Twenty years ago, my television choices were dictated by cable and satellite TV providers. I had no control over what I watched or when I watched it; I had to adhere to the fixed schedules of shows, often resulting in missed episodes or late-night reruns.
Fast forward to today, with the advent of high-speed internet, I find myself liberated from the constraints of scheduled programming. This liberation has given rise to the popular trend known as “cord-cutting,” which involves transitioning from traditional cable and satellite TV to IPTV (Internet Protocol Television).
So, what exactly is IPTV, and how does it work?
IPTV, or Internet Protocol Television, is the delivery of TV programming through the internet. Unlike conventional television, IPTV empowers users with two-way interactivity, allowing them to choose what they want to watch and when they want to watch it, a concept often referred to as Video on Demand (VOD).
Traditional TV broadcasts content in real-time, while IPTV employs servers to store broadcasted content. When a user requests a TV show, the content stored on these servers is transformed into a digital format, transmitted as data packets via the internet, received at the user’s location, and then converted back into a format compatible with the user’s TV.
In cases where the user’s TV cannot handle the digital format, a set-top box comes into play, connecting to the TV via HDMI or AV cables. The set-top box takes care of transcoding the digital format before delivering the content to the TV.
IPTV can be broadly categorized into the following content formats:
Time-Shifted TV: This feature allows users to watch previously broadcasted content, such as sports events, conferences, or political debates. However, this content typically remains available for only a few days after the initial broadcast before being removed by the IPTV provider.
Live IPTV: Live TV streams real-time television broadcasts directly to the user. This is particularly popular for live sporting events, historic moments, or breaking news coverage.
Video on Demand: Video on demand grants users access to a vast library of video content that they can request and watch at their convenience. This operates similarly to other OTT (Over-the-Top) providers like Netflix or Hulu.
Now, you might wonder, what are the potential drawbacks of IPTV?
From my perspective, the primary drawback of IPTV is occasional latency, particularly when viewing live sports events. There have been instances when I learned about my favorite soccer team scoring a goal a whole minute after it happened due to a lag in my stream. However, this minor inconvenience seems insignificant compared to the freedom of choosing what to watch and when to watch it, all at a significantly lower cost than traditional TV.
In conclusion, since the early 2000s, IPTV has been steadily on the rise, and there are no signs of it slowing down. With the continual improvement of internet speeds and reduced latencies, driven by technological advancements such as 5G, IPTV is set to become even more prevalent in the future. It has revolutionized the way we consume television content, giving us unprecedented control over our viewing experiences.