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22 Nov, 2021

Traditional television has been in decline for several years now due to the changing global trends and technological development. The widespread availability of the internet has made everything more accessible, including TV. Nowadays, you can access your favorite shows and movies at will, thanks to internet protocol television (IPTV).

Considering that convenience is the number-one consumer need in today’s fast-paced world, IPTV has quickly conquered the market due to its superior user experience. But what is IPTV exactly? How does it work? Is it all positives and no negatives? These are just some of the questions we’re going to address in this article.

What Is IPTV?

IPTV stands for internet protocol television and entails users receiving television programs over the internet instead of antennas, satellite dishes, or fiber-optic cables. In other words, IPTV streams video content directly over the internet.

Although IPTV content delivery is different from that of online video platforms like YouTube or OTT services like Netflix, it does share many of their conveniences. For instance, IPTV allows users to access video on demand (VOD) content on a subscription-based model and watch live broadcasts. That gives viewers the freedom of accessing their favorite shows at will while still having the option of enjoying live events and programs like on traditional TV.

How Does IPTV Work?

Traditional TV sends analog signals directly to users via cables, who can only access the currently broadcasted content. In these cases, users can only control when or what they view via external recording devices.

How IPTV works varies significantly. Unlike traditional TV that can only broadcast content in real time, IPTV has servers it stores content on. That gives users the freedom to request to view programs at will. After a user selects a show they’d like to watch, that content will be converted into digital format and delivered in packets to their playback device via the internet protocol. The files transferred will be compressed and optimized for streaming before they reach the end-users.

What Is an IPTV Box?

An IPTV box or a set-top box is a device used to convert streaming signals received via the internet protocol into a format that a TV can read and reproduce. In other words, set-top boxes translate the language of the internet protocol. These boxes are often connected to the TV via HDMI or AV cables, or even through Wi-Fi connection for newer models.

If you choose to stream IPTV from your computer, though, you won’t need a set-top box as PC’s can already read the data received through the internet protocol. Those who’d like to save on a set-top box but still enjoy watching IPTV on their television screens can mirror their PC screens on the TV and watch from there.