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If you have been looking for a way to watch live TV without a cable box, you have probably run into the question: what is IPTV? The short answer is that IPTV is television delivered over your internet connection instead of through a coaxial cable, a satellite dish or an antenna. You watch it through an app on a device you already own, such as a smart TV, a Fire TV Stick or a phone.
This guide explains how IPTV works, what you need to get started, what the common terms mean, and what to check before you pay for a service. It is written for complete beginners, so every term is explained the first time it appears.
What is IPTV, in plain terms?
IPTV stands for Internet Protocol Television. “Internet Protocol” is the set of rules that moves data across the internet, and IPTV simply uses those same rules to move television. Instead of a broadcaster sending every channel to every home at once, an IPTV provider keeps the channels on its servers and sends you only the one you ask for, when you ask for it.
That is the same basic idea behind any video you watch online. What makes IPTV different from a typical streaming app is the mix of content and the way you access it. An IPTV subscription usually bundles live channels, movies, series and pay-per-view (PPV) events into one login, and you watch that login through a player app rather than through a single branded app. The Wikipedia entry on IPTV covers the technical history in more depth.
How IPTV works, step by step
The clearest answer to the question of what is IPTV comes from following the chain from the provider to your screen. There are only four links in it.
- The provider’s servers receive the channels and encode them into a format that can travel over the internet, typically a stream broken into small chunks using a method such as HTTP Live Streaming.
- Your internet connection carries those chunks to your home. The faster and more stable the connection, the smoother the picture.
- A player app on your device requests the chunks, decodes them and shows you a channel list and a program guide.
- Your screen displays the result, whether that is a 65-inch TV or a phone on the train.
When you select a channel, the app asks the server for that stream and starts playing it a few seconds later. When you switch channels, it drops the old stream and requests a new one. Nothing is stored on your device beyond a short reserve of video, which is why a hiccup in your connection shows up as a pause or a frozen frame.
Provider, player and device are three separate things
This trips up a lot of beginners. The provider sells you access to the channels. The player is an app written by an independent developer that can display any provider’s channels. The device is the hardware the app runs on. You can change any one of the three without changing the other two. Our guide to the IPTV player versus the IPTV provider goes into what each one is responsible for when something goes wrong.
What you need to get started
You do not need special equipment. Most people already own everything on this list except the subscription.
- An internet connection. Speed is measured in megabits per second (Mbps). A single HD stream typically needs about 5 to 8 Mbps, Full HD about 8 to 12 Mbps and 4K about 25 Mbps or more, with headroom for the other devices in your home. Ethernet is more stable than Wi-Fi, and 5 GHz Wi-Fi is faster than 2.4 GHz but has a shorter range.
- A device. Smart TVs from Samsung and LG, Android TV and Google TV boxes, Nvidia Shield, Fire TV Stick and Fire TV Cube, Apple TV, iPhone and iPad, Android phones and tablets, Chromecast with Google TV, MAG boxes, Formuler boxes, Windows PCs and Macs all work. Roku support is limited. The IPTVOID setup guide covers 15 of them.
- A player app. Popular choices include TiviMate, IPTV Smarters Pro, IBO Player Pro, Kodi and Smart IPTV. Some are free, some charge a small fee, and that fee goes to the app developer, not to the IPTV provider.
- A subscription and its login details. These arrive by email after you order or request a trial.
The login details explained
Most player apps ask for three things: a username, a password and a server URL. Together these are called an “Xtream Codes” login, after the system that popularized the format. Some apps take a single M3U playlist link instead, which points to a plain-text file that lists every channel and where to fetch it. MAG boxes and similar “portal” devices work differently: the provider registers the device’s MAC address (its hardware ID) and gives you a portal URL to enter.
Two things catch people out. The IPTV username is usually not your email address, and the IPTV password is not the password for the provider’s website. Also, server addresses can change over time, so always use the details from the most recent activation email.
What is IPTV like to use day to day?
Once the app is set up, using IPTV feels close to using a cable box, with a few differences. You get a channel list, often sorted into groups by country or genre, and an electronic program guide (EPG) that shows what is on now and next. The EPG is a separate data feed from the video, which is why a guide can be empty while the channel itself plays fine.
Beyond live TV, most services include a library of movies and series, known as video on demand (VOD), and some offer catch-up TV that lets you replay a program that aired earlier. IPTVOID, for example, offers 16K+ live channels plus movies, series and PPV events, with streams in SD, HD, Full HD and 4K where available.
One limit to know about: with most subscriptions, including IPTVOID’s, you can set the login up on several devices but watch on only one of them at a time. If two people in the house want different channels at the same moment, you need two subscriptions.
If you are weighing IPTV against what you have now, our comparison of IPTV versus cable TV walks through the trade-offs honestly.
Five terms you will keep seeing
Once you have the basic answer to what is IPTV, the jargon is the next hurdle. These five terms cover most of it.
- Xtream Codes: the server URL, username and password combination most apps use to log in.
- M3U: a playlist file format. An M3U link points to a text file that begins with
#EXTM3Uand lists channels with#EXTINFlines. - EPG: the electronic program guide, delivered as its own feed, sometimes through a separate EPG URL that you add to the app.
- VOD: video on demand, meaning movies and series you start whenever you like.
- Buffering: the pause you see when the app runs out of downloaded video and waits for more. It usually points to your connection or, during big live events, to server load.
Is IPTV legal, and how do you pick a provider?
A common follow-up to what is IPTV is whether it is allowed. IPTV is a delivery technology, so the question is not whether IPTV itself is permitted but whether a specific service holds the rights to the channels it offers. That varies by service and by country, and the responsibility for checking sits with you. Look for a service that publishes clear company contact details, its terms, a privacy and refund policy and a DMCA or takedown policy, and check your own local law.
Beyond the paperwork, judge a service on how it performs for you. A long channel list alone does not tell you how a service will work on your connection and your device. A free trial does. IPTVOID offers a 24-hour trial with no credit card for viewers in the USA, Canada, the UK and Norway, and publishes its contact details and DMCA policy openly. For a fuller checklist, read our guide on how to choose an IPTV provider.
Frequently asked questions
What is IPTV in one sentence?
IPTV is live TV, movies and series delivered over your internet connection and watched through a player app on a device you already own. It replaces the cable box with a subscription login.
Do I need a special box for IPTV?
No. A smart TV, a streaming stick, a phone, a tablet or a computer is enough. Dedicated boxes such as MAG and Formuler exist and work well, but they are an option, not a requirement.
Does IPTV work on my existing Wi-Fi?
Usually, yes, as long as your connection gives the stream enough speed and the signal is strong where the device sits. Ethernet is the most stable choice. Test it on your own device during a trial, ideally at the time of day you normally watch.
Can I watch IPTV on two TVs at once?
With IPTVOID, one subscription allows one stream at a time. You can install the login on several devices, but only one of them can play at any given moment. This limit varies by provider, so check before you buy.
The bottom line on what IPTV is
So, what is IPTV? It is a practical way to watch live TV and on-demand content over the internet using the devices you already own. Once you understand the three moving parts, provider, player and device, and the three login details most apps ask for, the rest is straightforward.
The best way to understand IPTV is to try it on your own TV and your own connection. If you are in the USA, Canada, the UK or Norway, you can request a free 24-hour IPTVOID trial, no credit card required, and see for yourself how it works.