Skip to main content

IPTV Glossary

Understanding IPTV terminology can be confusing. This glossary explains common terms you will encounter when setting up and using IPTV players.

A

Adaptive Bitrate Streaming
Adaptive bitrate streaming automatically adjusts video quality based on your internet speed and device capabilities. This ensures smooth playback by lowering quality during congestion rather than buffering.
Related:HLSBitrateQuality
Aspect Ratio
Aspect ratio is the proportional relationship between video width and height. Common ratios include 16:9 (widescreen) and 4:3 (standard). IPTV players let you adjust aspect ratio to fit your screen.
Related:Video SettingsZoom
Audio Track
Many streams include multiple audio tracks for different languages or audio formats (stereo, 5.1 surround). Your IPTV player should allow switching between available audio tracks.
Related:SubtitlesMulti-language
Auto-start / Boot Launch
Auto-start (or boot launch) configures your IPTV player to open automatically when you turn on your device. Useful for dedicated IPTV setups where you want immediate access to live TV.
Related:Player Settings

B

Bitrate
Bitrate measures the amount of data processed per second in a stream, typically in Mbps (megabits per second). Higher bitrates generally mean better quality but require faster internet connections.
Related:QualityBandwidth
Buffer / Buffering
Buffering occurs when your device downloads and stores video data before playback. A buffer helps ensure smooth playback by having content ready. Excessive buffering usually indicates slow internet or server issues.
Related:StreamingConnection

C

Catchup / Timeshift
Catchup (also called timeshift) allows you to watch previously aired content. If you missed a live broadcast, catchup lets you go back and watch it for a limited period (usually 3-7 days). Not all channels or providers support this feature.
Related:VODDVR
Channel Groups / Categories
Channels are often organized into groups or categories like Sports, Movies, News, Entertainment, etc. This organization makes it easier to find specific content among thousands of channels.
Related:FavoritesEPG
Codec
A codec (coder-decoder) compresses and decompresses video and audio data. Common video codecs include H.264, H.265 (HEVC), and AV1. Your IPTV player must support the codec used by the stream to play it properly.
Related:H.264H.265HEVC

D

DVR / Recording
DVR (Digital Video Recording) capability allows you to record live TV streams for later viewing. Not all IPTV players support recording, and storage space on your device is required.
Related:CatchupLocal Recording

E

EPG (Electronic Program Guide)
An Electronic Program Guide displays TV schedules and program information for channels. EPG data is typically provided as an XML file (XMLTV format) and shows what is currently playing and upcoming programs with descriptions, times, and categories.
Related:XMLTVTV Guide
External Player
An external player is a separate video player app (like VLC or MX Player) that can be used to play streams from your IPTV app. This is useful when the built-in player has compatibility issues with certain streams.
Related:VLCMX Player

F

Favorites / Bookmarks
Favorites (or bookmarks) let you save frequently watched channels for quick access. Most IPTV players support creating custom favorite lists to organize your preferred channels.
Related:Channel Management

H

H.264 / AVC
H.264 (also called AVC) is the most widely used video codec. It offers good compression with broad device compatibility. Most IPTV streams use H.264 encoding.
Related:CodecH.265
H.265 / HEVC
H.265 (High Efficiency Video Coding) provides better compression than H.264, delivering similar quality at half the file size. It is commonly used for 4K content but requires more processing power to decode.
Related:CodecH.2644K
Hardware Decoding
Hardware decoding uses your device dedicated video processor (GPU) to decode video streams. This is more efficient than software decoding and reduces CPU usage, resulting in smoother playback and lower power consumption.
Related:Software DecodingCodec
HLS (HTTP Live Streaming)
HLS is a streaming protocol developed by Apple. It breaks video into small segments and delivers them over HTTP. HLS is widely supported and adapts quality based on your internet connection speed.
Related:Streaming ProtocolAdaptive Bitrate

M

M3U / M3U8
M3U is a playlist file format used to organize media files. M3U8 is the UTF-8 encoded version. In IPTV, M3U playlists contain URLs to live TV channels and VOD content. Most IPTV providers deliver their channel lists in this format.
Related:PlaylistXtream Codes
Multi-screen / Picture-in-Picture
Multi-screen allows viewing multiple channels simultaneously on one screen. Picture-in-Picture (PiP) shows a smaller video window over the main content. Useful for watching multiple sports events at once.
Related:Player Feature

P

Parental Controls
Parental controls allow you to restrict access to certain channels or content. You can set a PIN code to lock adult content or limit viewing based on content ratings.
Related:PINContent Filtering

R

RTMP (Real-Time Messaging Protocol)
RTMP is a streaming protocol originally developed by Adobe. While less common today, some IPTV streams still use RTMP. It provides low-latency streaming but requires specific player support.
Related:HLSStreaming Protocol

S

Software Decoding
Software decoding uses your device CPU to decode video streams. While more flexible than hardware decoding, it uses more power and may struggle with high-resolution content on older devices.
Related:Hardware DecodingCodec
Stalker Portal / MAC Address
Stalker Portal (also called Ministra) is an IPTV middleware platform. It uses MAC address authentication instead of username/password. Some IPTV services provide portal URLs that require a registered MAC address.
Related:Xtream CodesPortal
Stream URL
A stream URL is the web address pointing to a video stream. IPTV playlists contain stream URLs for each channel. URLs typically start with http://, https://, or specific protocols like rtmp://.
Related:M3UPlaylist
Subtitles / Closed Captions
Subtitles display text translations or transcriptions of audio content. IPTV streams may include embedded subtitles in various languages. Most players allow you to toggle subtitles on/off and adjust their appearance.
Related:Accessibility

U

User Agent
A user agent is a string that identifies your device/browser to the server. Some IPTV streams require specific user agents to work. Advanced players allow you to customize the user agent string.
Related:HeadersStream Settings

V

VOD (Video on Demand)
Video on Demand refers to content that can be watched at any time, rather than scheduled broadcasts. VOD includes movies, TV series, and other pre-recorded content available through your IPTV service.
Related:CatchupSeries
VPN (Virtual Private Network)
A VPN encrypts your internet connection and routes it through servers in different locations. VPNs can help with privacy and accessing geo-restricted content, though they may affect streaming speed.
Related:PrivacyGeo-blocking

X

XMLTV
XMLTV is an XML-based format for TV listings data. EPG information is commonly distributed in XMLTV format. Your IPTV player parses this file to display program schedules.
Related:EPGTV Guide
Xtream Codes API
Xtream Codes is a popular API protocol used by IPTV services. It uses a server URL, username, and password for authentication. Many IPTV players support Xtream Codes login, which provides organized channel categories, EPG data, and catchup functionality.
Related:M3UAPI

Ready to Get Started?

Now that you understand the terminology, explore our player reviews and setup guides.