want to remain updated on every second of their favorite sports match, so through live IPTV, people can easily stream live game shows while they are on the go. Fox Sports Go, Hulu Live TV, etc. all offer Live IPTV. 

1. Time-shifted media

Broadcast networks, due to the increasing needs of the viewer’s now allows users to watch shows that they have missed when they have time to do so. An important difference to note here is that in VOD you can go and watch an episode of the show you missed 8 years ago easily by browsing it, while the content shared on time-shifted media has limited shelf life you can’t go back to the show aired on 28th February’ 2000.

Here Are Some Benefits Of Using Iptv Service

By now, you must have had a good idea about what is IPTV, how does it work and how is it different from traditional cable and satellite options. We’ve gathered some interesting benefits that IPTV service offer to its users that makes their life much easier and hassle-free. 

When you’re watching TV, your traditional cable TV will try to feed you as much media content as possible through a network of numerous cables, that you don’t even feel like watching. In IPTV, the content remains with the host until and unless the user requests it. Now, what’s the point? This system frees up the bandwidth that isn’t dependent on the feed to determine what is available. It is also different from the downloadable video. Here you can only stream the content. This means that the content is moved in batches so that the user doesn’t have to wait before the entire download is complete. Fast, no? IPTV is also not limited to PC’s and tablets, the user can stream the content on any device from live TV shows to movies and sports with an internet connection. 

Thus, you can see how convenient it has become for people around the globe to watch their favorite content as they like. IPTV has become the new face of digital entertainment and you can well anticipate how far this service will go in the coming future!