IPTV Glossary: 30 Terms Every New Subscriber Should Know

A quick-reference glossary of the terms that come up most around IPTV. Bookmark it for when you hit an unfamiliar term elsewhere 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.
• EPG: Electronic Program Guide, the schedule grid showing what's on now and next. See full explanation.
• Catch-up TV: watching 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 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 login method that identifies your device, used by Smart IPTV and similar apps.

Quality and technical terms

• Bitrate: the amount of data used per second of video. Higher usually means better quality but needs 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.
• 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 from outside an official app store, common on Fire TV and Android.
• Set-top box: a dedicated hardware device (like a MAG box) built for IPTV playback.

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