IPTV means television delivered over an internet connection instead of an aerial, satellite dish or cable. A provider gives you a playlist of stream addresses, and a player application turns that list into channels you can browse and watch. The technology itself is ordinary and is used by mainstream broadcasters as well.
What does IPTV actually stand for?
IPTV stands for Internet Protocol Television. The name describes the delivery method and nothing else: the picture arrives as data packets over the same connection that carries your email, rather than as a broadcast signal down a cable or through the air.
That is worth separating from what the term has come to imply colloquially. Plenty of household-name services are IPTV in the technical sense. The word on its own says nothing about who is operating a service or whether they hold the rights to what they carry.
How the pieces fit together
Three separate things have to be present, and confusing them is the source of most beginner questions.
| Piece | What it is | Who provides it |
|---|---|---|
| The service | The channels themselves, and the servers streaming them | Your IPTV provider |
| The playlist | An M3U file or Xtream Codes login listing the stream addresses | Your IPTV provider |
| The player | The app that reads the playlist and shows you a channel list and guide | A software publisher, such as IPTV Pro |
A player with no playlist shows nothing. A playlist with no player is a text file. Neither one is a subscription.
What is an M3U playlist?
An M3U playlist is a plain-text file that lists stream URLs, one channel per entry, with a name and often a logo and category attached. It is the oldest and most widely supported way to hand a channel list to a player. There is more detail in our guide to M3U playlists.
What is an EPG?
An EPG is an electronic programme guide: the grid showing what is on each channel and when. It arrives separately from the channel list, usually as an XMLTV file, which is why channels can work perfectly while the guide stays empty. See how to set up your EPG.
What speed do you need?
Roughly 10 Mbps sustained for HD and 25 Mbps for 4K, measured at the device rather than at the router. Consistency matters more than the headline figure — a stable 15 Mbps beats a 200 Mbps line that drops for two seconds every minute. Our buffering guide covers how to tell which one you have.
Is IPTV legal?
The technology itself is legal and is used by mainstream broadcasters. What can be unlawful is accessing specific content without the right to do so, which is a question about the service carrying it rather than about the protocol or your app.
IPTV Pro is a subscription service, and our Acceptable Use Policy sets out how a subscription may be used: one household, private viewing, one stream at a time, no sharing and no redistribution. Nothing on this page is legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a special box for IPTV?
No. Any device that can run a player will do, including a Roku, a Firestick, an Android TV box, a Samsung or LG television, a phone or a laptop. Dedicated set-top boxes exist but are not required.
Does IPTV work without an aerial or dish?
Yes. That is the point of it — the only connection needed is broadband.
Why do I need to choose my own app?
Because IPTV Pro does not publish one. The line is a standard M3U or Xtream Codes login, so you use whichever player suits the device you own — and if you have never installed one, we will pick it with you and set it up.
What is the difference between IPTV and streaming services?
Technically very little; both send video over the internet. In everyday use, “streaming service” tends to mean a single company’s own on-demand catalogue, while “IPTV” tends to mean live channels delivered from a playlist.
Can I use IPTV on more than one device at once?
You can install your details on as many devices as you like, but one line streams one channel at a time. For simultaneous viewing, order a second line.