source:uscreen.tv

IPTV is taking the world by storm. Now, it’s less about “what is IPTV,” and more about “why don’t you have it already?” We still decided to introduce IPTV and all of its benefits to you so that you can significantly improve your TV watching experience.

Entertainment isn’t what it used to be. Now, it’s all about streaming and being able to choose what you’re going to watch. You don’t have to rely on your broadcasters to serve you the right kind of content at the right time, as you can have full control over what you’re watching. And here’s how that works.

What is IPTV?

IPTV is Internet Protocol Television and it allows your TV programming to be communicated using the internet protocol. On one hand we have the traditional cable or satellite TV where broadcasters send out signals that users receive and watch what’s currently being broadcasted, and on the other hand there’s IPTV that uses your Internet connection to send movies and shows. Sure, you might get some sort of recording device and record shows from cable TV and watch them later, but you can also just completely switch to IPTV.

source:lifewire.com

That basically means that most IPTV uses video on demand (VOD). If you’re interested in learning more about IPTV, the requirements and features, click here.

The one thing you need to make the IPTV work in your home setting is a set-top box. Since most TVs don’t support IPTV, you need a set-top box, kind of an adapter that will translate what you receive over the internet into something that your TV can recognize. However, since your computer only needs you to sign up to a service and you’re ready to go, if you can connect your computer to the TV, you may not necessarily need a set-top box.

source:lifewire.com

From the broadcaster’s point of view, IPTV is more complex and demanding than the traditional television. IPTV requires you to have a storage system that will allow you to store all the videos you want to stream. You also need a good interface that will enable users to search and select what they want to see, and once they do, the video needs to be encoded into a format needed for streaming, encrypt it, add ads, and stream it. Usually services that are free come with ads that can be quite annoying, but if you decide to pay for the service, it might pay off. You probably won’t be seeing ads and the IPTV services aren’t typically that expensive.

Why do people love it?

source:source:lifewire.com

Well, I think we kind of answered that question by explaining how the service works. You can watch anything at any time. Rather than letting your broadcaster tell you what you’re going to watch, you can choose the content yourself. It’s easy to install and it provides endless hours of fun. Also, you can watch on any device, not only on your TV and computer. You can use a tablet or a smartphone as well.