How IPTV works
An operator receives channels at a central facility, encodes them and sends them through its broadband network to subscribers' set-top boxes. Because the operator controls the network end to end, it can reserve capacity for television and guarantee quality.
Middleware manages the service: subscriber accounts, channel packages, the program guide and on-demand catalog.
What an IPTV service offers
- Live television channels
- Video on demand
- Catch-up and time-shifted viewing
- An electronic program guide
- Pay-per-view events
IPTV vs OTT
Both use internet protocol. Classic IPTV is tied to one operator's network and box. OTT travels over the public internet to any device, so it needs no network of its own.
In practice the line has blurred. Many services described as IPTV today are delivered over the open internet to apps and inexpensive boxes, which technically makes them OTT. The word is also used for unlicensed channel resellers, which is a legal question about rights, not a technical one.
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