Cable is old school. IPTV? That’s cool. This internet-based alternative to traditional cable gives you more control over the channels included in your lineup, when you can watch your favorite content, and what your package costs.

The freedom that these platforms offer has led to an explosion in their popularity over the past few years. That said, there’s still a little bit of mystery around how they work and how viewers can use them.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about IPTV, including setup tips and troubleshooting advice, plus how PIA VPN can help you make the most of your IPTV subscriptions.

What Is IPTV and How Does It Work?

Let’s start with the basics: IPTV stands for Internet Protocol Television. These services offer you a way to watch live TV and on-demand content via the internet without a traditional cable or satellite contract.

To use IPTV services, you’ll typically need to choose a provider and download a compatible app or player onto your streaming device. This is way more convenient – and usually cheaper – than having to set up an antenna or set-top box and connect it to your TV to access content.

One of the big pluses of IPTV is its flexibility. With the right service, you can access everything from live news and sports channels to entire libraries of on-demand movies, series, and even international content. On top of that, you can watch content on a range of devices. Most IPTV providers have apps for smartphones, tablets, streaming sticks, and other popular streaming devices.

Different Types of IPTV

There are a few different IPTV formats that you can choose from: live TV, time-shifted TV, video-on-demand (VOD), and near-video-on-demand. The one that best suits you will depend on when and how you prefer to watch content.

Live TV is exactly what it sounds like. It lets you watch broadcasts in real time, just like traditional television. With a live TV service, like Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, or Sling TV, you’ll get access to live sports, news, or entertainment channels.

On the opposite end of the spectrum are VOD services. These give you access to a library of content that you can watch whenever you want. Your platform choice will likely hinge on the type of content you prefer. For example, Netflix is great for movie buffs, while Hulu is best for original series.

Some streaming platforms offer time-shifted or catch-up TV. These services, like BBC iPlayer, allow you to replay recently broadcast shows. While this might sound similar to VOD, there’s one key difference: the content is only available for a specific time period (usually up to a week or so).

Finally, there’s near-video-on-demand. It’s used mostly for pay-per-view content, like special sports events or movie premiers. The content plays on a set schedule, but there are usually multiple start times for a particular program – kind of like an online movie theater.

Some services offer a mix of live and/or catch-up TV and on-demand content, whereas other providers specialize in one format. You’ll have to weigh your preferences about live versus on-demand content to decide which works best for you.

Pros and Cons of IPTV

Like any service, IPTV has its upsides and inconveniences. Here’s how it stacks up compared to traditional cable: