Quick answer
IPTV stands for Internet Protocol Television: the delivery of television channels over IP networks, rather than through the air (digital terrestrial) or by satellite. It is the technology behind RaiPlay, DAZN, NOW and the set-top boxes supplied by telephone providers.
It does not denote any particular service, still less an informal subscription. If you read “I bought an IPTV”, the writer means a subscription to a platform that redistributes channels: a misuse of the acronym, but by now the most widespread one.
How it works, technically
A traditional television channel is broadcast uniformly: the broadcaster transmits, and anyone with an aerial receives. With IPTV the stream travels over an IP network instead, and each viewer establishes their own connection to the server.
The typical path runs like this: the video source is encoded in real time, cut into segments of a few seconds, and made available on a server. The player downloads a manifest — a file listing the available segments and the qualities on offer — and then requests the segments one after another, keeping a small margin of already-downloaded playback in hand. When that margin runs out, the picture stops: that is exactly what we call buffering.
The most widespread protocol for this mechanism is HLS, which uses manifests with the .m3u8 extension — the same family of files as M3U playlists.
IPTV, streaming, on demand: what distinguishes what
The terms overlap and it helps to put them in order.
| Term | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| IPTV | Television carried over an IP network, broadly | A telephone provider's set-top box |
| OTT | A service travelling over the public internet, independent of the provider | DAZN, NOW, Netflix |
| Live streaming | Live transmission, running to a schedule | RaiPlay live, Pluto TV |
| On demand | A catalogue you browse at will, with no schedule | Netflix, Prime Video |
| FAST | Free linear channels funded by advertising | Pluto TV, Samsung TV Plus |
A service can belong to several categories: RaiPlay is IPTV, OTT, live streaming and on demand all at once. In practice only one distinction is useful — is there a schedule running, or do you choose what to watch?
What you need to use it
Three things, and it helps to keep them separate because problems nearly always arise in only one of them.
A source, meaning a service that transmits. That can be a broadcaster's app (RaiPlay), a paid service (DAZN), or a playlist handed over by a provider along with a subscription.
An app to play it. The services' own apps already contain everything; a playlist needs an IPTV player, chosen according to the device: the options are gathered in the comparison table.
An adequate connection. A high-definition channel generally needs a few stable megabits per second. The number matters less than the stability: a fast but erratic line gives worse results than a slower, steady one. The subject is examined in the buffering guide.
Why the word took on another meaning in Italy
Around 2015, services began to spread that resold pay TV channel packages for a few euros a month, distributing them through playlists and generic clients. Because the technology in use was IPTV, in everyday speech the name of the technology became the name of that phenomenon.
The practical effect is a confusion that makes it hard even to search for information: the same word covers both the set-top box a telephone provider lawfully installs in your home and an irregular subscription. The distinction that counts is not about the technology but about who holds the rights to the content, and it is dealt with in the guide to legal IPTV.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between IPTV and digital terrestrial?
The means of transport. Digital terrestrial travels through the air and needs an aerial; IPTV travels over your internet connection. Digital terrestrial uses no bandwidth and does not depend on your line; IPTV offers a catalogue, catch-up and no coverage constraints.
Are IPTV and streaming the same thing?
Largely, yes. “Streaming” describes the way something is transmitted, “IPTV” the fact that the content is television. An on-demand film is streaming but is not, strictly speaking, television.
Do I need a set-top box for IPTV?
No, if the device you have can run an app: a recent television, a phone or a computer will do. A set-top box is needed when there is no device capable of playing.
How much bandwidth does IPTV need?
A high-definition channel generally needs a few stable megabits; 4K takes considerably more. Consistency counts for more than peak speed.
Is IPTV legal?
The technology is, and every major broadcaster uses it. What is not legal is the redistribution of channels by someone who does not hold the rights.