A to E
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| Adaptive bitrate | Streaming several qualities of the same channel and switching between them as your connection changes |
| Anti-freeze | A sales term some IPTV sellers use; not a technical standard |
| AV1 | An open video codec from the Alliance for Open Media, decoded by newer devices |
| Bitrate | How much data a stream uses each second; it decides detail and data use |
| Buffering | Playback pausing while the player waits for more of the stream |
| Catch-up | Watching a programme after it aired, from the provider’s archive |
| Codec | The method used to compress video or audio, such as H.264 or Dolby Digital |
| Dolby Digital | A surround-sound format (AC-3), with Dolby Digital Plus (E-AC-3) as its successor |
| EPG | The electronic programme guide: the TV guide in your player |
F to L
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| FAST channels | Free ad-supported streaming TV: scheduled channels paid for by adverts |
| Firestick | Amazon’s Fire TV Stick: a small streaming device that plugs into a TV’s HDMI port |
| Frame rate | How many pictures a second a stream shows: 25, 50 or 60 |
| H.264 | The video codec behind most HD channels |
| HDCP | HDMI copy protection; a broken chain causes black screens or lower resolution |
| HDR | High dynamic range: HDR10, HDR10+, HLG and Dolby Vision |
| HEVC (H.265) | The video codec used for most 4K channels |
| HLS | A streaming format that cuts video into short segments listed in an M3U8 playlist |
| IPTV | Television delivered over internet protocol networks |
M to R
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| M3U | A text playlist listing channels and their stream addresses |
| M3U8 | An M3U playlist saved as UTF-8; also the playlist format of HLS |
| MAC address | A device’s network identifier, used by portal logins and some TV apps |
| Middleware | The system behind a service that handles accounts, channel lists and the guide |
| MPEG-TS | The broadcast transport stream format inside most live channels |
| Multicast | One stream shared by many viewers on a managed network |
| OTT | “Over the top”: streaming over the open internet, as apps do |
| Passthrough | Sending surround sound untouched to a soundbar or receiver to decode |
| Portal | A login by portal address and MAC address, used by MAG boxes |
| Resolution | The number of pixels in each frame: SD, HD, Full HD, 4K, 8K |
S to Z
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| Server address | The web address in your login that your app contacts first |
| TV box | A small set-top box, usually running Android TV or Google TV, that adds apps to any TV |
| tvg-id | The playlist tag that links a channel to its TV guide listings |
| Unicast | One stream per viewer, the way apps receive IPTV |
| User agent | The name tag an app sends with its requests; some servers check it |
| VOD | Video on demand: films and series you start whenever you like |
| VPN | A service that routes your connection through another server |
| XMLTV | The XML file format behind most IPTV TV guides |
| Xtream Codes | A login type (server, username, password) that apps use to fetch everything from the provider |
Where to go next
New to all of this? Start with what is IPTV, then how to set up IPTV. For the technology in depth, see our streaming technology guides.