IPTV comes with a vocabulary that sounds more complicated than it is. This glossary explains fifty terms in one sentence each, grouped so that you can read a section or search for a word. Definitions follow the standards and providers where they exist, and link to the guide that goes deeper.
01
IPTV glossary basics: IPTV, OTT and how TV reaches you
The words you meet first:
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| IPTV | Television delivered as data over an IP network; the ITU describes it as a managed service with set quality, security and reliability |
| OTT | Over the top: a service delivered over the open internet instead of a managed network, such as Zattoo |
| Managed IPTV | IPTV that runs inside the operator's own network, usually with the operator's box |
| Linear TV | Programmes at a fixed time on a channel, as opposed to on demand |
| VoD | Video on demand: films and series you start when you want |
| Catch-up / replay | Watching a programme that already aired, for a limited time |
| Live pause | Pausing a live programme and continuing later |
| Restart | Starting a running programme from the beginning |
| nPVR / cloud recording | Recordings stored on the provider's servers instead of in your box |
| Multiroom | Using the same TV subscription on several TVs |
02
Delivery and protocols
How the signal travels:
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Stream | The continuous flow of data that carries one channel |
| HLS | HTTP Live Streaming (RFC 8216): video delivered as short segments listed in a playlist |
| MPEG-DASH | Another segment-based method for streaming over HTTP |
| RTP | Real-time transport protocol (RFC 3550) for carrying audio and video |
| Multicast | Sending one copy of a channel into a network and copying it only toward viewers |
| IGMP | The protocol with which a device asks to join a multicast channel |
| CDN | Content delivery network: servers that bring streams closer to viewers |
| Latency | How far a stream is behind the live broadcast, see why a live stream lags |
| Bitrate | How much data per second a stream uses, in kbps or Mbit/s |
| Adaptive bitrate | The player switching quality up or down as your connection changes |
| Buffering | The player collecting data ahead of the picture; also the freeze when it runs out |
03
Picture and sound
What the quality labels mean:
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| SD / HD / Full HD | Resolutions of roughly 576, 720 and 1080 lines; Zattoo's HD is 1280 by 720, Full HD 1920 by 1080 |
| UHD / 4K | About four times the pixels of Full HD |
| HDR | High dynamic range: more contrast and colour; formats include HDR10 and Dolby Vision |
| Codec | The method that compresses video, such as H.264 or H.265 |
| H.264 (AVC) | A widely used video codec standardised by the ITU |
| H.265 (HEVC) | A newer codec that needs less data for the same quality; needed for most 4K |
| Dolby Atmos | A surround sound format some boxes and TVs support |
| Frame rate | Pictures per second, for example 50 fps on Zattoo's channels |
04
Files, lists and logins
The vocabulary around playlists and accounts, explained in more depth in IPTV playlists and M3U files and the IPTV subscription guide:
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| M3U / M3U8 | A text file that lists channel names and stream addresses; M3U8 is the UTF-8 version |
| Playlist URL | The web address of a channel list file |
| EPG | Electronic programme guide: the schedule shown on screen |
| XMLTV | The file format in which programme guide data is usually delivered |
| tvg-id | The identifier that links a playlist entry to its guide data |
| Xtream Codes | A login made of server address, username and password; also the name of a management platform |
| Stalker portal | A middleware system that some set-top boxes use to load channels |
| MAC address | A hardware identifier that some services tie an access to |
| Activation code | A code that unlocks an app on a device; it pays for the app, not for channels |
05
Boxes, apps and devices
The hardware and software side, see IPTV apps and players and IPTV devices:
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| STB | Set-top box: a receiver that plugs into the TV |
| IPTV box | A box that loads the channel list over the network and sends the picture to the TV |
| MAG box | A family of portal-based set-top boxes by Infomir |
| Android TV / Google TV | Google's operating systems for TVs and boxes |
| Tizen / webOS | The TV operating systems of Samsung and LG |
| Chromecast | Google's way to send content from a phone to a TV; built into some boxes |
| HDMI | The cable standard between box and TV; HDMI 2.0 is needed for 4K at 60 frames per second |
| Player app | Software that plays channel lists; it brings no channels of its own |
06
Rights, law and business
Words that matter once money and rights are involved:
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| DRM | Digital rights management: encryption that ties playback to authorised devices |
| Broadcasting rights | The licences a provider needs for each channel; they are negotiated per country, channel and period |
| Geoblocking | Limiting a stream to a country because the rights are territorial |
| Reseller | Someone who sells access to a service that another party operates |
| Panel | The control system a reseller uses to create logins on a platform |
| Unlicensed service | A service that carries channels without the rights; see IPTV illegal or legal in Switzerland |
| Chargeback | Asking the card issuer to reverse a payment |
| Household fee | In Switzerland, the radio and television fee that every household pays, see the radio and TV fee |
07
Where to go next
See also Fix TV buffering, IPTV scams and red flags and Internet speed for TV streaming. For the whole picture, start from IPTV Switzerland: licensed providers compared.
Also useful: UHD and 4K TV and Do you need a TV box?.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What does EPG mean in IPTV?
Electronic programme guide: the schedule shown on screen. It usually comes as an XMLTV file and is linked to the channels by an identifier such as tvg-id.
What is an M3U file?
A text file that lists channel names and stream addresses so that a player can load them. It contains no video.
What is the difference between IPTV and OTT?
IPTV in the ITU sense runs on a managed network, often with the operator's box. OTT is delivered over the open internet and works on any connection.
What is DRM and why does it matter?
Digital rights management is encryption that ties playback to authorised devices. Licensed services use it; many unlicensed ones do not.
Sources
Read next
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