IPTV Glossary: 30 Terms Every New Subscriber Should Know

A quick-reference glossary for the terms that come up constantly around IPTV — bookmark this if you run into unfamiliar terminology anywhere else on the site.

Core concepts

• IPTV — Internet Protocol Television; live TV delivered over the internet. See the full guide.
• VOD — Video on Demand; a library of movies and series you watch whenever you want, not on a schedule.
• EPG — Electronic Program Guide; the schedule grid showing what's on now and next. See full explanation.
• Catch-up TV — the ability to rewind and watch recently aired content on supported channels.

Access and login terms

• M3U playlist — a text file listing channel stream links. See what an M3U URL contains.
• Xtream Codes — a live login-based API alternative to M3U. See how it works.
• Portal / Line — informal terms for your account's server connection. See terminology explained.
• MAC address activation — a device-identification login method used by Smart IPTV and similar apps.

Quality and technical terms

• Bitrate — the amount of data used per second of video; higher generally means better quality but requires more bandwidth.
• Buffering — a pause while your device waits for more data to arrive. See how to reduce it.
• Transcoding — converting a stream from one format or resolution to another on the server side.
• Anti-freeze technology — server-side routing that keeps streams stable during high demand.

Apps and devices

• IPTV player — the app that turns your login into a watchable interface. See how to choose one.
• Sideloading — installing an app outside an official app store, common on Fire TV and Android.
• Set-top box — a dedicated hardware device (like a MAG box) built specifically for IPTV playback.

For terms not covered here, see the full FAQ page or ask support directly.