What is an IPTV, and why should you use it?
Traditional TV is still very popular, and this won’t probably change any time soon, but now there are already so many other options for watching content. Streaming, IPTV, OTT, and many other methods are now easily accessible, and people can easily switch from one to another. In this article, we will focus on IPTV or Internet Protocol Television – what it is and why you should try it out.
What is IPTV?
In a nutshell, IPTV is very similar to traditional TV but just happens over the internet. So, you won’t be watching your favorite shows broadcast live by different TV providers, but you will connect through the internet and watch the same content. All you would need to watch IPTV would be a good internet connection and a provider you would like to use.
A big difference comes from also that with IPTV, the content is stored, and you can watch it whenever you would like to. With traditional TV, you will have to watch whatever is broadcasted whenever it is broadcasted. This is very limiting for most people, which is why IPTV is the perfect solution. IPTV providers store the content that TV channels broadcast, so you can easily choose when to watch your favorite show, and you can watch it multiple times if you want to.
Most IPTV providers don’t need any additional software to be used, but some might actually need a media player to be used in combination with them. You start using the TiviMate IPTV Player if you use a Fire TV or another similar device. Such players will provide you with great flexibility in terms of managing the IPTV service, finding and managing the content, and more.
How does IPTV work?
There are a couple of main differences between IPTV and traditional TV, and pointing them out will be the easiest way to explain how IPTV works:
- Storing content — Traditional TV broadcasts content live, and it is not stored in a way that you can access it later on. Remember how if you knew you would miss something you really wanted to watch in the past, you would use an external recorder to record it? Well, with IPTV, this is not necessary. The IPTV providers record and store what TV channels broadcast and then give you access to it. So, you can watch it whenever you would like to. Something to keep in mind is that the content is probably available for a limited amount of time since otherwise, the amount of stored content will become very extensive.
- Video format — Traditional TV broadcasts its signal in a different manner than the IPTV. IPTV uses digital format since everything happens over the internet. So, they usually transform the analog or other type of format into digital so that you can access it.
- Streaming method — When watching IPTV, you are surfing the internet, and there is a transmission of files between your device and the IPTV provider server. It is called IP multicasting because many people can simultaneously connect to the same server and watch the same content.
Why should you use IPTV?
IPTV has some major benefits. Let’s have a look over them:
- You can watch whatever you want to and whenever you want to. There is no need to use any external devices to record a show you can’t watch live, but you should just find it in your provider’s interface and play it;
- It is very easy to install and start using it. There might be a small set-top box you will have to connect to your TV, but even this is very straightforward;
- You can watch different TV channels at the same time on different devices, which makes it perfect if you want to follow a couple of sports games simultaneously;
- You can skip over ads if you watch content that is already stored after the live broadcast. And let’s be honest, no one like the long advertisement that starts at the most exciting moment;
Takeaways
The future of IPTV definitely looks very bright because people love to have more flexibility to watch what they want when they want. It is very easy to use, and there are already many providers you can choose from. IPTV is just a great way to find a lot of entertaining content and enjoy it.
