What is IPTV?

Understanding the Ongoing Revolution in Digital Media

If you’re not a part of the media landscape, there’s a good chance you haven’t heard of IPTV. But you’ve probably been using it for years. And you’ll likely be using it even more in the future. 

IPTV is a fast-growing industry. Experts estimate the market value will double in size (and then some!) by 2029. Then, as we speak, new providers and services are popping up alongside traditional TV providers with more IPTV offerings.

But what is IPTV? What does IPTV stand for? How does it work? And how can you use it to improve your TV-watching experience?

We’re here to walk you through the answers, starting with the basics.

IPTV stands for “Internet Protocol Television.” Sounds technical, right? But don’t let the name fool you. In reality, IPTV is just a way to deliver television or video content to viewers via the internet. That’s opposed to more traditional, non-IPTV methods like cable or satellite. 

If you’ve used a streaming service like Netflix or Hulu, it’s the same idea, but with TV instead of movies or syndicated shows. And even if you don’t know it, you might already be using IPTV to watch live TV, catch-up TV, or VOD (Video on Demand). More on that later. 

IPTV vs. Non-IPTV: What’s the Difference?

The difference between traditional non-IPTV and IPTV is how your service provider delivers the content. In the case of non-IPTV, content is transmitted via light pulses in fiber-optic cable or radio waves from a satellite. On the other hand, IPTV service providers might deliver the same content to you through your broadband internet connection.

Why Do People Choose Internet Protocol Television?

If you can watch the same content, just through a different delivery system, why choose IPTV? The most significant reason many people gravitate toward IPTV is increased flexibility. Let’s take a closer look at 3 ways this flexibility applies. 

Flexibility On When You Watch

With cable or satellite TV, broadcasters send out signals in real-time, and viewers receive them. That means you’re only able to watch what’s being broadcast live. Unless you have a recording device, you don’t get to dictate what’s on and when. You just tune in when you can and watch what’s available.

Most IPTV uses video on demand (VOD) or time-shifted media (we’ll discuss these and a third format shortly). So, with IPTV, you can still watch your favorite TV show through a live broadcast. But you can also tell your provider what you want to watch, and they’ll send it to you immediately—even after the live broadcast. 

The crux? Say goodbye to a rigid TV schedule and needing to remember to program your digital video recorder (DVR) to catch what you missed. 

Flexibility on How You Watch

With IPTV, you don’t have to stay glued to your TV screen as your favorite show airs live. On top of that, you don’t have to stay glued to your TV screen… at all. 

That’s because IPTV apps let you watch shows on different devices. That means you can load up your go-to cooking show on your tablet, smartphone, or laptop and follow along in the kitchen. (Or wherever you choose!) 

That said, even some more forward-thinking cable providers let you do this via an app. But it isn’t a given. 

Flexibility with The Network

The “IP” in Internet Protocol Television is the same as the one in your IP address or VoIP (voice-over IP). In an IPTV context, all that means is a service provider is using the internet protocol to communicate its television programming.

IP networks offer far more flexibility within the network, enabling two-way interactivity compared to the traditional, one-way cable connectivity or satellite broadcast network. As the end-user, this allows you to have more controls and options to interact and personalize your experience.

Do You Need a Set-Top Box for IPTV?

Yes and no. Let’s get into it.

If you have an older TV, it might not be equipped for IPTV. In this case, you may need a set-top box like Apple TV, Roku, and Amazon Fire TV. (These set-top boxes “translate” what you receive over your internet connection into a format your TV can read.)

Your computer, on the other hand, doesn’t need anything to watch IPTV. Once you sign up for a service, you can use it to live stream whatever you want in any of the IPTV formats (which we’ll discuss next).

If you can mirror your computer screen to your TV, you can watch IPTV without a set-top box.

New Smart TVs also can come with built-in IP support that can be connected to your network and set up to use IPTV services.

Hybrid IPTV

Many TV providers are now adopting a hybrid approach to IPTV to solve some of the issues with fully IP-enabled broadcasts. IPTV requires a great deal of bandwidth to transmit a ton of data at high speed.

Hybrid IPTV combines traditional TV services with IP-based ones. The biggest selling point is that it’s all delivered through a single box. This lets TV providers expand their offerings to their subscribers.

It also makes it easier to roll out new products and services without completely overhauling the set-top box. In short, it’s a good way to transition from a traditional model to a more modern one.